Oriens Journal of the Society Summer 2002 - 2003 Volume 8, Number 2 $4.00 Hold your fire!

In this edition of Oriens, we report ministers who do violence to the possible, our policy has been neither on an argument over the status of the Eucharist by their celebrations of the publicly to condemn nor to support the Society of St Pius X. The dispute began Mass. Here and there across the globe, late or the movement he founded. in the French-language journal of the among the scattered and sometimes Given that the history of our readers and Priestly Fraternity of St Peter and has fractured communities of Catholic writers have been different, for the most been carried over into the pages of the traditionalists, the contest finds its echo. part, from those who have been drawn to The magazine published in the SSPX, it seemed both unjust to harass One is reminded by these events of the United States. (See our story The our brethren because events had carried the non-stop political warfare waged in SSPX debate - ‘in’ or ‘out’, page 4.) them along a road we did not wish to 19th Century France between the tread, and indifferent to our own This debate has a long history and a Legitimistes and Orleanistes. The folly of aspirations not to seize the sharp edge. Its bitterness is the opportunity presented by result of a split in SSPX ranks Ecclesia Dei to chart our own precipitated by the breakdown course. In the meantime, we of negotiations between Rome Lefebvre winning have looked forward to a final and Archbishop Lefebvre in agreement that would recall May 1988 and his subsequent the argument from from ecclesiastical banishment decision to consecrate the SSPX and all those without papal approval. Thus beyond the grave associated with it. the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter was formed. Sons of The recent explosion, Lefebvre, they were reconciled however, of rigorist hostility to Rome and accepted the Ecclesia Dei their combats provided a marvellous leg- toward the SSPX, at a time when Rome provisions for the renewed celebration of up for the republicans, and did much to is working with real good will toward a the Latin liturgy that had been under a destroy the chances of a monarchist reconciliation, is an act of such 20-year ban. Ever since, the flames of restoration which, at crucial points even foolishness that silence no longer serves. dispute have blazed between the two after the 1848 Revolution, would have camps: about who was right and who met with popular support. SSPX position wrong, about loyalty and betrayal, about In the same way the antagonism The facts of the case seem clear union with the Church and schism. which has sprung up between the SSPX enough. Mons Lefebvre, the Society that Hot discord and the FSSP, and, within each of them, he founded, and those who have between their respective ‘ultras’ and resorted to it, deny no dogma of Catholic In the last few months, the discord has ‘pragmatic tendencies’, is the enemy of faith. They use an authentic form of burned hotter than usual. Somewhere in Catholic tradition and of that authentic Catholic worship. They accept the the French countryside, an SSPX priest restoration and renovation for which so of the day as legitimate head of the declares it a "mortal sin" to attend masses many Catholics hope and pray. Church, they pray for him, and wish to celebrated by the Fraternity of St Peter. A remain in communion with him. Here, Oriens has never been drawn into Father de Montjoye of the FSSP then, are Catholics in every sense, so debate about Archbishop Marcel unleashes his own barrage: the SSPX, he where is the schism? Lefebvre and his Society. As far as charges, are schismatical, non-Catholic Some will point to their attitude to continued page 3 Summer 2002 - 2003 1 Oriens This issue

Oriens Page 1 Editorial - Hold your fire! Volume 8, Number 2 Summer 2002 - 2003 Archbishop Lefebvre winning the argument from beyond the grave. Published by the Ecclesia Dei Society GPO Box 2021, Canberra ACT 2601 Page 4 www.ozemail.com.au/~oriens The SSPX debate - ‘in’ or ‘out’ Editors Gerard McManus reports on a debate over the Gary Scarrabelotti Hugh Henry canonical status of the Society of St Pius X. Contributing Editors Rev Fr Ephraem Chifley OP Page 6 Gerard McManus Mons Rifan explains Campos move A report of some conversations with Bishop Antonio Layout Areas Rifan. Luna Graphics Page 8 Oriens is the Journal of the Ecclesia Dei Society, a lay Just don’t know ‘how to be’ association of Catholics who foster, nurture and promote Martin Sheehan looks at the cultural meaning of the traditional liturgy. The Society’s name is inspired by the Apostolic Letter Ecclesia Dei of His Holiness Pope September 11 for the West. John Paul II, issued in 1988, in which the Pontiff asked for a “wide and generous application” of the norms governing use of the liturgical books of 1962 to those Pages 10 & 12 faithful of the Latin rite who felt an attachment to the Thesis and Antithesis traditional liturgy, which His Holiness called a “rightful aspiration”. Membership of the Ecclesia Dei Society Michael Duffy and Ephraem Chifley O.P. assess the includes a subscription to Oriens. To join, simply fill in state of the Australian soul. the form below and return to: The Ecclesia Dei Society Page 13 GPO Box 2021 Canberra ACT 2601 Good News from Scotland I hereby apply to join the Ecclesia Dei Society: Report on traditional Mass events. Annual Ordinary Membership $ 20 5 year Supporting Membership $100 Page 14 Junior Membership (under 18s) $ 10 The fabric of Christian life Associate Membership (for non-Catholics) $ 10 Brother Alcuin Reid OSB explains the round of Or Please send me more information. monastic life. Name Address Pages 18 - 21 Reviews

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2 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens Editorial continued from page 1 Vatican II. To be, however, a Catholic in consecration to the episcopacy. Without Society of St John Vianney, Rome granted good standing not one of us is required to them, the SSPX would need to depend what it has denied to the FSSP. Talk accept on faith a single of Vatican upon Roman and local bishops about bi-ritualism, and the need to II since none were promulgated. The few of whom wished his movement, and concelebrate the Chrism Mass with the Council’s statements on religious liberty, the traditional Mass, other than dead. local , fell away. Far from ecumenism, and collegiality, which give When the negotiations were done, it calling these people schismatic, Rome has rise to the most adverse reactions within appeared to Lefebvre that in putting his moved toward the Lefebvre position and, SSPX ranks, are at best pastoral initials to May 5 he had accepted an on the way, has confirmed by its actions orientations or new theological invitation to hand over his movement to the case for his defence - that he had been formulations which, by their nature, are its executioners. driven by necessity. contestable and which have been So while technically Lefebvre, his co- contested widely by Catholics whose Vexed history Antonio de Castro Mayer, communion with their bishops and with If we examine the subsequent history and the men they made bishops, might Rome has never been questioned. of the Ecclesia Dei regime, and the have gone "into touch", their actual Others will point to the chequered story of the Priestly Fraternity relation to the Church is much less clear consecrations of 30 June 1988 carried of St Peter, Lefebvre’s fears have not than the adversarial "touch judges" have out without papal mandate, and to the proved groundless, though neither have flagged so furiously. The ecclesiastical sentence of excommunication they been completely realised. The FSSP position of the bishops, the SSPX, and connected automatically with that has been subject to pressure, with the those who cleave to them, is at worst offence. This surely wraps up the case. help of an insurgent group, to adopt bi- irregular – an irregularity that was not all ritualism and participate in of their own doing, but to which they felt concelebrations using the new missal. A Mercy compelled. Roman protocol has been issued to What the legalist critics rarely allude outlaw disciplinary measures by the to, however, is the wonderful Who is responsible? FSSP to uphold its exclusive attachment mercifulness of . According to to the traditional liturgy. While the If there were errors on Lefebvre’s part, its provisions, no punishment applies integrity of the FSSP has been damaged and on that of his followers, they were where alleged offenders act out of some by these events, the Roman prohibitions chiefly errors of prudential judgement necessity evident to themselves; and there have had no effect on the issue of chief clouded by the fog, and cramped by the is no penalty for schism where there was importance to the Fraternity and to the injuries, of battle. What has yet to be no intention of wishing to separate from traditional Catholics whom it serves – the recognised is the role that and the Church. practical freedom to chose the traditional bishops played, and theirs the more Oriens has never endorsed Archbishop liturgy exclusively. In the meantime, and serious. It was they, seized by the Lefebvre’s decision to renege on the notwithstanding the hostility of many romance of the new and sustained by agreement of May 5, 1988, negotiated bishops and their officials, the traditional papal loyalism, who persecuted Catholics between himself and Cardinal Ratzinger. Mass has spread. It has entered into simply for being Catholic in the Nor has it supported the uncanonical communities and churches that the traditional way and, at the same time, consecrations. But the judgements of SSPX could never have reached. So who turned an indulgent eye upon the Mons Lefebvre were not without their Mons Lefebvre was right, but not right pastorally-correct workers of mayhem. force and they have become more enough. Just how schismatic the current powerful – though not compelling – with For all that, the remarkable bishop is position of the SSPX is will not be known the passage of time. winning his argument from beyond the until Rome has restored to them, and to When Lefebvre drew back from the grave. When Rome came to make a the rest of us, the freedom to be Catholic May 5 agreement, he said that he was "no settlement with the traditional Catholics in a fully historical sense. Ecclesia Dei and longer able to trust Rome". It was a in the of Campos, in Brazil, she Campos together represent a major, but shocking Gallicism; but for all that, not granted what she had refused to give as incomplete, return of the spiritual goods entirely unreasonable. For his movement part of the May 5 agreement: a bishop which our pastors took away. When the to continue, it needed the pastoral care of chosen from traditionalist ranks. And, job is finished, then let us judge the case men selected from its own clergy for when it came to establishing the new of the SSPX.

Summer 2002 - 2003 3 Oriens SSPX The SSPX debate – ‘in’ or ‘out’?

Oriens writer Gerard McManus sums up a debate that has broken out in recent months among traditional Catholics over the status of the Society of St Pius X.

