HERE’S THE FIRST FOUR OF THE BISHOPS’ PROPOSITIONS FROM THE SYNOD ON THE EUCHARIST.
Proposition 1 basically does two things: It formally gives the pope certain synod-related documents for his reflection and it asks him to produce "a document on the sublime mystery of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Church."
Proposition 2 praises the liturgical reform following Vatican II. It goes on, however, to note:
Abuses were verified in the past [i.e., following the liturgical reform]; they are not even lacking today,
although they have diminished greatly.
This is an interesting statement. From what I can tell, it’s true. I wasn’t a Catholic back in the 1970s and 1980s, but my understanding is that liturgical abuses were MUCH worse back in the wild and wooly days following the reform. Folks were doing things that are virtually unheard of today, like reading passages from Jonathan Livingston Seagull in place of the gospel and such.
I can verify that, in the thirteen years I’ve been Catholic, the celebration of the liturgy HAS improved. There are still abuses, still things that really rankle, but they’re better than they were before. The release of the new GIRM did a lot to improve things, as has the steady hand that Rome has been exercising the last number of years in liturgical matters. Cardinal Arinze is definitely the right guy to have at the helm of the CDW right now for helping to guide the celebration of the liturgy in a continued positive direction.
No, compliance is not what it needs to be. Yes, there is still much improvement to be made. But the number of outright, flagrant abuses is down–at least in this country.
The second proposition goes on to say that the abuses don’t mean that the liturgical reform was bad or not a valid decision but that they call for greater attention to the way liturgy is celebrated, with the goal of fostering the "actuosa participatio" of the faithful–which is a technical term meaning that the faithful should pay attention and absorb what is going on at Mass.
Propositions 3 and 4 begin a section on the theology of the Eucharist. Now, I must confess that this is a style of writing that does not natively appeal to me. I don’t know why, whenever there is a document like this, the pastors of the Church feel the need to recapitulate the whole theology of whatever subject they’re dealing with.
They seldom say anything new in this part of the document, and it’s at this point that my eyes start to glaze over and I find it a long hard slog to get through to the interesting developments.
I recognize that there can be a catechetical value to such material and that people need to be reminded of the basic beliefs of the faith, but this was written as a private document for the pope, and of all people the present pope is least in need of such basic catechesis.
I think, instead, that what they’re trying to do is offer to the pope suggestions for the themes they want him to hit in the apostolic exhortation–as well as trying to show their appreciation for the Eucharist by celebrating it through the recapitulation of its theology in a meditative manner.
My own lack of appreciation for this style of writing I therefore take as revealing myself to have a more practical rather than meditative bent. Instead of wanting to meditate on the recapitulation, I find myself wanting them to cut to the chase. So this may say more about me than anything else.
My commentary on propositions of this nature is thus likely to be rather sparse.
Proposition 3 stresses the novelty of what Jesus did in instituting the Eucharist, as well as a number of other themes.
Proposition 4 stresses that the Eucharist is both a gift from God and a right of the faithful–that is, it is a gift to which God has given the faithful a right that the pastors of the Church must strive to accomodate so that the faithful can partake of the gift God wishes them to have.
More as more propositions become available in English.
Does anyone know where I can find these in the original language like Latin?
I read over the weekend from Zenit (here) that the original latin is going to remain secret.
Here’s the notice from the Vatican.
Just now I almost broke down in tears since I do remember the 1970’s and 1980’s in the church. The worst was a nun doing the entire mass and everyone just sitting there knowing it was wrong and doing nothing.
I stood up said very loudly, “This is an invalid mass.” and left in the middle of it. That was in 1985 I think.
Thank God all those priest and nuns have left the church and all us devout Catholics stayed. Now we cradle Catholics are getting blessed with all you converts on fire for the faith that, Ok now I am crying, gotta go.
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