by Diane Taylor
Ecclesia Dei Society New Zealand (EDSNZ) appreciates the recent article (NZ Catholic June 15-28) regarding EDSNZ’s presentation to the NZ Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC).
Pope Benedict spoke highly of tradition and traditionalists. Regarding the 1962 liturgy, he said: “I know well the sensibilities of those faithful who love this liturgy — these are, to some extent, my own sensibilities.”
Confusion, misrepresentation, misunderstanding and myths still abound worldwide regarding everything surrounding this Mass named by Pope Benedict XVI as the Extraordinary Form.
By engaging in well-informed dialogue, EDSNZ believes progress can be made.
Since the promulgation of Pope Benedict’s decree Summorum Pontificium (2007) and the follow-up instruction, Universae Ecclesiae (2011), seeking access to the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite was ratified. Therefore all those desiring to worship according to the sole missal universally in use until 1969-70 no longer should be denigrated.
In their presentation, EDSNZ sought to emphasise the roles played by Popes St John Paul II and Benedict XVI in promoting the 1962 Missal. The history of this promotion needs to be explored more widely in New Zealand than has been the case. Actions were taken to ensure
preservation of the “hermeneutic of continuity” quoted so many times by Pope Benedict XVI.
In 2008, Cardinal Hoyos explained: “It is important to understand that Summorum Pontificium establishes a new juridical reality in the Church. It gives rights to the ordinary faithful and to priests which must be respected by those in authority.
“The Holy Father is aware that in different places around the world many requests from priests and lay faithful who desired to celebrate according to the ancient rites were often not acted upon.
That is why he has now authoritatively established that to celebrate according to the more ancient form of the liturgy — the holy sacrifice of the Mass as well the sacraments and other liturgical rites — is a juridical right, and not just a privilege accorded to all.”
EDSNZ applauds the NZCBC’s reference to “the all-important obligation on Catholics … to deepen their understanding of the Church’s teaching regarding liturgy”.
We would suggest ongoing liturgy education necessarily includes studying the [relevant] Vatican documents.
Diane Taylor, M.Phil History, is the secretary of the Ecclesia Dei Society NZ.
An excellent opinion from Diane Taylor (former Secretary of Ecclesia Dei New Zealand). Further it has been confirmed that the Extraordinary Form of the Mass and the Ordinary Form of the Mass are on an equal footing and have to be treated the same without any obstacles put in the way:
Antonio Cañizares Llovera, Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the
Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Rome, July 25, 2013:
“The motu proprio modified the recent situation, by making clear that the celebration of the extraordinary form should be normal, eliminating every restriction [todo condicionamiento] related to the number of interested faithful, and not setting up other conditions for the participation in said celebration than the ones normally required for any public celebration of the mass, which allowed for a wide access to this heritage that, while it is by law a spiritual patrimony of all the faithful, is, in fact, ignored by a great part of them. In effect, the current restrictions to the celebration in the extraordinary form are not different from those in place for any other celebration, in whatever rite. Those who wish to see, in the distinction made by the motu proprio of cum and sine populo, a restriction to the extraordinary form forget that, with the missal promulgated by Paul VI, the celebration cum populo without the authorization and agreement by the parish priest or rector of the church is not allowed either.”