Jimmy Akin

HERE ARE THE NEXT FIVE PROPOSITIONS FROM THE SYNOD ON THE EUCHARIST.

Proposition 26 encourages inculturation of the liturgy but basically says nothing new since it just reiterates the responsibility of the bishops’ conferences to work the established process for obtaining permission from Rome for an adaptation they want to make in the liturgy for their territory.

Proposition 27 deals with the role of sacred art. While it doesn’t say much, it does offer a pointer in the direction of more historical art and architecture, saying: "a profound knowledge of the forms that sacred art has been able to
produce through the centuries, can help those who are called to
collaborate with the architects and artists to design appropriately, at
the service of Eucharistic life and of the present communities, both
the areas of celebration as well as the iconography."

It also stresses that the liturgical needs of the celebration according to the rite approved by the Church take priority over what amounts to new-fangled artistic impulses that might conflict with this.

Proposition 28 reiterates what the current GIRM says about the placement of the Tabernacle but does not call for always having a Tabernacle in the sanctuary–a possibility that was raised in the working document for the Synod.

Proposition 29 says that when Masses are broadcast by TV, radio, or the Internet that they must be celebrated in a dignified and proper manner, in keeping with liturgical law. It also says that this normally does not satisfy for the Sunday obligation. (This is a bit of legal imprecision on the bishops’ part: Televised Masses NEVER satisfy for the Sunday obligation. Those who cannot go for reasons of age or health or any other reason may profit from watching broadcast Masses on Sunday, but the law does not require them to do so. For people in those situations the Sunday obligation is simply not binding the way the law is presently written.)

Proposition 30 recommends greater emphasis on the observance of Sunday as the Lord’s Day, including "friendly get-togethers; formation of children, young people and adults
in the faith; pilgrimages; works of charity; and different moments of
prayer." It also notes that, although you can fulfill your Mass obligation on Saturday evening, this doesn’t let you treat Sunday like any other day.

HERE ARE THE NEXT FIVE PROPOSITIONS FROM THE SYNOD ON THE EUCHARIST.

At this point we’re out of the theological reflection stage and are into the practical stuff, so that’s more to my liking. Some of the proposals here are quite striking.

Proposition 21 states: "The Eucharistic Prayers could be enriched with acclamations, not only after the consecration but in other moments, as provided in the Eucharistic Prayers for celebrations with children and as is done in several countries." I’ll have to look up what they have in mind here.

This is a very striking proposal because we’re still in the process of getting translated the third edition of the Roman Missal (released 2000) and now they’re talking about adding elements to the Eucharistic prayer, which would necessitate a fourth edition (presumably identical to the third except for the minor adjustments they indicate).

Proposition 22 states: "The Synod hopes that the link between the epiclesis and the account of the institution will be shown with greater clarity. In this way, it would be more evident that the whole life of the faithful is, in the Holy Spirit and in the sacrifice of Christ, a spiritual offering pleasing to the Father.
"

I’m not sure (on the heels of the previous proposal) whether they’re talking again about changing the text of the Eucharistic prayers to bring out the connection between the Epiclesis (invocation of the Holy Spirit upon the gifts) and the Words of Institution (regarded as the moment of consecration in Latin theology) or if they’re just suggesting that B16 dwell on this in his apostolic exhortation. Could be either.

Proposition 23 says that the sign of peace sometimes "assumes a dimension that could be problematic, when it is too prolonged
or even when it causes confusion, just before receiving Communion. Perhaps it would be useful to assess if the sign of peace should
take place at another moment of the celebration, taking into account
ancient and venerable customs."

The ancient and venerable customs they’re referring to may be the way the sign of peace is exchanged in some of the Eastern rites, where it is not a handshake or hug but a more solemn exchange of peace that we really don’t have the vocabulary to describe succinctly in English. Basically: The priest puts his hands together palm to palm and then the ministers brush the outsides of his hands with their palms so as to receive the peace from him. Then they put their palms together and let someone else receive the peace from them, passing down the aisles to allow the peace to be passed in this fashion from person to person in the pews.

I don’t know if that’s going to be the way we do it in the Latin rite in the future, but they may well move the sign of peace so that it isn’t just before Communion.

Proposition 24 also deals with a change that would necessitate an alteration in the Roman Missal: "To make more explicit the relationship between Eucharist and mission,
which belongs to the heart of this Synod, it is suggested that new
dismissal formulas be prepared (solemn blessings, prayers over the
people or others), which underline the mission in the world of the
faithful who have participated in the Eucharist."

