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Sunday, April 7, 2013

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

"But how Pope Francis preaches and what he says may be kicking things up a notch compared to Pope Benedict. In fact a recent homily by Pope Francis at one of his daily Masses might make Pope Benedict blush in terms of true "reform of the reform" and not necessarily the liturgy but the life the Church and after all isn't that what really counts, the reform of Catholics who have drifted into a "spirit of Vatican II" cauldron of silliness, downright apostacy and heresy as it concerns the faith and morals of the Church?"

Pope Francis praying on his first full day as pope at the tomb of Pope Pius V, the Pope of the Counter Reformation and the Council of Trent and of the Tridentine Missal:


So many of us are quite unaware of who Pope Francis was as Cardinal Bergoglio. We didn't know a thing about Pope John Paul II or Pope John Paul I. It took a while for things to unfold. Unfortunately for John Paul I it was only a short month. In the homily for his funeral, the cardinal homilist said his papacy was like a shooting star.

But with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,we knew exactly what we were getting and those who loved him, followed him, read him and there was much to read, were elated at his election and then there were others who knew him quite well too and they felt the fear of God and all their dreams for a "spirit of Vatican II" Church remade from the ground up crumble before their eyes.

Pope Benedict moved very slowly and was quite respectful and awe-filled about is predecessor, Pope John Paul II. The first major change we saw, and we don't know whose idea it was, his or the first Marini's, was that the pallium he wore was very "eastern looking" and fit oddly on his vestments. But apart from that the liturgical style was that of John Paul II and even the vestments for the first couple of years. It was after Pope Benedict liberalized the 1962 missal and starting his agenda of "reform in continuity" that we saw the influence of the 1962 missal on the modern missal, not that the modern missal wasn't used, but older vestments came out of the museum as did the 1962 missal. Then we saw the traditional altar arrangement appear for all his Masses facing the people and the use of more Latin. Eventually it seemed that Pope Benedict went to a hybrid of vernacular and Latin wherever he went and always prayed the Preface and Eucharistic Prayer in Latin. Many thought this was the wave of the future and would be mandated.

But all Pope Benedict ever did was to model what reforms he thought should be implemented. The only thing he mandated was SP, freeing the 1962 missal, but that he never modeled!

Of course Pope Benedict was in continuity with all his predecessors as it concerned the faith, morals and canon laws of the Church. Holy Father Benedict never broke any of the laws of the Church liturgical or otherwise. His homilies were very good teachings as were his books and encyclicals.

And then came Francis! Who the heck is he? We don't know, we're only getting to know him! Right off the bat those who were into Pope Benedict's "reform of the reform" saw instantaneously what was perceived as a "repudiation" of the papacy of Benedict XVI. No Mozzetta on the Loggia, in formal meetings or anywhere else. Simple vestments from Argentina, no more lace and he evidently in a monarchical way forced his MC Msgr. Marini to stop wearing lace and everyone else who concelebrated Masses with him. We noticed that the "Benedictine altar arrangement" went into an immediate but only a very slight reform, the candles more angled but the crucifix still dead center--but will that change soon and under a new MC? Time will tell. But I did notice the Benedictine arrangement at Cardinal Bergoglio's cathedral in Argentina and other places where he celebrated Mass, so he must not be entirely opposed to it. To say that this caused unnecessary stress and anxiety to the rank and file traditionalists, some of whom are quite shrill and vitriolic, like the progressives were toward Pope Benedict, is an understatement.

I do think we will see more contemporary or indigenous music at some of his papal Masses and more "inculturation" but there was that too for Pope Benedict too when he traveled Rome and Italy and the world celebrating Mass. It was only at St. Peter's and St. John Lateran that the music was traditional chant in all ways or became so.

Apart from the style of papal dress for daily and liturgical use, I have seen a great deal of continuity between Pope Francis and Pope Benedict. Pope Francis celebrates Mass in a no-nonsense sort of way and only plays to the congregation during his homily as it should be.

But how Pope Francis preaches and what he says may be kicking things up a notch compared to Pope Benedict. In fact a recent homily by Pope Francis at one of his daily Masses might make Pope Benedict blush in terms of true "reform of the reform" and not necessarily the liturgy but the life the Church and after all isn't that what really counts, the reform of Catholics who have drifted into a "spirit of Vatican II" cauldron of silliness, downright apostacy and heresy as it concerns the faith and morals of the Church?

Read what Pope Francis says in his own words at a recent homily! I rest my case!

