Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Vatican’s liturgical chief, has spoken of a “serious, profound crisis” in the liturgy and the Church since the Second Vatican Council.
In a message to a liturgical conference in Herzogenrath, Germany, translated for Catholic World Report, Cardinal Sarah praised Vatican II’s document on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, but said it had been followed by a “serious crisis of faith, not only at the level of the Christian faithful but also and especially among many priests and bishops”.
The cardinal, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, said the “crisis” was particularly visible in the way the Mass has been understood and celebrated. He argued that many Catholics had neglected “sacred silence” and gestures such as kneeling which express reverence for the Blessed Sacrament.
They had also forgotten that the Eucharist was a sacrifice, “identical to the act performed once and for all by Jesus Christ, making present the Sacrifice of the Cross in a non-bloody manner”.
He added that the Church had experienced “devastation, destruction and wars” not only in the liturgy, but also in doctrine, morals and Church discipline. “More and more voices of high-ranking prelates stubbornly affirm obvious doctrinal, moral and liturgical errors that have been condemned a hundred times, and work to demolish the little faith remaining in the people of God,” he said.
The conference was on the 10th anniversary of Summorum Pontificum, Benedict XVI’s motu proprio which called for “mutual enrichment” between the Extraordinary and Ordinary Forms of the Mass, and gave greater freedom to celebrate the older form.
Cardinal Sarah had originally planned to attend the conference, but was called away by “unexpected” obligations. His address was read out instead.
MP: Juncker’s behaviour at papal audience was offensive
A Polish MP has written to the president of the European Commission accusing him of “offensive” behaviour during a papal audience.
Krystyna Pawłowicz, deputy to the lower chamber of the Polish parliament, wrote to Jean-Claude Juncker last week, highlighting her concerns about the impact of his alleged “alcohol dependency”. This dependency, she said, was a problem for “the entire European community”, given his position.
She said: “Particularly distasteful and out of place was your behaviour during the last audience with Pope Francis to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the European Community.
“Your demeanour was offensive not only to Pope Francis, but also the present chiefs of states and heads of governments, including women, who were certainly too polite to ask you to take a rest.”
Ms Pawłowicz told Mr Juncker in her letter that his behaviour “discredits not only you personally, not only the position you hold in the European Union, but also it discredits the citizens of the EU member states and it offends them”.
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