Wednesday, March 04, 2009

'No participation' in Latin Mass: Mahony

Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles has caused a stir among Latin Mass supporters saying there is no participation by the people.

"The Tridentine Mass was meant for those who could not make the transition from Latin to English [or other languages] after the Council. But there is no participation by the people, and I don't believe that instills the spirit of Christ among us," Cardinal Mahony said.

The National Catholic Register reports that the comment was made during an online interview Cardinal Mahony conducted Feb. 27 during the Religious Education Congress in Anaheim, Calif., in response to the question, "What are your thoughts on the Tridentine Mass?"

Not surprisingly they have generated hostile comment from those who support celebration of the extraordinary form of the Latin liturgy, such as Fr. John Zuhlsdorf.

But Cardinal Mahony's position on the use of the extraordinary form of the Mass also appears to contradict the intent of Pope Benedict's July 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum (Of the Supreme Pontiffs), the Register says.

The Pope said that while the post-Second Vatican Council form of the Mass celebrated based on the Council's liturgical reforms is the "ordinary" form of the contemporary Roman liturgy, the older "extraordinary" form of the liturgy celebrated in Latin is not to be considered as inferior in terms of inspiring prayerful liturgical participation among the faithful.

"The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the 'Lex orandi' (Law of prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. Nonetheless, the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued by Bl. John XXIII is to be considered as an extraordinary expression of that same 'Lex orandi,' and must be given due honor for its venerable and ancient usage. These two expressions of the Church's Lex orandi will in no any way lead to a division in the Church's 'Lex credendi' (Law of belief). They are, in fact two usages of the one Roman rite," Pope Benedict said.
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(Source: CTHUS)