Papal liturgies under review

[Merseysider]

Pope Benedict XVI is reviewing plans for papal liturgical celebrations, the Vatican's top liturgist has disclosed.

Archbishop Piero Marini, the master of ceremonies for papal liturgies, spoke to the Italian internet site on March 20, during a visist to Milan for the publication of his book, Liturgy and Beauty. Archbishop Marini revealed that Pope Benedict XVI has been more demanding than his predecessor in watching plans for liturgical celebrations at the Vatican.

Will we see a return to the Pope entering St Peter's held aloft wearing gloves and slippers of the correct liturgical colours and heralded by silver trumpets?

Marini is reported to be in talks with the SSPX on behalf of the Vatican so you never know.

[dunstan]

I think Benedict is going to be more demanding than his predecessor in almost every facet of liturgy, and no bad thing IMHO.

[asb]

Absolutely - let's hope it filters down to grass-roots level......see my new Children's Mass topic.

[docmattc]

Marini is reported to be in talks with the SSPX on behalf of the Vatican so you never know.

But in the same report he is reported as saying:
The schism can be repaired only "if the Lefebvrists accept totally the Second Vatican Council and its teachings." Otherwise, he said, "there is nothing to be done."

I hope we don't see a return to silver trumpets etc and some of Benedict's actions (eg replacing the tiara for a mitre on the coat of arms) would indicate that he won't reinstate the 'royal' pageantry. If he did I think the church would loose some credibility with the world.

I started reading his book "Spirit of the Liturgy" last summer, but found it extremely heavy going. I understood most of the words, some of the sentences but very few of the paragraphs!