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bump!

Thanks for posting this.

Location of the Tabernacle

In considering the importance of eucharistic reservation and adoration, and reverence for the sacrament of Christ's sacrifice, the Synod of Bishops also discussed the question of the proper placement of the tabernacle in our churches. The correct positioning of the tabernacle contributes to the recognition of Christ's real presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Therefore, the place where the eucharistic species are reserved, marked by a sanctuary lamp, should be readily visible to everyone entering the church. It is therefore necessary to take into account the building's architecture: in churches which do not have a Blessed Sacrament chapel, and where the high altar with its tabernacle is still in place, it is appropriate to continue to use this structure for the reservation and adoration of the Eucharist, taking care not to place the celebrant's chair in front of it. In new churches, it is good to position the Blessed Sacrament chapel close to the sanctuary; where this is not possible, it is preferable to locate the tabernacle in the sanctuary, in a sufficiently elevated place, at the centre of the apse area, or in another place where it will be equally conspicuous. Attention to these considerations will lend dignity to the tabernacle, which must always be cared for, also from an artistic standpoint. Obviously it is necessary to follow the provisions of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal in this regard. In any event, final judgment on these matters belongs to the Diocesan Bishop.

On Liturgy, Part III - Latin

None of the above observations should cast doubt upon the importance of such large-scale liturgies. I am thinking here particularly of celebrations at international gatherings, which nowadays are held with greater frequency. The most should be made of these occasions. In order to express more clearly the unity and universality of the Church, I wish to endorse the proposal made by the Synod of Bishops, in harmony with the directives of the Second Vatican Council, that, with the exception of the readings, the homily and the prayer of the faithful, such liturgies could be celebrated in Latin. Similarly, the better-known prayers of the Church's tradition should be recited in Latin and, if possible, selections of Gregorian chant should be sung. Speaking more generally, I ask that future priests, from their time in the seminary, receive the preparation needed to understand and to celebrate Mass in Latin, and also to use Latin texts and execute Gregorian chant; nor should we forget that the faithful can be taught to recite the more common prayers in Latin, and also to sing parts of the liturgy to Gregorian chant.

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2007/03/the-exhortation-is-out-my-first-observations/

Amy Wellborn and others are paying close attention to what Fr. Z. says as he was at the press conference and as this is a "theological document." The highlights are complicated as one must first understand WHAT the Holy Father is trying to accomplish which is what Fr. Z. tries to explain (as he understands it). This is a day for first impressions only. Fr. Z. mentions that if one is not aware of how the Holy Father has constructed this, it appears to be spaghetti thrown at a wall. In fact, the underlying theme is that "active participation" has been grossly misunderstood in terms of what has happened to liturgy.

The Sign of Peace has been targeted for movement as it breaks up the actual flow of the Mass. Also, the priest is not to be the "center of focus" which is reserved for Christ. Does that mean that "ad orientem" is a better posture to defuse this? Dunno! One huge thing is that Latin is to be taught in seminaries and that Chant is the proper worship form for the Church. This Pope wants to see Chant return and wants priests to be very comfortable with it.

As Fr. Z. says, it is a suggestion to "reform the reform" but it does not spell this out. Of interest is the fact that Cardinal Scola stated specifically in response to a question that the Pian Rite had never been abrogated. He said that it was allowed in his diocese and that NO Rite has ever been abrogated with the appearance of a modification. That is big news for a lot of Bishops, I think.

Amy seemed to tackle the other issues in the footnotes for now.

F

This is going to take a while to digest.

Having said that, upon a brief glance at the document, I have only one word:

WOW

I was hoping someone would have posted this -- and you did. :-)