A recent debate between two leading SSPX itself, and was established after the case. And even if it were clear, the protagonists of traditional Catholics Archbishop , with the Church is not always constrained by the has focused attention on one of the assistance of Brazilian Bishop Antonio de letter of its own law when a judgment is crucial issues facing the Vatican in its Castro Mayer, consecrated four Society made that justice, charity, or effort to heal the sole schism in the priests as bishops in Econe, Switzerland, reconciliation might be better served by reign of John Paul II, namely the without a papal mandate. another course. canonical status of the Society of Saint Examples of this include the fact that Pius X. Trigger the Vatican has ceased to apply the term The exact standing of the SSPX and The trigger for the debate, which "schismatic" to the Orthodox or even to its members is critical, not only to curial subsequently flowed over into the pages the 100 illicitly consecrated Chinese canon law experts grappling with a way of The Latin Mass magazine, was an bishops of the Communist-controlled to accommodate the group within the article by Fr Hughes de Montjoye in the Catholic Patriotic Association. larger Church, but in a pastoral sense for Fraternity's French language journal. Fr More specifically, Ferraro argues, the thousands of ordinary traditional de Montjoye claimed that SSPX priests Church has never given a clear Catholics who are caught in the middle were non-Catholic ministers who determination of the status of the SSPX and who are bewildered by the Church's commit sacrilege to the sacrament of the priests and lay people who attend their treatment of the SSPX. Eucharist in consecrating outside of Masses and confessionals. "While the communion with the Church. On one side of the debate is , which penalises the SSPX Christopher A. Ferrara, lawyer, author According to the article, Catholics bishops, speaks of ‘formal adherence to and President of the American Catholic may passively assist at an SSPX Mass for the schism’ as grounds for incurring the Lawyers Association, who takes an a grave reason (say a funeral), but are same penalties as the excommunicated accommodating position on the status of not permitted to communicate because bishops, the term ‘ formal adherence’ has SSPX priests and laity, backing up his the writer claims it is non-Catholic never been defined in a universally case with a number of Vatican documents worship (sic). binding pronouncement by a competent which add up to what can only be Vatican ." described as a confused and indefinite These claims seem to be at odds, at position. least in spirit, with the fact that Canon Law permits Catholics to receive Rome tentative On the other side of the debate is Fr confession, communion and extreme Put simply, according to Ferraro, not Arnauld Devillers, Superior General of unction from Orthodox and other non- even the Vatican officials who have had the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter, who Catholic clerics with valid holy orders care of the SSPX affair (Ecclesia Dei adopts a much harder line maintaining in times of necessity with the proviso Commission or the Congregation for the the view that SSPX priests are non- that "the danger of error or Doctrine of the Faith) have treated it as a Catholic ministers. indifferentism is avoided". case of true and proper schism. He says, accordingly, that the status of the SSPX What is most striking about the That Lefebvre and the four new priests and laity is in the realm of a fierceness of the debate is that it is bishops were declared automatically canonical grey area involving Catholics in happening in the midst of the first serious excommunicated along with de Castro an irregular situation. and prolonged attempt at reconciliation Mayer after the illicit Episcopal by Rome and the SSPX since the split consecrations went ahead is not in Not so, says Fr Devillers, who argues occurred in July 1988. dispute. But, Ferrara argues, the apparent that the matter has been crystal clear It needs to be remembered that the ‘fact’ of excommunication is less clear and since the time of the Lefebvre Fraternity of St Peter had its origins in the more uncertain the more one examines consecrations on June 30, 1988.

4 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens SSPX

"To be in with the because they are not properly any will to incur a formal schism". successor of Peter, one must be received incardinated in a diocese or religious The living reality of the SSPX affair, into communion by him: a refusal entails institute in full communion with the concludes Ferrara, is that of an internal the absence of communion," Fr Deviller . wound in the visible commonwealth of wrote in reply. Lefebvre knowingly went the Church caused by the unprecedented against the warnings and pleas from the Perl letter postconciliar upheavals. Pope not to consecrate the bishops and "They are also excommunicated if was excommunicated on two grounds – they adhere to the schism," Perl wrote, Fr Devillers describes the quoting of for schism and for carrying out episcopal while admitting that the Holy See had the above Cardinals and officials by consecrations without papal mandate. not defined exactly in what this Ferrara as selective and disingenuous. Fr Devillers rejects the argument that adherence consists. Significantly Perl also Cassidy, for example argues Devillers, there is no clear definition of what is noted that the situation of the SSPX is not saying there is no schism, but meant by “formal adherence” of priests faithful is more complicated and that simply that the SSPX problem is not and lay people to the excommunicated their situation can be described best as under his bailiwick (the Ecclesia Dei bishops, citing guidelines written by the "irregular". If they attend Mass primarily being the competent commission). On for Legislative Texts in because of an attraction to the old rite, the other hand Devillers ignores 1996 to answer a bishop's specific inquiry Perl wrote, they are not in schism, but if Cassidy's more central point that the about the status of the SSPX bishops, they stay too long there is a danger they SSPX is an internal Church matter. priests and lay adherents. may "imbibe" the schismatic mentality of the Society. The pontifical council's line was that Just Politeness? there "seemed no doubt" that Lefebvrist Ferraro argues that if the priests are Castrillon Hoyos' words, Devillers priests and deacons were indeed guilty of merely suspended - and therefore still believes are to be understood as charitable formal adherence, but not the laity. subject to Church disciplinary law - it politeness employed to promote goodwill follows that they cannot possibly be true Ferrara quotes the opinions of various in negotiations. schismatics because non-Catholics are Cardinals and Roman officials on the not subject to Church law. Fr Devillers finally quotes another SSPX situation including Cardinals priest, American canon lawyer Fr Gerald Perl's verdict for the faithful is that Castillo Lara, Joseph Ratzinger, Ecclesia Murray who did his doctoral thesis on the while they are not encouraged to attend Dei president Castrillon Hoyos and canonical status of the SSPX. secretary Monsignor Perl, and the former SSPX chapels, they are neither President of the Pontifical Council for forbidden to attend, nor subject to any "The Society of Pius X and those who Christian Unity, Edward Cassidy. penalty for doing so, if their attendance frequent their chapels must realise that is on account of the reverence and continuing on a path of defiance and Internal matter devotion people find there. separation from the Holy See, and from Cassidy, who has apparently managed However, Ferrara does admit that a the Church in general, will inevitably to paper over almost 500 years of later missive from the Ecclesia Dei lead them further and further away from substantial doctrinal incompatibility official creates added confusion when he Catholic unity and into undeniable between Catholics and Lutherans, is claimed that it is actually sinful to receive schism," Murray wrote in 1996. quoted as saying the SSPX situation is an Communion at any SSPX chapel, to Given that SSPX is guilty of no "internal matter of the ". assist at an SSPX chapel without a "grave evident heresy, and holds the Pope to be reason", and to attend an SSPX chapel to "The Society is not another Church or the legitimate head of the Church, fulfil a Sunday obligation. Ecclesial Community within the Ferrara and others have questioned the meaning used in the Directory (on Castrillon Hoyos' recent olive branch right of the Fraternity of St Peter to Ecumenism)", Cassidy said in 1994. correspondence with the SSPX bishops is condemn the SSPX to a canonical also used by Ferrara as evidence that the position more grave than that of the As for Perl, he declared in September Society is not in schism. Orthodox and other groupings. This 1999, in response to an enquiry from the move seems particularly rash when United States of Amercia, that the priests The Cardinal described the SSPX delicate negotiations are underway to of the Society of Pius X are validly situation as "irregular" and concedes that, bring the SSPX in from out of the cold. ordained but "suspended": i.e. prohibited in his meeting with the bishops, "there from exercising their priestly functions was not disclosed an inkling of heresy nor

Summer 2002 - 2003 5 Oriens Campos Mons Rifan explains Campos move

Following on from our account of the remarkable Campos settlement in the previous edition, Oriens reports on some conversations with a man at the centre of it all.

Mons Fernando Areas Rifan, some 30,000 people. The Society of St superior General of the SSPX, while consecrated in August as bishop with John Vianney also runs homes for the publicly expressing reservations about right of succession to the Apostolic aged and disabled and an orphanage for Campos, was among those who sent Administration St John Vianney of 400 children. congratulations to Mons Rifan upon his Campos, recently told participants in a consecration. Speaking on September 30 in conference in France that, after 10 years Versailles at a function hosted by the Mons Rifan also indicated that his of “independence” from Rome, his Priestly Fraternity of St Peter, Mons Rifan field of apostolic activity would not be community of traditional Catholics was limited to the Apostolic Administration experiencing some internal problems described how the reconciliation between itself. To help other Catholics in other that could properly be addressed only by Rome and Campos had come about. who felt drawn to the traditional a settlement with the Holy See. Hunger recognised rites of the Church, he would be ready to The fifty-year-old Mons Rifan, was intercede with their bishops, and even to According the Mons Rifan, it was consecrated as co-adjutor to Bishop send priests to their support, if the Rome’s initiative which led to the Luciano Rangel, recently appointed as bishops were agreeable. settlement. Responding to criticism of the Apostolic Administrator of the During a question and answer traditional Catholics in the diocese of the Campos reconciliation from within session, someone – reportedly of the Campos, Brazil. The consecration the Society of St Pius X, the bishop sedevacantist persuasion – referred to the formed part of a watershed reconciliation justified the agreement by reference to the inter-religious prayer meetings staged at between Rome and the traditional teaching of St Thomas Aquinas. Assisi in 1986 and 2002, and described Catholics of Campos. "St Thomas taught that it was Pope John Paul II, who sanctioned them, legitimate to steal from a market if you Some of the actors in this as the "Antichrist of Assisi". eccleciastical drama illustrate its were dying of hunger. But if the owners of significance. On one hand, you have the the market offer the food, can one reply Noah’s plight consecrated: Mons Fernando Areas that you prefer to steal?" Bishop Rifan replied by saying that he Rifan, a long-serving former secretary to Mons Rifan explained that after 10 did not support the Assisi meeting either, the late Bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer years of taking an independent line from nor did he object to telling the Pope as that unflinching ally of Archbishop Rome, the Campos group was much. But he also reminded his listeners Marcel Lefebvre. On the other, you have experiencing some internal difficulties. about the case of Noah drunk in his tent: the consecrator: Cardinal Dario Theologically, the bishop argued, it was about how one of the sons – Cham - Castrillon Hoyos, Prefect of the not sane to stand aloof from the Church. wanted to make a scandal of it while the Congregation of the Clergy. This extra- There was a strong risk of developing an other two tried to cover their father’s ordinary meeting of men demonstrates endlessly critical mentality and of falling nakedness. It was Cham who was the priority Rome has placed, on doing into schism. rejected in the end. what must be done to end the generation-long campaign to suppress Notwithstanding much public Mons Rifan has expressed the view the classical Latin liturgy. criticism of the Campos settlement from that the Campos agreement is not only SSPX sources, Bishop Rifan said that good for the Campos traditional The Society of St John Vianney, to the many priests connected with the Society Catholics but also could serve as a leadership of which Mons Rifan will had made their support for the agreement model for reconciliation between Rome succeed, is a community of traditional privately known to himself and to Bishop and the SSPX. clergy within the Diocese of Campos. Rangel. The group consists 28 priests and 20 Speaking with Italian the reporter for seminarians who serve 11 parishes and Significantly, Bishop , The Latin Mass magazine, Alessandro

