Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos was at Westminster Cathedral in London over the weekend to lead one of the highest profile celebrations of the Roman Catholic Church’s old Latin Mass here since the 1960s. The Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales has been lukewarm about the prospect of the old rite being celebrated alongside Mass in English, so the cardinal’s presence was a clear reminder of what the Vatican wants.
Before the Mass on Saturday, Castrillon Hoyos met four journalists (myself included) to explain why Pope Benedict decided last year to promote wider use of the old Latin Mass. He praised the traditional Tridentine rite for its “power of silence,” an element of contemplation he said had disappeared from worship since the liturgical reforms of the 1960s. If his pre-Mass briefing is anything to go by, however, the Latin Mass also has a power to raise the decibel level among Catholics in Britain.
The Colombian-born cardinal, who is head of the pontifical commission Ecclesia Dei for relations with traditionalists, said the new form of the Mass had led to “abuses” that had prompted many to abandon the Church. So, he said, the pope wanted the older form to be offered again in all parishes (not only where a group of parishioners requested it, as originally said).
“The experience of these 40 years has not always been so good. Many people abandoned the sense of adoration (of God)…There is (now) an atmosphere that makes it possible for these abuses and that atmosphere must be changed,” he said in English. “It is not a matter of confrontation but of dialogue — fraternal dialogue — making efforts to understand the precious things contained in the new and the old rites.”
The cardinal added that Pope Benedict would soon clarify his motu proprio — the decree allowing wider use of the old Mass — to clear up confusion over issues ranging from the differences between liturgical calendars of the old and new rites, the use of vestments, ordinations to the sub-diaconate and the Eucharistic fast.
How polarising this issue can be within the Church was apparent even in that small group during the 45-minute interview.
Elena Curti, deputy editor of the Catholic magazine The Tablet, said many Catholics like herself were confused at the new emphasis on the old rite. It seemed to diminish the role of the laity, she said, and she asked the cardinal if this was a regression from the reforms of the Second Vatican Council of 1962-1965. The cardinal said no: “The Holy Father is not returning to the past but taking from the past a treasure to make it present today along side the richness of the new rite.”
Curti’s comments sparked a declaration from Damian Thompson, Daily Telegraph religion reporter and editor-in-chief of the Catholic Herald, that he “deplored” her comments.
“I’d like to very strongly distance myself from what Elena has said and to say that there is tremendous enthusiasm among younger Catholics for the motu proprio, that many Catholics are deeply grateful to the Holy Father for making the change and many younger Catholics regard this as an extremely exciting development,” Thompson said to the cardinal.
John Medlin, General Manager of the Latin Mass Society that organised the Mass and the briefing, felt obliged to intervene and ask for “charity around the table.” Thompson (pictured at left) kept up the same tone in his two reports on the meeting — “Latin Mass to return to England and Wales” and “Victory against the sandalistas” — and on his blog Holy Smoke (with partial transcript of the briefing). Since The Tablet is a weekly, we’ll have to wait until Friday to see what Curti writes.
The revival of the Old Latin Mass has been compared to a cultural revolution within the Catholic Church. It looks like it’s off to a rousing start.
Trackback
38 comments so far
Previous | 2 | 1 | Next
For anyone’s information: it isn’t correct to name the Tridentine Mass the “Gregorian Rite”; it is the “Roman [or Latin] Rite” which properly uses Gregorian Chant in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Divine Office. The point might be made, too, that anyone who wanted the Latin Mass had already left their arid parishes for greener pastures, so to speak, leaving a lot of brainwashed and starving lost sheep behind who didn’t know there was anything else except the thought that the Novus Ordo revolved around them. Guess what? The Church’s doctrine and Mass didn’t begin with Vatican II, and there were hundreds of popes before John Paul II.
- Posted by patriciaHow typical of Damian Thompson to weasel his way out of an accusation of unprofessional conduct by saying he was there as a blogger, not as a journalist. I look in on his blog from time to time and it’s populated by the biggest crowd of fanatics and dissemblers you can imagine. Going there is like going on the fishing trip from ‘One flew over the cuckoo’s nest’, and Damian encourages them. Damian himself uses the words ‘Tabletistas’ ‘Bitter Pill’ ‘Sandalistas’ ‘Ma Peppinster’ and endless snide remarks about the Catholic hierarchy. Contributors ape this and add insults like Mzzzzz Curti. Women and Muslims are particular targets of their abuse, and they seem to get into mad rages at the push of a button. Time really for the Telegraph to close it down.
- Posted by georgeI find it amusing that some people are so easily ‘confused’ by a different liturgy. One must suppose that, should a taxi company change the colors of the cabs, such a person would stand and stare, slack-jawed, at the different appearance, paralyzed by indecision. Also amusing is the impotent ‘fist shaking’ at the “reactionary elite” clergy by angry people who appear to have both the temperament and the love of diversity of a spoiled three year old.
