The Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy teaches that “the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is also the font from which all her power flows.” (SC, 10) and necessary for catechizing the faithful that Christ Jesus may fully work in them in transforming them.”
Did modernism in the Church make the liturgy disintegrate or did the disintegration of the liturgy produce modernism in the church? I think modernism produced the disintegration of the liturgy, but the disintegration of the liturgy helped promulgate and distribute the modernism.
The following, from Cardinal Ranjith indicates that, to coin an old phrase – ‘things they are a-changing’. Deo Gratias.
Cardinal Ranjith underlines urgency of ‘reform of the reform’
The Mass of Ages
The time is ripe “to be courageous in working for a true reform of the reform and also a return to the true liturgy of the Church,” according to the former secretary of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship. In a message to participants in a convention sponsored by Una Voce International, Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith—the current Archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka—praised the group’s efforts to “promote the cause of the restoration of the true liturgical traditions of the Church.”
Cardinal Ranjith
Stressing that liturgy should help the believer to “rise above what is human to what is divine,” the cardinal wrote that the Extraordinary Form of Latin liturgy, the “Vetus Ordo,” performs that function admirably. He said: “Hence the time has come for us to not only renew through radical changes the content of the new Liturgy, but also to encourage more and more a return of the Vetus Ordo, as a way for a true renewal of the Church.”
The careful reading of the Conciliar Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilum shows that the rash changes introduced to the Liturgy later on, were never in the minds of the Fathers of the Council.
Hence the time has come for us to be courageous in working for a true reform of the reform and also a return to the true liturgy of the Church, which had developed over its bi-millenial history in a continuous flow.
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
For this to be a meaningful piece you need to establish that the liturgy has “disintegrated”. Please note that “disintegrated2 does not mean the same as “I don’t like it”. It seems to me that this sort of analysis suffers just as much from a “hermeneutic of rupture” as those who talk about the “Spirit of Vatican II”. When you talk about “disintegration” and his Eminence talk about “restoration of .. true liturgical traditions” you both imply a discontinuity in our liturgy. “Hermeneutic of continuity” implies that we look at changes before and after VII as part of a continuum of development within the church. Changes in the 60’s were rapid – perhaps too rapid so “reform of the reform” – yes (as always) but completely ditching the Ordinary Form and turning the clock back 50 years – no thanks.
Could the church destroy it’s own liturgy? Not if we take Matthew 16:18 seriously (and I do – why would I entrust my soul to a Church that could get things so wrong). Any “reform of the reform must along the lines of Matthew 13:52 (and I am sure it will be).
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Spot on comment, PTP
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I think you misunderstand the ‘reform of the reform’. Having grown up with the Mass of Ages, and also having lived through the reforms following Vatican 2, it would be an ignorant person who, comparing the before and after, would not say that in most cases the changes were stark, and much of the solemnity and beauty of the old Mass were sometimes missing, or at best, neglected.
However, we are not going to turn the clock back 50 years, the Holy Father has said this, and neither would most of us want to. Faced with the excess in the 70’s and the 80’s there were many, myself included, who felt somewhat disenfranchised from the Church we had known. Somehow we had lost our ‘Roman’ catholicism. These where the years that many walked away – but many kept the faith.
Along came our Holy Father, and he too looked at the liturgy – and must have found it ‘wanting’ hence Summorum Pontificum and Universae Ecclesiae which for the first time in almost half a century gave priests the right to celebrate the old Mass without the consent of their Ordinary. Of course there had been faithful priests who had kept this form alive during this time, but these where by and large few and far apart.
The New Translation of the Roman Missal was a huge step forward in restoring the sacredness of Holy Mass, and I wonder how many Catholics realise just what a huge step this is. The N.O. will not go any more than the Extraordinary form will return, and that is right. The Church, I am sure, will not ‘destroy its own liturgy’ but will build on the mistakes and restore the dignity of the Mass. This is right,, and as one who might have been described as traditionalist, (not ‘traddie’) I welcome this. I have frequently participated in the NO Mass – beautifully celebrated, the Gloria, Credo, Sanctus in Latin, and occasionally the Our Father, but this has not been universally the experience of most. So, the ‘reform of the reform’ is overdue, and I pray, that like me, you await the unfolding of this with prayerful excitement.