6 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens Campos

Zangrado, Mons Rifan also indicated that he wished, if possible, to serve as a bridge between Rome and the SSPX. The Oriens peace plan "I think that I can serve all the traditional Catholics, especially our THE central sticking point preventing a reconciliation of the Society of St friends of the SSPX. It would give me Pius X with Rome could be remedied through a simple publication of existing great pleasure to assist them toward the Vatican documents and an acknowledgement of the status quo – namely, that path of canonical regularisation." the traditional Mass has never been banned. "To the SSPX we say always that we This acknowledgement forms the that the traditional Mass has never been continue to be their friends and, if central plank of a 7-point plan banned, and that no priest of the Roman possible, to help them to find a way to proposed by Oriens to heal the two- Rite requires the authority of a bishop to regularize their situation. But we must decades long estrangement between say either the new or old rite. Priests would understand that they are much Rome and the SSPX. thus have the freedom to use say either the persecuted and so they have many more new or old rites of Mass subject to the difficulties than we do. But with the grace No universal in favour of the traditional Mass need be promulgated. usual oversight of the local bishop who is of God, all is possible." This highly attractive proposition, responsible for regulating, but not About the way ahead for the advanced by the SSPX and many other banning, liturgy within his diocese. traditional liturgy, Mons Rifan clearly traditional Catholics, though justifiable in terms of principle, is probably, in practical 2) Lift the excommunications and indicated that he would support any accept the four existing SSXP bishops, effective measure which moves in the terms, too big an ask for Rome. Many bishops are likely to see a move like this as who are all validly consecrated, as licit. To direction of "complete liberty for the provide the SSPX with the status of an traditional Mass". a unilateral liquidation by Rome of the Pauline liturgical revolution which they apostolic administration, along the lines of "But it depends on the Holy See. It have received as if it were an article of the Campos agreement, or a personal would seem that the new generation of faith. Rome would be wary of rousing prelature along the lines of Opus Dei. bishops to some kind of wide-scale and priests is tired of its experiences with the 3) Guarantee the freedom of SSPX to post-conciliar liturgy. With increased hostile reaction by a move that might appear to call into question the whole use all the traditional liturgical books awareness and knowledge of the including the Sacramentary. traditional mass, it is hoped that little by point of their being post-concilar bishops. little they will be able to taste of its The alternative would require no 4) Recognition by the SSPX of the profound spirituality. In this way the legislative act by the Holy See and would as a genuine traditional mass will continue to spread. involve no immediate change to current Council of the Church. The indult was a beginning." liturgical practices within the Roman Rite. 5) Recognise the freedom of the SSPX What is required is simply to declare an – and for that matter all other Catholics – Speaking to Zangrado about the end to the fiction that the old Mass is - or to debate non-binding, contentious issues general crisis in the Church, Rifan made ever was - illegal. some striking remarks. such as pastoral policies and new In 1986 a Committee of Cardinals theological propositions which have yet to "I believe in the divinity of the examined the legal status of the traditional be fully tested against the Church’s Catholic Church, in spite of all the rite, but its findings, that the traditional doctrinal tradition. human weaknesses. The crisis continues. Mass had never been abolished and is a But perhaps some light is beginning to canonical form of worship, have never 6) As a gesture of goodwill, the Holy appear at the end of the tunnel. Some been published. We know of the existence Father celebrates the traditional rite of attitudes. Some documents. One day of this committee because it was referred Mass each year either in his private Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre said to me, it to in the May 5, 1988 deal that the Vatican chapel, or in public at a Pontifical High struck with Archbishop Lefebvre, but would not be necessary for many words; Mass, say, on the Feast of Sts Peter and which later fell apart. it would be enough for some action. I Paul on June 29. think that the pope’s erection of our Here is the Oriens 7-point plan to 7) Priests attached to the traditional Apostolic Administration and the mend the Rome-SSPX split. rite to be free to celebrate the traditional selection of a priest from the Society of 1) Publication of the findings of the Mass in Rome’s principal churches, St John Vianney as its bishop may be 1986 Cardinals' Committee which found including St Peter’s. a beginning."

Summer 2002 - 2003 7 Oriens September 11 Just don’t know ‘how to be’

Martin Sheehan finds that September 11 says as much about us as it does about the terrorists.

But it seems that something has happened that has never spiritual life – where man explores the happened before: though we know not just when, or transcendent and interior realms - is the why, or how, or where. occupation only of ‘cranks’ kept at a Men have left GOD not for other gods, they say, but for no distance by the rest of society. We dwell in God; and this has never happened before security and luxury while large parts of that men both deny gods and worship gods, professing the world descend further into abject first Reason poverty or struggle, often vainly, to and then Money, and Power, and what they call Life, or maintain their traditional culture from Race, or Dialectic. the onslaught of consumerism and greed.

- T.S. Eliot, Choruses from ‘The Rock’ (1934) Having all but abandoned the Christian churches for the secular shrine of the shopping centre, westerners stand on the brink of an Two anecdotes to start off with: on been traded for a cheap deal on the latest abyss. Faced with the destruction entering a café I frequent, I noticed that consumer products. wrought by terrorists motivated by an a new menu had been written up on a absolute certainty in the rightness of chalk board advertising the latest Meditating on Terror their religion and their cause, the West desert. The sign read, "Try Our New John Carroll’s book, Terror: A is culturally paralysed by an enemy it Desert – Mortal Sin!" The cake in meditation on the meaning of September cannot comprehend. For to question, all dripping with cream and 11,*uses the terror attacks on New York comprehend people motivated by crowned with strawberries, was a and Washington to study our adamant beliefs, westerners would have reference to the film Chocolat and the contemporary consumerist and to have some comparable convictions notion that sin is no sin, but what is materialist culture. Faced with a of their own – but their traditional good and beautiful to do. campaign of violence and intimidation by store of these has been traded for an Islamic militants bent on forcing the US Second anecdote: walking through easy existence. to withdraw support for Israel, and to the Canberra Central Shopping Centre remove its bases from the holy territory of the other day, I noticed a store selling The Emptiness Saudi Arabia, the western world is mind games. What was the store called? experiencing its greatest challenge since Carroll’s fear is that the West is unable Why Socrates of course! the fall of . For this challenge to take up the cultural challenge – all that In these two examples lies the is not merely political or military, we can talk about is freedom (which is substance of the conundrum that besets according to Carroll, but an attack on the primarily a negative freedom, freedom modern , and the West more fundamental beliefs and culture of from restraint), which we already have generally. Heir to the rich cultural western society. enough of, but cannot say what it is we are for. Are we fighting against Islamic tradition of the West, with its roots in Carroll takes as his starting point the terrorism in the name of the free market? classical Greco-Roman culture and the injunctions attributed to the pagan Greek Are we fighting for democracy and Christian religion, westerners have god Apollo at the dawn of western freedom? Or are we fighting for God reduced the great ideas of western civilisation: "Know Thyself!" and and country? What is it we westerners civilisation to whatever sells the best in "Nothing too Much!" The modern West truly believe? department stores and restaurants. The has violated these maxims to the extreme. riches of our cultural and spiritual We are obsessed with the acquisition of At this stage Carroll thinks it is hard to tradition, built up over centuries by some things, with the pursuit of comfort and a say – and judging from the ambivalent of the greatest minds of the West, have purely material happiness, while the response of the populace since September

8 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens September 11

11, most seem to just want to get back to his conduct among the natives. Marlowe Stewart plays a young lawyer travelling living their lives and making money. leaves Europe disgusted with the spiritual out West who is confronted by the emptiness and cultural decadence of notorious outlaw Liberty Valence. To Carroll this mentality is appalling - western civilisation – in Africa he hopes Stewart’s character is a believer in terrible though the events of September to rediscover the primitive roots of progress and education, a champion of 11 were, the West has suffered little so far, humanity, and thus regain the vitality and humanism and tolerance. Valence holds compared to the mass destruction and creativity that the modern world lacks. up the stagecoach he is travelling on and, vast misery wrought by the Second World when confronted by Stewart, beats him War. And yet we’ve had enough already – It is the figure of the company agent, savagely and challenges him by saying, it’s as if the populace fails to see the Kurtz, who begins to dominate his "What kind of man are you, dude?" gravity of the threat facing it and just thoughts, however, as he moves up river – wishes it would all go away. a man like himself who fled the This is a challenge not only to the decadence of modern Europe to build an lawyer’s manhood but also to his most Heart of Darkness empire among the primitive tribes of the fundamental values and convictions. This is not surprising given the type interior. Kurtz becomes an image of the How can liberalism and humanism of society that has appeared in the last heroic individual who throws off comprehend the vicious and anarchic twenty years, reaching its apogee decadence and takes a stand in wilderness nature of a character like Valence? arguably in the greed and excess of the against a bankrupt civilisation. They cannot because liberals believe that all men are basically good and economic boom in the 1980s and 1990s. Kurtz wants to take the place of God capable of rational thought. Other men Obsessed with a secular humanist and create a new way of life – instead he of another mould are needed to deal dream of building a globalised world goes mad and in despair indulges in an with Liberty Valence. culture, based on market economics and orgy of violence and destruction. For liberal democracy, the West has ignored Conrad any such attempt at cosmic self- Carroll believes that the modern West its own spiritual tradition. Having assertion is bound to end in madness and is in a similar predicament – dedicated as abandoned the heroic spiritual culture of death, and the utter destruction of we are to reason, liberalism and tolerance Christianity for the shallow, image- civilised existence. Kurtz is a monster we are ill prepared for criminals like obsessed pseudo-culture of the shopping deserving of our condemnation. Usama bin Laden who recognise no mall, westerners are ill equipped to deal western law and cannot be reasoned with. with a foe like bin Laden. The modern West is trapped in the Our problem, and the problem of the Kurtz story, according to Carroll - The lack of belief that lies at the heart West, is the problem of being: "Who are realising the absurdity of a world without we?" and "What kind of men are we?" of western culture has found a God, a world without spiritual or monumental representation in the metaphysical beliefs, yet unable to tear So absorbed are we by buying and gaping emptiness now at the centre of itself away form a fixation on material consuming, and keeping on the move, Manhatten, New York, where the Twin comfort, and, what Carroll calls, the zooming around our cities or jetting Towers of the World Trade Centre once "package tour through life". about the globe, that we have forgotten stood. Before the West can rally to meet how to be. This is the point we have the challenge offered by bin Laden, the The challenge is to prove what kind of reached. We are on the edge. Is there a spiritual and cultural hole in its heart men we are, according to Carroll, before way back, or more realistically, through must first be filled. it is too late. Are we men of conviction the darkness enveloping us? There is. and faith, able to rise to the terrorist But is there time for us to take it? And Carroll cleverly uses Conrad’s novella, challenge? Or are we so effete, so lacking if there were, would we have the will? Heart of Darkness, to illustrate the West’s in the courage that comes from belief, If only we could choose to place spiritual bankruptcy. Conrad’s story was that we would prefer to pretend that it ourselves once more within the mystery written in the latter part of the nineteenth just isn’t happening? of being, we stand a chance of century, but he gave voice in the text to rediscovering our spiritual heritage, the many of his fears for the world of the "What kind of man are Christian heritage of the West which coming twentieth century. you, dude?" has been gradually obscured over the The story charts the journey of One of Carroll’s favourite movies, last two hundred years. Marlowe up a river in Africa to recover a referred to in a number of his books, is the (*John Carroll, Terror: A meditation on the trading company agent who is being John Ford western, The Man Who Shot meaning of September 11; Melbourne, Scribe recalled to answer questions regarding Liberty Valence. In the movie Jimmy Publications, 2002; $16.50 )

Summer 2002 - 2003 9 Oriens Thesis The pain and the bewilderment

Publisher and writer Michael Duffy provides, in the wake of the Bali bombings and the mourning of our dead, a bleak assessment of our national ‘state of soul’. Ephraem Chifley O.P. (opposite) takes up the case for a more hopeful view. The debate has begun.

