Sunday Newsletter

Masses Today

6.30: Thomas & Christina McDonagh, (Anniv).
11.00: Teddi Molloy; High St. (Anniv).
6.30: Mary Barrett, (Anniv).

As I Was Saying...

The Vatican published two documents recently. The first effectively lifted restrictions on the celebration of the Latin Mass. This move had long been expected and, given that the subject matter is so marginal here, the lifting of the restrictions was uncontroversial.

However, the principal agitator throughout this forty-year campaign was the Lefevre 'rump'. But, for Archbishop Lefevre, the Latin Mass was merely one element. He had serious problems with ecumenism too. 'Heretics have no rights!' He also had problems with religious liberty. Whenever Catholics were in a position to stamp out false religion, they are obliged to do so!

These issues were far more important for Lefevre than the liturgy. It will now be interesting to see if this 'token concession' will entice his followers (less than 100,000) back to Rome? Unlike Lefevre, I have my doubts! As recently as February 2, 2006, Bernard Fellay, Lefevre's primary representative on earth, insisted that his group will never accept Vatican policies on religious liberty and ecumenism! So there!

The second Roman document consisted of 'Responses' to five (contrived?) questions regarding the Doctrine of the Church. Its most controversial contention is that 'the Christian Communities born of the Reformation cannot be called "Churches" in the proper sense'.

Many of the apologists for this document (and there are some!) contend that 'there is nothing new here'. There is no insult here that hasn't been thrown before! And that is true. It is culled verbatim from the 2000 document Dominus Jesus, including that perceived insult to the Reformation Churches. (see Tablet comment below).

This begs the question: if nothing new is being said, why say it? This is particularly the case since the original document was found to be so offensive by so many. Even Cardinal Cassidy, then head of the Congregation for the Promotion of Christian Unity, made his displeasure publicly known. "Neither the time nor the language of this document is opportune" he said of Dominus Jesus. He could say the same of the current offender. This stuff must be a real embarrassment to generous men like Cassidy!

Cardinal Walter Kasper, who succeeded Cassidy in his Roman post in 2002, was equally critical. In a speech made in 2004, he articulated a vision which was more reflective of what has actually happened in the Church over the last 40 years: "Several aspects of being Church are better realised in the other Churches. We can learn from one another to grow in the one truth of Jesus Christ. Thus we Catholics learned a lot from our Protestant brothers and sisters about the importance of the Word of God. Our Church is a pilgrim Church. The ecumenical aim is not a simple return of others to the fold of Rome, nor even the conversion of individuals to the Catholic Church. The question is the conversion of all to Jesus Christ. As we move nearer to Him, we move close to one another."

Perhaps more courageous leaders of the calibre of Kasper and Cassidy will now raise their voices and direct the eyes of others to a higher and broader vision.

-Dick Lyng

Items of Some Interest

Rolling Back the Vatican Two Reforms

Benedict XVI declares: "What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too, and it cannot be all of a sudden entirely forbidden:" But it was. This is a clear repudiation of the policy of Popes Paul VI and John Paul II, not a continuation of it.

This becomes even more apparent when the Pope virtually orders a bishop to permit Tridentine Rite Masses in his diocese in future, and even encourages groups aggrieved by any refusal to appeal over his head to the Vatican.

Previous popes left the bishop's authority intact. But then the Pope declares: "Nothing is taken away, then, from the authority of the bishop." This is, to put it at its most polite, confusing.

The reauthorisation of the Tridentine Rite matters rather less than the light it throws on current Vatican thought processes. To suggest that a Mass devised before the Second Vatican Council has the same value as one devised afterwards is to send a signal that nothing the Council did made much difference. This is the strongest indication so far that the theological conservatism of Cardinal Ratzinger as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith before 2005 is still in place in the papacy of Benedict XVI.

Indeed, the Congregation for Doctrine and Faith (CDF) under Cardinal William Levada seems no more solicitous towards the Church's ecumenical partners than his predecessor was. It has rather unnecessarily reiterated the verdict of the CDF's Declaration Dominos Jesus in 2000 that Protestant and Anglican "ecclesial communities" are not proper Churches because they lack the apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist.

Apart from giving an impression of arrogance, this sweeps away decades of progress in ecumenical dialogue that had been exploring precisely how to overcome such theological differences. Why chill the ecumenical atmosphere like this?

Having said that, the track record of this papacy is still favourable. He has done all the big things right, from his visits abroad, to his encyclical on love, to his comments on war and peace - even if his success rate is lower with lesser things such as these. But a secret liberal at heart he is not. That much is clear.

-The Tablet, 14 July, 2007.

String Quartet

Galway's ConTempo String Quartet will play a fourconcert series with the Galway Arts Festival, featuring a wide range of guest artists from around the world. The ConTempo contribution this year will run 18-22 July, with all concerts taking place at the Augustinian Church, St. Augustine Street, Galway. The concert dates are July 18th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd. All performances at 8.30. Tickets cost €15 (concession €12) per concert or four concerts for €48. For bookings, phone 566577.

St. Patrick's Day - Change for 2008

March 17, 2008 will fall on Monday of Holy Week. Easter Sunday next year, 23 March, is almost the earliest possible. Since the days of Holy Week and Easter Week rank above all others, the solemnity of St Patrick must be transferred.

However, all the civil stuff (parades, and so on) will still take place as usual on Monday, March 17. But the Church liturgical celebration is transferred to Saturday, 15 March next year.

The last time that 17 March fell on Monday of Holy Week was in 1913 and the feast was transferred to Tuesday, April 1. The next time that March 17 will fall on the Monday of Holy Week will be in 2160, when the vast majority of us will be celebrating with St. Patrick rather than celebrating St. Patrick!

In 1940, Palm Sunday fell on March 17. I remember my father saying that he wore the shamrock and the palm on the same day. He was obviously referring to 1940. However, if he did actually wear both symbols on the same day, he must have looked distinctly odd indeed, because the feast of St Patrick was transferred that year to Wednesday, 3 April! The previous coincidence of the palm and shamrock was 1799 and the next time will be 2391!

The same applies to other major feast days of 2008. St Joseph (March 19) is moved back to March 14. The Annunciation (March 25) will be observed in Ireland on Monday, March 31. Don't say you didn't get ample warnning!

The Cloud

(In honour of the Summer we're having!)

I am the daughter of Earth and Water,
And the nursling of the Sky;
I pass through the pores of the ocean and shores;
I change, but I cannot die.
For after the rain when with never a stain
The pavilion of Heaven is bare,
And the winds and sunbeams with their convex gleams
Build up the blue dome of air,
I silently laugh at my own cenotaph,
And out of the caverns of rain,
Like a child from the womb, like a ghost from the tomb,
I arise and build it again.

-Percy B. Shelly

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