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Pope prepares to lift restrictions on Tridentine Mass
Catholic Herald (UK) ^ | 2nd May 2003 | Simon Caldwell

Posted on 05/02/2003 7:36:55 AM PDT by Tantumergo

The Pope might soon allow the world's Catholic priests the right to celebrate the old rite Latin Mass on Sundays and holy days without the permission of their bishops, according to sources close to the Vatican.

John Paul II is understood to be ready to grant a "universal indult" by the end of the year to permit all priests to choose freely between the celebration of Mass in the so-called Tridentine rite used up to 1962 - before the disciplinary reforms of the Second Vatican Council - and the novus ordo Mass used after 1970.

It will mean that a priest who wants to celebrate old rite Masses will no longer need to apply for an indult to Ecclesia Dei, a pontifical commission set up to study the implications of the Lefebvrist schism, after first gaining permission from his bishop. The indult may be announced as part of the publication of forthcoming juridical notes on Ecclesia de Eucharistia, the new encyclical on the Eucharist, published on Holy Thursday, in which the Pope affirmed the Church's traditional teaching of the sacrificial nature of the Mass.

It might also be announced at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome on May 24, when Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, the Prefect for the Congregation of the Clergy and the president of Ecclesia Dei, becomes the first cardinal prefect to celebrate an old rite Mass in a main Roman basilica for 30 years. Organised by the Latin Mass movement, Una Voce, the event is one of many indications that Rome is dropping restrictions on the celebration of the old rite.

Last month, the Holy Father, who celebrated a Tridentine Mass last summer, published a command called Rescriptum ex Audientia to authorise the celebration of the old rite Mass in St Peter's Basilica, Rome, by any priest who possessed an indult. The Vatican also asked the Scottish bishops, ahead of their five-yearly ad limina visit to Rome in March, to reveal what provisions they made for the celebration of the old rite Mass in their dioceses. Since the meeting, the Scottish bishops have stepped up their provision from just four a year in the whole of the country to at least one a month in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The same requests have been made in a questionnaire to the English and Welsh bishops, whose next ad limina visit to Rome will take place in the autumn. The bishops have invited the Latin Mass Society (LMS), set up to promote the practice of the old rite, to submit a report on the provision of the Tridentine Mass ahead of their low week meeting in London this week when they were scheduled to discuss the issue.

John Medlin, LMS development officer, confirmed that a "full document" had been circulated to the bishops but refused to discuss its contents.


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; Current Events; General Discusssion; Prayer; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics; Theology; Worship
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To: nickcarraway
Don't let the ICEL near the translation.

If they let the ICEL do it, Psalm 42 at the foot of the altar would go something like this:

P.I will go to God's table.
R.To God, who makes my youth happy.

P.O God, judge me, and tell my case apart from the bad people; take me away from the unfair liars.
R.O God, You are my support. Why have You shut me out, and why do I have be so sad when my opponents fight me?
P. Show us the light of Your truth; it leads me to Your holy place and presence.
R. I will then go to God's table, for He makes my youth happy.
P. I will praise You on the guitar, O God. Why do I feel so sad and upset?
R. Have hope in God, for I will still praise Him; he makes me healthy.

61 posted on 05/02/2003 2:53:09 PM PDT by Loyalist
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To: Loyalist
"Don't let the ICEL near the translation."

I think you may be a trifle pessimistic. The new regime under Fr. Harbert should be a very different animal compared to the old one.

At times I have wondered if he is a closet traditionalist (a good number of the ex-Anglican converts are) as some of the articles he has written in the Catholic Herald over here could have been written by Michael Davies.

He certainly favours the "prayer book" type of English to the old ICEL model.
62 posted on 05/02/2003 3:10:22 PM PDT by Tantumergo
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To: Loyalist
LOL!!!

Change "judge me" to "advise me" and "liars" to "misleaders" and it's perfect.

63 posted on 05/02/2003 3:16:45 PM PDT by wideawake (Support our troops and their Commander-in-Chief)
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To: Loyalist
P. I will praise You on the guitar, O God. Why do I feel so sad and upset?

LOL...

64 posted on 05/02/2003 3:46:03 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah
***P. I will praise You on the guitar, O God. Why do I feel so sad and upset?***

Why stop there?

P. I will entertain you on the guitar, O people. Who wants to feel sad and upset?
65 posted on 05/02/2003 3:53:23 PM PDT by drstevej
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To: NYer
Some of the ultra contemporary churches have "babbling brook" fonts. What's with that?

We got a big blue plastic kiddie pool.

There is a priest, Fr. Michael Himes (Theology professor out of Boston College, a course!) who goes around the country giving seminars regarding Christian baptism. He says a return to the "original" church, in the "spirit of Vatican II" means a pool (literally) at the front of every parish as you walk in. He says we don't get grace from baptism, it is a "welcoming into the Christian community." Hence, the large welcoming "babbling brooks" in celebration of baptism.

Fr. Himes is not a fan of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and is another one of "those" Jesuits. Yep, you guessed it, hard to find him in a "collar" and he is over 55.

Don't get me started! ;-)

66 posted on 05/02/2003 4:17:45 PM PDT by american colleen
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To: sinkspur
In parishes built after 1965, there is no "high altar."

