It might be said that the Motu Proprio Ecclesia Dei issued by Pope John Paul II, has been the most important papal statement issued since 1988. Certainly, for those religious orders who were founded in the wake of the document, it was a landmark statement that changed the liturgical life of the Church in the latter part of the 20th century. Aside from granting the use of the traditional Roman Rite for the faithful who desire it, in Ecclesia Dei, the Pope called for a rejection of the "erroneous interpretations and arbitrary and unauthorized application of doctrine, liturgy, and discipline" in the Church.In order for the Church, as any organization, to make real progress, it is essential for her leaders to understand the threats and obstacles faced. If one "covers over" real problems in a "polyanna" mentality, then there will be little hope of ever providing real solutions. What the Pope has been saying is that the greatest problems are faced within the Church. One cannot simply point to external forces or enemies as the cause of the problem. This is what the Holy Father means when he speaks of "the crisis of faith". The traditional Latin Mass itself is a great remedy for that very crisis.
In the July, 1999, issue of the journal, Sedes Sapientiae Father Louis-Marie de Blignières of the Fraternity of Saint Vincent- Ferrer in France published an article, Our Foundational Acts and Gestures of Unity, in which he states, "the birth of the Ecclesia Dei institutes cannot be understood without reference to this context of post-conciliar crisis", and this is the essential starting point for a discussion on the traditional liturgy of the Church. Fr. Blignières argues that the traditionalist movement in the Church was not initiated through a nostalgic attachment to older norms, but rather was a direct response to the crisis in the Church. Therefore, to understand the importance of the Tridentine Rite within the Church, one needs to recognize the nature and extent of the crisis. As Fr. Blignières says:
"That the Church is in crisis and that this crisis is intimately related to the crisis of modernity, which permeates every aspect of intellectual and civil life, is more and more recognized today. The Church's identity crisis in its relationship with the world, in its transmission of the Faith via catechetics, in its missionary impetus, in its priestly identity, in the religious life, and finally the crisis in vocations and the crisis in liturgy - all demonstrate a Church in crisis."
Fr. Blignières explains further that there have been three failings in the Church that have led to this crisis: The pastoral aspect took precedence over the doctrinal foundation. There was an insufficient concern to preserve the continuity and homogenuity of Catholic dogma and the evolution of the liturgy. The speed and universality of the reforms along with the brutality of their application contrasted sharply with the proclamations condemning dictatorial approaches.
One could hardly imagine a more sweeping indictment of the present moment in the Church in Europe.
He continues: "This period has seen a profound crisis in the very concept of Tradition ... The areas that were the most vulnerable in this ongoing crisis were the teaching of theology, catechetics, and the Liturgy. 'I am convinced,' wrote Cardinal Ratzinger, 'that the crisis in the Church that we are experiencing today is to a large extent due to the disintegration of the liturgy...'. "Fr. Blignières continues: "In the space of a few short years, the radical nature of the liturgical reforms profoundly altered all the rites. These new rites were then imposed on clergy and faithful alike with scarcely any warning to the Christian people, and without allowing the old forms to continue to exist. This was striking in the case of the Mass, where the classical Tridentine form of the Latin Mass, if not formally abrogated, was at least practically obrogated by the quasi-universal imposition of the Novus Ordo Missae."
The state of the Church in Europe.
This past October, 1999, the European bishops met in a Synod to discuss the state of the Church in Europe, and for what might have been the first time in recent years, many reached that important first step in arriving at a lasting remedy for the problem: they were able to admit that there are indeed terrible problems facing the Church. Archbishop Varela of Madrid, for example, spoke about the "Crisis of Faith" as "an erosion in faith, brought about by the immanent mentality [which has had] a capillary effect in all areas of Church life ... Indeed, almost every pressing problem facing the Church at the present time in Europe has its roots in the crisis of Truth and faith. This, in turn, gives rise to serious doctrinal fragmentation affecting the consciences of believers: the question of ecclesial ministry, consecrated life, the vocation of lay people and their presence in the world and announcing the Gospel to new generations."
One could hardly imagine a more sweeping indictment of the present moment in the Church in Europe. Archbishop Varela, in fact, continued in even a stronger vein: "The crisis in vocations to the priesthood as well as in vocations to the consecrated life has not yet been overcome. Europe, which not so long ago would send priests, monks and nuns to the missions and young Churches all over the world, today has fewer vocations than any other continent. At the same time, the continent is facing growing difficulties in supplying ordained ministers to its own local communities. Many monasteries are being deserted and are disappearing.
