His Eminence Robert Card. Sarah, Prefect of the CDW, gave an fantastic talk in Germany on the occasion of a colloquium held for the 10th Anniversary of Summorum Pontificum, Benedict’s XVI’s “emancipation proclamation” for the older, traditional form of the Roman Rite.
You can find the exclusive English translation at Catholic World Report. I warmly urge you to check it out.
This talk by Card. Sarah will be precious tool for renewal of our Catholic identity.
I recommend that you give a copy to every priest you know and that you send one to your bishop and the director of liturgy for your dioceses, with and cheerful note of encouragement, of course.
I was going to post excerpts, but I found myself wanting to post the whole thing. That wouldn’t do. Therefore, I contacted CWR and they gave me leave to record it for a podcast.
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Check out Card. Sarah’s book, now in English, The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise.
And don’t forget also…
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This is one courageous man.
I wonder how long he will be sent to re-education camp this time.
Thank you very much, Fr. Z, for recording this podcast and for your own insights on this crisis.
I am very grateful for this podcaZt! I am going to forward this link to a few people.
Fortunately, this campaign won’t be necessary in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, where the celebration of the Traditional Mass is growing slowly but surely. I can speak from experience here, that there are more priests here who want to celebrate it than there are opportunities for them to do so. Presently, one-eighth of the parishes and missions of the Diocese offer it every Sunday, when it is attended by less than one percent of the faithful.
“it is urgently necessary to finalize a bilingual Latin-vernacular missal to allow for full, conscious, intimate and more fruitful participation of the lay faithful in Eucharistic celebrations.”
Is there any obvious interpretation of this statement, other than as a call for celebration of the Tridentine Mass at least partially in the vernacular?
Since, if merely for the use of the lay faithful participating at Mass in the pews, there has long been an ample availability of Latin-vernacular hand missals, some of which (e.g., Fr. Lasance’s) surely meet Liturgiam Authenticam (and WDTPRS) standards for accurate translation of the Latin texts.
So what would an official Latin-vernacular missal provide in addition, other than for its use by priests at the altar in vernacular celebration in the extraordinary form?
Henry Edwards says: a bilingual Latin-vernacular missal
Right. That has me scratching my head as well. There are plenty of wonderful editions of bi-lingual “hand missals” in various languages. However, it might be that the Cardinal is referring to some sort of altar missal, such as the 1965 edition which had both Latin and the vernacular in that “transition” period.
I, for one, would be against having the older Mass in the vernacular, at least for now. We need a goodly period of stability before doing anything to the rite… and to the people. It is pretty clear that the Council Fathers thought that they were going to get the vernacular for readings in the “Mass of Catechumens” and then stick to Latin for the rest. But, they get a lot more than they bargained for…. thanks to Bugninicare! “If you want your Latin in the Mass, you can keep your Latin in the Mass!”
Thank you so much for this good work, Father. My heart is lifted up. I will pass it along and speed it with wings of prayer!
Would you please provide a Baltimore Catechism version of Cardinal Sarah’s talk, with your questions and the Cardinal’s answers?
I should concern myself with the lines more than the situation behind or between the lines, but I’m really, really curious about any backstory here. I’m thinking in particular that he uses the phrase “reform of the reform” positively when it’s precisely that which was slapped down as ‘unhelpful’ last summer in that Vatican press office communique after the Cardinal’s speech encouraging ad orientem. There’s other strong words in this speech…is he off the reservation, so to speak? Is he fed up and not going to take it anymore? What’s going on that he feels so free? Part of me would prefer he keep his powder dry and not damage his prospects at the next conclave, esp since he seems powerless right now to actually effect any liturgical change.
St. Irenaeus says: he uses the phrase “reform of the reform” positively when it’s precisely that which was slapped down
You raise a good point. That didn’t go noticed. Note that he adds a nuance.
Fr. Z: some sort of altar missal, such as the 1965 edition which had both Latin and the vernacular in that “transition” period.
Presumably, that 1965 missal had both Latin and the vernacular, precisely because priests were allowed to (and did) proclaim parts of the Mass in the vernacular.
Incidentally, I don’t recall any sense at the time that there was anything transitory it. For instance the title page of my copy (New St. Joseph Daily Missal) of that now-called “interim” missal said
THE OFFICIAL PRAYERS FOR THE CELEBRATION OF DAILY MASS
In accordance with the New Revised Liturgy as directed by Vatican Council II
The front matter also included the statement
This New Missal is in complete accord with the Directives and Recommendations of Vatican Council II On the Liturgy
It seemed understood not only by pew sitters (and missal publishers) but also by priests and bishops that this was not merely a temporary interim missal but the permanent liturgical fruit of Vatican II. Witness, for instance, Cardinal Heenan’s famously professed “shock” when he later learned that a “secret commission” (Bugnini et. al.) had continued working under cover on a substantial further revision that came to light as the Novus Ordo.
Henry: priests were allowed to (and did) proclaim parts of the Mass in the vernacular
Don’t forget Summorum Pontificum Art. 6.: In Masses celebrated with people according to the according to the Missal of B. John XXIII, the Readings can be proclaimed also in the vernacular language, using editions recognized by the Apostolic See.
This applies, I believe, to Low Mass.
Regarding SP Art. 6, the use of ‘also’ implies that the Epistle and Gospel be read first in Latin. Some translations missed this word out, but the official Latin version does indeed have ‘etiam’.
This was the usual practice at Sunday Mass (and not just Low Mass) where they were read from the pulpit before the notices and sermon. In the SSPX church in Brussels the celebrant turns to the people after each reading and repeats it in French.
I love that Cardinal Sarah is pressing on with books and lectures, and speaking forthrightly! And there continue to be good signs in other areas, like the new Oratory, and more parishes going ad orientem.
Henry Edwards: Thank you for your informative post above. Informative, for me, on two fronts. 1) ” . . . in complete accord with . . . ” Many probably thought that was the end of the changes; 2) “Cardinal Heenan’s ‘shock’ ” I’m sure it wasn’t his alone.
Long live the Roman Rite! Long live other time-honored Latin rites: Ambrosian, Dominican and others besides! And may the fruitful coexistence of the two forms of the Roman Rite – the usus recentior and the usus antiquior – perdure for as long as this please almighty God.
Thank you Fr. Z, commenters, and CWR.
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I cannot get over how wonderful this address is…thank you Cardinal Sarah, Father Zuhlsdorf, and Catholic World Report.
Cardinal Sarah is prophetic, indeed. Not a pleasant role, but such a hopeful one.