NEWS BRIEFS Apr-1-2002
POPE-PRIESTS Feb-14-2002 (610 words) xxxi
Pope says lack of priests is not blessing in disguise for lay roles
By Cindy Wooden
Copyright (c) 2002
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I've yet to see one convincing argument for why this practice is NOT a degredation of reverence for the Blessed Sacrament.
Call me silly, but I have a hard time seeing how this now "legitimized" practice was in any way shape or form an "improvement". At least not if you believe in the dogmatic teaching of the Church about the Eucharist.
HOWEVER, I do understand how one would see this as a salutary practice if they had heretical views about the sacrament, or radical egalitarian/anti-sacerdotal/de-sacralized views about the Church, Her Sacraments, etc.
Let's be frank - this practice, along with the "extraordinary" ministers (so extraordinary you see them at practically every Mass you attend), women serving at the altar... all of them serve revolutionary ideals, not a single one is in the service of Christ or the Catholic ethos. Only the most pharisaiacal/legalistic can defend these practices, given how offensive to piety they are... most particularly when they are contrasted to the practices that genuinely developed in the Catholic Church.
At best, all you have in the way of support/justification for a lot of this baloney, is an appeal to early Christian practice. However such appeals are full of problems.
1) The appeal to something as being good, or superior, simply because it hails from antiquity, in matters like this has been condemned in this century. Pope Pius XII called this error "archaeologism", and sites many examples of how revolutionaries in his own time wanted to overhaul the rites of the Church in order to line them up with supposed "ancient practices". Oddly enough, he mentions several changes these folks wanted (namely simpler tables for altars, removing holy images from churches, removing black from the liturgical colours, etc) which were sadly acted upon after Vatican II as part of the "liturgical reform".
2) Accepting early Christian practices as a true Catholic, I do not find myself at odds with them by cherishing the organic/Spirit-guided development the Church went through in it's symbolism, liturgics, etc. What you see is a flowering. This is also true in the doctrinal sphere, where you see not innovation, but when needed, a clearer articulation of ideals. There is a problem however for the achaeologist - while I accept antiquity, they do not accept the tradition of the Church throughout the ages - an appeal to go back to primitive usages, is an implicit statement that we've gone amock somehow in latter times, and are in need of turning back the clock. It is a rejection of 1800+ years of legitimate development.
3) The biggest problem with the "pro-reformers" is that much of what they hoist on Catholics is done not truly in the name of even archaeologism, but rather ecumenism. One not need be a rocket scientist to see parallels in the modern devolution in Catholic liturgics, when compared to what happened amonst the Lutherans, or even more similarly, the Anglicans.
4) One huge problem is that the alleged "ancient usages" these folks are retreating to, are largely fabricated. For example, while it is evident that communion was very often placed into the hand of early Christians, the solemnity of these early liturgies is totally lost on the reformers. They also neglect the sanctity of this early Church's members, or the necessities of the times. They also totally ignore the reasons WHY certain practices (like Holy Communion being distributed into the hands of those coming to the altar) were put to a stop.
The simple truth is, this has nothing to do with sanctity, or with Catholic truth...it's part and parcel of the "Catholicism-lite", the parallel religion being created for dupes who call themselves Catholics. It's sad, but painfully easy to see if you have the courage to admit it.
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Pope addresses colloquium on french philosopher Blondel
20-Dec-2001 -- Vatican Information Service
VATICAN CITY, DEC 20, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a communique regarding a meeting which took place at the convent of Coimbra, Portugal, on November 17, 2001, between Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Sister Mary Lucy of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart.
"Over the last few months," says the communique, "and especially following the sad event of the terrorist attack of September 11, articles have appeared in various newspapers regarding presumed new revelations by Sister Lucy, announcements of warning letters to the Pope and apocalyptic re-interpretations of the message of Fatima.
"Moreover, emphasis has been given to the suspicion that the Holy See has not published the integral text of the third part of the 'secret,' and some 'Fatimid' movements have repeated the accusation that the Holy Father has not yet consecrated Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
"For this reason, in order to obtain clarification and information directly from the surviving visionary, it was considered necessary to organize a meeting with Sister Lucy. This took place in the presence of the prioress of the Carmelite convent of St. Teresa and of Fr. Luis Kondor S.V.D., vice-postulator of the causes of Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta; and with the permission of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and of the bishops of Leiria-Fatima and Coimbra."
"The meeting, which lasted more than two hours, took place on the afternoon of Saturday, November 17. Sister Lucy, who will be 95 on March 22 next year, was in good health, lucid and vivacious. She first of all professed her love for and devotion to the Holy Father. She prays much for him and for the Church as a whole."
With reference to the third part of the secret of Fatima, she affirmed that she had attentively read and meditated upon the booklet published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and confirmed everything that was written there. To whoever imagines that some part of the secret has been hidden, she replied: "Everything has been published; no secret remains." To those who speak and write of new revelations she said: "There is no truth in this. If I had received new revelations I would have told no-one, but I would have communicated them directly to the Holy Father."
Sister Lucy was asked: "What do you say to the persistent affirmations of Fr. Gruner who is gathering signatures in order that the Pope may finally consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which has never been done?". She replied: "The Carmelite Community has rejected the forms for gathering the signatures. I have already said that the consecration that Our Lady desired was accomplished in 1984 and was accepted in heaven."
"Is it true," the communique concludes, "that Sister Lucy is extremely worried by recent events and does not sleep but prays night and day?". Sister Lucy replied: "It is not true. How could I pray during the day if I did not rest at night? How many things are attributed to me! How many things I am supposed to have done! Let them read my book, there are the advice and appeals that correspond to Our Lady's wishes. Prayer and penitence, accompanied by an immense faith in God, will save the world."
Church warns against supporting Gruner's various ministries
VATICAN CITY, SEP 13, 2001 (VIS) - The following declaration was released yesterday afternoon by the Congregation for the Clergy. It was signed by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, congregation prefect, and by Archbishop Csaba Ternyak, secretary.
"The Holy See has received several news reports concerning the so-called Conference for Peace in the World, which is being planned for Rome for October 7 to 13 and which has been organized by Fr. Nicholas Gruner of Canada.
"The Congregation for the Clergy, upon the mandate from a higher authority, wishes to state that Rev. Nicholas Gruner is under an 'a divinis' suspension, which has been confirmed by a definitive sentence of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature.
"The activities of Fr. Gruner, therefore, including the above-mentioned conference, do not have the approval of legitimate ecclesiastical authorities." CPC/DECLARATION/CASTRILLON HOYOS VIS 20010913 (140)