Overheard in the Sacristy

Gregor Kellmorgan offers us his translation of the Italian weekly Panorama article:

Benedict Changes the Mass - The Study of the New Liturgy Assigned to the Congregation for Worship

The rite of the Mass could change. According to some indiscretions, Benedict XVI has charged the Congregation for Divine Worship to study some modifications in the liturgy. In particular, the Pope is said to have the intention to restore Latin for the formula for the Eucharistic consecration within the Mass in the “vernacular language”, i.e. the one celebrated in the different national languages. The same could happen to the formulae of Baptism, Confirmation, Confession and of the other sacraments. In addition, the exchange of peace among the faithful during the Mass, which today takes place prior to the distribution of the Eucharist, could be anticipated (as in the Ambrosian rite) to the offertory so as not to disturb the recollection that precedes Communion.

These would be changes which would be added to the changes in the liturgy and regarding sacred vestments which the Pope, together with his Master of Ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marini, has made in recent months, to recover ancient traditions: the restoration of the crucifix at the center of the altar, the distribution of Communion to the faithful in the mouth while kneeling, the recovery of the pastoral staff of Pius IX (the ferula), the changing of the style of pallium (the strip of white wool with red crosses worn by the Pope), the restoration of the papal throne used in the Consistory and the celebration of Mass with the back to the assembly, as happened in January in the Sistine Chapel.

Il rito della messa potrebbe cambiare. Secondo alcune indiscrezioni, Benedetto XVI avrebbe incaricato la Congregazione per il culto divino di studiare alcune modifiche alla liturgia. In particolare il Papa avrebbe intenzione di ripristinare il latino per la formula della consacrazione eucaristica nella messa in «lingua volgare», cioè quella celebrata nelle diverse lingue nazionali. Lo stesso potrebbe accadere per le formule del battesimo, della cresima, della confessione e degli altri sacramenti. Inoltre lo scambio della pace tra i fedeli durante la messa, che oggi avviene prima della distribuzione dell’eucarestia, potrebbe essere anticipato (come nel rito ambrosiano) all’offertorio per non disturbare il raccoglimento che precede la comunione.

Sarebbero modifiche che si aggiungerebbero ai cambiamenti alla liturgia e ai paramenti sacri che il Papa, insieme al suo cerimoniere, monsignor Guido Marini, ha compiuto in questi mesi, per recuperare antiche tradizioni: il ripristino del crocifisso al centro dell’altare, la distribuzione della comunione ai fedeli in bocca e in ginocchio, il recupero del pastorale di Pio IX (la ferula), la modifica della foggia del pallio (la striscia di lana bianca con croci rosse indossata dal Papa), il ripristino del trono papale utilizzato nel concistoro e la celebrazione della messa con le spalle all’assemblea, come avvenuto a gennaio nella Cappella Sistina.

McCain Tours Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City

Pope Benedict XVI (L) and Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I arrive to lead the Vespri’s ceremony at the St. Paolo’s Basilica in Rome June 28, 2008. Pope Benedict called for Christian unity when he joined the spiritual head of Orthodox Christians on Saturday to launch a year dedicated to St. Paul, the evangelist of the early Church born two millennia ago. The pope presided over the ceremony at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, which houses a marble sarcophagus believed to contain the remains of the 1st century apostle.

Now THAT’S a Popemobile!

Pope Benedict XVI looks at two ‘Ape Calessino’ three-wheel cars he was presented by Italian scooter maker Piaggio at the end of a general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 25, 2008. The Ape, a reproduction of the special version used to carry tourists in the fashionable island of Capri and other sea resorts along the Amalfi cost in southern Italy, was presented to the pontiff to mark its 60th anniversary

CNS STORY

Associated Press

Catholic News Agency

KGET.com

WDTPRS? Blog

Rorate Caeli Blog

New Pallium to be introduced 062908

Papal Master of Ceremonies, Mons. Guido Marini, in an interview in L’Osservatore Romano, confirms rumors of the new Papal Pallium to be introduced this weekend on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. [Thanks to Gregor Kollmorgan at The New Liturgical Movement Blog for an excerpt (in English) of the interview.]

Current Pallium introduced in 2005

The “Spirit of V2″ has placed an innumerable number of souls in danger of damnation. Liberté, Egalité and Fraternité –Religious Freedom. Oecumenism and Collegiality–have failed miserably!

Pope Opens Arms to Lefebvre Followers

(AGI) - Vatican City, 23 June - “Never before like in this moment have the talks between the Holy See and the followers of Monsignor Lefebvre are close to an agreement which would heal the mini-rift made about twenty years ago, allowing for the full re-entry of Lefebvre followers into Catholic communion.” This was said by Giornale Vatican specialist Andrea Tornielli, who said that the San Pio X fraternity have only put down the conditions of the acceptance of the Second Vatican Council the declaration of full validity of the mass as reformed liturgy: things underwritten by Monsignor Marcel Lefebvre with former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in 1988. The Vatican, according to what has been revealed by Tornielli, offers the traditionalist group a canonical classification similar to that of Opus Dei, meaning a “prelature”, which would make it possible for the fraternity to continue its activities and train its seminaries.

The cause of the change was last year, when Bendict XVI said that the old form of mass was entirely valid, and that there was the existence of a special Roman rite (the ancient one) and an ordinary one (the reformed one). In addition, Pope Ratzinger re-introduced the cross at the centre of the altar, began giving communion to the faithful kneeling, and brought back ancient paramento: all of which are signs that go towards underscoring a continuity of tradition. Many Lefebvrians, now that they have the right to conduct mass in old liturgy, do not understand why the fraternity does not make peace once and for all with Rome, with the risk,” wrote Tornielli, “of becoming a sectarian little group lacking any influence whatsoever.”

Catholic News Service of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is also reporting Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos’ remarks.

Several months ago I stated in our parish bulletin that the worship at Saint Charles Borromeo (Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms) was at the leading edge of Pope Benedict’s liturgical reforms. This news from England, and the Pope’s recent examples, have confirmed my statements.