The publishers' blurb runs as follows:
In these pages Archbishop Piero Marini reveals the vision, courage, and faith of the pastors and scholars who struggled to implement the Second Vatican Council’s teachings on the liturgy. While in some circles it is fashionable to propose “a reform of the liturgical reform,” any such revision needs to take into account the history of the consilium—the organism established by the Holy See to carry out the initial liturgical changes. This story of the work of the consilium offers a fascinating glimpse into the struggles and tensions that accompanied the realization of the council's dream to promote the "full, conscious and active participation" of the faithful in Roman Catholic worship.Shawn Tribe (NLM: Liturgical Press and Piero Marini) pertinently observes:
But what is of particular interest is the reference to the reform of the reform. While it is intended as a subtle critique of course, that the movement should be so mentioned is really quite complementary for it seems demonstrative of how much the movement to re-assess the liturgical reforms is recognized as being influential -- or put another way, how much it is understood as a being a real threat.The book is to be launched at an "invitation only reception" (pdf 241kb) on 14 December in the Throne Room of Archbishop's House, Westminster. Damien Thompson has commented entertainingly on this event, pointing out the subtext ("sticking up two fingers to Pope Benedict’s liturgical renewal.")
Blackfen does not have a Throne Room at the moment. If I am to be brutally realistic, it is unlikely to have one in the foreseeable future. However there must surely be an some attractive Victorian premises somewhere with a community that could host a visit from, say, Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith. Just an idea...
9 comments:
How does Buck House strike you? If I'm not mistaken Fr. John Boyle seems to have a friend with an "in" over there. It's a big place. "They'd" hardly know you're there. [Riigggght.] They've got a throne room and everything.
Karen
How about Fr Basden's place at Clapham Park ? He often has interesting speakers over and the housekeepers provide good food afterwards.
I wondered about the forthcoming book by Archbishop Piero Marini, ominously entitled "A Challenging Reform".
Many Catholics would say they have faced quite enough challenging reforms for one lifetime.
Father Tim opines that this could be a companion volume to La Riforma Liturgica by Archbishop Annibale Bugnini of happy memory.
I hope the book does not turn out to be a critique of the reform of the reform.
Equally, if a book on the recent history of the Church has been written by a senior cleric with an inside knowlege of those times, and if it avoids polemicism,(which I am sure it does,) it could perhaps be a useful tool for liturgical historians.
I have been thinking about a suitably grand venue if, say, Archbishop Ranjith were to pay a visit to England.
I would like to read some day that at a reception at, say, the Oratorians' house in London, the Archbishop had met and spoken with the famous Fr. Tim Finigan.
"Blackfen does not have a Throne Room at the moment"
Not to worry, Fr. As long as you have an Exposition Throne... :)
Sad and tasteless it may be, but at the end of the day who cares? Cormac is in limbo, having resigned and awaiting acceptance thereof at His Holiness's pleasure, and Marini is yesterday's man. They can be as disloyal as they like, but in the long term no-one is going to listen to or remember anything they say. As for the book, it will have limited sales (its promoting publishers are not exactly mass media) and will only be read by failing and ageing liberals who themselves have little influence. Just ignore them all (apart from praying for them of course).
Father, it just struck me that here in the USA - where we have a deficit of royal accoutrements - when someone refers to the 'throne room' they usually mean the WC...!
I don't know what his eminence is playing at...but this is most certainly not his finest hour.
However there must surely be an some attractive Victorian premises somewhere with a community that could host a visit from, say, Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith. Just an idea...
I believe there is... isn't it called the London Oratory??
I think it is a serious error to dismiss HE as an intellectual lightweight, and I think is is equally unwise to think prematurely of him as yesterday's man - he has nearly five years to go as a Cardinal Elector.
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