Giving witness to the whole of the faith with courage: this is the invitation launched this morning by Pope Francis during the Mass he celebrated in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta. …

In his brief sermon, the Pope commented on the readings for Saturday of the Octave of Easter: the first finds Peter and John bearing witness with courage to the faith before the Jewish heads despite threats, while in the Gospel the risen Jesus reprimands the incredulity of the Apostles who don’t believe those who state that they have seen Him alive.

The Pontiff asked this question: “How’s our faith? Is it strong? Or is it sometimes a bit superficial? (all’acqua di rose – “like rose water”, meaning banal, an insufficient substitute, shallow, inadequate)” When difficulties come, “are we courageous like Peter or a little lukewarm?” Peter – he pointed out– didn’t stay silent about the Faith, he din’t descend to compromises, because “the Faith isn’t negotiable.” “There has been, throughout history of the people, this temptation: to chop a piece off the Faith”, the temptation to be a bit “like everyone else does”, the temptation “not to be so very rigid”. “But when we start to cut down the Faith, to negotiate Faith, a little like selling it to the highest bidder”, he stressed, “we take the path of apostasy, of disloyalty to the Lord.”

Pope Francis emphasized that in its history the Church has had many martyrs, down to this day, “because to find martyrs it isn’t necessary to go down to the catacombs or to the Colosseum: martyrs are alive now, in many countries.” “Christians”, Pope Francis stated, “are persecuted for the Faith. In some countries they can’t wear a cross: if they do so they are punished. Today, in the 21st century, our Church is a Church of martyrs.”


Rather stunning and quite "reform of the reform in continuity" and we ain't only speaking liturgy here but life! And isn't our Catholicism meant to be where the rubber hits the pavement? Thank you Holy Father Bergoglio!

13 comments:

G said...

Well you see if he has offended or upset one wing of the Church and then offers a plain, simple looking liturgy many people aren't going to tune in to see his Masses or worse yet some will ignore him completely. Either way his powerful messages will fall on deaf ears. So what good was all the consternation? Isn't the Pope supposed to be a beacon of peace and tranquility?

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

I think that for the first time in a while both camps and the right and the left are tuning in and he's giving them both something, but not everything they want. He is truly a "pontiff" or bridge builder in this regard. If he can heal the schism in the Church not between the SSPX and the rest of the Catholic world, but within the rank and file Catholics who celebrate the normative Mass each Sunday but in varying ways, that will be a miracle! He may pull it off. Time will tell though.

Templar said...

On the contrary Father, the Traditionalists have already tuned him out. The Catholic Blogosphere is largely conservative and since his election they have gone very silent and quiet, unless the threads are ones of complaint. The secular media has picked up their coverage because they are driving their agenda and love his message whether it is real or perceived. Like this for example:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/03/pope-francis-catholics-role-women?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

Francis will only bring renewal to the Church if you see renewal as something that brings us closer to Protestantism. If Father Z's Blog is bursting with Catholic's whose eyes are being opened to real truth as they witness him try to twist himself into a pretzel to defend what Francis does. It makes Faithful Catholics go , hmmmmmmm.

Anonymous said...

I fear Templar is right. Many Traditionalists already look upon Francis as the last gasp of liberalism and rupture, imposed upon the Church by the Cardinals who hated Benedict. Whether he is or not is another thing, but many are just biding their time, praying for a short pontificate and hoping that he simply does no harm. They're certainly not expecting the kind of restoration and correction Benedict tried to give us.

Father Pablo said...

It's a good sign that many feel uncomfortable with Pope Francis. I'm sure many felt uncomfortable when Saint Francis took his clothes off in front of the bishop. Many felt uncomfortable when Mother Teresa of Calcutta tended the wounds of the dying.

John Paul II in Mane Nobiscum Domine stated that by our mutual love and concern for those in need, the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations will be judged. Of course rubrics must be followed, solemnity must be kept, beauty must be achieved, yet the authenticity of what we do at the altar relies on the manner we live the Gospel. If not we risk becoming loud gongs and clashing cymbals.

The Pope is showing the world (Catholic and non-Catholic) the heart of the Gospel in the same way Mother Teresa of Calcutta did. He is disarming his enemies in the same way Mother Teresa did. As Fr McDonald said, he is truly being a pontiff. Many of my non-church going Catholic friends are amazed by Pope Francis. He is speaking directly into the hearts of modern society by getting our attention.

Below I've pasted paragraph 28 of Mane Nobiscum Domine.