- Posted by julianyes, indeed, we have had 40 years of novelty, change, progress and so on, and the only visible results are empty pews, empty homilies and empty-headed Catholics who know nothing about their Faith. Some progress!
It is hard to see how the traditional Mass could do any worse - even though it might indeed upset those who fancy themselves as ‘para-clergy’ and priestly wannabees.
But enough wrangling - let’s all join hands with our liturgical dancers now, and twirl about to the glory of God as we picture Him or Her, whilst our priestess presider sings a delightful version of Kum-Ba-Yah.
Ah God bless you Fr Mullen - by your posting and informal polling you have inadvertently vindicated Damian Thompson’s main point of contention with the Recalcitrantly modernising Clergy and professional ‘Laitista’[who have no qualms in being overtly hostile to any limitations of their shanghaiing the sanctuary and liturgies into sacrilegious vaudevillian debacles and narcissistic ego-trips].
How many of your hundred priests [and their respective ordinaries] actually informed their parishes/dioceses of the Motu Proprio - and the oportunity for them to request the extraordinary form ? How many of them actually contravened summorum pontificum by both suppressing it and preventing its promulgation within the Church ?
It’s a far from subtle ploy and a thoroughly specious argument : It’s known as a fallacy of non-causation - a nil cum hoc ergo non propter hoc fallacy .
e.g. A shopkeeper keeping a product behind the counter so nobody knows of it , nobody buys it - therefore nobody wants it !!!
If few ask it’s potentially because hardly anyone knew their was an opportunity to ask.
It’s so easy to conclude that there is no interest when nobody is allowed to be interested !
Was not the main thrust of the cardinal’s interview informing and instructing the faithful in order to make the [deliberately ?] uninformed aware of its existence , and available if desired ?
Bryan Dunne - you raise an important issue but unfortunately you’re allocating blame upon the innocent party - far from Damian Thompson being the one initiating ad hominem assaults ; he is one of the few people in this country who has taken a stand defending His Holiness and the Motu Proprio - and taken reactionary defensive measures in the onslaught - usually through informing others of both the nature and character of the Pope’s deliberations and the hostility invoked amongst those antagonistic to it and their reprehensible countermeasures to deprive the faithful of the opportunity to attend a Gregorian Rite mass .
It has been the Tabletista denouncing the Motu Proprio as well as His Holiness, it has been the Church Hierarchy of England and Wales [with only a few notable exceptions] who have launched a systemic assault upon summorum pontificum - subverting, silencing, thwarting, distorting, deceiving, obfuscating ; their mendacity and duplicity has been shameful to witness. Should you be unaware of the half-truths, mistruths and untruths issued from Bishops’ palaces in this regard I suggest you refer to Mr Thompson’s excellent blog “Holy Smoke”.
Did one single westminster bishop attend last saturday’s mass ? Did one of them extend the same courtesy they gave to his [now defunct] Grace, the sultan of sacrilege Marini only a few months ago ?
- Posted by Paul PriestHis Eminence’s absence from a pontifical mass screamed volumes.
The tide is turning - and long-dusty cages are being rattled - and the headless chickens run aimlessly and chaotically until all their fruitless disenfranchising and utterly un-Catholic machinations expire with them - Thank The Lord and his servant Benedict.
Thank you for that reality check, Fr. Mullen. That jibes with my own unscientific survey back in March linked to the new Latin version of the Good Friday prayer. The details are at http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008 /03/21/how-many-catholics-will-hear-dis puted-good-friday-prayer/
- Posted by Tom HeneghanI am a priest in the USA, and have canvassed as many priests as I could to find out how many of them have had parishioners request the old rite. Having questioned over one hundred pastors, only one priest had anyone even make an inquiry about the rite. There seems to be a lot less interest on the part of the majority of the laity here than was expected from the volume of interest expressed online by those in favor of the new rite. Do with that information what you will.
- Posted by Fr. Patrick MullenRubbish in latin is still rubbish
- Posted by Steve BowenI fully understand Mr. Thompson’s reaction.
- Posted by enricoWe, catholics under the age of 40, since birth are accostumed to hear the same things again and again: the new rite is a progress, a step forward, the old one was sclerotic, nobody understood it, gregorian music is for nostalgics, etc. Mrs Curti is like a broken disk, repeating always the same old-fashioned tune.
Now please stop. The old rite is not mandatory: is an option for those who like it. But people like Curti, or the majority of bishops, simply fear this right of choice and the fact that many lay people do work to get it.
It’s quite ironic as it come from people always speaking about pluralism, inculturation, promoting the role of the layty…
Why, I am a young Chinese catholic who got baptized a few years ago.
I support the Gregorian rites with my whole heart, although I attend also the new rites.
But it should be a crime to intend to give up the Old Gregorian Rites totally. And it is really a pity that many priests don’t like Latin. As a woman, I don’t have any problem with the Gregorian Rites, why should anyone speak in my name (young, female, not-European) that the Gregorian Rites are not suitable for the modern world. He who wants to make such argument should ask me first as a real represent of this population.
