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Tagged: liturgy

Liturgy

Personal Reflections on “Traditionis Custodes”

Six weeks ago Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Letter called “Traditionis Custodes” (“Guardians of the Tradition”). When I heard the news and read the letter, my first thought was, “thank God.” In this essay, I want to explain why, and suggest...

Personal Reflections on “Traditionis Custodes”

Liturgy / Scripture Reflection

The Consolations of John 6

Every three years, the Sunday Gospel readings spend a few weeks working through chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. The Year B Gospel readings mostly focus on Mark’s Gospel and so John 6 comes as a somewhat startling and...

The Consolations of John 6

Liturgy

A different religion?

“It seems as though we aren’t even part of the same religion.” Sometimes saying a thing enough times does make it true, and in his public response to Traditionis Custodes in a New York Times op-ed, Michael Brendan Dougherty makes...

A different religion?

Commentary

Sadly, Traditionis Custodes was necessary

By the time I became a Catholic on April 4, 1999, I was already immersed in the Tridentine Mass. Also known as the Traditional Latin Mass, the Mass of St. Pius V, or the Extraordinary Form, I loved the prayers...

Sadly, Traditionis Custodes was necessary

Commentary

Is Liturgical Diversity Divisive?

The National Catholic Register recently published a blog post by Kevin Di Camillo, which argued that the “Traditional Latin Mass” shouldn’t be “silenced,” since a diversity of liturgical expressions doesn’t threaten Church unity. He writes: My liberal Catholic friends usually...

Is Liturgical Diversity Divisive?

Analysis

Gregorian chant and the post-Vatican II liturgy

An area of contention and debate surrounding the state of the Roman liturgy today is sacred music. Many today will point out that Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, states, “The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as...

Gregorian chant and the post-Vatican II liturgy

Commentary

United to the Past through the “Latin Mass”?

Pope Francis recently issued Traditionis Custodes, which restricts, but does not prohibit, the celebration of older forms of the Roman Rite. In his accompanying letter, Pope Francis explains that he is taking this action because the traditionalist movement has become...

United to the Past through the “Latin Mass”?

Commentary

The Liturgy is for the People

A big mistake that some Catholics make is to think of the liturgy as clergy-centered. Honestly, it’s difficult to blame them—priests really do play a great role in liturgical celebrations. For example, without a priest, it is impossible to have...

The Liturgy is for the People

Reflection

Traditionis Custodes: A Bitter Pill

When I heard that Pope Francis had promulgated a motu proprio reimposing restrictions on the celebration of the 1962 Missal (or the Vetus Ordo), my first thought was this was greatly needed and long overdue. My second thought was that...

Traditionis Custodes: A Bitter Pill

Reflection

Traditionis Custodes: In the Hope of Liturgical Reform

In his post yesterday, Adam Rasmussen explained the theological and ecclesiological reasons for Pope Francis’s motu proprio, Traditionis Custodes. In the midst of all the controversy, there is much hope to be found in this rather bold decision. I don’t...

Traditionis Custodes: In the Hope of Liturgical Reform