Pope John Paul II, Spiritus et sponsa wrote:6. Forty years later, it is appropriate to review the ground covered. I have already suggested on former occasions a sort of examination of conscience concerning the reception given to the Second Vatican Council. Such an examination must also concern the liturgical and sacramental life.
Is the Liturgy lived as the "origin and summit' of ecclesial life, in accordance with the teaching of Sacrosanctum Concilium?
Has the rediscovery of the value of the Word of God brought about by liturgical reform met with a positive confirmation in our celebrations?
To what extent does the Liturgy affect the practice of the faithful and does it mark the rhythm of the individual communities?
Is it seen as a path of holiness, an inner force of apostolic dynamism and of the Church's missionary outreach?
But don't just read and comment on this bit - look (here) at what else the Pope has to say and then read the threads in this forum on Christian Initiation (here) and Sacred Mysteries (here) too. There is a lot more which we could discuss in other threads too!
Well one diocese in England and Wales has started an examination of conscience as suggested in Spiritus et Sponsa and the Pope seems to want to make sure the whole world does. It's going to be the topic of the next Synod of Bishops in 2005. (See Zenit site)
Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It is 5 days since my last posting to this forum...
I've been mulling this one over, Presbyter, and I have a problem. I am only 41. Sacrosanctum concilium is more-or-less then same age as I am. I have never really known anything but the current English translation of the Roman Missal (apart from recalling one or two phrases of early attempts - 'men who are God's friends', 'unworthy to receive you under my roof' for example. So, it is impossible for me to compare what we have now with anything but itself.
What I can say is this:
Most of us pew-dwellers are ignorant of the Consitution on the Sacred Liturgy, or indeed with any of the Vatican II documents, so cannot think of liturgy in accordance with that document.
As we assemble only to celebrate Mass, and most of us only on Sundays, the Liturgy cannot be the summit - we are seeing a flat plain, with peaks and valleys the size of those in Holland. If we had more diversity in meeting together, we would possibly appreciate more the summit and source aspect of the Liturgy.
As I said above, I have never rediscovered the value of the word of God simply because that is the way it has always been for me. It makes me read during the week to prepare for the next and to continue from the last, to fill in those bits omitted (and to wonder why!)
For my own part, Liturgy does inform Mission, and each week I am renewed, to greater or lesser extent, to take Christ to the world. I don't see it so much as a path to my own holiness, and have witnessed many which seem to have no sense of an 'inner force of apostolic dynamism' - ex-animation
But shouldn't this examination be something that we do together in our parishes, rather than, say, by ourselves?
Benevenio wrote:'I've been mulling this one over, Presbyter, and I have a problem. I am only 41. Sacrosanctum concilium is more-or-less then same age as I am. I have never really known anything but the current English translation of the Roman Missal (apart from recalling one or two phrases of early attempts - 'men who are God's friends', 'unworthy to receive you under my roof' for example. So, it is impossible for me to compare what we have now with anything but itself.'
I think this just about says it all. One of the primary concerns of the Fathers in Council was for the pastoral application of what the Council decreed. On more than one occasion there is reference to the need for formation of clergy and people. Eg in the Sacred Liturgy this was particularly apparent.
Like many a management job, the bishops and those responsible rushed out from the Council and starting introducing changes and new texts without apparent thought to the need for proper formation and understanding. Not only that ongoing formation has in the intervening years been only at best tickered with in some locations.
Organisations like the Society of Saint Gregory were not alone in attempting to redress the failure to offer training and formation. Despite that, walk into many a Catholic School or parish and too many people do not know what the liturgy is, nor why it might be the fountainhead of their spiritual and missionary lives as disciples of the Lord.
Get off your pulpit fisherpeter! But it is high time that resources for formation were delivered, and delivered quickly, to arrest the decline in Christian living.
Bonum est nos hic esse [Mk 9:5] — It is wonderful for us to be here!
presbyter wrote:Well one diocese in England and Wales has started an examination of conscience as suggested in Spiritus et Sponsa and the Pope seems to want to make sure the whole world does. It's going to be the topic of the next Synod of Bishops in 2005. (See Zenit site)
So how about this for the topic of our next Summer School in 2005?