The Holy Father has just done the right thing.
If some people don’t like Latin or the solemn beauty of the Gregorian rites, it shows only that they are not very sensible to beauty and culture. It says nothing against the Old rites themselves.
- Posted by a Chinese catholicElena Curti certainly asked the right question. For forty years we have had Mass in English, laypeople reading the first and second reading, distributing Communion as Extra-ordinary Eucharistic Ministers. More recently we have seen girls as altar-servers. The Gregorian Rite, to borrow Card Castrillon’s term allows none of these changes. Communion is only received under one species - The Body of Christ - and all are required to receive Holy Communion kneeling and on the tongue.
How can Mr Thompson deplore the confusion that Elena Curti describes? The stark differences between the New Rite and the Old Mass demonstrate that the Church has developed a different way of involving the Laity in the Sacred Mysteries of the Mass.
Mr Thompson’s ad hominem about the numbers of young people flocking to the Gregorian Rite ( the Old Rite ) does not help the confusion of those who see the encouragement to priests to offer the Gregorian Rite as a sign that the New Rite has been abused and led to a loss of Faith.
We need honesty in the debate here, not partisan arguments.
Bryan Dunne
- Posted by Bryan DunneHarrow UK
THE LATIN MASS SHOULD ALSO SPREAD IN AFRICA WE WELCOME IT. MAY CHRISTE REIGN IN EVERY HEART. GOD BLESS THE POPE.
- Posted by VINCENT MWANGAGHEE JUMWAOh heaven forbid that the Cardinal be questioned! Goodness what was Elena Curti thinking? As lay person, woman and not aligned with the interests of the current reactionary clerical elite she should have no voice at all.
Such boutique cheering, as damien’s piece expresses,for the return of the Tridentine Rite merely reveals adherence to a ghetto culture rather than with the actual engagement and evangelization of the world.
Such obscurantists have little to do with the Gospel but everything to do with irrelevance and privilege.
- Posted by markKia ora from New Zealand Sebastian,
Thanks to you and Damien for the honest reporting.
I have a very modest radio programme in NZ and will be discussing your reports July 4th.
I am unashamedly a devotee of the ‘Gregorian Mass” and delighted to read of its celebration in Westminster Cathedral - what inspiration for us in the antipodes.
Let’s hope you make the NZ Catholic newspaper!
God bless
- Posted by Diane TaylorDiane Taylor (Sec. EDSNZ, Rep. FIUV).
Perhaps now it’s okay to ask what happened to…
Sacred Tradition
Mass Cards
Scapular
Sanctifying Grace
Benediction
Pentecost
Magisterium
Act of Contrition
Four Marks of the Church
Sacramentals
The “Glory Be”
Joyful/Sorrowful/Glorious Mysteries
Corporal Works of Mercy Apostolic Succession
Four Last Things
Indulgences
Perpetual Adoration
Spiritual Works of Mercy
Purgatory
Communion of Saints
Papal Infallibility
Transubstantiation
Mortal and Venial Sin
Immaculate Conception
And then there’s St. Christopher, St Philomena etc…
Great columns Damien. Gratias.
- Posted by AnneI think it’s excellent that this is coming back; what Ms Curti and others don’t understand is that people don’t need a job to do at Mass, it’s outside of Mass where people should be active in the field of evangelization, alongside the Church… Full and active participation can be achieved through prayer, sacrifice and living a life faithful to the Church.
- Posted by John Paul RitchieI see no reason for Mr Thompson to apologise for, or explain,his actions.Does anyone believe Ms Curti was anything other than an advocate for a particular point of view?
- Posted by tertullianIt is unusual, true, but I was there as a blogger rather than as a reporter (though I did file a report to the Telegraph after a big story unexpectedly materialised). I was appalled by the querulous tone of Ms Curti, whose questions betrayed deep hostility to the Cardinal’s message.
- Posted by Damian ThompsonMy opinions on the matter are irrelevant in this instance although I will say I enjoy Mr Thompson’s work immensely. But suffice to say that it is highly unusual for reporters at a press briefing to ‘deplore’ each other’s comments in front of the newsmaker.
- Posted by Sebastian TongAre we to understand, Mr. Tong, that you disagree with the “tone” of Mr. Thompson? For myself, I’m extremely glad that he was present in this interview so that he might give voice what thousands of young people around the world do in fact feel, who are passionate about the “Gregorian Rite” - this demographic is the future of the Catholic Church. As for Elena Curti and her ilk - their days are numbered. Why? They have no children and they don’t enter the priesthood or religious life.
- Posted by Iosephus[...] report from another one of the reporters - Sebastian Tong of Reuters - at the briefing with Cardinal [...]
- Posted by Tong’s Report of Castrillon’s Briefing at Cornell Society for a Good Time