Arinze on Liturgical Norms and Liturgical Piety

[OhioBob]

Adoremus Bulletin has the text of a speech by Cardinal Arinze on Liturgical Norms and Liturgical Piety. He was unable to deliver ths speech due to the death of the Holy Father and the subsequent conclave. It is worth reading and available online here.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

Thanks! Got it

 

[pnewton]

An impressively balanced speech. There is room for ample flexibility and creativity but within the established liturgical norms. The priest should bear in mind his congregatinal make up, but never go contrary to the GIRM.

I also like the part on liturgical dance.

 

[ames61]

From Cardinal Responds to Questions on Liturgy
adoremus.org/1003Arinze.html
Read this a couple months ago. Its very casual, in a Q&A format. This quote is also on Liturgical dance. Its really a hoot. If you’ve seen him in person, you can just imagine his lyrical voice and twinkle in his eyes as he says this.

But when you introduce wholesale, say, a ballerina, then I want to ask you what is it all about. What exactly are you arranging? When the people finish dancing in the Mass and then when the dance group finishes and people clap – don’t you see what it means? It means we have enjoyed it. We come for enjoyment. Repeat. So, there is something wrong. Whenever the people clap – there is something wrong – immediately. When they clap – a dance is done and they clap.

It is possible that there could be a dance that is so exquisite that it raises people’s minds to God, and they are praying and adoring God and when the dance is finished they are still wrapped up in prayer. But is that the type of dance you have seen? You see. It is not easy.

Most dances that are staged during Mass should have been done in the parish hall. And some of them are not even suitable for the parish hall.

I saw in one place – I will not tell you where – where they staged a dance during Mass, and that dance was offensive. It broke the rules of moral theology and modesty. *Those who arranged it – they should have had their heads washed with a bucket of holy water! * [laughter]

Why make the people of God suffer so much? Haven’t we enough problems already? Only Sunday, one hour, they come to adore God. And you bring a dance! Are you so poor you have nothing else to bring us? Shame on you! That’s how I feel about it.

Somebody can say, “but the pope visited this county and the people danced”. A moment: Did the pope arrange it? Poor Holy Father – he comes, the people arranged. He does not know what they arranged. And somebody introduces something funny – is the pope responsible for that? Does that mean it is now approved? Did they put in on the table of the Congregation for Divine Worship? We would throw it out! If people want to dance, they know where to go.

 

[StephanieC]

Cardinal Arinze, you’re AWESOME!!

 

[kmktexas]

If people want to dance, they know where to go.

This is priceless. People (including my own mother) are always using African tradition as a reason that we should allow liturgical dance. If anyone knows about African litugical tradition it is the good Cardinal and he’s not buying it.