CDWDS Info

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TheMc

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I’m planning on writing a letter to the CDWDS about something, but I have a few questions.
  • Should I address it to an individual, or to the Congregation as a whole?
  • What Address should I send it to?
  • Other tips?
Thanks in advance.
 
TheMc said:
I’m planning on writing a letter to the CDWDS about something, but I have a few questions.
  • Should I address it to an individual, or to the Congregation as a whole?
  • What Address should I send it to?
  • Other tips?
Thanks in advance.
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I would address it to the Most Rev. Augustine DiNoa
Secretary, Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
 
Here are Fr. Z’s recommendations:
  • BE BRIEF. Make your cover letter no longer than one side of one sheet of paper.
  • Avoid writing long-hand. Make it easy to read. Type or use your computer.
  • Include relevant documents: Vatican dicasteries can’t act solely on the basis of Mrs. Joe Bagofdonuts’s description of events. The best thing you can do is send concrete evidence, printed. If someone wrote and distributed something, send a copy.
  • If you have relevant past correspondence, such as previous responses from priests or bishops, send copies.
  • Do not tell them their job! Don’t quote canons, blah blah, as if they didn’t know them already. Leave the incredibly obvious unsaid.
  • Do not engage in character assassination. State FACTS with as little editorializing as possible. Blathering on and on about how “disobedient” priests or bishops are will not strengthen your case. State facts. They will know if they are disobedient.
  • If you must talk about your feelings, keep it incredibly short, and do not be mean-spirited. If something made you sad or angry, okay, say it, but don’t DWELL on it. The nastier you are, the weaker your letter will be.
  • At the end thank the one you are writing to for his service, and promise your prayers. And mean it.
Since you are asking for clarification on a specific topic and not writing to report an abuse, some of these would obviously not apply. I believe I read somewhere that one should use the address “Your Emminence” rather than “Dear _____”, though I can’t remember where I read it. Anyway, here’s the address:

His Eminence
Antonio Card. Canizares Llovera
Prefect of the Congregation
for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments
Palazzo delle Congregazioni
P.za Pio XII
00120 VATICAN CITY
 
stephraim said:
Here are Fr. Z’s recommendations:
  • BE BRIEF. Make your cover letter no longer than one side of one sheet of paper.
  • Avoid writing long-hand. Make it easy to read. Type or use your computer.
  • Include relevant documents: Vatican dicasteries can’t act solely on the basis of Mrs. Joe Bagofdonuts’s description of events. The best thing you can do is send concrete evidence, printed. If someone wrote and distributed something, send a copy.
  • If you have relevant past correspondence, such as previous responses from priests or bishops, send copies.
  • Do not tell them their job! Don’t quote canons, blah blah, as if they didn’t know them already. Leave the incredibly obvious unsaid.
  • Do not engage in character assassination. State FACTS with as little editorializing as possible. Blathering on and on about how “disobedient” priests or bishops are will not strengthen your case. State facts. They will know if they are disobedient.
  • If you must talk about your feelings, keep it incredibly short, and do not be mean-spirited. If something made you sad or angry, okay, say it, but don’t DWELL on it. The nastier you are, the weaker your letter will be.
  • At the end thank the one you are writing to for his service, and promise your prayers. And mean it.
Since you are asking for clarification on a specific topic and not writing to report an abuse, some of these would obviously not apply. I believe I read somewhere that one should use the address “Your Emminence” rather than “Dear _____”, though I can’t remember where I read it. Anyway, here’s the address:

His Eminence
Antonio Card. Canizares Llovera
Prefect of the Congregation
for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments
Palazzo delle Congregazioni
P.za Pio XII
00120 VATICAN CITY
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Having spoken regularly to the CDWDS, I was told that since Cardinal Canizares does not speak English, it would be best to address the correspondence to Archbishop DiNoa.

Here is how to address him:

Most Reverend and Dear Archbishop DiNoa:

I hope this helps.
 
benedictgal said:
Having spoken regularly to the CDWDS, I was told that since Cardinal Canizares does not speak English, it would be best to address the correspondence to Archbishop DiNoa.

Here is how to address him:

Most Reverend and Dear Archbishop DiNoa:

I hope this helps.
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Hmm, I didn’t know that. Thank you.
 
TheMc said:
Here’s my letter. What do you think? Changes? Keep it how it is?

docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1E1NvYYERVrrBQ-hKEChavOGAbzrfUJZP3MpKf_mN9Vc
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Unless you are writing on the authority of the Diocese of Madison, you cannot reasonably say that you are writing “on its behalf.” That makes it sound as though you are acting as a representative of the diocese (maybe you are, what do I know).

Personally, I would also cut down on questions you perfectly well know the answer to (Must chant be used in “every Mass”?). The interesting question you neglect to ask, however, is what is the function of “ceteris paribus” in these statements? Are “other things” really “equal” when, for instance, no one in the congregation speaks Latin, or when the use of chant would mean that certain musical portions of the Mass (such as the introitus / entrance procession) would have to be reserved to a choir and could not be sung by the congregation at all? To me, that is the more important question than what “pride of place” is (though it is frequently ignored on these forums by people who only quote the last half of the sentence).

Also, “it’s” in the first line should be “its,” and “cantus alias aptitus” should have been “alius cantus aptus.”
 
