Cardinal to ‘honour’ sacked Archbishop
This is simply over the top by Cardinal O’Connor. It’s one thing to provide a place to hawk a dissatisfied archbishop new book A Challenging Reform Realizing the Vision of the Liturgical Renewalwith the direction of where the liturgy is head. It’s another to use the throne room of Archbishop’s House in Westminster.
I can understand Marini, anyone who feels their lives work is being undermined or deleted wants to defend themselves. However, Cardinal Cormac is fostering/promoting a media revolt by placing this in his throne room. Desent not on theological matters, but on jurisdictional ones in which he is trumped is nothing short of outright disobedience.
I would think Cardinal Cormac would agree with Pope John XXIII
The Importance of Obedience
30. We are offering clerics this total obedience as a model, with full confidence that its force and beauty will lead them to strive for it more ardently. And if there should be someone who dares to cast doubt on the supreme importance of this virtue-as sometimes happens at the present time-let him take to heart these words of Our predecessor of happy memory, Pius XII, which everyone should keep firmly in mind: “The holiness of any life and the effectiveness of any apostolate has constant and faithful obedience to the hierarchy as its solid foundation, basis and support. ” (44)31. For, as you well know, Venerable Brethren, Our most recent predecessors have often issued serious warnings to priests about the extent of the dangers that are arising among the clergy from a growing carelessness about obedience with regard to the teaching authority of the Church, to the various ways and means of undertaking the apostolate, and to ecclesiastical discipline.
SACERDOTII NOSTRI PRIMORDIA(On the Priesthood) Pope John XXII
10. Nevertheless the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows. For the aim and object of apostolic works is that all who are made sons of God by faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of His Church, to take part in the sacrifice, and to eat the Lord’s supper.
14. …Yet it would be futile to entertain any hopes of realizing this unless the pastors themselves, in the first place, become thoroughly imbued with the spirit and power of the liturgy, and undertake to give instruction about it. A prime need, therefore, is that attention be directed, first of all, to the liturgical instruction of the clergy.
I find myself as a cradle Catholic in a no-man’s land on this one, hopefully with Pope Benedict XVI.
There appears (at least on the surface) only two camps [those of the “spirit of vatican II crowd”] which have made all the changes/developments in the liturgy which Archbishop Piero Marini as papal Master of Ceremonies was always pushing the envelope. And the trad-catholics who think Rome has finally starting the process of repenting of her evil ways and moving towards a pre-Vat II era, which only increases the former group of their suspicions that they are right.
I believe the Pope will merge the two rites of the latin & N.O. at some point. This will likely raise the ire of both of those groups, I pray that Pope B16 can raise up the third group in short order.
I think it’s a backhanded good sign: the old liberals like the cardinal and archbishop are running scared.
Also unsurprisingly I lean towards ‘Rome is finally starting the process of repenting of her evil ways and moving towards a pre-Vat II era’ only unlike the ‘it’s about Latin’ and ‘let’s make it just like the 1950s’ people I’d want something more like pre-V2 but like the legitimate liturgical movement and BTW more like the Orthodox (regular chant High Masses with congregational singing and public recitation of the office) not the assembly-line Low Masses at St Brigid’s on a Sunday morning, devotions and that’s it. Thomas Day nailed this: with the NO the 1950s ethos is dead the same even with the different furniture, blocking and other details. ‘Go in, don’t sing, put up with the cantor singing at you, stare at the wall for 30 minutes, make your Communion and get out as fast as you can.’ The liturgical movement was destroyed not fulfilled after V2.
I believe the Pope will merge the two rites of the latin & N.O. at some point. This will likely raise the ire of both of those groups, I pray that Pope B16 can raise up the third group in short order.
I don’t know if that’s doable or even desirable literally but I appreciate what you’re trying to get at: something unequivocally orthodox and ceremonially richer than what’s out there now but in a tongue understanded of the people. Like the way some reform-of-the-reform people do the NO: it looks and feels like the Tridentine Mass. (The Brompton Oratory in London has been like that as long as there has been the NO.) In a way it once existed – the interim instructions in 1965 for using the 1962 Missal. Many people thought those were to be the extent of the changes. Basically a very simplified Tridentine Mass with parts in the vernacular.
I’m not surprised that you lead towards a pre-Vat II liturgy, but I would really like to see the cycle of A, B, and C readings, and the addition of a third reading of the N.O. The lectionary for the Tridentine Mass is the same reading every year.
I would however like to have an improved lectionary, because I have noticed over the years a trend of omitting certain passages that are perhaps harsh to modern ears. I think the commons should be in latin, everything else in english.
Dropping the Novus Ordo would trigger the return of the trads. And I’m lukewarm to such a situation if they re-enter with the concept that the church was in error and they were correct on theological grounds. This is simply not the case. The issue of the Roman rite is a matter of jurisdiction not theology. It’s clear the spirit of Vat II destroyed much of the church, but the trads left rather then stand, fight and mostly endure. They have been outside the church for an extended period of time and in many aspects they have developed a mind-set that they rather then the church are they holds of Tradition.
But in short as you said something along a simplified Tridentine Mass.
My line on those new lectionaries is Fr Peter Robinson‘s: they sound good in theory but really mean the people hear three times as much scripture but only know it about a third as well.
Whether tradition is organic or imposed is arguably theological but the trads are right and Paul VI-John Paul II Rome wrong in prudential judgement.
Oh, come now Serge, that’s a bit glib don’t you think? I think it incombent on the good Father has to develop his homily better if they fail to listen to Scripture. Perhaps it’s to much work to craft 3 difference sermons for the same liturgical calendar;>)
Certainly there are many things historically proven that is better with the Tridentine Mass over the N.O. but there are some things better in the N.O. (see lighting didn’t strike me down). I’m a big fan of Cardinal Ottaviani and his intervention, but there needs to be reform looking at the past, present and future. Going back to Trent alone isn’t going to work. The Reformation or at least the Protestantism of the 16th century is dead & buried. There are internal and external issues that the liturgy need to address and IMO neither rite stands against it.
Intervention
MEDIATOR DEI – Pope Pius XII
IMO it is #59 “provided only that the integrity of her doctrine be safeguarded” has been called into question, that those who believe themselves to be “in” the church have taken the uncalled for step of condemning the past several popes, because in fact a valid one has the authority to “develops, adapts and accommodates herself to temporal needs and circumstances”.
Pope Benedict will face opposition from both groups, but I will follow the rudder, because for the the first time in 40 years on this earth I see us clearing some of the rocky shoals. Bring back Gregorian Chant is a great start, well get an indication of how much support he really has with how quickly the local bishops adopt this change. And it’s up to the laity to make sure it isn’t delayed unnecessary. If that means the laity has to start taking lesson themselves then so be it.
And God have mercy on the ears of my parish if I’m forced to inflict my voice with no instruments to drown it out.