While I don't have any documentation, I would say that more churches were built before 1965 than after 1965.

67 posted on 05/02/2003 4:44:28 PM PDT by ELS
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To: wideawake
A parish I belonged to a few years back got rid of the baptismal font in front of the church and put an immersion pool in the back of the church. As a result, what was supposed to be a "community celebration" was visible only to the people in the last row. When we had the font in front of the church everyone could see and be a part of the baptism and the joy of the family. In effect, the liturgical and architectual nazis created something which was totally impractical and which the majority of the people present could not participate in.
68 posted on 05/02/2003 4:51:51 PM PDT by k omalley
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To: ELS
While I don't have any documentation, I would say that more churches were built before 1965 than after 1965.

When you make wild and crazy statements like that, you really should cite your sources. Otherwise, people won't take you series like. ;-)

69 posted on 05/02/2003 4:57:33 PM PDT by american colleen
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To: drstevej
P. I will entertain you on the guitar, O people. Who wants to feel sad and upset?

You mean that's not what it is all about?? ;-)

70 posted on 05/02/2003 5:15:16 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: wideawake
What's next? Baptisms in Latin?

It's funny you should mention that. My newborn daughter was just baptized in the Tridentine Rite this past Sunday.

As new converts, my wife, daughter and I were baptized on last Holy Saturday in the Tridentine Rite also. - The most beautiful ceremony I have ever been a part of - even moreso than my own wedding 11 years ago.

It may not be very apparent in some parts of the country, but many lifelong Catholics I know are sure of the Church's return to pre-VII traditions.

71 posted on 05/02/2003 6:33:57 PM PDT by Possenti
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To: JNB
If this does happen, and based on the false reports last week on the SSPX coming back in the fold, its a big IF, this can be viewed as a turning point, maybe THE turning point in the church after Vatican II, back towrds a restoration of the liturgy. I have seen polls that around 10% of active Catholis in the US would like to attend a traditional style, Latin mass(I think it was Crisis that ran the poll), and like I said, I think it is indeed possible with enough locations and decent time slots approved, that 5%+ of Active Catholics in the US would attend such masses, especially as they will be a big attraction to the homeschooling Catholics. The vocations tghat they would produce will fully change the direction of the church as the Fr McBriens fade away.
72 posted on 05/02/2003 6:34:04 PM PDT by JNB
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To: american colleen
Ya think? ;-)
73 posted on 05/02/2003 6:36:05 PM PDT by ELS
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To: Possenti
As new converts, my wife, daughter and I were baptized on last Holy Saturday in the Tridentine Rite also.

Welcome to the one, true Faith! I think I just made it in under the wire for being baptized in the Tridentine Rite before the VII "reforms" were implemented. However, being an infant at the time, I don't remember much. ;-)

74 posted on 05/02/2003 6:42:13 PM PDT by ELS
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To: Possenti
As new converts, my wife, daughter and I were baptized on last Holy Saturday in the Tridentine Rite also.

Congratulations to you and your family.

75 posted on 05/02/2003 6:48:50 PM PDT by Aloysius
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To: Possenti
Welcome home.
76 posted on 05/02/2003 6:55:07 PM PDT by Loyalist
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To: Possenti
Welcome!
77 posted on 05/02/2003 7:43:30 PM PDT by american colleen
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To: american colleen
We got a big blue plastic kiddie pool.

The baptismal "pool" from Colleen's parish. Also doubles for the blessing of the animals.


78 posted on 05/02/2003 7:50:08 PM PDT by NYer (Laudate Dominum)
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To: ultima ratio
With SARS on the horizon and concern that what has been spreading is only "the herald wave" and the real spread will be coming this fall, the Mass might be attended by many in hot zones on a screen or monitor. Cardinal Mahoney will not be able to limit those interested in the Catholic population from seeing the Latin Mass. The Cardinals and Priests might be more concerned with the protective preparations necessary in the Anointing of the Sick.
79 posted on 05/03/2003 10:20:56 AM PDT by Domestic Church (AMDG...)
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To: NYer
LOL! Although ours is one of those rectangular ones and I don't think you need a leash as the sheep go willingly.

I was looking around for some funky baptismal pool pictures to post here and came across this gem:

Catholic bishops and theologians say immersion highlights the importance of the baptismal ceremony, which in recent decades had become a simple rite administered to infants. In the words of the Rev. Richard P. O'Brien, who teaches theology at the University of Notre Dame, it "could be forgotten -- almost like a vaccination."

OK. I don't remember my own pre-Vat II baptism, but I was thinking of the baptismal scene in The Godfather and wondering what could be more beautiful and inspiring than the "old baptismal rite." So they jettisoned that in the 60s or 70s and substituted a blandish, nice ceremony. Then a few years later, they realize how bland it is and instead of (God forbid) reversing the steamroller and going back to what worked for centuries, they innovate even further, install babbling brooks for full body immersion to amaze and thrill the spectators. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!! WE WON'T FORGET THIS!!! IT IS SO RELEVANT AND TODAY!! I AM SO FULFILLED!!! what is baptism again???

80 posted on 05/03/2003 11:00:40 AM PDT by american colleen
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