The mammoth evangelising and educational task of religious orders ... has altogether disappeared in some areas or sectors. There can be no doubt that the reasons for this alarming situation are numerous and complex. Nonetheless, it is certain that its deepest roots are to be found in secularisation within the Church, that is, in the diminishing or abandonment of the Truth of faith in our own lives and pastoral commitments."
A crisis in vocations.
Here is summed up almost the entire life of the Church. At the heart is a crisis in vocations. Beyond this, there is no missionary work to speak of. And then finally, the contemplative life of monks has been "deserted" and is "disappearing". As tragic as it might sound, the Archbishop is still somewhat hesitant, because he, like many of the more courageous bishops, uses the word "crisis", which signifies that the situation has reached a turning point - it could either improve or get worse. But the reality is that the crisis has passed. A disaster has fallen upon the Church and even some of the most prominent of the hierarchy are stating this as a fact.
Other bishops amplified this same devastating message. Archbishop Julian Herranz, President of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts pointed to a philosophical breakdown in the Church which is exhibited in moral relativism: "On the philosophical and theological level, this crisis is due to rampant ethical relativism and the loss of the sense of personal sin. This requires long pastoral commitment in the field of doctrinal training, in the wake of the great Encyclicals Veritatis splendor and Fides et Ratio."
Bishop Balthasar Marcelino of Averio spoke about a "crisis in female vocations": "The Church must realize that today, in many countries, the crisis in female vocations is already more serious than for male ones. The abandonment of many women often has more negative consequences on the transmission of faith in the family. Women are more open to faith, but in case of abandonment a return is more difficult."
The phenomena of Satanic activity.
Cardinal Achille Silvestrini, Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches was more forthright in his analysis and his suggestion for improvement: "Today the great forces of evil, of Satan, are acting in the world. Not only in the Balkans but in the daily life of Europe there are phenomena of Satanic activity, sometimes well hidden, for example is dissolute sexuality, abortion, apostasy of the faith, international conflicts etc. We do not speak openly about this activity, but it is useless to look at many phenomena only from the sociological and psychological viewpoint, when there is diabolic activity. Christ has not only spoken, but also exorcized demons. The Church has this power today, and must take seriously Christ's mandate to cast out today's Satanic activity. The promise of Christ made to Peter that the "portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus Ecclesiam", is a source of hope in today's world, full of evil."
The cardinal here does not speak so much about a "crisis" but rather simply an "apostasy of faith". He provides as a remedy - a greater use of exorcists to banish demons. He grasps precisely one of the important points of the criticism that has been voiced of such Synods in the past: "we do not speak openly about this". The cardinal here complains that no one is talking about diabolical activity, but he could add that no one mentions heresy and apostasy either. It might be too simple to say that all the problems have been caused by demonic activity, especially if this would absolve other serious lapses in teaching and in the reform of the sacred liturgy.
Another prelate to amplify the message from "crisis" to "apostasy" was Cardinal Pierre Eyt, Archbishop of Bordeaux, France, who complained about what he called an "unconcerned apostasy" or as it was sometimes translated, "quiet apostasy: "The idea that Christianity has been achieved in Europe is widespread, sometimes leading to programmes separating the Church, Christianity and contemporary culture. The result is a sort of 'unconcerned apostasy' of most Europeans, at least in Western Europe, and especially among adolescents and young people."
The two lungs of the Church.
Then the topic finally turned to liturgical questions, there were only some indirect references to the influence of liturgy on the crisis of faith, but even these references provided significant evidence. Cardinal Cristoph Schönborn, O.P. of Vienna, made a brief comment that was widely quoted: "The Holy Father always speaks about the two lungs of Europe and of the Church: the Eastern and the Western Church. The tradition of the Eastern Church has been, I must personally acknowledge this, of great help in the serious crisis of the Western Church. The Western Christian needs a vital contribution of the theology of the Fathers of the Church, of the monasticism of the Eastern Church, of the solemnity and the beauty of the Divine Liturgy and the icons. How much of the ecclesial renewal is due to the Churches of the East!"
Cardinal Schönborn speaks of "a serious crisis" and he says that the Eastern Churches have been a tremendous help in countering it. When the cardinal mentions the "solemnity and beauty of the Divine Liturgy and icons" he provides evidence about what is at root of the crisis. If a solemn, beautiful liturgy is a remedy, then obviously, the West has not had a solemn, beautiful liturgy to this point. When one proposes the traditional Latin Mass as a remedy, one is merely saying, along with Cardinal Schönborn, that the Western Christian needs a vital contribution of the solemnity and beauty of the Tridentine Latin Mass, and the chant, language of prayer, as well as the sacred images and architecture that accompany it as a help against the serious crisis. The cardinal, whether intentionally or not, has pointed to the modern Roman liturgy as a significant cause of the "serious crisis" in the Church, and one cannot merely say that the traditional Eastern Rite liturgy is a great help in countering it, without saying that the new rite has been diminished of beauty, solemnity and sacred art (icons) and that the traditional Roman rite, having all of those things in abundance, would undoubtedly be a tremendous help to the Church.
