What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

I write about His Excellency Bishop Trautman’s statement at greater length in my week column in The Wanderer.  My emphases and comments.

Statement from Bishop Trautman on Pope Benedict
XVI’s apostolic letter “Summorum Pontificum”

Most Reverend Donald W. Trautman, S.T.D, S.S.L., [Why include academic degrees in such a statement?] Bishop of Erie, issued the following
statement on July 9, 2007 regarding Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic letter “Summorum
Pontificum”:

The recent apostolic letter of Pope Benedict XVI on widening the use of the
liturgical books of 1962 is prompted by his desire to reach out to those
Catholics in schism because of their non-acceptance of the liturgical reforms of
the Second Vatican Council.  [That is not the only reason.  Pope Benedict states also his pastoral concern for those who simply want the older forms.  Note also that from the onset there is a suggestion that desire of the older form is against Vatican II.]

The Second Vatican Council, an ecumenical council of the Church, [again, trying to establish the authority of Vatican II] restored [suggestion that use of the vernacular is also "traditional"] and adapted the liturgy recommending vernacular languages for the worship
life of the Church. [I think Sacrosanctum Concilium actually mandated that Latin be retained and that pastors of souls were to make sure people knew to speak and sing in Latin the parts of Mass pertaining to them.] Pope Benedict, sensitive to those still clinging [why this word?] to the Tridentine Latin Mass (the 1962 missal) and liturgical rites prior to Vatican II, now grants a more generous application of that former liturgy.  [No… present liturgy.  Benedict states that it was never abrogated.] 

Since the Diocese of Erie already permits the celebration of the Tridentine
Mass in two locations, St. Ann Parish in Erie and St. Bernadette Parish in
Saegertown, I do not foresee a pressing pastoral need on the part of our people.  [This is the line many bishops are taking in their statements.]  In the future, I will be issuing diocesan norms to help apply and order the
specifics of the pope’s letter. Priests who might want to celebrate the
Tridentine Mass will be given a rubrical and Latin exam to comply with the
pope’s own statement, “The use of the old missal presupposes a certain degree
of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language.”  [Yes, but that knowledge must be the minimum necessary.  Also, a pastor of souls would want to ensure that priests could celebrate this rite well.  That suggests organizing workshops, continuing education for priests, and training for seminarians so that every priest is idoneus.]
Further, there will be need to ascertain that the common good of the parish
prevails and to ascertain what constitutes a stable community [Note the use of the inadequate translation] of those
requesting the 1962 missal. We must keep in proper perspective [Which I hope includes reading the document with a generous spirit] the pope’s
more generous use of the liturgical rites prior to 1962.  [Not just prior, but also after.  The books in force in 1962 were approved.] The pope himself has
said: “It is clearly seen that the new missal will certainly remain the ordinary
form of the Roman rite.”

 

 

 

The Bishop of Harrisburg, PA, issued a statement about the MP.  It was transcribed by a reader and sent to me by e-mail.  My emphases and comments.

 

 

Diocese of Harrisburg – Office of the Bishop

 

July 9, 2007

 

 

Dear Brothers in Christ,

 

Attached please find the apostolic letter given Motu Proprio by Pope Benedict XVI on the Use of the Roman Liturgy Prior to the Reform of 1970. I have also attached the letter from the Holy Father to all bishops regarding the apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum.

 

The Holy Father has given new norms regarding the use of the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope John XXIII in 1962. Please note that all priests of the Latin rite may now use that Missal in the celebration of Masses without the people. You do not need my permission for this. Also, please note that the faithful who spontaneously request it may be admitted to these Masses. The Holy Father describes the preconciliar edition of the Roman Missal as “an extraordinary form” of the Liturgy of the one Roman Rite. The “ordinary form” is that contained in the Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Paul VI and republished in two revised editions by Pope John Paul II.

 

It is important to note that in order to celebrate the extraordinary form, a priest must be suitably qualified and have the minimum knowledge and ability required for a legitimate use of the extraordinary form.  [How will that be determined?  According to whose criteria.  I write about this issue in this week’s issue of The Wanderer.]

