LITURGY NEWS L ETTER Vol. 8 No. 4 September 2008 A Quarterly Newsletter prepared by the Liturgy Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales ynods are constitu- Order of Mass receives recognitio from Holy See tive of the Church: The Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has granted recognitio SThey are a coming for the text of the Order of Mass from the Roman Missal. The Grey book of the Order of Mass together from every was approved by the Bishops of England and Wales at their Easter 2006 meeting and submitted people and culture to be one in Christ; they are a to the Holy See in June 2006. This is now the final text of the Order of Mass and is referred to walking together behind as the ‘White book’. him who said: “I am the way, the truth and the life” In the letter from Cardinal Arinze he noted that the Congregation ‘has no little satisfaction in (John 14:6). In fact the Greek word “sýnodos,” arriving at this juncture’. He add that the ‘Congregation does not intend that these texts should composed of the preposi- be put into liturgical use immediately. The Cardinal stressed two reasons for granting of recogni� tion “syn,” that is, “with,” tio at this stage: to provide time for formation and catechesis of clergy and laity; to facilitate the and “odòs,” which means “way, road,” suggests preparation of musical settings using the new approved texts. The work of the ‘Leeds Group’ on the idea of “taking the formation materials is noted below. The Department is working on a revised version of Roman road together,” and this is Missal: a guide to composers including the new translations. The US Bishops’ Conference has precisely the experience of the people of God in published the text of the White Book on the website of the Committee for Divine Worship. salvation history. • http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/missalformation/index.shtml Pope Benedict XVI Angelus, Sunday 5 October Significant stages in translation of Missal Following their approval of the Order of Mass II at the Easter meeting the bishops have been reviewing three Grey books in preparation for the November meeting. They will be voting on Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children, Ritual Mass and Masses for Various Needs and Intentions. Work on the translation of the Roman Missal has been divided by ICEL into 12 segments and following November the bishops will have 6 more Grey books to review and vote on. The 11 Bishops of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy met in Vancouver in September. They reviewed the comments on the remaining 6 parts by bishops and the Congre� gation for Divine Worship and completed the translation which will now be sent to Bishops’ Conferences. A copy of the Press Release from the meeting can be found on page 4. Before the bishops’ meeting there was a meeting of the ‘Leeds Group’ a small international group brought together by Bishop Roche to prepare formation material to assist with the introduction of the Roman Missal, 3rd edition. Synod of Bishops The Synod of Bishops takes place in the Vatican Synod will also be addressed by the Ecumenical from 5 October until 26 October. The theme Patriarch Bartholomew I on 18 October. Other of the Synod is The Word of God in the Life and ecumenical delegates alongside the Ecumenical Mission of the Church. There are 253 Synodal Patriarch include the Patriarchates of Moscow, Fathers: representatives from 13 Eastern Catholic Serbia, and Romania, the Greek Orthodox Churches sui iuris, of 113 Episcopal Conferences, Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church as from 25 Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, and well as the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran the Union of Superiors General. The Bishops’ World Federation, the Church of the Disci� Conference of England and Wales will be repre� ples of Christ, and the Ecumenical Council of Contents sented by Archbishop Patrick Kelly and Bishop Churches. News 1–2 David McGough. The pattern for the Synod Some Questions on the will build on the innovations introduced in 2006 The Office of the Synod of Bishops has Order of Mass 3 Documentation with a greater time given for free discussion. released a prayer for the success of the Synod ICEL Press Release 4 There will be an address by Head Rabbi of Haifa which can be found on the back page. Prayer for the Synod 4 Shear Yashyv Cohen, who on the afternoon of • http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/index.htm October 6 will present how the Hebrew People • http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Resources/Synod/index.html • http://www.catholicchurch.org.uk/ccb/catholic_church/events/synod_of_ read and interpret