Cardinal Dew appointed to Congregation for Divine Worship

Tuesday, November 1st, 2016

New Zealand will now have a voice when the liturgy is discussed in Rome.

Cardinal John Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington, has been appointed to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

The congregation deals with liturgical questions and the celebration of the sacraments.

Dew is one of 27 new appointees named by the Pope last Friday; ten cardinals, seven archbishops, eight bishop and two auxiliary bishops.
See full list of appointees

The new members are mostly known as supporters of the Novus Ordo Mass in the vernacular and facing the people.

All of the existing members of the Congregation have been replaced.

Many of them had been critical of the post-Vatican II liturgical reforms.

Commenting on the changes Robert Mickens his Letter from Rome notes that among the notable new members are:

Cardinal John Atcherley Dew (Wellington, New Zealand), considered a thoroughly pro-Vatican II bishop
Cardinal John Onaiyekan (Abuja, Nigeria), who has publicly denounced any repealing of the conciliar liturgical reforms
Several cardinals known to be enthusiastic supporters of Pope Francis’ overall plan to renew the Church, such as Rainer Maria Woelki (Germany), Pietro Parolin (Vatican Secretary of State), Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, (Canada), Ricardo Blázquez Pérez, (Spain) and Beniamino Stella (Congregation for the Clergy).

Another notable appointee is Archbishop Piero Marini (Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses).

Marini’s innovative approach to papal ceremonies sometimes made him the focus of criticism.

He has promoted Vatican II reforms including the “simplification of rites that he believes facilitates active participation.”

He is a firm believer in the integration church rites with local customs. In 1998, he allowed Pacific Islander dancers into St. Peter’s Basilica to dance during the opening liturgy of the Synod for Oceania.

In 2002, during Pope John Paul II’s visit to Mexico City, he allowed an indigenous Mexican shaman perform a purification ritual on the pope during a Mass.

Cardinal Lacroix, Archbishops Hart and Aubertin, and Bishops Morerod, Serratelli and Hopes have participated in or celebrated the Traditional Latin Mass as bishops.

They are known to be friendly to Traditional Catholics. However, none have been vocal about the need for a “Reform of the Reform”.

Those who have lost their membership at the Congregation for Divine Worship include:

Cardinals Angelo Scola (Milan)
George Pell (Secretariat for the Economy),
Raymond Burke (Knights of Malta)
Peter Erdo (Esztergom-Budapest),
Marc Ouellet (Congregation for Bishops),
Malcolm Ranjith (Sri Lanka)
Angelo Bagnasco (Milan).

Almost all these men have been supportive of direction Cardinal Sarah has been trying to steer the Church’s liturgy.

Cardinal Sarah, from Guinea, has consistently called for priests to turn their backs on the congregation while celebrating Mass and has struck a very different tone to the Pope’s merciful approach to families in difficult circumstances.

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