Traditional Anglo-Papist

23 April 2006

Anglican Papalism

In the midst of the mother of all flus, I have just finished Michael Yelton's Anglican Papalism: An Illustrated History 1900-1960.

I think the book has some major holes and a very confusing approach. Yet it has sparked my interest. I may review it more fully later. However at the moment I would just like to add that the narrow focus in the last chapter on Forward in Faith being the 'only force to draw Anglo-Catholicism together' is misleading. It ignores the whole of the Traditional Anglican Communion and the continuing churches. In fact, the TAC has put into action the philosophy of the very Anglican Papists described in the book.

Here are a couple of links to websites of interest which arise in the book:
The Catholic League
The Walsingham Archives
Pilgrimage to Egmanton 2005

PS. I am always happy to hear what others think!

12 April 2006

Motu Proprio

Just catching up on Vatican speak.

Pope Benedict XVI is said to be issuing a Motu Proprio in which he will speak about the future of the Traditional Mass. In case, like me, you do not know what that means, a Motu Proprio is:
... the certain papal rescripts ... that the provisions of the rescript were decided on by the pope personally, that is, not on the advice of the cardinals or others, but for reasons which he himself deemed sufficient. The document has generally the form of a decree: in style it resembles a Brief rather than a Bull, but differs from both especially in not being sealed or countersigned. ... It begins by stating the reason inducing the sovereign pontiff to act, after which is stated the law or regulation made, or the favour granted, It is signed, personally by the pope, his name and the date being always in Latin.

Conservative vs. Traditional Catholicism

I have always liked what Fr. Chad Ripperger, F.S.S.P. has to say. His website, Sensus Traditionis, is worth a look, espeically if you like Thomistic philosophy. I found a very interesting article on The Latin Mass website by Fr Ripperger, Conservative vs. Traditional Catholicism. Here is a little quote:
In 1996, a group of friends had lunch in Rome at the Czechoslovakian college. One of the priests who offers Mass according to the new rite was a bit dumbfounded. He had written an article in which he had discussed certain aspects of the liturgical reform. His puzzlement came from the fact that traditionalists had attacked his article and he could not understand why. A traditionalist seminarian said to the priest, “We agree that something has to be done about the liturgy, but we do not agree on what should be done.” Traditionalists and neoconservatives often find each other mystifying, and the reason for this has to do with the relationship each position holds with respect to ecclesiastical tradition.

I think the article illustrates some of the modern problems in theological discussion quite well. Maybe, in the broader Anglican context, we can see the article as descriptive of on-going confusion over issues between those who are Anglo-Catholic (or who may like to consider themselves Anglo-Papist) and those who are Traditional Anglo-Papist. This confusion illustrates an underlying difference in how theology is done. After all Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi or Lege rubrum, si vis intelligere nigrum.

Document on the Sacred Liturgy

The following is from the official FSSP Melbourne website:
It now appears certain that the Holy Father has signed a significant document on the Sacred Liturgy, and on the classical Latin liturgy in particular. We will let you know as soon as further details are to hand.

I think the document has gone from rumour to a certainity. But what will it say? While reflecting up this and the various other rumours on the liberalisation of the Traditional Latin liturgy, it struck me that the Holy Father may do something completely different. Don't get me wrong: I will be dancing on the Rectory lawn with nothing but my biretta when the Holy Father announces the general use of the 1962 liturgical books. (Maybe a small point here: it is not a General Indult. It is the universal use of the 1962 liturgical books!)

But if this document, say, returned the altars of the world to their traditional position (against the east wall of the church) I would be no less happy. Even if the document only mentions the Traditional rite of Mass (which the recent document after the Syond on the Eucharist did not do) I would be happy. If this document encouraged people to enter into the living Tradition of the Western Latin Rite through the 1962 litugical books, I would be happy.

Maybe we are just asking too much, too quickly! My point: We need (in Anglican and Roman Catholic circles) to bring the traditional rites of Mass (and the Office) back on the agenda. These need to be celebrated within a parish context – not as museum pieces but as the living tradition of the Western Latin Catholic Rite. We need to be focused on showing people (especially the young) the beauty of the traditional Mass, lifting them up to heaven to meet their Saviour, and gathering around the Throne of Grace with all the Saints and angels. In short, we need to move beyond the minimalism and nominalism of our age and return to a classical world view based upon the philosophy of S. Thomas, the liturgy of the western Church, and an ecclesiology which is solidly based in the tradition of the Church. If this document signed by the Holy Father is the first step, let us rejoice! Of course after Easter.

08 April 2006

From Dominicanus

There is a good post from Dominicanus about the Indult rumours:
The puzzling silence from Rome on the question seems to me upon reflection to be entirely intelligible and in all our best interests. The numerous Indult parties would obviously interfere with the solemnity due to Holy Week. Too festive a spirit in the midst of Passiontide would not be decorous.

And all those sacristy fights - with young priests victoriously waving the latest decrees at the grey army before Mass - ought to take place at a less solemn time of the year.

Or maybe nothing is happening and prayer, penance and almsgiving are best after all.

Breaking News

Via Argent by the Tiber and Santo Stupido!:
According to Radio Vatican the Holy Father will promulgate a "motu proprio" liberalizing the Mass of St. Pius V. Time to tune in to Radio Vaticana.

