New letter by Card. Arinze

[arieh0310]

Link to article

It follows that individuals, whether they be priests or lay faithful, are not free to add or subtract any details in the approved rites of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist (cf Sacrosanctum Concilium, 22). A do-it-yourself mentality, an attitude of nobody-will-tell-me-what-to-do, or a defiant sting of if-you-do-not-like-my-Mass-you-can-go-to-another-parish, is not only against sound theology and ecclesiology, but also offends against common sense. Unfortunately, sometimes common sense is not very common, when we see a priest ignoring liturgical rules and installing creativity – in his case personal idiosyncracy – as the guide to the celebration of Holy Mass. Our faith guides us and our love of Jesus and of his Church safeguards us from taking such unwholesome liberties. Aware that we are only ministers, not masters of the mysteries of Christ (cf I Cor 4:1), we follow the approved liturgical books so that the people of God are respected and their faith nourished, and so that God is honoured and the Church is gradually being built up.

 

[Scott_Waddell]

Go Arinze! Check out his podcast. When he says “A do-it-yourself mentality, an attitude of nobody-will-tell-me-what-to-do, or a defiant sting of if-you-do-not-like-my-Mass-you-can-go-to-another-parish” I agree of course, but I wish he would have added the excuse I hear all the time: some form of “Our Lord does not care about these details.” Or “Excessive legalism”. There is a great crusher response to this in Brideshead Revisited when Cordelia is whining about how the nuns are punishing her for putting her shoes in the wrong place and how Our Lady does not care where her shoes are. Bridey simply replies, “Our Lady cares about obedience.”

Scott

 

[gelsbern]

Too bad he didn’t say anything against the “If it’s not prohibited it must be ok” mentality. Other than that

 

[Seatuck]

gelsbern:

Too bad he didn’t say anything against the “If it’s not prohibited it must be ok” mentality. Other than that

Exactly! I know I’m still hearing “we can hold hands because it doesn’t say we can’t”. Ummm thats adding to the norms!

 

[buffalo]

Cardinal Arinze discourages “liturgies to order”

Signs are growing that Benedict XVI intends to bring the liturgy back to a more traditional form after a top Vatican official protested the use of “do-it-yourself” services.

In a keynote speech delivered at Westminster Cathedral recently, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, also said that individual priests should not add to or subtract from the approved rites, mentioning the practice of playing background music in particular as one practice that should stop.

“The Mass is the most solemn action of the sacred liturgy, which is itself the public worship of the Church,” the cardinal said

more…

 

[NeelyAnn]

I just read this article. In fact, I had just finished referring to it in a prior post. It is an encouraging article.

 

[Walking_Home]

Cardinal Arinze discourages “liturgies to order”

Signs are growing that Benedict XVI intends to bring the liturgy back to a more traditional form after a top Vatican official protested the use of “do-it-yourself” services.

In a keynote speech delivered at Westminster Cathedral recently, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, also said that individual priests should not add to or subtract from the approved rites, mentioning the practice of playing background music in particular as one practice that should stop.

“The Mass is the most solemn action of the sacred liturgy, which is itself the public worship of the Church,” the cardinal said

more…

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This is indeed encouraging.
I do hope the Vatican starts taking a firm stance in closing the loopholes ( if it is not specifically forbidden–well then, lets go ahead and do it).

Often times it depends on us folks. We have been beaten back, thru words like uncharitable, disobedient, causing division, uniformity (when the majority are standing when we should be kneeling - we break informity if we kneel), etc.

One of the best things we can do is inform ourselves as to what the Vatican has actually allowed or not.

 

[jbuck919]

He was literally preaching to the (very great) choir at Westminster, one of the relatively few places in the world (and I am not exaggerating) where the Mass is celebrated as it should be.

 

[NeelyAnn]

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This is indeed encouraging.
I do hope the Vatican starts taking a firm stance in closing the loopholes ( if it is not specifically forbidden–well then, lets go ahead and do it).

Often times it depends on us folks. We have been beaten back, thru words like uncharitable, disobedient, causing division, uniformity (when the majority are standing when we should be kneeling - we break informity if we kneel), etc.

One of the best things we can do is inform ourselves as to what the Vatican has actually allowed or not.

You are right on with this. It is hard to get others to understand though.

 

[BlestOne]

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This is indeed encouraging.
I do hope the Vatican starts taking a firm stance in closing the loopholes ( if it is not specifically forbidden–well then, lets go ahead and do it).

Often times it depends on us folks. We have been beaten back, thru words like uncharitable, disobedient, causing division, uniformity (when the majority are standing when we should be kneeling - we break informity if we kneel), etc.

One of the best things we can do is inform ourselves as to what the Vatican has actually allowed or not.

Isn’t this how someone got the insane idea that clown makeup and balloons are acceptable in church? (Well it doesn’t specifically say no clown makeup) or dancing nuns at the altar? Maybe we should be sure to close the loophole on “Student” celebrants (that is my biggest pet peeve, letting college students assist in the consecration liturgy)