the Sacred Scriptures. The bishops_rome_2008 Liturgy Newsletter — Page 1 Coming Events Motu Proprio - 1 year on to be enriched. On the one He described the writers as hand, the friends of the old ‘insatiable, incredible. They do Mount Street Jesuit Centre The Feast of the Triumph of Liturgy Course liturgy can and should know not know the harm they are Thursday 29 January –12 March the Cross on 14 September 2009 marked the first anniversary the new saints, the new pref� doing,’ adding that when the http://www.msjc.org.uk/theoed/ liturgy.php of the implementation of the aces of the liturgy, etc. But on Vatican does not accept their Motu Proprio Summorum the other hand, the new lit� demands immediately ‘they Pontificum. On his journey urgy emphasizes the common go directly to the Internet’ hen God to France to mark the 150th participation, but it is not just and post their complaints. The speaks, he Anniversary of the Shrine of the assembly of a particular Cardinal said that ‘The Eucha� Walways seeks community, but rather it is rist should never become a a response; His saving Lourdes Pope Benedict was action requires human asked ‘What do you say to always an act of the universal point of contrast and a point cooperation; His love Church, in communion with of separation.What is more awaits correspondence. those in France who are wor� What should never ried that the motu proprio all the believers of all time, an important: the mystery of happen, dear brothers “Summorum Pontificum” is act of adoration. In this sense, God who becomes bread or and sisters, is what bibli- it seems to me that there is a the language by which we cal text narrates when a step backward with regards speaking of the vineyard: to the great institutions of mutual enrichment, and it is celebrate the mystery?’ The “He expected it to yield clear that the renewed liturgy Cardinal went on to say that fine grapes: wild grapes the Second Vatican Council?’ were all it yielded” (cf. The Holy Father responded, is the ordinary liturgy of our the Mass, in whatever lan� Is 5:2) ‘It is baseless fear; because time.’ guage it is celebrated, must Only the Word of God be a service motivated by this “motu proprio” is simply In his Address to the French can change the depth of love. He also confirmed that the heart of man, and so an act of tolerance, with a bishops Pope Benedict the commission had prepared it is important that with it pastoral objective, for people emphasised the need for gen� both individual believers a document giving detailed who have been formed in erosity in the desire for unity: and the community enter instructions about how to into an ever-growing this liturgy, who love it, who ‘Everyone has a place in the implement the Motu Proprio. intimacy. The Synodal know it, who want to live Church. Every person, with� Assembly will direct its • http://www.ecclesiadei-pontcommissio.org/ attention to this truth with this liturgy. It is a small out exception, should be able which is fundamental to group, because it supposes an to feel at home, and never Held in Trust the life and the mission education in Latin, a for� of the Church. Nourish- rejected. God, who loves all As part of Liverpool year as ing oneself with the mation in a certain type of men and women and wishes European Capital of Culture Word of God is for her culture. But it seems to me a none to be lost, entrusts us the first and fundamental the Church of St Francis responsibility. In effect, if normal requirement of faith with this mission by appoint� Xavier has hosted an exhibi� the proclamation of the and pastoral practice for a ing us shepherds of his sheep. tion of artefacts from the col� Gospel constitutes her bishop of our Church to have reason for being and her We can only thank him for lection at Stonyhurst College mission, it is indispensa- love and forbearance for these the honour and the trust that as well as vestments and plate ble that the Church know people and allow them to live he has placed in us. Let us from the church’s own col� and live that which She with this liturgy. proclaims, so that her therefore strive always to be lection. The exhibits ranged preaching is credible, ‘There is no opposition servants of unity!’ from medieval prayer books despite the weaknesses through to 19th century vest� and poverty of Her mem- between the liturgy renewed To mark the anniversary the bers. We know, moreover, by Vatican II and this liturgy. Pontifical Commission Ecclesia ments including material from that the proclamation of Jesuit missions overseas. the Word, to the school of Every day, the council fathers Dei held a Conference on 16 Christ, has as its content celebrated the Mass following • http://www.sfxchurchliverpool.com/capital_of_ September.