Saturday, October 29, 2005
Latin and Tridentine
John Allen relates an interview with Bishop Donald Wuerl on the synod's biggest "non-issue."
JA: A synod is sometimes as important for what it doesn't say as for what it does. How do you interpret the near-total silence on the old Latin Mass?
DW: I believe the fact that this did not surface, that it was not a part of our discussions, means that it's a settled issue. I was reminded of a story a pastor told me about a 12-year-old who was talking with his parent, and the parent was talking about the beauty of the Latin Mass. The 12-year-old responded, 'But we've always done Mass this way!' Three generations have come and gone since the transition into the vernacular, and I think by now it's no longer really an issue.
JA: Does this mean there will be no 'universal indult' for celebration of the pre-Vatican II Mass?
DW: I don't know where that might be going. It's a very specific response to a specific case. On the level of overall principle for the whole church all these years after the close of the council, however, I think the question of language and liturgy has been answered. … The overall perspective of the synod is that Vatican II brought about a renewal and reform of the liturgy that, historically speaking, has been embraced by the church universal. That doesn't mean by everybody, of course, but by the church universal.
Much is made that the use of Latin has been reaffirmed by synodal decree. But then again, it was the least popular of all the points put forth in the final draft of proposals. If I were a bishop, I could see myself voting for it in some form. What does it mean?
I think the Latin-Tridentine crowd is vastly overrepresented in St Blog's groupthink. One mention in three weeks for the indult Mass is hardly anything. It's clear no universal indult is coming, not with the bishops weighing in so heavily to support and reinforce Vatican II reforms. I'm thinking that even posting on this gives the issue too much visibility. Meanwhile, the Catholic Right continues to feel the drain of sedevacantists and other fringe groups who want to separate themselves from Rome, from their Catholic neighbors, and everybody in between.
My suggestion for my conservative friends: don't get caught on the outside looking in. The Church still needs your sensibilities for tradition, preservation, beauty, and the challenges needed to keep the reform honest. Ditch the "reform of the reform" silly talk. The liturgy is in need of reform. Period. If it weren't, people wouldn't be so fired-up passionate about the possibilities we're missing. Get with the program, and if others want to jump on the bandwagon of Pope Pius XIII, it's their choice.
