NLM has published the text of a letter written by Cardinal Ranjith to the General Assembly of the International Federation Una Voce in which His Eminence invites us to encourage the return of the older form of the Roman Rite as a part of the renewal of the Church desired by the Fathers of Vatican II:
Liturgy for this reason can never be what man creates. For if we worship the way we want and fix the rules ourselves, then we run the risk of recreating Aaron's golden calf. We ought to constantly insist on worship as participation in what God Himself does, else we run the risk of engaging in idolatry. Liturgical symbolism helps us to rise above what is human to what is divine. In this, it is my firm conviction that the Vetus Ordo represents to a great extent and in the most fulfilling way that mystical and transcendent call to an encounter with God in the liturgy. Hence the time has come for us to not only renew through radical changes the content of the new Liturgy, but also to encourage more and more a return of the Vetus Ordo, as a way for a true renewal of the Church, which was what the Fathers of the Church seated in the Second Vatican Council so desired.I heartily agree that the old Roman rite represents the most fulfilling way in which we can encounter God in the liturgy. It is good to hear a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church affirm this so straightforwardly.
I wish our beloved Pope Benedict XVI many years and even more years; but when God eventually calls him home, it would be a fitting counterpoint to the jubilation of his own election if it were announced from the balcony of St Peter's "... Habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Malcolm, Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem RANJITH! ..."
15 comments:
Amen!
Yes, ++Ranjith would be a good choice and would show the Church to be less Eurocentric. As would ++Burke. My bet for the next but one would be +Athanasius Schneider.
Father, I also thought Cardinal Ranjith would make a superb future Pope when I first read his address on NLM. But of course, I too hope and pray that our current pontiff has many years of service on this Earth still ahead of him.
One wonders if the traditional Roman Mass with all the Proper parts in the vernacular would not eventually attract the major portion of parishioners in a given parish. On the other hand, I fear ongoing resistance to the dialogue Mass by traditionalists will only limit the appeal of the older form of Mass, and therefore of its influence on the newer form.
Amen.
Fr Tim, you say, "I heartily agree that the old Roman rite represents the most fulfilling way in which we can encounter God in the liturgy."
I regret that I don't understand what you mean by "fulfilling." I'd be grateful if you would please explain. Thanks.
Plus, if the Roman rite is the "most" fulfilling, presumably you are contrasting it with another rite which is "less" fulfilling.
Again, I'm not sure what you mean. Again, I'd be grateful if you would please explain.
Mmmm...I felt disturbed by your words, at the end of your post, regarding Our Pope. I couldn't articulate why for a while, even to myself (I am not that good at articulating to start with)! Then it struck me, how terribly hurt I would feel, if I heard one of my five sons wish me a long life, a long long life, then add the 'but' bit.
Probably just me though. Tetchy.
I am trying to learn more about the liturgy. Our Lady is teaching me, through the rosary, believe it or not,when I allow her to. First, I must learn The Word in my own heart. Ouch! She means to make us into tabernacles. I don't even know what that means yet but I know she was the first one. I heard the words inwardly, at Mass, during the consecration. It was an Novus Ordo Mass by the way.
Happy New Year Father, to you and your parish. May you serve there for many years, many many years and no buts!
Solent Rambler - fulfil here is probably used by Cardinal Ranjith in its meaning of meeting a need, requirement or expectation. Objectively, ex opere operato, the Liturgy fulfils our expectations or needs in either form. We can also expect from the Liturgy that subjectively it raises the mind and heart to God (St John Damascene's definition of prayer). I think that the older form does that best.
My comment was not intended to denigrate the new form but of course that is the way that any superlative is treated in debate these days. So let me add that I respect the love that many have for the modern liturgy. Unfortunately many people refuse to allow any experience of the older form to influence their judgement.
Why is it that for someone to speak with emotion about the value of the older form of Mass prompts others to think they must then defend the value of the newer form?