I live near the main road here, running down to Coogee the well-watered grass, had large native flower arrangements at Beach. Sun-lovers slouch down it all weekend: Australian each side. There was not one official flag, and I counted just two families, British backpackers. Swedish grannies, American Australian flags among the crowd. The national anthem was not students. Last week they came as usual, in their shorts and sung, and the talk was of community and family, not of Australia. their sleeveless tops, their hats and their flip-flops and their John Lennon would have approved of the ceremony, which suncream. But there was something wrong on Sunday: few was run by the local mayor. A priest in mufti apart from his dog- carried towels. collar read messages from religious groups, and said one prayer, They were on their way to the local Oval for a memorial with which I’m unfamiliar. It concluded with the suggestion service for 12 October. Our rugby team, the Dolphins, lost six that we ‘open our hearts to hope so that we can know serenity members in Bali, and members of other teams from nearby and peace. Amen’. It was an almost embarrassingly inadequate suburbs were also among the murdered. This was Australia’s response, especially from a Church traditionally so rich in day of mourning, and people came in their thousands. consolation. The first words of the ceremony were those of John Lennon. In contrast, the New South Wales premier, Bob Carr, who We were asked to imagine all the pee-pull with no countries or was born and lives in the area, was, like his audience, pragmatic religions to die for. It is a profoundly Western desire, this vision and non-patronising. He said, ‘We know we will come to live of total, secular globalisation. It is also a vision that has been with their absence. But not yet.’ largely achieved in Australia, as this ceremony indicated. Six children, junior members of the Dolphins, said a few The poet Les Murray has suggested that Australians long ago words. The last one, a girl, broke down as she returned to her achieved a ‘vernacular republic’ but forgot to tell the political place. Carr reached over and put a hand on her shoulder, briefly. class and the rest of the establishment, which continued to Men and women stood up, spoke and broke down; six empty believe in a set of state and religious beliefs no longer relevant to football jerseys were draped over a wall. The fact that sport was most of us. To put it more crudely: ‘Neighbours’ is Australia. tied to these deaths so closely gave them a significance, an This might help to explain why the ceremony at Coogee Oval Australianness, they would otherwise have lacked. contained almost no manifestations of nationalism or religion. There were pop songs, both recorded and sung by the choir In this it reflected the public response of most Australians to the of a local school. At first I rebelled against this, at the banal lyrics Bali massacre, so different from – so much more suburban than and the trite tunes. I yearned for hymns and anthems, for – America’s response to 11 September. something with more dignity and familiarity. But this is foolish: I have not heard our Prime Minister, John Howard, say for most of those in the crowd, the worse of ‘Walk on By’ or anything about God in the past week. It was left to George Bush Sting’s ‘Fields of Glory’ are far more familiar, far more consoling, to bring God into it, in a sympathy broadcast to Australia. John than anything the state or Church has to offer. Howard, an inarticulate man and a highly successful leader, has It was, I think, a very Australian experience. There was little said two things that have struck a chord, and neither was in a set anger, much sympathy, almost no reaching out to higher things speech. They were contained in reports of comments in private for consolation. The human spirit here is, I think, a little conversation with victims’ families. He told one that he had ’19 constrained, but it is also resilient and generous and self-reliant. million mates’. And he said that we would ‘get the bastards’ who This is a country whose nationalism is suburban and whose did this. Both lines made the front page. religion is sport. You might say that suburbs are not nations, and sport is not a religion. But then, you wouldn’t be Australian. The symbols at Coogee Oval were not the flag and the crucifix but flowers. The simple black stage, set in the middle of – The Spectator, 26 October 2002.

10 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens Antithesis The virtues in our secular soul

By Fr Ephraem Chifley OP

There's much good yet in the secular chord, and neither was in a set distance. It is the religion of the padre Australian soul. speech. They were contained in drinking port in the officers' mess; reports of comments in private gentlemen removing their hats in "As it is six o'clock members and conversation with victims' families. Churches and RSL clubs; the bonneted guests are requested to stand and face the He told one that he had '19 million Salvo lady selling the War Cry in the west for the Ode. Age shall not weary mates'. And he said that we would pub on Friday nights, of icons and them, nor the years condemn. At the 'get the bastards' who did this. Both rosary beads in taxi cabs, of the Boree going down of the sun and in the lines made the front pages. Log or the Catholic Women's League morning, we will remember them. We running a cake stall outside will remember them! Lest we forget. Lest Overdrawn Woolworth's for the orphanage. we forget! Thank you members and Sociologically we are all non-practicing guests. The meat tray raffle will take place It is a view of Australia that is parishioners of a broadish, colonial in five minutes. The winner of this weeks overdrawn - he is looking for religion in Church of England and the clergy are lucky draw is member number 57612. Les all the wrong places. Also on the front its military chaplains. We all partake Wong can you come to the front desk for pages was the Prime Minister in Bali in a cultural establishment of "the a phone call." The same Ode is recited flanked by military chaplains at ground Church", all the more pervasive for not with great reverence at Anzac Day dawn zero for a memorial service to honour the being constitutionally enacted. This services - increasingly well attended by victims. The same scene was repeated, explains a great deal more about young Australians of all backgrounds in albeit with robes, in the Great Hall of Parliament, nary a of the Church Australia's religious culture than the contradiction of the thesis that good, in sight. The khaki-clad padres were idle assumption of a relentless ol' secular Australia is becoming considered in the eyes of some suburban secularism. irrevocably irreligious. commentators a diplomatic faux pas. We Commenting on the Bondi service for Les Murray was right when he have been trying to convince the Bali victims, Michael Duffy says described Australia as "The vernacular Indonesian people that Osama bin republic", at least to the extent of Laden's description of Australia as a It was, I think, a very identifying the gap between ordinary "crusader state" is unfounded. While from Australian experience. There was Australians and the rhetoric of the this point of view soldier-priests are not little anger, much sympathy, commenting classing. Michael Duffy is especially helpful, their appearance almost no reaching out to higher wrong when he suggests in his recent exhibited a profoundly Australian things for consolation. The human article in The Spectator that this republic instinct. This spontaneous, almost spirit here is, I think, a little is not only vernacular but necessarily reflexive, response is more demonstrative constrained, but it is also resilient profane. Commenting on Australia's low of what Australians really believe than the and generous and self-reliant. This key reaction to the Bali bombings, embarrassing, seaside rites apparently is a country whose nationalism is especially the outdoor service on Bondi constructed by municipal feminists and suburban and whose religion is beach, he notes, retired Religious Education teachers. sport. You might say that suburbs I have not heard our Prime are not nations, and sport is not a Minister, John Howard, say Welcome mascots religion. But then, you wouldn't be anything about God in the past There is good case to be made that Australian. week. It was left to George Bush to our approach to religion is that of our Rites not ours bring God into it, in a sympathy egalitarian colonial ancestors - where broadcast to Australia. John clergy were agents of the military Those rites, far from demonstrating a Howard, an inarticulate man and Government, to be both feared and distinctive national genius, were a highly successful leader, has said trusted; welcome mascots both to take unimaginative, and badly executed - two things that have struck a comfort from and to be kept at a safe Californian in inspiration rather than

Summer 2002 - 2003 11 Oriens Anithesis

Australian. More than the manifestation Church's repertoire, especially since the contented pagans - as we know, a happy of some supposed sun-tanned symbolic grammar of grief has been infidel is among the greatest test of faith insouciance about questions of rendered unintelligible to most by forty for those with a calvinist cast of mind. As nationhood, life and death, they were the years of officially sanctioned liturgical much as the tub-thumping atheist and imposition of the godless, feel-good vandalism. Once experienced though, the spa-soaking agnostic, the bible- propaganda of the cultural elite. It was the Church's rites have an ability to bashing Christian resolutely refuses to both amusing and touching to see the engage even the hardest hearts. By see any signs of genuine religiosity in occasional participant in the televised drawing on enduring insights into the secular discourse since it interferes with service from the Sydney Domain who universal needs of men engaged in preconceptions that are for them the absentmindedly genuflected to the pool mourning the death of family and more incontrovertible as they become of Feng Shui water before crossing beloved friends they have the capacity to more clearly apocalyptic. If the last few themselves and floating a flower. They bring deep consolation. years have taught us anything, it is that knew what was manners in Church - the dividing line between Good and Evil they once saw grandma do it at Auntie False assumptions is not Us and Them, but the dark Julie's wedding. Given the proliferation While it is true that Australians are fracture in the human heart that we used of votive candles and the Julie Andrews prone to self- and to call original sin. Church-people, lay style compere, the assumption of materialism of an especially base kind, and clergy, can be as evil, indeed more ecclesiality was an easy mistake for the the idea that sport and shopping are the evil, than the apparently secular bloke less-than-heavy-kneeler to make. only religions of consequence reflects next door. On the issue of rite the traditional the theological presuppositions of If the Church is to have any chance of movement has much to offer - not just by commentators rather than reality. The passing on the faith to the next generation way of black brocade and Gregorian continuities between life and religion we cannot ignore the signs of real requiem masses, though the effectiveness defeat observers of the Australian soul goodness and openness to God that exist of these even on god-fearing pagans by generating the appearance of a around us. It is folly not to engage such should not be underrated. When the persistent unconcern about matters of sentiments, however attenuated, in the

The appearance of a persistent unconcern about matters of the spirit masks a culturally ingrained piety that is no less deeply felt for being almost universally undemonstrated grief has subsided, a widespread and interests of a saner and holier society. lively critique of the mannered, coercive the spirit. Though no mere patina, it Grace builds on nature. As those who and self-consciously populist schmaltz- masks a culturally ingrained piety that is have made the pilgrimage to Bendigo can fest that passes these days for a funeral no less deeply felt for being almost testify, there is still much genuine, if liturgy will be in order. After memorial universally undemonstrated except in bemused, recognition of the role of the services for half a dozen Bali-style the language of mateship and family. Church and religion. If, as is likely, the atrocities, singing "Imagine" on Bondi Our media-driven elite is content to terrorist crisis becomes a protracted, Beach and celebrating the deceased's far ignore any evidence that contradicts its generation-long conflict entailing many from unique propensity to get drunk and most sacred myth about the profanity of deaths, the role of the Church as a dance in bars will begin to lose its appeal Australian society. comforter in time of trial and an as a way of interpreting the world. It's not Unhappily this myth also suits the interpreter of life and death will be as hard to imagine the Dies Irae, or at least purposes of certain religious important as ever. Finlandia, enjoying top ten status. This imaginations. Real Christians are True - Contact: [email protected] leaves us with a plain duty to preserve Believers among unfortunately and make known the treasures of the

