“I think the Novus Ordo was an attempt to fundamentally alter not only the Catholic liturgy, but Catholic theology.”
I think you are absolutely correct, L. One of the favorite theological aphorisms of Orthodoxy is +Prosper of Aquitaine’s “lex orandi, lex credendi.” As I understand it, it is among the most basic tenets of Latin liturgical theology. It should therefore be plain to anyone familiar with the pre 1962 “High” Mass and what goes on on Sundays in Latin Rite NO masses that the bishops who developed or allowed to be developed the latter were indeed attempting to teach a “new gospel”, the results of which are there for all to see.
You may remember that +Bartholomew pointedly remarked on the importance of the ancient liturgies of The Church in his sermon on the Feast of +Andrew at the Phanar when +BXVI was visiting in 2006. No doubt those remarks were heard loud and clear by the Pope and his hierarchial entourage and I agree that +BXVI is attempting to turn this back, but the theology engendered by the NO mass still infects the Latin Church; its bishops in some places still preside over “liturgies” more reminiscent of the temple ceremonies of my pagan ancestors than a Divine Liturgy of The Church or in prayer barns devoid of sacred art or icons but replete with “banner art”, or at “eucharists” which would be more familiar to those 16th-17th century Puritan ancestors of mine than to my Greek or Irish grandparents.
L, the People of God, the laity of the Latin Church, cannot leave the fixing of this mess to your hierarchs. The Liturgy, the “leitourgia” is the “work of the people”, not that of the hierarchs. It is your collective responsibility to repair what has been damaged and then faithfully preserve a restored liturgical “orthopraxia” so that it passes on inviolate to succeeding generations.
***You may remember that +Bartholomew pointedly remarked on the importance of the ancient liturgies of The Church in his sermon on the Feast of +Andrew at the Phanar when +BXVI was visiting in 2006. No doubt those remarks were heard loud and clear by the Pope and his hierarchial entourage and I agree that +BXVI is attempting to turn this back, but the theology engendered by the NO mass still infects the Latin Church; its bishops in some places still preside over liturgies more reminiscent of the temple ceremonies of my pagan ancestors than a Divine Liturgy of The Church or in prayer barns devoid of sacred art or icons but replete with banner art, or at eucharists which would be more familiar to those 16th-17th century Puritan ancestors of mine than to my Greek or Irish grandparents.***
Agreed, 100%. The infection is still well placed, but shrinking.
***L, the People of God, the laity of the Latin Church, cannot leave the fixing of this mess to your hierarchs. The Liturgy, the leitourgia is the work of the people, not that of the hierarchs. It is your collective responsibility to repair what has been damaged and then faithfully preserve a restored liturgical orthopraxia so that it passes on inviolate to succeeding generations.***
It’s irritating sometimes that when it comes to matters like this you are almost always right. Just so ya know, Ray...