JessicaCeleste:
Greetings! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
As a Catholic-in-Progress grin and one who attends a traditional parish, I was wondering if somebody could explain the concept of Liturgical Abuses to me. What on Earth is liturgical dancing?
Thanks much!
Jess
Cardinal Arinze discusses Liturgical Dance here in this letter capture at
Adoremus.org.
adoremus.org/Dance.html
And, he covered it again in his letter on
Liturgical Piety.
If you do not know
Cardinal Arinze, he is the head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
Here is something right from the heart of this website which captures common liturgical abuses.
catholic.com/library/liturgical_abuses.asp
To understand what a liturgical abuse is, you really have to understand the norms of the liturgy. Those are found in the
General Instruction of the Roman Missal (found at the USCCB site).
This tells the priest and the people how the Mass is to be celebrated, from the words used, to postures, to specifics about vessels, and even architecture of Churchs. The Holy See puts this out and individual diocese, such as the diocese of the United States may submit recommended exceptions or norms for itself. But, the Holy See must buy-in to the desired norms. Often times, the Holy See will accept these changes, with stipulations. However, the Holy See does not require the buy-in of the US Bishops or any other bishops to make changes.
When an abuse occurs, which is a violation of a norm, it is illicit, which does not invalidate the Mass, or the abuse can be serious enough to invalidate the Mass. For example, if a priest modifies the words of the Consecration, it can invalidate the Mass. If a priest, however, allows a lay person to give a homily, it won’t invalidate the Mass, but it is illicit.
Not only do we have to follow the norms found in the GIRM, but clarifications have come about due to questions raised. For example, there was a huge issue over whether people could kneel for the reception of Holy Communion. Some priests were denying people Holy Communion and this was clarified as a no-no in a subsequent document called
Redemtionis Sacramentum which came out in 2004.