12 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens News Good news from Scotland

A new era, perhaps, for traditional Catholics in Scotland as an archbishop celebrates the classical Latin rite of Mass

The Church in Scotland has played true sense of awe and wonder which attached to the Latin liturgy," he said. down a supposed rift among Catholics is missing from my usual Sunday "In 1984 The Holy Father granted to over the celebration of the traditional sing along and none of the boys every bishop in the world the right to Latin Mass. On Sunday, September 22, wore trainers." Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow allow the celebration of the Mass, Fr Paul Francis, priest at St celebrated a Latin Mass in a city according to the 1962 Missal and this has Mungo's said: "I have to confess to feeling parish, just a few months after he was helped many people to deepen their about the English Mass as sometimes officially installed. spiritual lives. people feel about opera which has been Archbishop Conti was appointed to translated from Italian or German into "The occasional celebration of the Glasgow in January this year and took English. When you hear the English Mass in Latin simply provides for the possession of the diocese on February 22. version, it feels as though something is spiritual nourishment of those who appreciate the beauty of the Latin His predecessor, Cardinal Thomas missing somehow." language and Gregorian Chant. Winning, while giving permission for the However, there was concern that traditional Mass, refused to celebrate it Archbishop Conti's presence at the "Catholics in Scotland already have despite several requests. service could be seen by some as support access to a wide range of liturgies within Traditional Catholics are delighted at for Una Voce. the Roman Rite, from folk masses to Archbishop Conti's support and hailed it English-language choral singing. Critics on call as a major break-through in giving the "Both Archbishop O'Brien, the Latin Mass a higher priority after many Professor Patrick Reilly, a professor Archbishop of St Andrews and years in the cold. of Literature at Glasgow University and Edinburgh, and Archbishop Conti will Archbishop Conti officiated at the a well-known Catholic commentator, attend ceremonies in the coming months Mass in St Mungo's which is run by said: "The Second Vatican Council did a which show their pastoral concern for the Passionist order at the invitation of very healthy thing in stating that Mass those of their people who have a sincere Una Voce. could be held in the vernacular and I attachment to the Latin liturgical would be very worried if the Latin Mass Una Voce’s Scottish secretary said: "In tradition of the Church. This in no way became some kind of competitor to the signals a criticism of the vernacular the past, we have felt the bishops of English Mass." Scotland were not generous to us but the liturgy, which remains the bedrock of archbishop's decision to celebrate this Fr John Fitzsimmons, a former rector Catholic worship in our parishes." of the Scots College in Rome and widely Mass makes us very happy. We find the Archbishop Conti was born in regarded as a liberal, added: "The whole full Latin Rite more reverential, inspiring Scotland of Italian migrant parents, at idea of the Second Vatican Council was to and religious than the English Mass." Elgin, in 1934. He studied for the be more open in worship and this goes One person who attended the service, priesthood at the Scots College in Rome against that spirit. Latin is a dead, but asked not to be named, added: "For exclusive language and I would have and was ordained in 1958 for the Catholics used to Sunday Mass where the thought it was unwise for the archbishop diocese of Aberdeen. Archbishop Conti oh-so-friendly priest talks down to his to get involved in this." had celebrated Mass at various times congregation as if he were in a bingo hall both according to the traditional and two poor souls twang out some awful A spokesman for Archbishop Conti and the Sarum Use prior pop song on guitars, this celebration was dismissed talk of a rift. to his appointment to Glasgow. wonderful. "Pope John Paul II has asked the Archbishop Conti is a member of the "It was all about reverence and bishops of the world to be 'generous' in Pontifical Council for the Cultural mystique. The traditional Rite gives a providing for the spiritual needs of those Heritage of the Church.

Summer 2002 - 2003 13 Oriens Liturgical Prayer The fabric of Christian life

An exploration of the monastic cycle of prayer by Brother Alcuin Reid OSB*

Spending some time in a monastery need. And day by day, attending of the Mass is the apotheosis of liturgical can be quite an unusual, if not a very the temple together and breaking prayer, and remember that the frustrating experience, for it can seem sacraments are themselves all celebrated bread in their homes, they partook that as soon as one is immersed in some in liturgical rites, then this fact seems study or other work, or has become of food with glad and generous obvious enough. But it is not. It’s possible engrossed in a book, or is enjoying an hearts, praising God and having never to miss Mass on Sundays, or even important conversation, another bell favour with all the people. And the to assist at it daily, and to have frequent rings, and all must be put aside in order Lord added to their number day recourse to the other sacraments, whilst to attend the next liturgical Office. maintaining habits of prayer that have by day those who were being Surely there is a better way of little if anything to do with the Liturgy. organising the monastic day, which saved. (Acts 2:42-47) We can be very busy about spiritual interrupts less? matters, and fulfil the precepts of the A liturgical faith Church faithfully, whilst missing out on No doubt there is. Indeed, some There are two observations to be the very spiritual nourishment that the monastic or semi-monastic communities made here. The first is that the elements Church intends us to receive. do just that, and schedule times of prayer of this primitive ordering of Christian life at either end of the day so that they are What, then, is the problem? What are the basic tenets of monastic life to this free to pursue a particular apostolate dichotomy exists between the liturgical day. In saying this, one does not seek to without such interruptions. But that is prayer of the Church’s Tradition and the devalue other ways of living the Christian not our way. The bell, the voice of God spiritual practices of so many? To answer life and its rich plurality of particular this question we must first explore in calling us to prayer, together, using the vocations. Rather, one is simply noting more detail what liturgical prayer in fact postures, texts, sounds and other symbols that in monasticism one meets something that the Church’s liturgical Tradition has of the simplicity of the Apostolic Church. is. Then we must consider some history, entrusted to us, punctuates – no, ancient and modern. permeates – our day. Why? The second observation, more specifically related to our topic, and Firstly, quite simply liturgical prayer is The history of the infant Church that which begins to answer our question, is praying the Liturgy. That might sound a is the Acts of the Apostles affords a part of that in this apostolic order of Christian little too obvious, particularly in an age the answer. There we read that following life, Christians – all Christians and not where vernacular tongues wag the Church’s rapid expansion at one particular class or group of them – incessantly in most Catholic churches, Pentecost the first Christians: devoted themselves "to the breaking of supposedly rendering all liturgical rites rather straightforwardly intelligible (and, Devoted themselves to the bread and the prayers ... day by day, attending the temple together and purportedly, therefore more open to apostles’ teaching and fellowship, breaking bread in their homes." participation). But no so! How many to the breaking of bread and the people attend with mind and heart to, let This is the reason for the punctuation prayers. And fear came upon every alone are nourished by, the rites and texts, of the monastic day with specific times of the sights and sounds of the liturgical soul; and many wonders and signs set, liturgical prayer (that official, celebrations at which they are present? were done through the apostles. communal prayer handed on from the Admittedly some certainly do. But many Apostolic age and developed in And all who believed were - too many – people are oblivious to the Tradition). Liturgical prayer is of the very together and had all things in riches set before them in the Liturgy. fabric of Christian life. You can’t embrace Distraction, boredom, anger at liturgical common; and they sold their Christianity fully without embracing abuses, or even otherwise praiseworthy liturgical prayer. possessions and goods and acts of piety, can all prevent us from distributed them to all, as any had If we consider that the Holy Sacrifice praying the Liturgy.

14 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens Liturgical Prayer

Sign of Incarnation according to its seasons and its feasts. It the particular circumstances in which means fasting and feasting at the they find themselves. We would be Secondly, we must be clear that appropriate times of the liturgical year. rightly peeved if our dentist or surgeon liturgical prayer is prayer of the mind and Lent should be difficult. Easter should be or taxi driver abandoned us at the sound of the heart, it is prayer of of a bell in order to pray the soul and of the body, for without regard to the Christianity is an implications of so doing. incarnational faith, not a Yet, even here, devout cerebral, spiritualist Islamic lay people put us to religion. Hence the Liturgy shame in their observance uses bread, wine, water, oil, of their traditional times of wax, palms, ashes, incense, prayer amidst the demands gilt vessels, fine cloth and of modern life. And if we embroidery, prose, poetry do not have a habit of and beautiful music, praying at these times, uplifting architecture, frankly, we should. indeed all manner of man’s noble crafts, to express our One problem with love and worship for God, liturgical prayer – to and to sustain our fleshly consider an aspect of selves in that attitude of modern history first – is love and worship for God that if one attempted to that is itself the Christian nourish oneself on the rites life. To pray the Liturgy we and texts, the sights and must allow these earthly sounds of many things to carry us contemporary liturgical heavenward, and not be celebrations one would hesitant to accept that the suffer spiritual food- inspiration, the poisoning! Father Average exhilaration, the delight, is not likely to offer a rich and the whole range of liturgical fare. Indeed, other thoughts and what he offers may be emotions that arise within thoroughly off. In this day us when we glimpse the and age, it is sadly true that Beauty and Transcendence the baptismal right of the of Almighty God in faithful to the Catholic Liturgy celebrated faithfully is liturgical celebrations is, in fact, nothing sublime. Pentecost, and Christmas frequently denied. less than prayer. should be prepared for spiritually and Of course, it’s rather difficult to pray celebrated thoroughly. The bane of necessity ... thus when Father Average hurries Allowing the Liturgy to inform one’s Part of the reason for this (leaving through Mass in his new ‘worship Christian life also means following the centre,’ wearing a mini-alb and aside the enormous questions that can Liturgical times of prayer each day, which be raised over the production and coloured scarf, whilst looking at his our bell so faithfully announces: watch in disdain at the length of the translation of the new liturgical books morning, noon, evening and night. Now following the Second Vatican (trite) songs (badly) sung by the guitar- that is not to say that every Christian strumming group who have sung Council), is the cancer of liturgical ought drop the God-given obligations of minimalism. In how many churches is incessantly in the parish since 1976. But their particular state of life or of their that is another problem! the Liturgy celebrated as fully and as vocation, or even the responsibilities of beautifully as possible, at least on Liturgical prayer is also allowing the their employment, at certain times of the Sundays and Solemnities? The Liturgy to inform (direct) one’s Christian day regardless of the gravity pertaining to answer, in contemporary Western life. This means living and praying those obligations and responsibilities in Catholicism, is: pitifully few. (An error

