That’s one reason why the Liturgy was changed: From Vatican II:At the Traditional Mass, we have a couple of male ushers who occasionally tire of being involved with seating people, taking the offering, and helping the frail to the Communion Rail. They have been instructed rightly that they are “participating” in the Mass, even though they would rather be silently kneeling, observing, and praying. That seems to reassure them that the needed activity is pleasing to God and in its unique way “worshipful”. Aside from ushering, prior to Vatican II men and women could fully participate in every Mass without having to do any activity.
The question in the opening post seems to assume a debatable value to increased activity at Mass that cannot be granted.
I’m not saying you’re right or wrong, but this seems to be a slightly different translation:That’s one reason why the Liturgy was changed: From Vatican II:
The conciliar Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium encouraged the faithful to take part in the eucharistic liturgy not “as strangers or silent spectators,” but as participants “in the sacred action, conscious of what they are doing, actively and devoutly”
- Itaque Ecclesia sollicitas curas eo intendit ne christifideles huic fidei mysterio tamquam extranei vel muti spectatores intersint, sed per ritus et preces id bene intellegentes, sacram actionem conscie, pie et actuose participent, verbo Dei instituantur, mensa Corporis Domini reficiantur, gratias Deo agant, immaculatam hostiam, non tantum per sacerdotis manus, sed etiam una cum ipso offerentes, seipsos offerre discant, et de die in diem consummentur, Christo Mediatore,[38] in unitatem cum Deo et inter se, ut sit tandem Deus omnia in omnibus. [114]
- The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ’s faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take part in the sacred action conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and full collaboration. They should be instructed by God’s word and be nourished at the table of the Lord’s body; they should give thanks to God; by offering the Immaculate Victim, not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him, they should learn also to offer themselves; through Christ the Mediator (38), they should be drawn day by day into ever more perfect union with God and with each other, so that finally God may be all in all.
It’s in the interpretation. We don’t have to be ‘doing’ anything to be in full, conscious and active participation. We only have to be fully aware and following what is going on. Participation doesn’t require us to be a reader, or EMHC or usher or member of the choir. It requires us to pay attention and respond when we’re supposed to.Thanks for the full translation. Did I get anything wrong?
I don’t think so. I did a search and yours (“actively and devoutly”) seems to be the accepted translation of pie et actuose, where the Vatican and ewtn translations read “with devotion and full collaboration.” It seems as if the word “actuose” is too ambiguous perhaps.Thanks for the full translation. Did I get anything wrong?