Please use “its” correctly. It’s = it is. Its = a possessive pronoun, such as in your letter:

“gregorian chant and its place in the mass,” not “gregorian chant and it’s (it is) place in the mass”
 
MarkThompson said:
Unless you are writing on the authority of the Diocese of Madison, you cannot reasonably say that you are writing “on its behalf.” That makes it sound as though you are acting as a representative of the diocese (maybe you are, what do I know).

Personally, I would also cut down on questions you perfectly well know the answer to (Must chant be used in “every Mass”?). The interesting question you neglect to ask, however, is what is the function of “ceteris paribus” in these statements? Are “other things” really “equal” when, for instance, no one in the congregation speaks Latin, or when the use of chant would mean that certain musical portions of the Mass (such as the introitus / entrance procession) would have to be reserved to a choir and could not be sung by the congregation at all? To me, that is the more important question than what “pride of place” is (though it is frequently ignored on these forums by people who only quote the last half of the sentence).

Also, “it’s” in the first line should be “its,” and “cantus alias aptitus” should have been “alius cantus aptus.”
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Thanks Mark, BG and everyone else for the ideas. I’ll work on putting these together.

No, I’m not writing with the diocese behind me. This is very clearly a first draft, and is definitely not ready to send. Thanks for that correction, Mark.

While I added the question about “all other things being equal”, I think I will leave in the reference about the “required” frequency of use.

The corrections have been made, will be made live in less than 5 minutes at the same link as I gave above, which is reproduced for your convenience:

docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1E1NvYYERVrrBQ-hKEChavOGAbzrfUJZP3MpKf_mN9Vc

Any other ideas to modify the letter now? Make sure to check the link for the latest version.

BTW, is this the address to send to?

Most Rev. Augustine DiNoa
Congregation for Divine Worship
and Discipline of the Sacraments
Palazzo delle Congregazioni
P.za Pio XII
00120 VATICAN CITY
 
A couple of remarks:
  1. His last name is Di Noia, not DiNoa.
  2. Make sure you do a good read for spelling and grammar. You have “Is the lack chant an abuse”, “seemse”, “ie”, and a few others.
  3. Maybe you could offer some hint of why you are interested in these issues and why the Congregation should answer them. The CDWDS is not an answer bureau for every layman’s idle ponderings. To really answer your questions thoroughly would probably take a lengthy document and would require the Congregation to decisively rule on questions that are presently left up to the judgment of pastors and bishops. Why should they do that, instead of sending back “The documents currently in force are considered binding, but we continually evaluate these issues. Your interest in this important topic is appreciated”?
  4. You refer to “two specific questions,” “a few questions,” and “this question.”
  5. The boldface is not necessary.
 
MarkThompson said:
A couple of remarks:
  1. His last name is Di Noia, not DiNoa.
  2. Make sure you do a good read for spelling and grammar. You have “Is the lack chant an abuse”, “seemse”, “ie”, and a few others.
  3. Maybe you could offer some hint of why you are interested in these issues and why the Congregation should answer them. The CDWDS is not an answer bureau for every layman’s idle ponderings. To really answer your questions thoroughly would probably take a lengthy document and would require the Congregation to decisively rule on questions that are presently left up to the judgment of pastors and bishops. Why should they do that, instead of sending back “The documents currently in force are considered binding, but we continually evaluate these issues. Your interest in this important topic is appreciated”?
  4. You refer to “two specific questions,” “a few questions,” and “this question.”
  5. The boldface is not necessary.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
TheMc said:
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Your welcome. BTW, I looked back at my post and it seemed a little cold-hearted. When I revise written work I’m generally very straightforward (and use a red pen, not calming blue or green), so I’m sorry if it looked like I was just smacking you with a list of complaints. As you might guess, I’m actually extremely interested to know what the response would be, and I wholly commend you for, at least figuratively, getting up off your duff and doing something of this sort.
 
My two cents. and this may indeed be personal preference.

I would increase the formality of the letter. “Most Reverend and Dear Archbishop DiNoia” is better replaced by “Your Excellency”. Nix “Blessings in Jesus Christ.” Likewise IMHO the conclusion is better replaced by something like “I remain your Excellency’s obedient and faithful servant”.

Really anything that increase the formality of the tone and avoid repetition is good. e.g. "In light of of the increased interest in the renewal of the sacred liturgy under our Holy Father Benedict XVI, various questions have arisen about the place of Gregorian chant in the sacred liturgy, and the interpretation of past papal and Conciliar statements, especially the provisions of the Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy…blah blah…Therefore I wish to request a clarification from this Congregation …blah, blah

in view of the statement of the Constitution of the Liturgy that chant holds the “pride of place” (principem locum), with what frequency should chant be employed in the sacred liturgy? (on ocassion, blah blah)"

Either way – formal or less formal – as another poster mentioned, check spellings and grammar e.g.“reguarding”.
 
novelista said:
Please use “its” correctly. It’s = it is. Its = a possessive pronoun, such as in your letter:

“gregorian chant and its place in the mass,” not “gregorian chant and it’s (it is) place in the mass”
Click to expand...
If you write in Panglish, there are no grammar rules. 🙂

Just don’t butcher the Latin. 🙂
 
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