Proposition 25 is devoted to correcting liturgical abuses. Among other things, it states: "The value, importance and necessity of the observance of the liturgical
norms must be underlined. The Eucharistic celebration must respect the
sobriety and fidelity of the rite desired by the Church, with a sense
of the sacred that helps to live the encounter with God and also with
sensible forms that favor it."

Unfortunately, there is nothing more here than a general exhortation to greater fidelity. No specific program is suggested to promote greater fidelity.

This may be because they’ve already done the major obvious things they can on this one (e.g., releasing a new GIRM, a new Missal, a new and improved set of translations that are in the works, and the document on liturgical abuses that came out recently–i.e., Redemptionis sacramentum). Shy of esatablishing a liturgical secret police, there’s not many more obvious ways to crack down on liturgical abuses at the moment. They may want to let the effect of the recent efforts continue to work their way through the Church before undertaking a major new anti-abuse initiative.

Wow, I was just saying in one of the comboxes how I hoped that His Holiness B16 would put the smackdown on secularized American Catholic universities by yanking their "Catholic" designation.
Now it looks like that may happen sooner than later.

OO-RAH! I for one want to encourage the Pontiff to confiscate these school’s fake I.D.s as soon as possible.

Maybe this will help people to know who to believe when it comes to Catholic doctrine.

The article quotes Archbishop Michael Miller, the Vatican’s #2 education official (from a talk given at Notre Dame, no less);

The Pope has
argued "that it might be better for the Church not to expend its
resources trying to preserve institutions if their Catholic identity
has been seriously compromised," Miller said.

The Archbishop indicates that B16 may be doing some "evangelical pruning" in the coming months.
GET THE STORY.

HERE’S THE NEXT FIVE PROPOSITIONS FROM THE SYNOD ON THE EUCHARIST.

Proposition 16 continues the discussion of how to catechize the faithful properly, particularly children receiving the sacraments. This is pretty standard stuff.

Proposition 17 is much more interesting. It proposes that either the Vatican or the episcopal conferences write

a Eucharistic Compendium project, or an instrument of pastoral aid that
brings together, at the same time, liturgical, doctrinal, catechetical
and devotional elements on the Eucharist, to help develop faith and
Eucharistic piety.

This compendium could propose the best of patristic teaching, the
experience of the Latin Church and of the Eastern Churches, and
devotional prayers. It should include an appropriate catechesis on the
nature and structure of Eucharistic prayers.

This sounds like a really good idea, but (1) I’d want the Vatican to do it and (2) they need to KEEP IT SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL. They’ll hamper its effectiveness if they get too flowerly and high flown in it.

Proposition 18 deals with the role of the Liturgy of the Word in Mass. Much of it is pretty standard, but it does say some interesting things. Among these, it praises "the impulse of parish groups that prepare the Sunday Mass with a
prayerful study of the Readings themselves, and liturgical practices
such as silence or a few introductory words that help for greater
understanding."

It also praises lectio divina, Bible study groups, and small parish groups.

It also say, mysteriously:

An expression must be found for the prayer of the faithful that is
related better with the Word of God, with the needs of the assembly and
more broadly with those of the whole of humanity.

I’m not sure what they mean by this, but it could be that they have in mind a kind of fleshed-out guide for how to relate the prayer of the faithful at Mass to the Scripture readings.

I’d welcome any help in that area that could serve to depress the relentless liberal politicization of the intentions of the faithful that I hear at Sunday Masses in my parish.

Proposition 19 deals with the problem of BAD HOMILIES. The news here is that the fathers propose:

taking recourse —
stemming from the triennial lectionary — to "thematic" homilies that,
in the course of the liturgical year, could address the great topics of
the Christian faith: the Creed, the Our Father, the parts of the Mass,
the Ten Commandments and other arguments.

These thematic homilies should correspond to what has again been
authoritatively proposed by the Magisterium of the Church in the four
"pillars" of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in the recent
Compendium. With this objective, the elaboration of pastoral material
was proposed, based on the triennial lectionary, which puts the
proclamation of the Scriptures in relationship with the doctrines of
the faith that spring from the same.

YEE-HAW! This would be great!

The fact is that many priests you encounter today have been so badly formed in seminary that they aren’t capable of preaching a good, content-rich homily without help, and official Church help oriented toward getting more of the content of the faith into homilies is an outstanding idea.

They’ve been taught to put too much emphasis on style over substance (and their style is often more polished than Protestant preachers), but they’ve really got to get substance back into their homilies.

Proposition 20 is another theological reflection that doesn’t say much except that human work is related to the Eucharist because everything is related to the Eucharist.