Quotes to reflect upon (25)

 

We are conscious today that many, many centuries of blindness have cloaked our eyes so that we can no longer see the beauty of Your Chosen People nor recognize in their faces the features of our privileged brethren. 

We realize that the mark of Cain stands upon our foreheads. Across the centuries our brother Abel has lain in the blood we drew, or shed tears we caused by forgetting Your love. 

Forgive us the curse we falsely attached to their name as Jews. Forgive us for crucifying You a second time in the flesh. For we know not what we did.

These phrases are taken directly from the fake 'prayer' that former Jesuit priest Malachi Martin published in the American Jewish Committee publication, Commentary, in January 1965. Malachi alsot attributed this fake prayer to Pope John XXIII and claimed that Pope John XXIII intended for the 'prayer' to be recited in all of the churches of the world. It is worrying that this fake prayer has been recited in many churches throughout the world, even regularly in some areas such as in Poland and the USA.

Cardinal Kasper a 'member' of Pro Tridentina (Malta)

Cardinal Kasper with Pope Benedict XVI

It is with pleasure that the interim Committee announces that His Eminence, Cardinal Walter Kasper has joined Pro Tridentina (Malta) on Facebook.  He is President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, having served as its President from 2001 to 2010.

As far as the Tridentine Mass is concerned, Kasper is remembered for his role in discussing with Rabbi David Rosen, in charge of interfaith relations at the American Jewish Committee, on the concerns about a prayer for the "unfaithful" in the Mass, as well as a prayer used during the church's Holy Week liturgy which had contained references to "perfidious," or faithless, Jews.
 

Rosen was assured by Cardinal Walter Kasper, that the Roman Missal used now does not contain the reference to the "perfidious" Jew.

The Case for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (3)

Tuesday, 17th July 2007

Liturgy in Latin (2)

Charlò-Carmel Camilleri, O.Carm. Balluta.

In reply to Angelo Micallef's concerns (July 10) about the Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum that allows for wider celebration of the "old" Roman Missal, it has to be clarified that Pope Benedict's directives permit the use of the Roman Missal promulgated by Blessed Pope John XXIII in 1962.

Claims on the supposed "rift" and "distance between us and those of the Jewish faith", which will spring forth as a consequence of the use of this "old Latin liturgy" (July 6) are unfounded inasmuch as in 1959, Pope John XXIII removed from the "old" missal the notorious phrase concerning Jews and used in the prayer of the faithful on Good Friday. Still, even in the post-Vatican II rite, Catholics, on Good Friday, pray among others, for Jews, for those who do not embrace any faith and for people who embrace other religious beliefs.

The Pope himself explained the motivation behind this allowance, saying among others that: i) the 1962 missal "was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, was always permitted"; ii) that there is still in the Roman Catholic Communion "a good number of people who remained strongly attached to this usage of the Roman Rite". After Vatican II the "old rite" did not remain in use only by the Society of St Pius X, founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and who was excommunicated on reasons that "were at a deeper level" other than his "fidelity to the old missal".

There is no reason for anybody to "feel further distanced from the faith" because of this issue. For a priest to celebrate Mass in the "old rite" there should be a community of Catholics who ask for it. No one is obliged to do so. The Pope is only allowing those who wish, to do so.

Motivated by "charity and pastoral prudence", the Pope's invitation is to "generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows". Considering that even after Vatican II, there are still religious orders who have their proper liturgical norms and rites, which differ from the the Roman Rite, this is no strange move. Even Catholic communities in full communion with the Pope, like the Greek Catholics and the Archdiocese of Milan, still use their own liturgical rites! So, there should be nothing strange about this allowance and about having two forms of the Roman Rite.

I interpret it is another practical move by the present Pope to promote unity in diversity in the Catholic Church itself, breaching the ever-present rift between "traditionalists" and "liberalists" attempting to foster between them mutual understanding. During the Mass for the inauguration of his pontificate in April 24, 2005 the Pope explicitly expressed his commitment to unity in the following words: "Lord, remember your promise. Grant that we may be one flock and one shepherd! Do not allow your net to be torn, help us to be servants of unity!"