A greater use of the sacred.
Bishop Egon Kapellari of Gurk spoke about "a greater use of the sacred" and offered some suggestions for the greater use of traditional art and symbol. Again, taking the reverse of what he is saying, the Church, obviously today, is suffering from a diminished use of sacred symbol and art (and this is only the very tip of the iceberg). There can be little question that the iconoclasm that was inherent in the liturgical reform leading to the creation of the Novus Ordo Missae was the cause of the diminished stature of the liturgy today. Bishop Kapellari stated: "The reasons many, especially youths, are driven away from the liturgy are numerous. Some critics blame the liturgical changes brought about by Vatican Council II and after the Council and ask for the annulment of the liturgical reforms ... It would not be right to ignore that many eucharistic celebrations in Europe truly correspond to the intentions of the Council because their mystic dimension is not diminished, because they are characterized by sacral dignity, by beauty and by an eschatological orientation ... On the other hand, in many places one cannot ignore the ecclesiological flatness. In these situations, greater use of the sacred, a return to the principle of "formation" of the liturgy, greater attention to holy symbols and more intense dialogue between ancient art and contemporary culture would seem to be called for."
Bishop Kapellari says that one should not "ignore" that there are Masses in Europe that have a "mystic dimension" undiminished, and they have dignity, beauty and eschatological orientation. Since he insists that there are such liturgies, he clearly indicates that there are, indeed, liturgies in Europe that lack all of these things. In fact, they might be so prevalent that one could ignore the fact that there are dignified Masses somewhere to be found in Europe. When the bishop refers to the undignified liturgies as "ecclesiologial flatness", and he proposes a remedy that indicates a return to traditional forms, he makes a strong admission that there is a serious liturgical problem, and one can see support for the traditional liturgy in these words.
What about the liturgy?
In a final note on the Synod, an interviewer from the Vatican's Fides news seemed to recognize that the question of the liturgy of the Church had really not been addressed. In an interview with Cardinal Ratzinger the cardinal was questioned on the role of "beauty" in the Church as a response to nihilism.
Fides: The propositions clearly emphasize the Church's "duty," but perhaps little of her beauty, which is a fundamental dimension of Revelation. For the European world, so marked by nihilism, do you think it is sufficient to stress Christian moral views and "duties?"Ratzinger: "I think it is natural for bishops, who lead churches, to want results which are operative and concrete programs to undertake, pastoral guidelines. But this leads to an undervaluation of the other element of the gift that we have received, those aspects of living that are perceived with all our senses, not only with reason. Nevertheless I think that the points regarding the liturgy and a rediscovery of the sacred are along these lines. It is a question not only of action, but of living the mystery."
Knowing Cardinal Ratzinger's outspoken honesty on this entire question, one can conclude that he is indirectly stating that the new rite has lacked and has reduced the sense of the sacred and therefore now a new effort is required to "rediscover the sacred" in the Church.
Conclusions:
There is strong evidence that the Church, at least in Western Europe, is in the midst of a prolonged and serious crisis threatening all aspects of the Faith, and some are already referring to this as an "apostasy". The words of the cardinals and bishops at the Synod refute the notion that the Vatican II reforms resulted in an overall growth and renewal of Catholicism.
In the midst of a serious crisis, no reasonable suggested remedy can justly be ignored or rejected. A wider usage of the Tridentine Latin Mass for the faithful who desire it is certainly a reasonable suggested remedy. This request, in the midst of a crisis, cannot be justly ignored or rejected.
Although the bishops were hesitant to state it, the liturgical life of the Church has been diminished, and this has been a major influence in the crisis that is now admitted by the hierarchy. Those who continue to champion further reforms to strip Catholic life of its tradition are acting in contradiction to what the European bishops have stated, and are only perpetuating the crisis and apostasy. Bishops who state that they don't know of a crisis in the Church, or that they don't have any answer to resolve the crisis, undermine their leadership and credibility.
Suggested remedies for the post-conciliar crisis, which do not look primarily at correcting the ongoing liturgical experimentation and theological dissent within the Church, have little relevance and cannot be considered as worthwhile answers to the problem.
