I have long argued that Pope Benedict has been implementing a "Marshall Plan" to revitalize our Catholic identity, both for the Church herself and then for what the Catholics can offer the world in the public square. Liturgy is a central component of that plan. That is what Summorum Pontificum is all about.
I read on NLM that His Eminence Antonio Card. Cañizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, made some interesting statements to a Spanish newspaper.
ABC: A few days ago you prompted the faithful to receive Holy Communion kneeling. Does the Church by reforming the liturgy in this way come closer to man?
Cardinal Cañizares: Communion kneeling signifies respect for God, it is the heart of man which prostrates itself before the One Who loves him unto the end. These are signs, it is not about change for change’s sake, it is about looking for the whole meaning and overcoming the secularisation of our world. One of the objectives of our congregations is to realise in these years a great campaign of liturgical formation.
Card. Cañizares (nicknamed "Little Ratzinger") is, at the same time as being Prefect, still the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Toledo, where he was Archbishop. In Toledo, during Holy Week, he reinstated the communion rail in the Cathedral and encouraged the faithful to receive Holy Communion kneeling and on the tongue.
Apparently, via NLM kneelers for receiving Holy Communion kneeling have also been recently introduced at the cathedrals in Málaga the Diocese of the Armed Forces in Madrid.
The faith has been under serious attack by secularists in Spain. Returning to Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling will be a powerful aid in the increasingly intense culture war.
Finally, His Eminence will celebrate Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran tomorrow.
Brick by brick.
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Fr. Z:
I just wanted to say that it is astounding how far and wide tradition is spreading.
I know you have posted before, that you might consider leaving the blogging business, but, please don’t.
It is stories like these that help lift the spirits of tradition-minded people in the country (and abroad?).
I have, what I call, my daily blogs. It’s you and NLM. And between the two of you, either there is a new church adding the TLM, or it’s a community adopting the TLM/books, or the reform of the reform is spreading ever wider. This information is integral to us, and it helps keep us on our toes, and our spirits high.
Plus, it’s a dang-cool blog.
Thanks.
I concur with Andy K and second his request: don’t ever consider shutting down wdtprs! As Andy said so well: “It is stories like these that help lift the spirits of tradition-minded people in the country (and abroad?).”
At least for me, there is this constant tendency to despair about the condition of the Church, the poor liturgies, the rampant dissent and the seemingly lack of response by our pastors. It is only on this blog that I hear how Tradition is spreading, the liturgy is being rebuilt and the Church is responding to those who attempt to attack the poor sheep of the fold.
Your blog is a source of hope for Catholics, at least it is for me.
Pax Christi tecum
Dear Fr. Z.
Love your blog! Thank you for all you do and God bless you!
I lived in Granada (Spain) while +Cañizares was Archbishop there. My impression is that he is intelligent and very efficient. Better administrator than pastor. He has made some very troubling economic decisions through the years (see La Cigueña de la Torre blog for details). Nevertheless, I believe he will be loyal to the Holy Father and will work tirelessly for liturgical reform which is just what we need. A very hardworking and determined man. We should remember him in our prayers because he has an incredibly difficult job and will face a lot of opposition.
On the other hand, our bishop just informed our pastor that he could no longer celebrate the Novus Ordo ad orientem, and that he could no longer use the Bendedictine altar arrangement (he can keep the cross, but only two candles are allowed). Meanwhile, many parishes in our diocese continue to have no kneelers, and therefore, no kneeling. Two bricks forward, one brick back…
[I cut this comment so as to make an entry out of it and to avoid getting off topic. o{]:¬) ]
Thank God that His Eminence Antonio Card. Cañizares Llovera, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, believes this statement to be true and will work for its acceptance throughout our holy church. In my opinion the best news is that “His Eminence will celebrate Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran tomorrow.”
At my parish (wich offers the NO in Latin but not the EF) everyone receives at the altar rail but many still receive in the hand.
Shouldn’t kneeling/receiving on the tongue go together?
I would love to see Little Ratzinger become our next Pope when His Holiness’ work is complete on this earth.
Crusader wrote: “On the other hand, our bishop just informed our pastor that he could no longer celebrate the Novus Ordo ad orientem, and that he could no longer use the Bendedictine altar arrangement (he can keep the cross, but only two candles are allowed).”