God Bless.
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I think you misunderstand the ‘reform of the reform’. Having grown up with the Mass of Ages, and also having lived through the reforms following Vatican 2, it would be an ignorant person who, comparing the before and after, would not say that in most cases the changes were stark, and much of the solemnity and beauty of the old Mass were sometimes missing, or at best, neglected.
Gertrude, having attended my first Novus Ordo Mass in English not so long ago, I would have to say that the ambivalences of many English language Catholics towards that form of the Mass seem to me to be mainly provided by the extremely poor, indeed absolutely dismal, Order of Mass that was provided in English in the 1960s ; rather than being provided by the Novus Ordo itself.
In particular, I have to say that the phrase “and with you all” truly stuck in my throat, whereas the Mass actually provides “et cum spiritu tuo/et avec votre esprit/e con spirito tuo/and with your spirit” etc…
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The Tridentine Mass forms Catholics.
The other forms Roman Protestants.
We have to build, while the others are demolishing.
The crumbled citadels have to be rebuilt, the bastions of Faith have to be reconstructed; firstly the holy sacrifice of the Mass of all times, which forms saints; then our chapels, our monasteries, our large families, our enterprises faithful to the social politics of the Church, our politicians determined to make the politics of Jesus Christ –
this is a whole tissue of Christian social life, Christian customs, Christian reflexes, which we have to restore.
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These days, almost every time I attend a “Novus Ordo” Mass, I am reminded of that often-repeated comment by one of the great twentieth-century Catholic philosophers and theologians, Dietrich von Hildebrand: „Wahrhaft – wenn einer der Teufel in C.S. Lewis` ‘Screwtape Letters’ mit der Untergrabung der Liturgie betraut worden wäre, er hätte es nicht besser machen können.“ (“Truly, if one of the devils in C.S. Lewis’ ‘The Screwtape Letters’ had been entrusted with the ruin of the liturgy, he could not have done it better.”)
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I am saddened to read what Robert just wrote. I regard him to be a reasonable and educated man, but to call the Novus Ordo, a Gregorian Rite attended by 90% Catholics worldwide something the Devil would have invented, is really out of place. If all what we need is liturgy, we could very well be Traditional Anglicans as well, why are we Catholics, if only some subjective aesthetic experience count to be the Truth? The Catholic Church is a Universal Body, to discredit what was decided by the Ecumenical Council of our Church as devilish is an utterly uncatholic attitude.
Btw. Robert, I searched for the quote you mentioned, and didn’t find it. only a certain poster wrote this quote on the comment thread under an article of Kath.net. I would like to see what Dietrich von Hildebrand really wrote and in what context, that is, which book on which page. On the web there are so many rumours and misquotations. Internet can be really dangerous as half truth and misunderstanding can be easily taken as truth. That is why people seldom come to reason and knowledge through internet fora, what we see most frequently there is just quarrel.
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If I remember my Screwtape Letters correctly one piece of advice given to Wormwood is to persuade his subject that the liturgy at his church is superior to others. Insightful man. CS Lewis.
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Didn’t any of you read my comment?:
“…The crumbled citadels have to be rebuilt, the bastions of Faith have to be reconstructed; firstly the holy sacrifice of the Mass of all times, which forms saints; then our chapels, our monasteries, our large families, our enterprises faithful to the social politics of the Church, our politicians determined to make the politics of Jesus Christ –
this is a whole tissue of Christian social life, Christian customs, Christian reflexes, which we have to restore…”
Over the centuries, the Tridentine Mass formed Catholics, and Catholic Institutions.
“…which we have to restore…” Means the implementation of the Novus Ordo and the springtime novelties it created have been the direct cause of the crumbled citadels and so on.
If anyone is to be sad, it should be for all the souls that have gone to Hell because of the Liberal Evolutionist and Modernist of the Novus Ordo.
Here is my video of a Tridentine Marriage:
The girl being married had her first kiss between her and her husband after the Priest pronounced them man and wife (they were properly betrothed to each other).