Further from The New Liturgical Movement:
Today Vatican Radio has announced that His Holiness Benedict PP XVI has signed a document about the Rite of the Mass, as has been foreseen on this blog. The document will in all probability be published on the occasion Maundy Thursday.

Let us pray for the right outcome of these rumours. Let us beseech Our Lady that the Traditional Mass is returned to its rightful place within the western liturgical tradition.

05 April 2006

Praying Holy Week with the Pope

Via Shouts in the Piazza, here are the Holy Week activities for the Holy Father:
SUNDAY, April 9: Palm Sunday of Our Lord's Passion. 21st World Youth Day on the theme: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." At 9.30 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father will bless palms and olive branches and, at the end of the procession, will celebrate the Mass of the Lord's Passion.

THURSDAY, April 13: Holy Thursday. In St. Peter's Basilica at 9.30 a.m., the Holy Father will preside at the concelebration of the Chrism Mass with cardinals, bishops, and diocesan and religious priests present in Rome, as a sign of the close union between the pastor of the Universal Church and his brothers in the priestly ministry. The Easter Triduum of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection will begin in the Basilica of St. John Lateran at 5.30 p.m. with the Mass of Our Lord's Last Supper. The Holy Father will preside at the concelebration of the Mass. After the homily, the rite of the washing of the feet of 12 priests will take place. At the end of the celebration the Blessed Sacrament will be transferred to the chapel of reposition.

FRIDAY, April 14: Good Friday. The Holy Father will preside at the celebration of the Passion of Our Lord in the Vatican Basilica at 5 p.m. He will lead the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum at 9.15 p.m.

SATURDAY, April 15: Easter Saturday. The Easter Vigil will begin at 10.00 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica, when the Pope will bless the new fire in the atrium of the church. After the entrance procession with the Easter candle and the singing of the "Exultet," he will preside at the Liturgy of the Word and the Baptismal and Eucharistic liturgies, which he will concelebrate with the cardinals.

SUNDAY, April 16: Easter Sunday. At 10.30 a.m., Benedict XVI will celebrate Mass in St. Peter's Square, after which he will impart the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing ("to the city and the world") from the central balcony of the Vatican Basilica.

Source: VIS

02 April 2006

Requiescat In Pace

Ioannes Paulus PP. II
Karol Wojtyla

16.X.1978 - 2.IV.2005


Rest eternal grant him, O Lord; 
and let light perpetual shine upon them.

01 April 2006

Marini speaks - Outside the Liturgical Reform, there is no Church

I know this is a little old but I thought I would share it with you. Here is an interview with the Papal Master of Ceremonies and his views on the liturgical reforms of the 1970s. Be warned: this is not pleasant:
The Tridentine rite or that of Saint Pius V, which in reality is the Missale Romanum aggiornato according to the last dispositions of 1962 by the work of John XXIII, was left in place under certain conditions to avoid a traumatic passage from the old rite to the new for the older faithful. Afterwards, pope Wojtyla allowed that, in certain churches, the rite of Saint Pius V could be celebrated. But to walk beyond this is to walk beyond the Church, and that cannot be done. If the liturgy is a sign of unity for the Church, I cannot establish groups of faithful who at a certain day and at a certain time pray in one way, then another group who in another time pray otherwise. And then we come to the Lefebvrists
and
It must be clear once and for all: they must accept what the Second Vatican Council has decided, otherwise no reconciliation will be possible. And then, what do these people want? The majority of the faithful has adapted itself; without the new rite, which was not a child of the Curia but a work of international inspiration, the celebrations and foreign trips of pope Wojtyla would have been impossible to make. Now, because they cannot adapt, what is the difference?

Read the whole article, Marini speaks - Outside the Liturgical Reform, there is no Church, for the full story. There is a response to the Papal MC, Is the New Mass Really a Return to Patristic Sources? by Fr. Romano Thommasi.

Could not pass this over ...

From Shouts in The Piazza:


"No, Piero, in liturgy our focus isn't out there on them...it's on Him."

Universal Use of 1962 Missal.

Via Catholic News Agency:
Universal approval of Latin Missal could be on the way

Vatican City, Mar. 31, 2006 (CNA) - The St. Pius V Missal, which the Catholic Church used until 1962 before it was replaced by the new ordinary following the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, could be approved for universal use, according to sources close to the Vatican.

The decision on the use of the Missal, which was the subject of consultations between Pope Benedict XVI, the cardinals of the Church and the heads of the different Vatican diacasteries, could be announced after another meeting the Pope has scheduled for April 7 with Curia leaders.

The Pius V Missal contains the Mass celebrated in Latin according to the “Tridentine” rite and is currently allowed only with the permission of the local bishop.  Universal approval would mean the traditional rite could be celebrated freely throughout the world by priests who wish to do so.

The move is not directly related to the Lefebvrist schism, since as a theologian the Pontiff had always expressed in interest in bringing back the rite.  Nevertheless, Vatican sources note that this would be an important step in resolving the schism, as the possibility of freely celebrating the Mass of St Pius V is one of the points of contention with the Lefebvrists.

In July, the Society of St. Pius X—known as the Lefebvrists—will elect a new superior.  The group will chose between openness to reconciliation embodied in the current superior Bernard Fellay or the decidedly anti-Vatican stance of Richard Williamson, another of the four bishops illicitly consecrated by the late Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
It also means that it is no longer an Indult but a part of the living Tradition of the Western Catholic Church. In effect, the Latin part of the Roman Catholic Church would become bi-ritual.