The Pope seems to have announced the imminent release of the Post-Synodal Exhortation during a meeting with the priests of the Diocese of Rome, this morning, in the Hall of Blessings in the Apostolic Palace.
Benoit XVI annonce lui-meme la parution prochaine de l’Exhortation Apostolique sur l’Eucharistie
Le Saint-Père Benoit XVI a rencontré ses pretres ce jeudi, dans la Salle des Bénédictions, au premier étage de la Basilique Saint-Pierre, de 11 heures à 13 heures.Au cours de la rencontre en ce 1er jeudi de Careme, le Pape a lui-meme annoncé la parution désormais imminente de l’Exhortaion Apostolique, suite au Synode sur l’Eucharistie. Cette Exhortation sera surtout une "Méditation en plusieurs points" disait Benoit XVI
En arrivant et en quittant l’Aula delle Benedizioni, le Pape a salué plus de 100 pretres, sur les 800 présents
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Be still my heart! Can a motu proprio be far behind?
Father,
Translation? :P
Father Foster has just finished the Latin translation (of the Exhortation), so I’m told…
The HOly Father Benedict XVI has met his priests this Thursday, in the Benedictions meeting room, on the first floor of St Peter Basilica, from 11 AM to 1 PM.
During the meeting on this first Thursday of Lent, the pope himself has annouced the now imminent publication of the Apostolic Exhortation, that followed the Synode on the Eucharist. This exhortation will be most of all a meditation on a few points, said Benedict XVI.
On arriving and leaving l’Aula delle Benedizioni, the Pope “said Hi ;-))” to more than 100 priests out of the 800 presents.
Sorry for this approximative translation…It is not to be compared with Father, but I thought that would give you an idea before Father translate it accuretly…
Imminent is good!!!
“Meditation on a few points” sounds kind of soft to me.
I (perhaps naively) figured that an “Exhortation” was just that, not
a few points to meditate on. But hey, I’ll take what I can get, I suppose.
Thanks Val! It was considerate of you and much appreciated.
“Meditation on a few points†sounds kind of soft to me.
I (perhaps naively) figured that an “Exhortation†was just that, not
a few points to meditate on. But hey, I’ll take what I can get, I suppose.
Comment by Tom
Exhortations can be vague and flabby, and so I am encouraged by the possibilities of a “Méditation en plusieurs points”.
Why don’t we wait to see it, before we complain that it’s too soft?
Just a thought…
Reverend and Dear Fr Fox –
No, it must be complained about immediately, if not sooner, and expecially before sight, by those who find complaint so natural a reaction to anything, even if it comes from the mouth of God, or His Vicar on earth, now gloriously reigning, and 80 in two months’ time.
Well, this news has now been reported by CWN
http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=49430
Surge,hyperbole is fun,ain’t it.
God bless you
Fr. Fox, et al.
I apologize for my earlier comment. It was, upon reflection, ill stated as well as ill advised, premature, etc. Thank you Fr. Fox for bringing it to my attention. I did not intend to come across as ingracious. I will keep my mouth (keyboard?) shut next time unless I have something constructive to contribute.
I do have a question though. I thought the Motu Proprio was supposed to come out before the Exhortation? What happened there? Any ideas?
I seem to recall Fr Z said something about something coming out on this day.
Props to him…
Is La Santa Sede closed today? Otherwise it’s very odd that nothing has been posted today which is now 2:35 p.m. Eastern U.S.
The person in Philadelphia used the phrase “shortly” when semi-quoting the Holy Father’s announcement.
I wonder then if the press report is euphamistic in saying “immenent” or if it really is. Any thoughts?
So I get this anti-spam word that sez
7dN4oYndul or maybe it was
7dN4Oyndul or
7dN40Yndul or
7dN4oyndu1 or
7dN4Oyndu1 or
7dN40Yndu1
but I think I tried all of those and still could not get it to go through so I refreshed and got another antispam word but now I am disturbed because I can’t make any sense out of 7dN40Yndul and now I can’t rest until I know what it means so somebody pleeze tell me.
You think it is riddle? maybe it is
“in 7 Days No more of 40 years of suffering, the indult is coming”
My very loose interpretation :-))
In view of the tendency to compain (which I confess to as well), and in view of the day, it might be well to recall the words of this prayer, which we in Regnum Christi pray during thanksgiving after Holy Communion (one my Lenten resolutions is to meditate on the phrase “unconditional loyalty”):
PRAYER FOR THE POPE
Christ Jesus, King and Lord of the Church, in your presence I renew my unconditional loyalty to your Vicar on earth, the Pope. In him you have chosen to show us the safe and sure path that we must follow in the midst of confusion, uneasiness and unrest. I firmly believe that through him you govern, teach and sanctify us; with him as our shepherd, we form the true Church: one, holy, catholic and apostolic.