Godwin Xuereb, Pro Tridentina (Malta) President's comment: short bio from the Carmelite Order's website. Fr. Charlò-Carmel, of the Maltese Carmelite Province, was born on 24 March 1975. He entered the Order in 1992, and did his noviciate in Pisa (Italy). On 25 July 1994 he made his simple profession and on 30 September 1997 made his solemn profession. He was ordained to the priesthood on 3 August 2001. Between 1994 and 2000 he attended the State University of Malta from where he graduated in Philosophy, History of Art and Theology. In 2002, he also obtained his Master’s degree in Pastoral theology from the same university. His thesis is entitled: Carmel: A Spirituality of Beauty. These last few years he has been master of novices and director of postulants and students in the Maltese Carmelite Province. In 2004 he obtained a Diploma in Formation Studies (CIFS) at the Pontifical Gregorian University and in 2007 obtained a Doctorate in Spiritual Theology from the same university. His Doctoral Thesis is entitled: Union with God as Transformation in Beauty. A Literary-Spiritual Analysis of the Colloquies of Santa Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi (1566 - 1607). At present he lives at the Carmelite Priory in Balluta, Malta. He is author of various articles and books on theology and spirituality.

The Case for the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (2)

Tuesday, 17th July 2007

Liturgy in Latin (1)

Edric Micallef Figallo, Nadur.

Angelo Micallef (Mass in Latin, July 10) has expressed doubts on the recent Summorum Pontificum, the latest much awaited motu proprio issued by Pope Benedict XVI. Like him, I am a young layman and a Catholic faithful.

Mr Micallef apparently implies that he thinks the question of the liturgy is a mere question of language. However, the question goes far beyond the usage or not of Latin.

In relation to Jewish-Catholic relations it should be noted that the Vatican has already provided satisfactory explanations unless one is most paranoid. The modality of Catholic liturgy and doctrine is the prerogative of the Catholic Magisterium and is not to be determined by anyone of other faiths or thought streams. Such a prerogative is a true act of insolent intolerance and nothing more. Why not eliminate the Gospels as offensive to Jewish notions of monotheism and the Messiah?

Pope John Paul II working against Latin in the liturgy or in anything else is the product of Mr Micallef's imagination. The Vatican has never pushed for the de facto disuse of Latin, and especially it did not seek the same de iure. Cardinal Dario Castrillón Hoyos, a senior figure in the question, has recently stated on Il Giornale that what Pope Benedict XVI recently publicised was also planned by Pope John Paul II.

It is very significant to note that the Pope in the past stated that while the Church positively sought to reapproach Protestants and Orthodox, some took a negative attitude towards traditionalist Catholics. Perhaps this is something that Mr Micallef should consider since if there were ever any disgruntled Catholics whose faithfulness to doctrine was not based on progressive do-it-yourself notions or the latest socio-political trends, these are so-called traditionalist Catholics many of whom are in communion with Rome. More preposterous is preferring to heed the views of those who don't even profess themselves as Catholic Christians in the first place, as Mr Micallef seems to imply.

The motu proprio is indeed a charitable act bestowing hope on many faithful. Complaints on this motu proprio are irrational as greater rights have been granted to all, and not lesser to anyone. Choice has been amplified, no one has been limited ecclesiastically and many have been reapproached. Those who distance themselves from the Church due to this do so because they want to distance others from the Church for no sound doctrinal reason but on mere whims.

Important to consider is the exponential growth of traditional Catholic faithful within the Catholic fold in a growing age of secularisation in the western world. This is contrasted with a contrary trend in more lukewarm or merely cultural Catholics. This is quite indicative.

Concluding, I pray for and thank Pope Benedict XVI for his veritable charitable act for all the Church and I hope that our national bishops will implement appropriate solutions in due time.

Godwin Xuereb, Pro Tridentina (Malta) President's comment: Mr. Micallef Figallo is Pro Tridentina (Malta)'s Secretary. A well-written reaction to the original post by Angelo Micallef on the Times of Malta.