Posted on 07/12/2007 10:49:42 AM PDT by NYer
In a long-awaited overture to disaffected and even schismatic Catholic traditionalists, Pope Benedict XVI has relaxed restrictions on the use of the Tridentine Mass, the Latin-language liturgy that predated the Second Vatican Council of the 1960s.
The pope said that the Mass -- celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal and commonly known as the Tridentine rite -- should be made available in every parish where groups of the faithful desire it.
He said that while the new Roman Missal, introduced in 1970, remains the ordinary way of Catholic worship, the 1962 missal should be considered "the extraordinary expression of the law of prayer."
Diocesan action
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard said the pope's letter "seeks to reconcile Roman Catholics who have expressed difficulty in adapting to the liturgical changes promulgated by the Second Vatican Council. The document also upholds these changes as the ordinary form of Catholic worship.
"The Diocese of Albany already makes available the Mass in Latin according to the 1962 Missal of Blessed John XXIII at St. Peter's Church in Troy and the 1970 Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI at St. Mary's Church in Albany."
The Bishop said that, before the pope's document takes effect on Sept. 14, he would consult with the Presbyteral [Priests'] Council, Diocesan Pastoral Council, Office for Prayer and Worship, Diocesan Liturgical Commission, and the "Called to be Church" pastoral planning process to "assess how best to implement this new instruction in keeping with the intent of the document to bring about unity in the Church."
Clergy shortage
Bishop Hubbard noted two impediments to implementing the letter: "the reality that there are many priests in our Diocese already serving two or three parishes and [that there are] few priests who are trained to celebrate the 1962 Latin form.
"As Pope Benedict himself notes, 'The use of the old Missal presupposes a certain degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language; neither of these is found very often.'
"In light of 'these concrete presuppositions,' the Pope continues, 'it is clearly seen that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary form of the Roman Rite, not only on account of the juridical norms, but also because of the actual situation of the communities of the faithful.'"
>>and the “Called to be Church”<<
*snicker*
Bet that’ll help!
I’ve got a suggestion!
Give a holler to the Eastern European countries and borrow some of their priests. Our two from Slovakia know Latin and a city over the Polish priest does too!
Meanwhile, back on page 1, colorful photos draw attention to Praising Jesus Ecumenically - Christians joined in a tent revival in Corinth recently to share their common faith in Jesus. The photos include a local area priest, in layman's clothes, holding a microphone as a guest speaker. That series of photos continues on page 8.
You get the picture ;-)
does this pretty well preclude wider use of the latin mass round here any time soon?
“Happy Catholics”
Don’t hold your breath, my FRiend.
In Albany, as well as many other Diocese, they’d rather speak Vulcan rather than Latin.
I’m waiting for tomorrow when our diocesan paper comes out to decide whether or not my diocese has heard about it and whether or not it will be spun. Our neighboring diocese (Pittsburgh) sadly has decided to spin it.
Keep us informed.
Detroit took it pretty well. But we’ve got quite a few traditional Catholic parishes and our Cardinal is set to retire.
I’m looking to see what Cleveland has to say.
that’s pretty sad.
my wife and i go to a Russian (Orthodox) church and hear Slavonic every week... no need for special permission or orders from the top...
Ugh. Benedict needs to pick up the phone and make a few calls across The Pond to get the boys in the mitres in line. “Collegially,” of course! If I were him, I might want to start with Our Boy Hubbard, then maybe Mahony...
You are very blessed!
Before I found my parish, with the sprinkling of Latin in the liturgy, I was heading to the Chaldean Catholic church near us.
Aramaic is beautiful!
Since Bishop Lennon is late of my archdiocese (Boston), where he was on-record as not exactly being in favor of the existing indult here, I bet he’s not going to undergo the liturgical equivalent of the Twelve Labors of Hercules to ensure that the legitimate needs of his flock are met in this regard. Just a hunch!
Sorry.
I would so love to be a fly on the wall for that call to Mahony!
You can bank on that.
That’s just a pity.
When I went back to my old parish a couple months ago, they all stood for communion. That was not the way it was when I left a couple years ago.
I bet the letters from the TLM fans are being shredded.
i’d really like to hear a liturgy in aramaic...
how does it compare structuraly?
Honestly, I watched it on EWTN once and was not lost at all. We have Chaleans that come to our parish all the time and said that I would do quite alright at their home parish.
I’d be glad to pass the information along. The reason why I’m a little concerned is that our diocese was one that had no Indult Mass because the current and previous bishops had opted against it due to a lack of priests. However, we have a couple independent schismatic chapels in the diocese. There is a want and need for the motu proprio to be applied.
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