Summer 2002 - 2003 15 Oriens Liturgical Prayer the Eastern Churches have almost glance at the sublime texts of the Mass of meet when we glimpse the Beauty and completely avoided.) Pentecost would demonstrate). Transcendence of Almighty God in the Sacred Liturgy, is in fact prayer. Mere This minimalism is, perhaps, partly At this point it is appropriate to make words ought to fall away – as they do due to history. Recusant English some principles clear with regard to the between those in love. This, of course, is Catholics and persecuted Irish relationship between the Liturgy and the what we mean by contemplation, and the Catholics had little chance to celebrate various devotional practices found in the Liturgy is essentially and primarily a the Liturgy as fully and as beautifully as Church. The first principle is that the loving contemplation of what Almighty possible – ever. And the possibility of Liturgy has absolute priority over God has done and continues to do for us. the public celebration of the other devotions. Hence, it is an inversion of the liturgical Offices was negligible. Such proper order of things to be disregarding Spring of contemplation vicissitudes of persecution and the the rites and texts of the celebration of the contingencies of missionary life in new Mass because I’ve got some other prayers And so, if the Liturgy is to inform my lands underlined the popular doctrinal to say or to finish. Don’t misunderstand private prayers, I ought have the means definition that "it’s the Mass that me: other prayers are fine, but they are for it to do so. Practically speaking, a matters," where by "the Mass" is meant missal or an office book is very useful low Mass muttered quickly. here to preview, follow or revisit the treasury of Tradition that is the texts of All perfectly understandable, valid, the Liturgy. The Liturgy is, however, an and indeed heroic and saintly and held to extremely rich treasury, and we ought not the point of martyrdom at times. But make the mistake of trying to take in too necessity ought not determine the norm, much too quickly. But quietly going over and until the norm that the Liturgy as one or other of the readings from Sacred handed on to us in Tradition (and here I Scripture, or one of the different liturgical am by no means excluding its prayers, before and/or after Mass, and appropriate, organic, development), is to throughout the day, will yield a rich be celebrated as fully and as beautifully as spiritual harvest. The Mass collect (or possible is accepted and implemented by opening prayer) is often a rich distillation laity and by clergy alike, this problem will of the meaning of a feast or of a day in a remain. Such a change of attitude and of particular liturgical season. Pondering a expectation, such a raising of standards, is psalm, an antiphon or other text from the fundamental. We may feel ourselves quite Office that seems to have a particular powerless to effect such a change, but this impact upon me, will prove similarly ought not diminish our expectation, for profitable. Doing this quietly is God’s Providence has its ways which important, because busying oneself with often we cannot see. studying such texts risks stifling the activity of the Holy Spirit within us, as … and of devotionalism not the prayer of the Church. I am not does getting on with other, unrelated Another problem is that, historically, obliged under pain of mortal sin to say prayers that I feel I ought to be saying. liturgical prayer became smothered by certain prayers, but I am thus obliged to The Holy Spirit needs to be allowed the other types of prayer, good in themselves, be present at Sunday Mass, as religious space in which to penetrate our minds but intrinsically private and subjective (as and clergy are bound to celebrate the and hearts. Creating this space might opposed to the communal and objective Divine Office. well mean leaving some prayers to which we have become accustomed unsaid. We nature of the Liturgy), and frequently The second principle is that the ought not to scruple at this. Private, unrelated to the Liturgy being celebrated. Liturgy should inform my private prayer. devotional prayers, howsoever good, are Hence one could have the non-sense of Here, I should like to suggest that we extras. If there is room for favourite someone devoutly following the Stations depart from the concept of prayer as prayers or devotions, that is good. If there of the Cross in their prayer book whilst saying words or reciting texts and revisit is not, then our priority is to the Church’s the Mass of Pentecost was being what I said above: the inspiration, the prayer – the Sacred Liturgy. celebrated. The pious person could be exhilaration, the delight and the whole doing much worse, certainly, but they range of thoughts and emotions that we In those extraordinary times could also be doing much better (as a following the Second Vatican Council

16 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens Liturgical Prayer some priests afforded their congregations the disgraceful spectacle of denouncing the Rosary and other Latin isn’t dead, it's English private devotions from the pulpit, insisting that the people must henceforth "participate" in the Liturgy. By Ann Widdecombe Their zeal was indeed scandalous and intemperate. Yet, at the time, there was Last night I dreamt of the third person singular pluperfect subjunctive. a need – which exists still – to remind How beautiful that symbol of order and precision appeared, crafted in white people that it is the Liturgy which is the chalk. Me Miseram! I woke up to a world in which linguistic anarchy prevails, prayer of the Church – indeed as the where children are no longer taught the function of a verb, much less its precise title of our recently published book† formation and where bright, enthusiastic graduates produce a jumble of words, states, the Liturgy is the life of the randomly punctuated, and call it a letter. Church – and that it is to the Sacred Liturgy that we must turn and return The rot set in when schools set our teeth on edge: split infinitives, for sound spiritual sustenance. abandoned Latin. Pitifully few schools perhaps, or the appearance of "only" The bell tolls now offer full Classics and even those too early in a sentence. My own pet which do teach Latin rarely make it hate is the mixing of singulars and To recall to our bell, and its compulsory. Latin, being incapable of plurals. "interruption" of our various daily modernisation, is deemed to have no pursuits: its sound is not an The generations which learnt Latin relevance; it is the nasty language "interruption," but a call. It is a call to could not make that mistake. In which appeals only to those over the observe the proper order inherent in the exercise after exercise we applied the age of 50. life of the Christian. It is a call to rule that an adjective agrees with its punctuate each day with the The loss caused by such faulty noun in number, gender and case and contemplation of the mysteries of our reasoning is immense. It might have that the same rule applies to pronouns Salvation in Christ, by praise and been limited had the education system and possessives. Grammar must now supplication for ourselves, for the retained some respect for the yield to laziness and political Church, and for the world, howsoever construction of English grammar, but correctness. It is too much effort to brief. If we can respond to the bell by being present at Mass or one of the other once the value of studying a complex write "his-her" benefit and politically liturgical Offices, we can do no better. But but unchanging language had been incorrect to write "his benefit". If you if that is not possible, the bell ought at denied it was inevitable that the same were to advise the modern generation least to remind us to lift up our minds and philosophy would be applied to living that masculine takes precedence over hearts to God and at least to renew our languages as well. feminine in such grammatical consciousness of these mysteries (which quandaries, you would probably be Linguistic discipline has been is, of course, the very purpose and origin sued for hurt feelings. sacrificed on the altar of "free of such excellent but nevertheless substitute prayers as the Rosary and the expression", which is too often a "Why is it separate but desperate?" Angelus). Only with such regular and euphemism for chaos. It is I was asked recently by a very clever regulated spiritual sustenance, can a inconceivable that a mathematics student temporarily working in my healthy Christian life be lived fully, and teacher would invite his pupils to make office. enjoyed, according to our different up their own rules. Mathematical "Oh, obviously the one comes from vocations and states in life. prowess depends on absorbing a set of the Latin paro and the other from *Brother Alcuin Reid is a member of the basic rules and then experimenting, spero." I looked at his blank expression Community of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Michael, and so does literacy. Farnborough, England, and holds a Doctorate in and murmured "nil desperandum". Philosophy from the . For those of us who were blessed We have managed to deprive † Lambert Beaudin OSB, "Liturgy the Life of the with an education in formal grammar several generations of basic knowledge Church," St Michael’s Abbey Press, Farnborough, 2002 there will always be some errors which of the construction of their language, continued page 19

Summer 2002 - 2003 17 Oriens Books A tale of two documents

Religion, holiness, devotion A Pope and a Council on the Sacred Liturgy, St Michael’s Abbey Press, Farnborough, 2002; pp. 160; £10.95 In his discussion of Mediator Dei, Nichols suggests that Pius XII was Reviewed by Dr Tracey Rowland attempting to correct an emerging hyper- liturgist position, which emphasised the priority of the liturgy in all of its This work is the latest in a number of time. Here Nichols makes reference to objectivity over devotions with their of publications from St. Michael’s the prayer of the martyrs beneath the possible subjectivism. This hyper- Abbey Press on the theme of liturgy. It heavenly altar in the Johannine liturgist position is popularly associated takes the form of a re-publication of the Apocalypse. The martyrs pray for the end with the Benedictine school of Maria two most significant magisterial of time – for the eschatological morning. Laach and the theology of Dom Odo liturgical documents of the twentieth Casel. However Nichols does not read In contrast to much of the popular century – Pope Pius XII’s Mediator Dei Mediator Dei as a document presenting literature which promotes what Nichols and the Second Vatican Council’s an opposite view from that of Casel. calls a “sub-theological” ideology, both of - with a Rather he argues that Casel was also the documents treat liturgy from a comparative study entitled "A Tale of seeking to correct another extreme, that of soteriological perspective, that is, from a Two Documents" by Fr. Aidan Nichols. the Romantic concept of devotion as a consideration of the role of liturgy in the purely interior state of individual As a general comment Nichols economy of salvation. Examples of consciousness; and thus, that Pius XII suggests that of the two documents, the common sub-theological ideologies should not be read as doing anything primacy belongs to Mediator Dei, not only include the idea of liturgy as the other than presenting a theology which chronologically, but also in terms of affirmation of the group identity of the avoids the extremes on both sides. theological substance. Nonetheless, assembly, the gender or ethnic identity of Nichols puts it in terms of "closing the Nichols also suggests that the difference the assembly, or the recognition in crack" which had opened between the between the two documents is not the symbolic play of the presence of the celebration of the rites on the one hand, difference between Louis XIV and divine in secular life and reality. While and the ascetical and mystical tradition Robespierre, and indeed, that in one these may be secondary effects of the of personal prayer in the Church, on major respect Sacrosanctum Concilium liturgy they are not its primary purpose. the other. enjoys an advantage over the Although Nichols does not give specific In Mediator Dei Pius XII took St. understanding of worship which is examples of such sub-theological Thomas’s teaching on the virtue of presented in Mediator Dei. This is found ideologies in operation, the proliferation religion and linked it to the idea of in Sacrosanctum Concilium’s more of Sundays tied to events outside of the holiness and the idea of devotion. pronounced orientation towards the liturgical calandar would seem to be Worship is something which we owe to eschaton, the Lord’s Parousia, at the end expressive of these ideologies. God and therefore is a part of the virtue

aint Michael’s Abbey Press SAINTS MICHAEL’S ABBEY • FARNBOROUGH • HAMPSHIRE • GU14 7NQ • ENGLAND Telephone +44 (0) 1252 546105 • Facsimile +44 (0) 1252 372822 • [email protected]

