Liturgy Changes- Vatican II

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PeteZaHut

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My theology teacher has said that much of Vatican II was mis-reported by the media, and now many churches are doing things incorrectly.

He has different ideas when it comes to eucharistic ministers, the priest facing the altar, and especially receiving eucharist in the hands.

I have found some Vatican II documents online but they were very long and confusing.

Is there a way of finding out exactly what was changed by Vatican II from a credible source?
 
Basically, what happened is that the Catholic Church in America as represented by the USCC and NCCB (which combined to form the USCCB a few years ago) decided that the door had been opened for them to make changes. They ignored the documents of Vatican II, to a large extent, and just did what they wanted. In my mind, they engaged in deconstruction and reconstruction – or to put it more kindly, they were far too “progressive.”

For example, Vatican II said that the Tabernacle could be moved to the side of the altar, rather than be directly behind it. The American Bishops moved it FAR to the side or even into an adjoining chapel which some churches have for use with daily Mass.

Vatican II opened the door to modern hymns but praised Gregorian chant and recommended keeping it in the liturgy – the American Bishops promptly threw out the Gregorian chant entirely.

Vatican II opened the door to replacing the Crucified Christ behind the altar with the Resurrected Christ – the American Bishops went so far as to allow naked crosses with no Christ at all (you would think you were in a Protestant church!).

Vatican II opened the door to using Eucharistic Ministers if needed in extreme cases (a LARGE parish with one priest) – the American Bishops instituted it in full for all parishes and all circumstances.

Vatican II opened the door to church architecture such that gothic and baroque styles, with gargoyles, etc. need no longer be the norm – the American Bishops began building post-modern churches and cathedrals that look like office buildings.

There are dozens of such examples. Vatican II “opened the door to let in some fresh air” and the American Bishops knocked down the walls as well. What happened to the Catholic Church was nothing short of tragedy! I do not blame Vatican II – I blame the wildly progressive American hierarchy for these things. They were given an inch, and they took a mile. This, I suspect, is what your theology teacher is trying to say.
 
GENERAL REMINDER: This thread is not a discussion of Vatican II – as this forum is for Liturgy & Sacraments, it relates to liturgical changes post council. Those having other issues to discuss should join an already ongoing thread or initiate one in the appropriate forum.

Your cooperation in keeping the thread on track is appreciated.
 
VociMike said:
Vatican II covered many different areas of the Catholic faith, but everything you listed is related to liturgy. I suggest you start with the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy and this good article on The Mass of Vatican II.
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The Constitution on Sacred Liturgy is definitely the way to go. I would simply recommend creating a list while reading of whatever specific mandates are given or general norms are laid down in those norms, then compare them to what you see in a parish.

Now, the key is to not assume that everything is illegitimate just because it is not in a Vatican II document. Much of what was created in the wake of the council was done by those who mistakenly believed themselves to be carrying out the work of the council, so some of what you see that doesn’t jive with the conciliar documents will actually conform to subsequent legislation. But if the only question is the difference between what the council mandated and what we got, a reading of that one document should suffice.
 
Many were changed during V2 not just the liturgy but also the theology and teachings. V2 opened the windows of the church to let fresh air in, but in fact pollution came in. Sorry to say that but it is a fact.

Pax
Laudater Jesus Christo
Instaurare omnia in Christo
 
It would also be wise to read Musicam Sacram, the actual implementation document by the commission assigned by Sacrosanctum Concilium.
 
I’ve just been scanning through those links, but I haven’t come across anything about receiving communion in the hands. What do you all know about that?

If American churches are doing things incorrectly, what are we to do about it? Are we obligated to find a church in our area that is doing things the most correcty?
 
PeteZaHut said:
I’ve just been scanning through those links, but I haven’t come across anything about receiving communion in the hands. What do you all know about that?

If American churches are doing things incorrectly, what are we to do about it? Are we obligated to find a church in our area that is doing things the most correcty?
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This was authorized by John Paul II, I believe in the 80’s. There is some disagreement as to how it came to be accepted, but regardless of its history, it is accepted and the Church says that it is totally at the option of the person receiving.
 
Communion in the hand was authorized by the Holy See on a country-by-country basis, where the bishops’ conferences had requested it. It still is not permitted in some countries.

Permission was given for communion in the hand in the US by Pope Paul VI in 1977.
 
I would recommend the works of Msgr. Klaus Gamber, Mr. Michael Davies online and in print, and anything out of the Adoremus group to get a full spectrum of the opinions on this matter.

If I had to choose one, it would be Gamber because Ratzinger referred to him as "the one scholar, who, among the army of pseudo-liturgists, truly represents the liturgical thinking of the center of the Church.“the one scholar, who, among the army of pseudo-liturgists, truly represents the liturgical thinking of the center of the Church.”
 
Vatican 2 made some general and specific suggestions for changes in the rubrics of trhe Mass.

There have been other changes in the rubrics; they are spread through a number of documents. For example, the issue of receiving Communion in the hand came from a subsequent document.

There are some who believe that the only changes that were or are permissible were limited to the specifics mentioned in the Vatican 2 documents; however, not only do the documents of Vatican 2 limit the changes that could be made, but also the history of the Mass would show that each pope has the authority to issue regulations and changes to the Mass should he feel it necessary or important.

The general overall rules of the Mass are conteined in the General Instructions of the Roman Missal, often referred to as the GIRM. However, they are not the only regulations pertinent; for example, there is Redemptionis Sacramentum also.
 
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