And the office of Peter is greater than any one man, so surely we can pray for many holy popes to come without hurting anyone's feelings.
It's precisely this sort of self-centered, adolescent spirituality that the older form leads us away from. It helps us stop focusing primarily on what we receive "into our hearts", or how much the comments of a cardinal offend our delicate sensibilities, and start focusing on what we give God in sacrifice.
Father Shelton's point is quite apposite. When Beethoven was composing his Missa Solemnis he had to send out for a literal German translation of the Ordinary, as there were no bilingual missals in those days. The 20th century liturgical movement did a great service in enabling people to follow the Mass in Latin with a vernacular translation. I didn't particularly like the dialogue Mass when it was introduced, because as an altar boy I resented the congregation usurping my role (and stumbling through the Latin at a snail's pace.) However, when I attend EF Low Masses these days I make the responses sotto voce. Most 'traddies' ignore the fact that the Missa Recitata, where the congregation not only say the server's responses, but also the Gloria, Credo, Sanctus and Agnus Dei, was not only authorized but recommended by the Sacred Congregation of Rites in 1935.
"And the office of Peter is greater than any one man, so surely we can pray for many holy popes to come without hurting anyone's feelings.It's precisely this sort of self-centered, adolescent spirituality that the older form leads us away from. It helps us stop focusing primarily on what we receive "into our hearts", or how much the comments of a cardinal offend our delicate sensibilities, and start focusing on what we give God in sacrifice."
I don't know if you are referring to my comment with your own, but I can assure you any delicate sensibilities I may have harboured were destroyed the day I saw my own son's head smashed in. The priest who prayed for his healing went on to take his own life within a year. Call me adolescent. Call me angry, call me drunk at times but any delicate sensibilities you witness in me, will be through the nudgiing and promptings of the Holy Spirit being allowed to work within my soul, certainly not from a natural or in any way 'spoilt' religious disposition.
Raw faith is all that does for me. I defend the present Pope as I would a close relation. I love him as the pointer closest to the rock who I cling to when circumstances overwhelm me, which they do, regularly. If you, through your particular preferred religious observance, avoid or manage these sort of pressures in a 'grown up' way, then God bless and sustain you in that way, but it's not the average man on the street's experience. God sometimes touches hearts first.
Our Lady is honing and refining that faith, as allowed by me and my will, on any given day.
You seem to be setting yourself apart as a mature person, able to judge others without even getting to know them, at heart level. But what if you are hiding yourself BEHIND the older form?
I have bought a mantilla, I am like a new born regarding the old rite. So many harsh voices are steering me away from looking at this traditional side to my faith, but Our Lady is leading me towards it, desoite the mockery of all things post 1962. I KNOW she loves all Catholics. I feel safe to explore the Latin Mass with her by my side. It would be nice if some of her priests would offer to gently journey with those totally unlearned in these rubrics(is that the word?).
That would take a softening of hearts maybe, in order to reach out to the less learned. Or is the Latin Mass only for the already ready?
I wonder if there is a difference in the Cardinal's mind between "vetus ordo" and the "usus antiquior" or "extraordinary form" of Mass. We really do need an up-to-date edition of the Vetus Ordo now that the Usus Antiquior/Extraordinary Form has been preserved unchangeable in the 1962 printing. Until something official comes out, it is difficult to know how the two forms of the Roman Rite old and new can mutually enrich each other in, say, parish celebrations.
Fr.
Could you advise on where to purchase the Liturgia Horarum in Rome. I believe the Vatican bookstore sells them, is that the best place to get it? If you could please advise I would appreciate it. I am a seminarian and I will hopefully be traveling to Rome this May.
Pax,
Yes, the Vatican bookstore is the best place - they are most likely to have copies in stock and you won't get any discount anywhere else. shop is also worth visiting to browse its English section and it has good pictures and postcards so it is a good place to visit in any case.
His pastoral work among the poor but religious people in these fishing villages led him to become involved with social justice.
kamagra
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