Her dress is modest, and all the women in attendance dressed modestly as well; they were not dressed as tramps.
You won’t find this righteousness and piety among the average Novus Ordo.
The Vatican Council II was a legitimate council.
It got hi-jacked with the purpose of destroying the Church from within.
There is a great hatred of the Mass of all time and Tradition among Modernist Catholics. This is wrong.
For someone to insinuate the Devil assigned a demon to destroy the liturgy is wrong.
“Just as the chief priests and ancients hated Jesus unto death, but they needed an Apostle to betray him, so we may blame Jews and Freemasons and others like them for engineering the destruction of the Church, but it has taken churchmen from within to do the actual betraying and destroying.”
Churchmen from within.
Modernist Liberal Catholics belong to the Priesthood of Judas.
Pray for their repentance and conversion.
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What Toad savours most about Pablo’s bracing and uninhibited comments is the mingled and intoxicating stench of hatred and fear.
Like a breath of fresh air among all this “liberal” soft talk. Thinks Toad. You go, Pablo!
The Generalissimo would have made him a Coronelissimo at least!
Line up all those Liberal-Vat-2-Mason-Jewish-Catholics up against the cemetery wall!
Prontissimo!
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Mr. Toadspittle,
I have the military rank of Lieutenant in the Lord’s Army since I was Confirmed in 1951.
I have only felt hatred in my heart and soul once in my life; it was when I confront a demon that had killed one of my Priests and Confessors.
Hatred is a very strong sentiment.
I am a Cristero.
I do not hate people. I do get disappointed in them though.
Read my comments with Charity.
I read your post that way, and don’t see any problem with what you comment.
I think this is a good teaching blog, such as my favorite one, Abbey Roads.
May God our Lord in His infinite and supreme goodness be pleased to give us His abundant grace, that we may know His most holy will, and entirely fulfill it.
Que Dios nos agarre confesados.
8
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Lieutenantissimo Pablo!
¡Perfecto!
“I have only felt hatred in my heart and soul once in my life; it was when I confront a demon that had killed one of my Priests and Confessors.”
What diabolical method did the demon use? Too much to expect strangling with rosary beads, no doubt.
You were quite right to get cross, anyway.
.
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The diabolical caused the Padre to be decapitated in an automobile accident.
The story is complex and oblique.
I can tell you simply, may lives were impacted by the killing.
This is a pretty serious situation.
It has taught me several things: Priests have far more enemies than they have friends, and people do not have a full recognition of what evil really is.
I don’t take lightly people that tell me they are being bother by something evil.
In forty one years, I have only come across one ‘crazy’.
Take time and pray for those suffering Satan’s wrath.
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In forty one years, I have only come across one ‘crazy’. You are indeed, blessed, Pablo.
Toad comes across one every forty-one minutes. Usually, it’s himself.
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I usually reserve judgement of people’s mental instability to the Psychiatrists and Psychologists I collaborate with.
One thing we know among ourselves is, they are heretics, I am Catholic.They know full well they will have to answer for calling upon the Holy Name as Protestants.
They are fully aware they are in error, but for some reason, they don’t convert.
Figure that out Mr. Toadspittle.
Many of the people I encounter have been thought of as crazy by people with no charity. That seems to be the reason they do not speak of things that bother them for fear of being called crazy.
As a Cristero, I wear a crucifix on my chest.
They see it and are confident I will try at the least, to help them.
God bless the Holy Name of Jesus.
Pray for Holy Priests.
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“I usually reserve judgement of people’s mental instability to the Psychiatrists and Psychologists I collaborate with. One thing we know among ourselves is, they are heretics, I am Catholic.They know full well they will have to answer for calling upon the Holy Name as Protestants.”
Toad may be losing the thread here somewhat Pablo, if so forgive him, – but are you, in fact, suggesting that Protestants are insane?
In any case, it’s a relief to know you are collaborating with Psychiatrists and Psychologists.
They must take an unsuuaslly keen interest in you.
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(Toad decided to spell “unusually” in an unusual way, for a change.)
Happy New Year to all. especially Pablo’s Psychiatrist.
Bit of doggerel for him. (Pablo, that is, not the shrink.)
IF
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
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