18 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens Books of religion, while holiness connotes a This is a long way from the popular idea Continued from page 17 wider range of actions relevant to other of jumping up and down and making lots virtues, all of which have the effect of of verbal responses. which, in common with many disposing us to better worship of God. others, finds its roots in Latin. A A second problem with the In turn, devotion is a willing promptness student who has never had to interpretation of Sacrosanctum Concilium to do everything that God’s service master Latin stems and endings is that while it defended “sound requires and, according to St. Thomas, will not understand the origins of tradition”, it envisaged a retrenchment of is caused by contemplation of and the words he uses every day. A the Roman rite to what was “in vigour at meditation on the divine goodness and student who has never been obliged the time of the holy fathers”. This last mercy to which we are, in turn, moved, to parse a piece of Ciceronian prose clause left much to the interpretative principally by prayerful consideration of will be less likely to understand that discretion of the post-Conciliar liturgical the passion of Christ. long sentences must be constructed committees. Here Nichols suggests that In this analysis, good liturgy requires the post-Vatican II stripping away of according to a set of rules that all three elements – the virtue of religion, various ceremonies and the more makes it possible for another to holiness and devotion. Any sound devotional non-Roman prayers as follow their meaning. theology of the liturgy thus needs to set unnecessary post-patristic accretions I once asked a secondary school these elements in an harmonious undermined the capacity of the reformed teacher of French and German how relationship. At different times in the Roman liturgy to sustain that devotional she managed to teach the grammar Church’s history different elements may atmosphere which was needed if the right of foreign languages when verbs, be more of less exaggerated or absent. dispositions of soul were to be sustained. subjects, objects, prepositions, Indeed, Nichols observes that such With reference to the link between clauses of purpose or result and the drastic pruning was exactly what Pius devotion and meditation on the divine conditional tense were themselves XII in Mediator Dei was warning against goodness and mercy and the passion of foreign concepts to her pupils. "Oh, when he wrote that while to “go back in Christ, Nichols observes that the we don't bother," was the airy reply. mind and heart to the sources of the spiritualities in the Church may be Delenda est such damned stupidity. Sacred Liturgy is wise and praiseworthy presented as inter-relating two different ... the desire to restore everything This is not an appeal for types of pathos: Christian joy and indiscriminately to its ancient condition is pedantry. Languages change, usage Christian sorrow. Again there is the issue neither”. changes and words evolve. I am of harmony with problems arising when quite happy with that, as I am to one or other type of pathos is emphasised Finally, Nichols makes the point that acknowledge that many to an extreme degree. the post-Vatican II liturgical commission grammatical rules are looked to liturgical reform as a means to challengeable. This is, however, an A right disposition create a better instructed laity. This in end to ignorance and literary In the context of his discussion of itself was not an ignoble objective. anarchy. We encourage children to Sacrosanctum Concilium, Nichols makes However it was confusing education with explore the world about them, to reference to the contentious phrase – worship. While worship will be understand nature, the planets, actuosa participatio – active or engaged educational, this is not its purpose. chemistry, engineering. We teach participation. This phrase has been Thus the moral of this Tale of Two them how steam engines used to popularly construed to mean that the Documents is that it is absolutely crucial work at the same time as we teach faithful should be constantly talking and to have a correct theology of the liturgy them the new technology. Why do moving throughout the rite. Here and to distinguish liturgical theology we deny them the same knowledge Nichols suggests a construction which from sub-theological ideology. The when it comes to language? takes the approach of reading the phrase moment one begins to think of using the in the light of the theology of Mediator liturgy for some purpose other than Are we afraid Latin is too Dei. This way ‘active participation’ may worship, one is venturing into difficult? Nil mortalibus ardui est. be construed as ‘having the right dangerous waters. - The Times dispositions of the soul’, that is, the virtue of religion, holiness and true devotion.

Summer 2002 - 2003 19 Oriens Books The revolutionary conservatives

"Peter has no need of our lies or flattery. Those who blindly and indiscriminately defend every decision of the supreme Pontiff are the very ones who do most to undermine the authority of the Holy See – they destroy instead of strengthening its foundations." – Melchior Cano, Theologian of the . many historical precedents. Among the The Great Façade; by Christopher A. Ferrara & Thomas more famous are: St. Paul’s rebuke of St E. Woods, Jr.; Remnant Press 2002, Minesota; 423 pp., Peter at Antioch ("I resisted him to the face"), and the opposition of faithful and $US21.95 (plus postage).* clergy to Pope John XXII’s personal meditation on the Particular Judgement Reviewed by Stephen McInerney (later condemned by the Church). The most famous example, of course, is the Those familiar with Evelyn the Catholic faithful have always had not opposition of a few faithful and a few Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, or the only a right but also a duty to resist the bishops (chief among them St. BBC series of the same name, will Pope in such circumstances. That Athanasius, who was "excommunicated" recall the hilarious scene when Rex harmful practical decisions of the Pope by Pope Liberius for his trouble) during Mottram, keen to please his Catholic can be resisted is a view supported by the Arian crisis of the fourth century. fiancé but with no "intellectual , the man Pius In more recent times, there is the case curiosity or natural piety" of his own, XII described as a twentieth century of Cardinal Ottaviani’s intervention receives instruction from Father Doctor of the Church. While Hildebrand which led Paul VI to revise his Mowbray of Farm Street. At one point said that it was a special cross for loyal problematic introduction to the New Father Mowbray tries to lead Rex to Catholics to have to resist the Pope, he Missal. Closely related to this was the the realisation that the Protestant maintained that resistance of Archbishop Lefebvre and view of the Catholic doctrine of Papal [a loyalty by which] practical Bishop Castro de Meyer to the liturgical Infallibility is a caricature, and that decisions of the Pope are accepted and ecclesial innovations of the Council in fact the infallibility of the Pope is in the same way as ex cathedra and Popes Paul VI and John Paul II. very limited: definitions or dealing The Great Façade is a masterful expose "Supposing the Pope looked with questions of faith or morals ... of the worst crisis in the Church since the up and saw a cloud and said 'It's is really false and unfounded. It fourth century, as well as being a defence going to rain', would that be places insoluble problems before of traditional Catholicism against what bound to happen?" "Oh, yes, the faithful in regard to the history the authors describe as "neo- father." "But supposing it didn't?" of the Church. In the end this false Catholicism". Their claim is that the so- [Rex] thought a moment and said, loyalty can only endanger the true called "conservative" Catholics have been "I suppose it would be sort of Catholic faith. responsible for facilitating the crisis by raining spiritually, only we were The Great Façade contrasts those their acceptance and their defence of the too sinful to see it ..." who maintain that "Vatican II and the novelties heaped upon the Church by the In The Great Façade: Vatican II and the reforms it engendered [can] not be authorities – particularly the neologisms Regime of Novelty in the criticised" with those who perceive "a "ecumenism" and "dialogue", and the new liturgy. Church, Christopher A. Ferrara and duty, for the good of the Church, to Thomas E. Woods, Jr. illustrate that at express loyal opposition to the conciliar But who are these "neo- Catholics" various times Popes have made pastoral and postconciliar novelties, especially the and who are these "traditionalists"? The decisions, including ambiguous doctrinal liturgical reforms imposed by Paul VI." authors are careful to define their terms. and political postures, which have had The authors document that such According to The Great Facade, the neo- dire consequences for the Faith. Further, movements of legitimate opposition have Catholic is one who:

20 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens Books

recognises no real qualitative binding dogmatic definition. Everyone dilemmas. The authors recount that after distinction between the Pope’s therefore has the right to examine the Second Council of Constantinople doctrinal teaching and his what he feels able to accept." confusion reigned in the Church because the Council alienated and demoralised legislation, commands, The Great Façade is not without its many faithful Catholics as a result of its administration or public shortcomings. In addition to the fact that compromising statements intended to ecclesiastical policy... In essence, the categories are too neat, the authors placate the Monophysites. The council whatever the Pope says or does in give the impression that the neo was legitimately convoked, just as Vatican the exercise of his office is ipso Catholics are a phenomenon of the Post- II was, but Pope St. Gregory and his facto "traditional" and Conciliar period without any precedent. successors "simply ignored it" whenever incontestable by the Pope’s This is clearly short sighted. While the possible, and "[according to Judith subjects... Under this principle, of novelties embraced by neo-Catholics are Herrin] consigned its decisions to course, tradition is robbed of all unprecedented in the Church, the oblivion." In dealing with those troubled objective content, becoming attitude that encourages them to be by the Council, and those who had been essentially whatever the Pope says embraced has been with us for centuries, seemingly separated from Rome as a it is. a fact well documented in Geoffrey result, Pope St. Gregory did not require Hull’s The Banished Heart. The attitude The authors successfully demonstrate as a condition of regularisation that they is ultra-Montanism. This is not to suggest "from the teaching of Church fathers and accept any of the decisions of the Council, that the doctrine of Papal Infallibility doctors [that] this attitude of blind which he knew had complicated rather defined at Vatican I is not binding. On the obedience to every single act of than clarified the unambiguous decisions contrary, the traditional teaching – which ecclesiastical authority without exception of Chalcedon. Is there not in this example highlights the limits of Papal infallibility, is not Catholic." a lesson for our own time? as Newman pointed out -- triumphed A traditionalist, on the other hand, over the ultra-Montanists. The Great Façade is a must read for is one who defends the important link all faithful Catholics. It is a source of Just as Cardinal Manning questioned between the deposit of faith and the courage to stand up for the truth – the fidelity of Newman, so do neo accidents in which it has been even when this means resisting Papal- Catholics question the loyalty of those of historically enshrined and transmitted, sanctioned innovations in the practice us who refuse to accept every practical chief among these are the traditional of the faith. It liberates one from the decision of the Holy Father. What The

Treating the practical decisions of the Pope as if they were definitions of faith places insoluble problems before the faithful in regard to the history of the Church rites of the Church. These can not be delusion of Papal inerrancy and Great Façade succeeds in demonstrating is drastically altered – and certainly not encourages one to feel free in being that neo Catholics are unable to point to drawn up by a committee - without Catholic again, to love our traditions, any teaching requiring assent that the devastating results. A traditionalist to love our saints and the faith – and traditionalists reject. Neither ecumenism also maintains that "no Catholic is the liturgy – that inspired them. At the and dialogue, nor the liturgical obliged to embrace a single one of the same time, in a beautiful peroration, innovations, amount to dogmatic novelties imposed upon the Church the authors turn with filial devotion to definitions, and as such may be rejected over the past thirty-five years". This the Holy Father, begging him to hear in good conscience by a Catholic. view has been confirmed by Father the cries from the wilderness of Pierre Blet, S.J, Professor of Church Perhaps the most important traditionalists. This is a well- History at the Gregorian University, contribution made by The Great Façade is researched work, at times amusing, who claimed recently that "the that it provides a number of historical often heartbreaking – and always Council had not promulgated any examples which parallel our own brutally honest.