28. There is one other point which I would like to emphasize, since it significantly affects the authenticity of our communal sharing in the Eucharist. It is the impulse which the Eucharist gives to the community for a practical commitment to building a more just and fraternal society. In the Eucharist our God has shown love in the extreme, overturning all those criteria of power which too often govern human relations and radically affirming the criterion of service: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mc 9:35). It is not by chance that the Gospel of John contains no account of the institution of the Eucharist, but instead relates the “washing of feet” (cf. Jn 13:1-20): by bending down to wash the feet of his disciples, Jesus explains the meaning of the Eucharist unequivocally. Saint Paul vigorously reaffirms the impropriety of a Eucharistic celebration lacking charity expressed by practical sharing with the poor (cf.1Cor 11:17-22, 27-34).

Can we not make this Year of the Eucharist an occasion for diocesan and parish communities to commit themselves in a particular way to responding with fraternal solicitude to one of the many forms of poverty present in our world? I think for example of the tragedy of hunger which plagues hundreds of millions of human beings, the diseases which afflict developing countries, the loneliness of the elderly, the hardships faced by the unemployed, the struggles of immigrants. These are evils which are present—albeit to a different degree—even in areas of immense wealth. We cannot delude ourselves: by our mutual love and, in particular, by our concern for those in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ (cf. Jn 13:35; Mt 25:31-46). This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our Eucharistic celebrations is judged.

Enquirer10 said...

@Fr Pablo

AMEN! I live in a catholic parish in Ireland and most of the people here dont care if the pope wears red shoes or any other colour. They dont care what sort of pastoral staff he carries. they care more about the authentic message of the Gospel and the authenticity of its clergy and religious. They care about being forgiven by a forgiving God.

The Eucharist is to be celebrated with JOY, with HOPE, with LOVE, with FIDELITY in our encounters with God's people - THE CHURCH as well as the Eucharist we celebrate in buildings we call church

Anonymous said...

Father Pablo:

Everything you say is true, but the Church never stopped caring for the poor while Benedict was pope. The media just decided that he was a mean, archaic, outdated kind of pope and took every opportunity to portray him that way. Benedict visited the prisons too, but did we ever hear about THAT?

Yes Father, all you print is true, but that is just ONE PART of the complete picture of our Church. All of this overlooks the chaos and rupture that the Church has been dealing with for too long. If Pope Francis can bring make us all more sensitive to the poor and neglected among us, I will have no problem, so far as he does not allow another liturgical free-fall, with widespread abuses going uncorrected and bad priests and bishops remaining undisciplined and free to destroy the Church. If he can keep the program of restoring the liturgy in place, or at least not let it go backwards again and if he can continue to appoint better bishops as Benedict did, then I don't care if he offers Mass in a different prison or ghetto every Sunday of his pontificate. There is more to the Church than social justice. There is more to the Church than proper worship. There is more to the Church than evangelization. We need a pope who will see to it that NOTHING is neglected.

Enquirer10 said...

@ anonymous
"there is more to the Church than evangelisation"

what a strange comment! All the actions of the church are tools of evangelisation. The liturgy as praise and worship of God is a means of evangelisation.

The doctrines and teachings of the Church are a means of evangelisation.

Anonymous said...

Can't argue with that Paul. What I mean is that we are constantly hearing about "evangelization" as if our most important task is to get new members in the Church, no matter what the price. You are quite right about evangelization. I just want to see us stop "mis-evangelizing."

Gene said...

Paul Bryne, You sound like a protestant...oh, well, it is Ireland...

Marc said...

The Liturgy is for the initiated to offer the sacrifice, which is perfect worship. It isn't an evangelization tool in the colloquial sense of the term because the initiated are the ones taking part.

Evangelization is fine and good. It is certainly necessary. If only we still had all those religious in the world evangelizing... Perhaps our efforts would be more fruitful.

For our part, as the laity, our evangelization is to be Catholic in the world. Staunch Catholics living the moral life and ready to explain the faith when asked. We are fueled by the Eucharist and other sacraments, but sent to the world. If our evangelization efforts are to be successful, we will bring people to the Liturgy, sure. But first, we will bring them to the Confessional.

Templar said...

Maybe the Catholic Church should become the world's largest Charitable Oragnization....oh wait...we already are.

It's great that the Church has mendicant orders....they're a great witness....but the Papacy isn't about poverty, it's about leadership, and so far Bergolio gets a big fat goose egg.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

It is far too early to evaluate this papacy's success or failure as it is for the papacy emeritus!