TRIREGNUM sensus catholicus

A FREE TRANSLATION FROM THE PORTUGUESE ORIGINAL VIA "FRATRES IN UNUM" BLOG:

Francisco and liturgy.

For  Fratres in Unum.com  - From the first moments of the pontificate of Francis, the Catholic world has closely been following the gradual exposure of the positions and liturgical practices of the new Pope. "I try to keep the same way of being and acting which I had in Buenos Aires, because if I change at my age, I will definitely make a fool of myself." The statement was made by Pope Bergoglio in a letter earlier this month, to an Argentine priest . In it, Francis speaks of their customs, but we can, without fear,  extend it to their liturgical preferences.

Francisco and the  Motu Proprio

"Do not touch the motu proprio Ratzinger 2007,  Summorum Pontificum , and the 1962 Missal of John XXIII (that is, for the latest version of the Tridentine missal of Pope St. Pius V) is safe. That rite [...] is not an antique, debris to be shipped to a museum to get dusty. is what the reigning Pontiff himself  is said to say it. " Or at least that's what  Matteo Matzuzzi of  Il Foglio , surmised the story of Don Domenico Padovano, Bishop of Conversano and Monopoli, about the conversation between the Pope and a group of bishops, among whom he himself was received by Francisco for his ad limina Apostolorum . In reality, the journalist only retransmits, without adding anything new, that which  Sandro Magister published on his blog : "The bishops of the region with the Pope lamented the work division within the Church created by paladins of the Mass according to the ancient rite. What did the Pope say to them? According Padovano Pope Francis exhorted them to watch for the extremism of some traditionalist groups, but also to keep the tradition and make it live in the Church alongside innovation. "

While it is not possible to foresee any revision of  Summorum Pontificum , two aspects should be considered within the "liturgical program" of Papa Francisco:

As for the traditional Mass - The emphasis on collegiality, yet most striking feature of the pontificate of Francis gives hope that, elapsing normally, we will hardly see interventions along the dioceses of Rome in order to enforce what is prescribed by law . It is for us to wait and pray that  the implementation of the motu proprio in Buenos Aires  does not become the new paradigm for the rest of the Catholic world.

As to the liturgy in general - The  ars celebrandi  the Pope will be interpreted, like it or not, not only as a stimulus to maintain the liturgical status quo Latin Church, but also as a seal to all liturgical practices worldwide in recent decades, which includes, of course, both the application of a pseudo wild reform as the throwing out the window of the precious liturgical treasure of the Roman Church. If Benedict XVI preferred a reform of minds, not of laws, today we do not see either one - at least from the Pope, as the Holy Spirit has sparked a growing rediscovery of the riches in the Church liturgical student.

Guido Marini

Although at the ad limina visit , the Pope would have given as an example of coexistence between tradition and innovation in his own attitude: "You see? They say my master of ceremonies is a traditionalist, and many people, after my election, asked me to remove him from his post and replace him. I said no, just that I myself can benefit from his traditional education and at the same time, he can take advantage also of my more emancipated practice. "

The Pope at the Vatican

Also present among the bishops received by Francis, Archbishop of Bari, Don Francesco Cacucci, told Vatican Radio that the Pope urged them to "live the relationship with the liturgy with sensitivity and without superstructures". Such sensitivity Bergoglio it has been noted as the first Mass as Sovereign Pontiff , with the return of the altar-table, infelicíssima memory.

About the celebrations in Casa Santa Marta, we simply recall that Francisco becomes the first Pope to celebrate their Masses daily versus populum. 

Even the celebrations in St. Peter's Basilica, Latin for lost ground while italian - including your "per tutti" ["for all"] Eucharistic Prayer -, besides many other minor changes, but no less important: the vestments in the sermon standing by a lectern in the return of " splint reconciled ", etc.. Signs of a man of strong personality, decisive, able to make drastic changes without any human respect. Say by the way, exactly what is expected for the reform of the Roman Curia. However, in the liturgy, are gestures that can not be overlooked or taken as irrelevant - which is usually done by those who shouted to live under the restorations in the pontificate of Benedict XVI. Ratzinger once said he was "convinced that the crisis in the Church, through which we have today, is caused largely by the decay of the liturgy." And such decay, even in papal liturgies, must be honestly acknowledged, so that the deviations are clarified and avoided. Of course, this is another reason to pray even more by the Pope.

The Bishop of Rome

But outside the Vatican liturgical sense of the bishop of Rome emerges more clearly. A harbinger, perhaps, of what awaits us in the World Youth Day. The modern and ugly church of Santa Isabel and San Zaccaria was the first parish to be graced by the visit of the Bishop of Rome, on Sunday, the feast of the Holy Trinity. And Francisco has fully complied with the liturgical customs of the community - guitar, restoring communion standing, "altar boys-girls", "Benedictine arrangement" minimized to a small cross and two candlesticks, etc..

The repetition of a gesture (pictured above) which marked the first appearance of Papa Bergoglio on the loggia at St. Peter's - although this time  it speaks unequivocally of "blessing"  - might synthesize the values ​​most prized by the Pontiff.

So reported the  Corriere della Sera  on Sunday : "They were dressed in white as their bishop, having just made ​​their First Communion and the priest smiles:" want to sing for you, Your Holiness, the blessing of St. Francis of Assisi "and flocking around him, they start singing. And the Pope's miter cut and tilts his head, hands together, bends to receive the blessing of children: and so remains oblivious until finished: "I thank you. '"

Francisco is clearly aimed to present himself as a true father of a welcoming and inclusive church, and is what is perceived by his affection with which all is negotiated.  Which is Exactly why, in what pertains to liturgy regarding accessories - and the liturgy seems not to be one of his primary concerns - suggests that seeking the blessing of all, ie not bother anyone: from the Neocatechumenals to traditionalists. No extremes, of course.