I may be wrong, but I don’t think a bishop has the authority to do this.
I too am encouraged by Cardinal Canizares. However, we are obviously not getting this information from the bishops or Catholic News Service.
Wonderful to see His Eminence will celebrate the EF in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
In his 4 years as the Pontiff, Pope Benedict has brought much tradition back into the Papal Liturgies, including celebrating Mass Ad Orientem before. Is it likely that he will celebrate the EF during his reign as Pope?
Andy K wrote:
“I just wanted to say that it is astounding how far and wide Tradition is spreading.”
)(
Unfortunately, Tradition doesn’t spread far enough and fizzles out by the time it reaches the netherworld here in Los Angeles. We’re still stuck with mud huts. Hopefully in 2011, a great torrent from on High will come and wash away all the **mud**–Mahony’s Unflattering Doings–his hatred of the Tridentine Masses, such silly oddities as coming up for Communion from the BACK of the church. All these which are just counter-intuitive to the normal flow of things. Like his cathedral. Just more insights of an unstable mind, IMO. IMO.
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Yes, Father Z. Please hang around a lot longer. You are one of the greatest spot-on resources for sort of thing and your humor and personality make it all the more enjoyable. Thank you very much. :)
TNCath: I may be wrong, but I don’t think a bishop has the authority to do this.
You are correct, as was established when (some time ago) the bishop of Birmingham (AL) attempted to prohibit ad orientem celebration in his diocese. However, a bishop may sometimes have the power to enforce his will without possession of any authority to do so.
Father, I have to agree with Andy K & Ron.
I hope you decide to continue with your blog. Like Ron, I tend to see the glass as half empty (or worse) and your blog (along with lots of prayer and the assurences of our Blessed Mother) is a great source for keeping hope alive.
From a broad – abroad, I love your blog. It has been my thirst quencher for the truth in times of feeling in the desert. Love most your sense of humor. I am a 40year old biddy – because I think whispering/talking just does not need to be done in the mass. There are usually other places in a church to do this…we teach our three young children this. Yes, one is a teen and times to discuss things are precious and fleeting – but making the time elsewhere is nothing less than respectful.
Crusader,
What diocese do you live in? Don’t be shy. I hope you’ve informed your pastor that the bishop doesn’t have any real power to demand that he stop saying Mass ad orientem, or to stop using the “Benedictine” candle arrangement. That’s like him asking the priest to turn cartwheels during Mass: he might be able to intimidate him into doing it, but it’s really beyond his power. Is your priest aware of this? Is your priest willing to be reassigned to a backwoods parish if he is courageous enough to defend his rights?
I personally think until priests are ready to defend their rights, the advancement of Tradition can only go so far. At some point priests are going to have to temporarily suffer for the cause of restoring beauty and tradition to our worship.
I believe that a new archbishop of Toledo was just named the other day so the Cardinal won\’t have to keep going back and forth.
Re a Papal Pontifical Mass in the EF. I would dearly love to see it but I am also old enough to remember what they were like. It would take one heck of a lot of work, especially now that anhyone with any experience in it is long dead. I wonder if they would reform it, e.g. wlold they still have archbishops as servers and what about the Papal nobility?
I believe in pre-vatican II times Pope\’s rarely celebrated Solemn Pontifical Mass.
Although His Eminence shows us by example what reception of the Holy Eucharist should be, our parish priest just instructed my son’s First Communion Class that next week at their First Communion they should receive the Eucharist in their little hands. My son will still receive on the tongue like his parents.
I am happy to take part in this campaign! For Portuguese speakers or any one who likes liturgical image candy, I would advice our new site called “Salvem a Liturgia” (save the liturgy), which intends to help on liturgical formation for everyone: http://www.salvemaliturgia.com
Let us pray for Cardinal Canizares Lovera. He is going into treacherous battle which unfortunately will be from the Clergy themselves. During the past years, we have witnesed how intimidation and harrasments were imposed upon the Clergy to false obedience to higher authority in the Diocesan Hierarchy.Priests are threatened to be assigned to problem parishes as punishments for their speaking out their opinions or for being obedient to the Holy Father. Let us pray that these undeserving bishops, archbishops and cardinals be decommissioned and assigned to the monasteries instead… to do spiritual works instead of materialistic works.