Print friendly
Mexican Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel has defended the Vatican-approved adaptations to the Roman Rite for indigenous communities in Chiapas, Mexico, saying Jesus didn’t celebrate Mass in Latin.
The cardinal emphasised that these changes are faithful to Catholic teaching and reflect local culture, addressing traditionalist criticism.
The Dicastery for Divine Worship recently approved a decree permitting adaptations. These included ritual dances and laypersons handling incense in the Diocese of San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
“Neither Jesus nor the apostles celebrated with the Tridentine Missal. It dates back to the 16th century” Cardinal Esquivel wrote in the Mexican church publication Desde la Fe. He argued that opposition to the adaptations stems from misunderstandings about liturgy and indigenous culture.
The decree also authorised a translation of the missal into Tzeltal, an indigenous language. However, the Mexican Bishops’ Conference clarified that these are optional adaptations within the Novus Ordo, not a new rite or “Mayan rite”.
Inculturation
Cardinal Esquivel stressed that these changes align with the Church’s tradition of inculturation which integrates cultural elements into Catholic worship.
“It is the best example of inculturation with Jewish ritual signs” said the cardinal. “He instituted the Eucharist not in Latin, but in Aramaic, the language of those with whom he lived at the time.”
The Mexican cardinal added “the bread he used was not like our hosts, which are wafers and true bread; it changes the shape, not the substance”.
True to Catholic doctrine
The bishops reiterated that the adaptations exclude practices like Mayan altars and prayers to the four cardinal directions.
Esquivel called for continuing the inculturation process, ensuring indigenous believers can express their faith within their cultural context while remaining true to Catholic doctrine.
The cardinal stressed the importance of being faithful to the Word of God and the Magisterium of the Church so that “our people can also live their faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in their cultural forms”.
Sources
Related Posts:
News category: World.