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Address to the
Second Synod on Europe
The Very Rev. Josef BisigSuperior General of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
October 8th 1999
First of all I would like to express my most sincere thanks to His Holiness for the benevolence towards the Catholics attached to the Latin liturgical and spiritual tradition. I am honoured and happy to be able to represent these many Catholics, priests and lay persons, in this Synod of Bishops. Allow me to also express my gratitude to the bishops who opened their arms and accepted us into their dioceses."Here is a brief presentation of our Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (of which I am the superior). It was erected in 1988 by the Pontifical Commission ¾Ecclesia Dei.® We number 105 priests and we have in our two international seminaries 140 seminarians, 29 of whom are new this year. We are building two new facilities for these houses of formation, one in Germany and the other one in the United States. To our great joy, the Holy Father himself blessed, here in Rome, the cornerstones for these two new seminaries.
"Therefore, we are at the service of the faithful who are attached to the Latin liturgical tradition. Their number in Europe is rather large and is constantly increasing; unfortunately, an important group remains bound to the Society of St. Pius X and have not yet returned to full communion with the Successor of Peter. This synod is placed under the sign of hope; let me express to you my hope in seeing these brothers in the faith return to union with the Catholic Church. Our Fraternity works and makes efforts - in close co-operation with the bishops - to achieve this goal. It also participates willingly with its own charism to the great task of evangelisation. It places itself at the service of the transmission of faith through catechetical teaching, the importance of which has already been underlined by the Holy Father during the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Many youths have a real thirst for knowledge; and to transmit the doctrine of the faith correctly means to give them hope, to open their hearts to grace, and to anchor them in the Charity of Christ.
"I would like to say a word about number 69 of the Working Document: we cannot identify ourselves with this image that is given of the traditionalist faithful. Our experience is another one: these faithful are helped by the traditional liturgical forms in their spirituality and feel themselves more closely united to the mysteries of the Cross and of the Resurrection, celebrated in the Holy Mass. Our priests who make every effort to centre their priestly life around the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, exercise undeniably considerable attraction to youths who aspire to serve the Church as future priests.
"In conclusion, it would seem to me that for a pastorale of hope, our churches in Europe cannot put aside what makes up their spiritual patrimony; the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter was founded in an act of hope. Far from being nostalgic, its attachment to the Latin liturgical tradition is the bearer of a humble source of continuity. Thus, the living use of the Latin liturgy will have as its effect that of not allowing the language of the Church to be reduced to the literary form of official documents, but to allow a cor unum and an anima una of those faithful to Christ."
From the Newsletter of the Fraternity of St. Peter. Advent 1999. (Translated from the original French).
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Article 69 from Synod Proceedings.
69. At the same time, certain responses mention somewhat problematic situations.
In many countries of the West, liturgical celebrations are frequented almost exclusively by children and older people, especially women. The young and middle-aged are few in number. Such a situation runs the risk of projecting an image of a Church which is only for the elderly, women and children. In both the East and West, the following experiences are noted: a concern to attract people overshadows the dimension of mystery, adoration and praise; and an overemphasis on ritual gestures, the community aspect and quality of celebrating by the celebrant and/or active members of the assembly. Such situations lead to, among other things, an image of a Church which is undoubtedly lively yet the externals and emotion are given more attention than the intimacy of the encounter with the holy mystery of God.
In some liturgical celebrations and devotional practices, the inordinate attention to ritual contributes to making them spiritually arid and discouraging for many people. Conversely, some speak of experiences which, so as to reach those in a world in which the emotional side of religion is emphasised, choose not to follow the established norms but invent and improvise in liturgical celebrations and encounters of prayer, thereby demonstrating an unacceptable liturgical creativity which knows no bounds.
Finally, another situation comes from some traditionalist groups who overemphasise certain liturgical forms and make them the criterion for orthodoxy. Consideration needs to be given to such a mentality, its consequences and effects in the community.
Undoubtedly these different and oftentimes opposing realities in understanding and celebrating liturgy lead frequently to polarisation. In this way, various aspects related to the matter come together to create a picture of the Church which gives the impression that there are two diverse ways of perceiving and living the Church, parallel to each other, when in reality, they are diametrically opposed to each other. In some places, two problems seem evident: the first, internal to the Church; and the second, coming from culture. In the first case, a certain fatigue, repetition, boredom and a routine style in some liturgical celebrations is causing passiveness; in the second case, the culture of modernity is leading to removing the liturgical rites from their foundation in the faith.
[Taken from the Latin Mass Society's February 2000 Newsletter.]