Cardinal Ranjith, "the time of the Reform of the Reform" for the "liturgy of all time"

A translation of a posting from the excellent Italian Catholic Blog of Don Luciano Micheli

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Reform of the Reform and "liturgy of all time"

Cardinal Ranjith, "the time of the Reform of the Reform" for the "liturgy of all time"

On the New Liturgical Movement blog the contents of the letter written by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith were published - Cardinal Ranjith the former secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship - addressed to the participants of this meeting a Vox. The letter is a strong and important statement in defense of the Vetus ordo (Traditional Mass) and the urgent and timely reform of the Reform of the liturgy of Paul VI.

The authority of this prelate also lends more weight using clear and explicit words that come at a period now ready to receive them and make them fruitful, since now the permitted bad-interpretation and incorrect application of the conciliar texts of Vatican II (also recognized by the Cardinal in his letter), and especially following the "condemnation" of the pestilential "spirit of the Council", now recognized as the major culprit responsible for the problems of the Church and Liturgical Reform (unwanted, as well as made, by the Council Fathers).

LETTER:

I wish to express first of all, my gratitude to all of you for the zeal and enthusiasm with which you promote the cause of the restoration of the true liturgical traditions of the Church. 

As you know, it is worship that enhances faith and its heroic realization in life. It is the means with which human beings are lifted up to the level of the transcendent and eternal: the place of a profound encounter between God and man. 

Liturgy for this reason can never be what man creates. For if we worship the way we want and fix the rules ourselves, then we run the risk of recreating Aaron's golden calf. We ought to constantly insist on worship as participation in what God Himself does, else we run the risk of engaging in idolatry. Liturgical symbolism helps us to rise above what is human to what is divine. In this, it is my firm conviction that the Vetus Ordo represents to a great extent and in the most fulfilling way that mystical and transcendent call to an encounter with God in the liturgy. Hence the time has come for us to not only renew through radical changes the content of the new Liturgy, but also to encourage more and more a return of the Vetus Ordo, as a way for a true renewal of the Church, which was what the Fathers of the Church seated in the Second Vatican Council so desired. 

The careful reading of the Conciliar Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,Sacrosanctum Concilum shows that the rash changes introduced to the Liturgy later on, were never in the minds of the Fathers of the Council.

Hence the time has come for us to be courageous in working for a true reform of the reform and also a return to the true liturgy of the Church, which had developed over its bi-millenial history in a continuous flow. I wish and pray that, that would happen.

May God bless your efforts with success.

+Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith
Archbishop of Colombo
24/8/2011