 

The apostolic letter also asks that pastors “willingly accede” to requests for the celebration of Holy Mass according to the extraordinary form “in parishes where a group of faithful attached to the previous liturgical tradition exists stably.” [Note the use of the inadequate translation.] At this time, I am unaware of any parishes in the diocese where such a group exists stably, with the exception of the faithful who attend the weekly Sunday Mass according to the 1962 Missal at Saint Lawrence Chapel in Harrisburg. If there are such groups, I would be grateful if the pastor would inform me of their existence as well as any request by such a group for the celebration of the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.  [This request of the bishop is not in the provisions of the Motu Proprio.  FWIW.]

 

The faithful who attend the Sunday Mass at Saint Lawrence belong to many different parishes of the diocese. Please note also that “a pastor may, all things duly considered, grant permission to use the older ritual in administering the Sacraments of Baptism, Matrimony, Penance, and the Anointing of the Sick, as the good of souls may suggest.” I expect that some pastors will receive such requests, though I do not anticipate a large number.

 

I will be in contact with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter to see about their providing a priest to celebrate these sacraments when they are requested according to the older ritual.  [If I were a diocesan bishop I would make sure I had diocesan priests to do this and that as many as possible were capable.] There may also be priests of our own diocese who have the knowledge and ability to use the extraordinary form for these sacraments. If you have that ability and are willing to celebrate the Mass and other sacraments according to the 1962 Missal, please let Father Neil Sullivan [Diocesan Director of Liturgy] know.

Finally, please note that the new norms do not become effective until September 14, 2007, the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. Between now and then, we will continue to study the new norms and their application here in the Diocese of Harrisburg.

 

Many thanks for your attention to the new apostolic letter and your adherence to the new norms. May the Lord continue to bless you and your priestly ministry!

 

Fraternally yours in Christ,

 

+ Kevin C. Rhoades

 

Bishop of Harrisburg

The Bishop of Salt Lake City has issued a statement about the MP.  My emphases and comments.

Response to "Summorum Pontificium"

by Bishop John Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City
 
 

I am very touched by the fact our holy father Pope Benedict XVI is a man of great charity and compassion. It is through the context of his first encyclical, "God is Love," that I see him reaching out with his latest motu propio, "Summorum pontificium," to ensure the unity of the church, especially in the celebration of its sacraments and in particular the Eucharist which is the source and summit of our unity. This permission to use the Tridentine Rite of 1962 is yet another expression of the Holy Father’s desire to allow all of the faithful to participate [Yes, people participate at the older form of Mass.  This is exactly right.] in the celebration of the Eucharist.

I am grateful to the Holy Father for his pastoral concern and the emphasis to the unity and charity of the Body of Christ.

I take note that Pope Benedict has outlined very precisely and carefully the nature of this permission and how it is to be implemented. I find his directives to be very helpful.

The great grace of the Eucharist is that we come into the presence of almighty God who is truly present in substance in the Eucharistic meal. Our God is so loving and so of us that he wants to be present to us in the great celebration of the Eucharist. The permission given in the motu propio allows the use of a very sacred ritual that is yet another pathway to approach that great mystery.

+ Bishop John C. Wester
Diocese of Salt Lake City

 

Most of you know my Five Rules by now.

Here is another guiding tenet for thinking and speaking and writing about the Motu Proprio, or other documents.

When we are given a good document, a truly useful set of provisions, recognize their worth.  This does not mean that the document couldn’t have been better in some respects.  If, however, you dwell on what you think it ought to have been, rather than what it is, you undermine the value of the document.  When we become so involved in the defects of a document, and how it could be better, we harm the good it can produce.

Remember Rule 5:

1) Rejoice because our liturgical life has been enriched, not because "we win".  Everyone wins when the Church’s life is enriched.  This is not a "zero sum game".

2) Do not strut.  Let us be gracious to those who have in the past not been gracious in regard to our "legitimate aspirations".

3) Show genuine Christian joy.  If you want to attract people to what gives you so much consolation and happiness, be inviting and be joyful.  Avoid the sourness some of the more traditional stamp have sadly worn for so long.

4) Be engaged in the whole life of your parishes, especially in works of mercy organized by the same.  If you want the whole Church to benefit from the use of the older liturgy, then you who are shaped by the older form of Mass should be of benefit to the whole Church in concrete terms.

5) If the document doesn’t say everything we might hope for, don’t bitch about it like a whiner.  Speak less of our rights and what we deserve, or what it ought to have been, as if we were our own little popes, and more about our gratitude, gratitude, gratitude for what God gives us.