Grant me the grace to love, live and spread faithfully our Holy Father’s teachings. Watch over his life, enlighten his mind, strengthen his spirit, defend him from calumny and evil. Calm the erosive winds of infidelity and disobedience. Hear our prayer and keep your Church united around him, firm in her belief and action, that she may truly be the instrument of your redemption. Amen.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the Feast of the Chair of Peter is a holy day of obligation in the Archdiocese of Rome, so I would think that the offices are closed.
Father Z:
In the states, when something official is coming out from the government, the government announces it will come out on such-and-such a date. Is that reliably how the Holy See operates, as far as you know?
Tom:
No need to apologize. Unfortunately, you simply see what is most likely coming. When you see one soft statement
after another come from our prelates, you start to figure it all will be soft and nice.
Praying I’m wrong …
The Roman Curia and the Pope are on retreat and the offices are closed.Long Live Cardinal Biffi! The exhortation will be issued “shortly”.Well,forgive my sense of negativity but “shortly” joins “soon”,”imminent”,”forthcoming”,and “subito” which we have heard from Vatican sources.I wonder what Nostradamus said about it.
To all who are growing impatient with the seemingly endless delays regarding the
release of the Exhortation and the Motu Proprio…remember that our Church is a
Church that operates in centuries and millennia. The passing of a few months is
nothing but a drop in the proverbial bucket when it comes to the time of the
Church.
With all that said, I sure wish the Holy Father would get on with it. :-)
It seems to me in Italy, and in Europe, they don’t have the same work ethic we’re used to. I remember when I was arranging to have a gold vestment made by Slabbincks, and either Easter or Christmas was approaching — although it was long enough away that the work could be done.
My American way of thinking: “the holidays are coming (we’ll need this), so surely you’ll put a rush on…”
Their European way of thinking: “the holidays are coming…surely we must postpone this until after!”
I was thrilled to see all the lighted candles in St. Peter’s, and the papal robes on the bronze statue of St. Peter. I think all the ornamentation on the statue is back because of the tsumani of condemnations that the liberals in the Fabbrica di San Pietro and the Liturgy office with Msgr. Marini and his busy bees tried to cut back on the traditional Catholic symbolism etc. I know there were huge protests. It was like the last straw.
Read Amy Welborn’s blog for a good synopsis of what the Pope said regarding his soon coming exhortation on the Holy Eucharist. He actually said it was a meditation, and an instruction, and concrete directions to help restore popular piety among the Catholic faithful.
If I’m not mistaken, that could inclue the Moto Proprio too.
Let’s hope that this exhortation comes out before Easter, and the Moto Proprio too. Also, without being nasty etc., lets also pray that the instructions issue strong guidelines (commands) to restore much which was discarded for 40 years. The liberals will be angry I fear, but I believe the Pope thinks that the traditions should be back very strongly in the life of the Church. Let’s pray He has the courage to do it and do it well and completely, and without doubts.
Meditation, could that not be a preparatary document for something else?
I hope that the Exhortation is a preparatory document for the Benedictine missal which will reform the NO. That will be Pope Benedict’s legacy.
I’ve suggested before elsewhere that I’d be modestly (and quite pleasantly) surprised to see the motu proprio during Lent out of pastoral concern for the difficulty it would likely cause the bishops and priests who would have to implement it. In my diocese for example I don’t think there is a single priest who knows how to celebrate the TLM (we don’t have even a single indult Mass), and throwing that on top of priests whose workload is at its heaviest during Lent and Easter might well be something the Pope would wish to avoid – better to do it later and correctly than the converse (and we’ve seen what that can do…)
On the other hand, of course, given the beauty and majesty of the TLM Holy Week would be an entirely appropriate time to bring it into wider use. As long as there are priests willing to learn how to properly celebrate the TLM on top of all their other heavy duties during this time of the liturgical year, it would be a symbolically significant time. I still can’t quite figure out which way the Pope is thinking though (as if anyone else apparently can).
Peter,
Would it necessarily be required for priests and bishops to begin using the Classical Rite immediately once the Motu Proprio is released? Could the Pope not instead put in a provision that would allow priests who know the Classical Rite to begin using it immediately, and require those who do not to learn within a given amount of time?
