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aaron klinefelter
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July 07, 2007
> 11:58 AM
motu proprio > summorum pontificum Yeah, that's Latin. I know, I know, "he's Catholic again, so there he goes, automatically goin' nuts over some Papal decree" - yee ha! Funny. Yes, I'm Catholic, but even if you're not and you think about the whole Church at all and care about things like that, this is a little bit historical. A good chunk of Christianity's life was very significantly shifted and affected after the second Vatican Council - mostly by the unfortunate aftermath which, apparently, wasn't necessary. Everybody knows about that, so everybody should probably at least be aware of this deal. My opinion, and yes I have read it (it's not that long), is that this is meant to be, and will be as much as people allow it to be, a unifying thing. It sounds refreshing. And no, I'm not a big kooky Latin Mass person who things Vatican II was a horrible mistake. Not at all. I've always been a little fascinated by the Latin liturgy. I've only been to one "old Mass" ever, when I was a teenager, in Colorado. It was interesting. I remember lots of standing and kneeling, not much sitting. I remember the Priest being so old he had to be helped up on the altar. I remember him being a little grumpy with me in the confessional because I didn't really know the old rite. Anyway, whatever that's all about. I think the reforms of the Council were necessary and good and certainly, if you ask me, Vatican III wouldn't be a bad idea. As I read the Pope's letter to the Bishops which accompanied the Motu Proprio, I was struck by one portion which I thought I'd quote here. It should be appreciated, I would think, by some of my siblings out there who aren't Catholic. Interesting stuff. Looking back over the past, to the divisions which in the course of the centuries have rent the Body of Christ, one continually has the impression that, at critical moments when divisions were coming about, not enough was done by the Churchi's leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity. One has the impression that omissions on the part of the Church have had their share of blame for the fact that these divisions were able to harden. This glance at the past imposes an obligation on us today: to make every effort to make it possible for all those who truly desire unity to remain in that unity or to attain it anew. I think of a sentence in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, where Paul writes: "Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return... widen your hearts also!" (2 Cor 6:11-13). Paul was certainly speaking in another context, but his exhortation can and must touch us too, precisely on this subject. Let us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows.This is a humble admission, as I read it, that many in the Catholic world would probably not be willing to make. I figure this, coming from Benedict himself, goes pretty far, whatever any other Catholics may or may not be willing to say or do. Here is the link to download a PDF of the document from the American Bishops. It includes the document itself and the letter to the Bishops and I'm sure some stuff of theirs too. Interesting days we live in. Pax vobiscum. technorati tags > catholicism, catholic church, liturgy, latin mass, motu proprio, vatican II Labels: catholic, church, liturgy 0 Comments:| permalink | e-mail me | 
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