Pope set to return to traditional liturgy:-
VATICAN CITY | June 19, 2005 5:11:27 AM IST
Pope Benedict XVI wants to restore the traditional ceremonial Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, with Latin instead of the vernacular and Gregorian chants.
Vatican expert Sandro Magister reported in his weekly newsletter Saturday that the pope is expected to replace Archbishop Pietro Marini, his predecessor Pope John Paul II’s master of liturgical ceremonies.
Whoever follows Marini will have orders to restore the traditional style and choreography of papal ceremonies in St. Peter’s.
Out will go the international Masses so dear to Pope John Paul II’s heart, with such innovations as Latin American and African rhythms and even dancing, multi-lingual readings and children in national costumes bringing gifts to the altar.
Pope Benedict wants to return to the Sistine Chapel choirs singing Gregorian chant and the church music of such composers as Claudio Monteverdi from the 17th century. He also wants to revive the Latin Mass.
Archbishop Marini always planned the ceremonies with television in mind, Magister said, and that emphasis will remain. A decade ago the Vatican set up a system for transmitting papal ceremonies world wide via multiple satellites.
(UPI)
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Seems like a wise and reasonable move for this reason: the Mass being in Latin is devoid of any “bias” or tilt toward any nationality or language. It truly would be equally accessible and inaccessible for every language and every culture and custom of visitors in attendance. So it truly would be a universal equal worship field, as it were.
I’m just watching to see what the secular MSM says, if anything, about this. It’s certainly a worthwhile news story for the evening news.
It’s his show now so he should arrange it to suit himself.
Glory be to the Father and the the Son and to the Holy Spirit!
And magically all the loyal bishops throughout the world will follow suit! Well???
Two thoughts:
First, Rome in the heart of Europe will now celebrate a thoroughly European Mass.
Second, Benedict will renew the liturgy not (initially) through top-down edicts but in an organic fashion starting with Papal Masses in the diocese of Rome. This displays his patristic mentality. Those who wish to think and worship with the mind and heart of the Church will naturally turn to the example of the great and venerable church of Rome founded by the apostle Peter and washed in the blood of so many martyrs.
More thoughts: In reading Benedict’s books, I am struck by the patristic quality of his approach. Perhaps, he will bring a patristic style to the Papacy that will facilitate reunion with the Eastern Church. He certainly seems to be the most “Eastern” Pope that we have had for many centuries.
Does that mean RC is carpetbagging his way to Rome now??
I’m confused. Is the article saying that Pope Benedict is going to restore the Tridentine Mass, or that he’s going to restore the use of Latin (and other traditional elements) in the Pauline Mass?
If it’s the latter, good for the pope; it seems a bit hypocritical for the Holy See to expect the rest of the world to do the liturgy right while not doing it right at St. Peter’s, and I’m glad to see that’s changing. If it’s the former, though, I think the last thing the Church needs right now is a return to the Tridentine Mass.
I’m confused. Is the article saying that Pope Benedict is going to restore the Tridentine Mass, or that he’s going to restore the use of Latin (and other traditional elements) in the Pauline Mass?
I would assume the latter; if he were going to make the Tridentine Mass the standard for Papal masses, I expect that would be a very big deal and would have attracted more Catholic media attention.
THE good thing about using the LATIN mass in ROME AND MORE ELSEWHERE IS IT WILL SLOW DOWN OR STOP the centrifugal tendencies afflicting the Mass wherein in some places you don’t know if you are attending Mass, a cabaret, a Broadway Play, or a dull political meeting. Anything that will bring back a culture of sacredness or sense of the holy in our Masses I am for–it is desperately needed.
“Anything that will bring back a culture of sacredness or sense of the holy in our Masses I am for–it is desperately needed.”
While I’m too young to remember anything different, I agree that a culture of sacredness and reverence is certainly necessary during the Mass. However, I don’t think we should throw out the baby with the bathwater when it comes to Vatican II. The Mass in latin in Rome is appropriate because it is the geographical center of the Church and people from many different countries will most likely be making pilgrimages to Rome, but a Mass in the vernacular seeks to bring the people closer to the Mass and hopefully help people understand why they are going through the motions. I believe reverence can be shown in any language, not just latin. Latin isn’t a magical language that fixes everything. If it was Jesus would have spoken it ;-). If moving back in time makes for better reverence, we should be speaking Greek or aramaic, no?
“If moving back in time makes for better reverence, we should be speaking Greek or aramaic, no?” Actually, Chuck, we do speak those at Mass now — Amen, Hosanna, Alleluia, Jesus, Christ, Kyrie, Christe, eleison — there is no reason why we cannot also have at least a little Latin in every Mass, if only to signify that the Mass and Faith are timeless and we are connected and in communion with all those who have gone before. It is not too much to ask that at least one of the prayers be in Latin. By now, everyone knows the Agnus Dei, even though none of us speak Latin anymore. Let’s extend it to the Sanctus, as we did during Lent this year, and then to the Gloria, and before you know it, we’ll have internalized it to our benefit. It does sadden me to some extent, although I appreciate being able to understand the Mass in English, that our universal Church has become a segregated church, with Hispanic Catholics going to their Mass, Vietnamese Catholics going to their Mass, and English-speaking Catholics going to their Mass, rarely interacting with the others.