I’m guessing that the most that the motu proprio will do is to declare that the Mass of Pius V was never forbidden and to give general permission to celebrate the Old Mass. We may very possibly get much less, i.e. private Mass only, or never to be the main Sunday Mass without permission of the bishop. I doubt that anybody will be required to say it.
Father McAfee,
I’ve heard rumors before that a Benedictine Novus Ordo missal is in the works. I’d like to believe it, but if it’s true, why would the Holy Father be allowing all this work on the new missal translation to proceed? An altogether new NO missal would render that moot, not to mention render all the labor involved a monumental waste of time.
Waste of such proportion seems very un-Benedictine to me.
It just occurred to me that Il Papa might not want to release the Exhortation and the Motu Proprio together. If he does, all attention will be given to the Motu Proprio (which the press will just love. Headline: Pope Throws Church Into Reverse!)The Exhortation, which he probably considers the more important document, would get lost.
Saul: “remember that our Church is a Church that operates in centuries and millennia.”
The problem with this is, and I know this horse is not only beaten but dead and rotting, but the problem is
that during and after the Council they did do things overnight — the brought the Faith to a crisis overnight.
And yes, contrary to popular belief, I do think the best remedy is to return to the traditional Faith overnight
the same way we left it.
Jon: My impression from scattered remarks is that the “Benedictine missal” will resemble, more than anything else, the 1965 Ordo Missae that was included in several published hand missals of the mid 1960s – for instance, the New St. Joseph Daily Missal, Catholic Publishing Co., NY, 1966 – represented as being “In accordance with the New Revised Liturgy as directed by Vatican II” (which was apparently the understanding of some or most bishops at the time). Is this consistent with what you’ve heard?
Henry,
As you know, because the ’65 was an authentic and immediate product of the Council, I’ve always thought return to it would be the most peaceful, pragmatic, and effective solution to our liturgical conundrum, but nothing I’ve read about a possible “Benedictine” has been that explicit. I’ve read conjecture that such a missal would approximate better than the Pauline missal the demands of Sacrosanctam Concilium, but whether it would be a work “from scratch” or a resurrection of the ’65, I haven’t heard.
I find the whole suggestion fascinating, but I take it all with a mighty grain of salt. I wish I’d saved what I’ve read regarding the topic, though, as I’ve even heard (make that read on a blog) that the Holy Father commissioned a house of European Benedictines for the project, and it’s nearly complete. It would be nice, wouldn’t it?
From the interview with Archbishop Ranjith in Inside the Vatican magazine, there is deep, deep disatisfaction at very high levels with the whole post-conciliar liturgy. His comments are the most damning I have seen from a high Vatican official on the record.
Sometimes it’s best to soak it, and then peel gently and slowly, and sometimes —
there is less pain if ya just rip the band-aid off in one swell foop.
I am quite certain that Benedict, (who knows? perhaps a future “Doctor”…) will know what is best for the patient.
(Save the Liturgy, Save the World.)
Geri, we’ve been soaking for 40 years. I think we’re all soaked out now and it’s time to go “rip” before the whole thing rots off.
There was a time when it was believed that we could wait out the corruption and avoid consequences. That time is past. History has shown that waiting only makes things worse.
I read the “Inside the Vatican” interview with Archbishop Rajnitih from beginning to end. I agree with one of the comtributors here that it was the most negative and most damning comments directed against the Novus Ordo and the whole liturgical reform since Vatican II that I have read. The Archbishop has courage, and He is speaking 100% the truth. He said that there were “some” good things that came from the Vatican II liturgy reform (I can’t name any)…but He said there was very much more negative than positive.
I would not be surprised if the Archbishop succeedes Arinze when the later (very often one of the last cheerleaders for the liturgical reforms of Vatican II). Arinze has only 9 months to go before He’s through, submitting His resignation at 75.
After reading the “INside the Vatican” interview, and realizing how negative the reaction is in very high offices to the Novus Ordo and the liturgical reforms, I wonder how possible would it be for Pope Benedict XVI to absolutely stun the Church and the world by announcing either
1) A well planned return to the Tridentine Latin Mass as the standard Mass of the Catholic Church OR
2) Announce a completely new Mass , the “Mass of Benedict VI” which would be largely the Tridentine Latin Mass with a few minor elements from the Novus Ordo attached to it. I read about this being a possibility which would shock everyone. How possible does anyone think these things are, considering the obvious deep dissatisfaction (verging on disgust) for the NOvus Ordo by some very powerful people in the Vatican.
Of course, I meant a new “Mass of Benedict XVI” in the above post, not “Benedict VI”. Sorry.