Summer 2002 - 2003 21 Oriens Directory Traditional Masses in Australia VICTORIA WESTERN AUSTRALIA Wagga Wagga ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH St Michael’s Cathedral Cnr Stuart & Church Sts Contact: Perth/WA Masses, Sunday, 12.15 pm FSSP Melbourne Chaplain Fr Glen Tattersall contact: Rev. Michael Rowe Ph: 03 9583 9926 Ph/Fax: 08 9444 9604 SOUTH AUSTRALIA Fax: 03 9583 7981 Palmyra ARCHDIOCESE OF ADELAIDE e-mail: [email protected] Our Lafy of Fatima Church Website: http://fssp.net/melbourne.html St Peters 10 Foss Street Contact: Rev Fr G Small East Kew Sundays, 12.00 pm Ph: 08 8362 1644 St Anne's Church Perth Holy Name Church Cnr Beresford & Windella Sts St John's Pro - Cathedral Payneham Rd, St Peters Sunday, 8.30 am Victoria Avenue Sunday 9.30am Black Rock Sundays , 7.30 am & 9.15 am North Adelaide St Joseph's Church Contact: Fr E Chifley O.P. Balcombe Rd NEW SOUTH WALES Ph: 0412 212 367 Sunday, 10.30 am ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY St Lawrence’s Priory Glenhuntly Darlington Cnr Buxton & Hill Sts St Anthony’s Church Chapel of the Resurrection Sunday 6.00am St Michael's College, City Rd Cnr Neerim & Grange Rds A.C.T. Sunday, 6.30pm Sunday, 10 .00am Oak Park Lewisham ARCHDIOCESE OF CANBERRA St Francis de Sales Church, Contact: Fr L Gresser Dickson 626 Pascoe Vale Rd, Ph: 02 9688 4287 St Brigid's Church, Bancroft St Sunday 5.00 pm Fax: 02 9896 6284 Sunday, 11.30 am e-mail: [email protected] Hastings Website: http://www.maternalheart.com/ QUEENSLAND St Mary's Church, Chapel of the Maternal Heart ARCHDIOCESE OF BRISBANE Coolstore Rd, Cnr West & Thomas Sts Contact: Fr G Jordan, S.J. 1st & 3rd Sundays 8.15am Sunday, 10.00 am Ph: 07 3878 0638 Geelong DIOCESE OF PARRAMATTA St John's Church, Buranda Doonside St David Street, St Luke's, St John Vianney North Geelong Taylor Street, Buranda Cameron St Vigil (Sat. evening) 7.00pm Sunday, 9.15 am Sunday, 11.00am IOCESE OF ANDHURST DIOCESE OF TOOWOOMBA D S Girraween Toowoomba Bendigo Ph: 02 9688 4287 Holy Name Church St Francis Xavier Church Website: http://fssp.net/sydney.html/ 190 Bridge St Strickland Rd Regional House of 2nd Sunday, 11.30 am Sundays & Holy Days, 9.30am Fraternity of St Peter 33 Heather St, Girraween DIOCESE OF BALLARAT DIOCESE OF Sunday, 8.00am Nth Rockhampton Skipton Lawson St Mary's Church St John's Church Our Lady of the Nativity Nobbs St Cnr Anderson & Wright Sts 254 Great Western Highway 2nd Sunday, 7.30 am 3rd Sunday, 5.00 pm Sunday, 5.00pm DIOCESE OF CAIRNS TASMANIA DIOCESE OF WAGGA WAGGA Cairns ARCHDIOCESE OF HOBART Contact: Diocesan Office Contact: Mr Bob Stewart Lower Sandy Bay Ph: 02 6921 5667 Ph: 07 4095 8066 Presbytery: 03 6225 2157 Our Lady, Help of Christians St Candice Albury 18 Balaclava Rd 15 St Candice Ave, Lwr Sandy Bay Holy Spirit Church Second Friday, 7.00pm Ist Sunday, 11.30am. Lavington Sunday, 3.00 pm

22 Summer 2002 - 2003 Oriens People

But we got over them, often by instruments. Two recent ones have been sharing positions. Like me, for flute and harp. Latin lives in instance. I share the concertmaster's Warwick's working week constantly job with Alan Smith and we don't have varies. Sometimes he is involved in any animosities. evening orchestral or chamber concerts, SA Parliament "It was difficult at first, but slowly or with the opera or ballet orchestras, THE Latin language may be things have sorted themselves out and other times its daytime concerts with the legitimately spoken in every Parliament in next year I think the orchestra should big orchestra or the chamber orchestra, or the world that bases its procedures on the become a real force in music. taking part in the schools program. Westminster model thanks to an unusual precedent set in South Australia recently. "I'm looking forward to the new Relaxation in the Adeney household The acting Chairman of Committees season." tends to be listening to Haydn's music on of the South Australian Parliament, the CD and taking family outings to parks Warwick is a parishioner at St Luke's, Hon Jack Snelling (Labor MHA for and gardens. Buranda and, with his wife and children, Playford) ruled that a fellow MP could is a regular Mass goer. He is an "A day out at Mt Coot-tha would be read a speech in Latin in the chamber. enthusiastic follower of the Latin Mass, typical," he said. In one sense it was a hollow victory celebrated by Jesuit Father Greg Jordan. Outside of music, faith and family because the matter had only arisen during a debate in which the Parliament there is little time for hobbies - and even "I love it," Warwick said. "Maybe it's was successfully extinguishing the use my love of the classical period, I'm not those are musically inclined. Both play of Latin in the statute books by sure, but I do find the Latin Mass so occasionally in string quartets and changing the Queen's Regnal Date from much more musical and satisfying. I Michele still sings at weddings. Latin to English. enjoy the chant." "There's no formal structure to the Previously in South Australia every Warwick is passing on his love of the quartets," said Warwick. "Sometimes Attorney-General had maintained the age- classical language to his children. All of friends or organisations ask us to do a gig, old practise of keeping Regnal Dates in the statute books in Latin. Following a recent them are learning Latin as part of their often for charity and if it's possible we do." change in government, progressive Liberal home schooling program. A recent "love gig", as Warwick Party politicians and others joined forces to And all five children are being describes them, was a concert at St John's express their disappointment at the lack of taught primary school level by Warwick Anglican Cathedral in support of the “progressiveness” of the new Attorney- and his wife. Mater Hospital. General, the Hon Michael Atkinson, who was also happy to maintain the status quo. "Michele was big in the humanities He loves his orchestral work, but particularly enjoys his chamber music, The anti-Latin MPs had the numbers and I know the sciences, so we thought to move to modernise the statute books, and with his love of the baroque periods, we would be able to give them what we and the vandals had their way making the considered a good education at home. has an interest in historic instruments. Statutes Revision Bill law. However, Mr Atkinson, through Mr Snelling's good "They are usually taught regular His own violin was made in Italy in the 18th century. judgment and forbearance as chairman school hours. Michele does the main had one final symbolic victory in being work, but I am involved whenever I am "When I explain its age to the kids at permitted to make his concession speech home. Usually we take the phone off the school, I tell them it was made before in Latin. hook until the afternoon when the work Captain Cook discovered Australia. That “Normally the Standing Orders of is finished. seems to give them some sort of the Parliament forbid any other When the time for high school perspective," he said. language other than English,” Mr approaches the pair will take stock and As for the future? Warwick just wants Snelling, said afterwards. consider their options. At the moment to carry on the way he is, happy with his “Latin is the language of the law and it Warwick concedes that high school at family, serving God in the best way he would have seemed churlish to forbid home may not be feasible. can and continuing with the best job in speaking Latin in the chamber. The children learn piano and a string the world - music. “People were arguing that Latin is instrument, but sometimes there is an – Republished with permission from dead, that no one understands it, but I think this attitude is cultural vandalism.” expression of interest in other "The Catholic Leader".

Summer 2002 - 2003 23 Oriens People Music, family, faith and tradition

By ERIC SCOTT

Co-concertmaster and lead violin academic prizes. He also travelled few phrases and play for short spells." with the Queensland Orchestra, throughout Australia and Asia with the His other way of raising money was Queensland and Australian youth Warwick Adeney, is a joyous Christian more in keeping with his classical orchestras. who is devoted to music and his training - he played in a string quartet at Catholic faith. When he left the conservatorium he weddings. took with him the Gold Medal for "I was brought up and married in the He joined the Queensland Excellence. He excelled in the sciences as Anglican Church," he said. "Then I had a Philharmonic Orchestra in 1985, and in well as music. spell as a Pentecostal, but later in adult 1989 was elevated to concertmaster. life seemed to slip naturally into Highlights of those times were Catholicism." performances in works by Bach, Mozart Warwick, who was born in 1963 and and Vivaldi - and in 1992 a critically is married to viola player Michele, was acclaimed performance in Vaughan brought up in a boisterous, musical Williams' The Lark Ascending with Sir family of six. At one stage there were Neville Mariner conducting. three family members in the Queensland His love of and enthusiasm for Philharmonic Orchestra - father Roland baroque music led to him taking up the was associate concertmaster, while baton himself for several concerts. Warwick, later to follow in his father's footsteps as concertmaster of the In 1995 he was awarded a Churchill Philharmonic, and sister Juliet played in Fellowship which meant three months the string section. studying orchestras in Britain and Europe. Now Warwick has five children of his own. Despite the honour and the great opportunity, Warwick refused to take the Are they all musical? trip unless he could take his wife and his "Well they will be," he said. "They are then two children, Luke who was three and Esther who was just one year old. being actively encouraged to play Wawick Adeney instruments." So, the family went with him and If they are anything like their father Not that his school days were all study lived on a shoestring for three months though, the children, Luke, Esther, and serious application. wandering through Britain, and Eleanor, Peter and Edwyn, will live a life During those days it was quite continental Europe. dominated and dedicated to music and common for him to be seen busking in After that hectic spell it was back to work in a job they love going to every day. Brisbane's Queen St Mall stomping his warmer climes and to the Philharmonic. feet to the lagerphone and playing Warwick has been playing the violin When the Queensland Symphony bluegrass music with fellow musicians. since he was six and was educated in and Philharmonic orchestras merged Brisbane, eventually winning a place at "Not that I was really into that type of last year it was a time of turmoil for the the Queensland Conservatorium of music," he said. "But it was a handy way musicians, with many positions Music. to raise pocket money. My big brother doubled up. Geoff was the influence. He was really He was a distinguished scholar, "It wasn't easy," said Warwick, "and good at it and ran a bluegrass band. All I winning awards for his solo playing and there were conflicts going on, did was pick up a couple of tunes and a with chamber orchestras as well as professional jealousies, that sort of thing. continued page 23 24 Summer 2002 - 2003