That Scripture verse from the Book of Ecclesiastes (1:19) comes to mind as I reflect on the agitation expressed by some in the church and the media over the Holy Father's motu proprio "Traditionis Custodes" and the recent confirmation given in the "Rescriptum ex Audientia"released by Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments.

Let us remember that in those Roman documents, the successor of Peter, who is the guarantor of unity in the church, called bishops to assist all Roman Catholics to accept fully that the liturgical books promulgated by St Paul VI and St John Paul II are the unique expression of the lex orandi (the law of praying) of the Roman Rite.

The fact that the Holy Father had to do this 60 years after the Second Vatican Council saddens but does not surprise me.

Over my 50 years as a priest and 25 as a bishop, I have seen pockets of resistance to the council's teachings and reforms, especially the refusal to accept the restoration of the liturgy.

In fact, St John Paul II challenged this resistance head on in his apostolic letter on the 25th anniversary of Vatican II's "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy ("Sacrosanctum Concilium") on Dec. 4, 1988.

There he wrote:

It must be recognized that the application of the liturgical reform has met with difficulties due especially to...a tendency to see religious practice as something of a private affair, by a certain rejection of institutions, by a decrease in the visibility of the Church in society, and by a calling into question of personal faith.

It can also be supposed that the transition from simply being present, very often in a rather passive and silent way, to a fuller and more active participation has been for some people too demanding.

Different and even contradictory reactions to the reform have resulted from this.

Some have received the new books with a certain indifference or without trying to understand or help others to understand the reasons for the changes; others, unfortunately, have turned back in a one-sided and exclusive way to the previous liturgical forms, which some of them consider to be the sole guarantee of certainty in faith.

Yes, he admits, some outlandish innovations harmed the unity of the church and offended the piety of the faithful.

But, he added, "This should not lead anyone to forget that the vast majority of the pastors and the Christian people have accepted the liturgical reform in a spirit of obedience and indeed joyful fervour."

And then he wrote something that all Catholics, especially leaders in the church, should take to heart: "We should give thanks to God for that movement of the Holy Spirit in the Church which the liturgical renewal represents."

My point is simply this: Like St. John Paul II, Pope Francis takes seriously that the restoration of the liturgy was the result of the movement of the Holy Spirit.

It was not about the imposition of an ideology on the church by any one person or group.

And so no one should now suggest that Pope Francis (or, for that matter, Cardinal Roche) has any motivation in issuing "Traditionis Custodes" and authorizing the "Rescriptum" other than the desire to remain faithful to the promptings of the Holy Spirit that gave rise to the teachings and reforms of the council.

There is another thing the late, saintly pope wrote in his 1988 letter that we bishops should take seriously.

After listing the many reasons for holding fast to the teachings of the "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy" and to the reforms it made possible, he quoted from the final report of the extraordinary synod of 1985:

"The liturgical renewal is the most visible fruit of the whole work of the Council."

"For many people the message of the Second Vatican Council has been experienced principally through the liturgical reform." Continue reading

Gregory said arranging for Trump to visit the shrine was "baffling and reprehensible." He is outraged at what he called a politicised photo opportunity.

Protesters from a number of Catholic social advocacy groups greeted Trump as he arrived at the shrine.

Cardinal Blase Cupich defended the protesters, saying "if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention. What did we expect when we learned ... the price of a black life is a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill?"

During the past week the US has devolved into widespread unrest after police killed an unarmed black man, George Floyd.

A police officer involved in the killing has been sacked and arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter.

Gregory says he is outraged any Catholic facility "would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated in a fashion that violates our religious principles, which call us to defend the rights of all people even those with whom we might disagree.

"Saint Pope John Paul II was an ardent defender of the rights and dignity of human beings," said Gregory, who is Washington's first African American archbishop.

"His legacy bears vivid witness to that truth. He certainly would not condone the use of tear gas and other deterrents to silence, scatter or intimidate them for a photo opportunity in front of a place of worship and peace."

Gregory called out the sin of racism while encouraging nonviolent protests as a means of resistance.

"We, as a society, must find ways to understand and to respond to the pain of our brothers and sisters. We see racism destroying the lives of Jewish, Muslim, and Christian people ... [it] triggers the divisive and xenophobic attitudes of nationalism."

"We must non-violently and constructively work together to heal and build the ‘Beloved Community' ..." he added.

A statement from the Shrine (which is a Knights of Columbus initiative) defended Trump's visit saying he had originally intended to sign an executive order on religious liberty while he was there.

"This was fitting given Saint John Paul II was a tireless advocate for religious liberty throughout his pontificate."

"International religious freedom receives widespread bipartisan support, including unanimous passage of legislation in defense of persecuted Christians and religious minorities around the world."

Trump's visit to the shrine came less than twenty-four hours after police used tear gas to dislodge protesters so Trump could visit St. John's Episcopal Church across from the White House.

St. John's rector, Rev. Gini Gerbasi, said on Facebook that she was shaken by the show of force for a photo opportunity.

"The patio of St. John's... had been holy ground today ... But that man turned it into a battleground first and a cheap political stunt second."

After police removed the St John's protesters, Trump posed in front of St John's church holding a Bible.

Source

• Archdiocese of Chicago
• Crux Now
• The Oregonian\
• Image: CNN

Greg Burke, Director of the Holy See's Press Office, says next February's "unprecedented" meeting shows "Pope Francis has made the protection of minors a fundamental priority for the Church".

The meeting is not only "about keeping children safe from harm worldwide", however.

"Pope Francis wants Church leaders to have a full understanding of the devastating impact that clerical sexual abuse has on victims", says Burke.

Although the meeting is primarily for bishops, who bear responsibility for the "grave problem", Burke says lay men and women who are experts in the field of abuse will also be on hand to give their input.

It is they who "can help address especially what needs to done to ensure transparency and accountability", he says.

The Holy See press office says the Reverend Hans Zollner SJ has been named by Pope Francis as both a member and the contact person for the committee. Other members include:

• Cardinal Blase J. Cupich
• Cardinal Oswald Gracias
• the Most Reverend Charles Scicluna

Others involved in preparatory work will include Dr Gabriella Gambino and Dr Linda Ghisoni, as well as the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and some victims of abuse by members of the clergy.

The Holy See press office says besides Pope Francis, the February meeting will include:

• the Heads of the Oriental Catholic Churches
• the Superiors of the Secretariat of State
• the Prefects of the Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith, for the Oriental Churches, for Bishops, for the Evangelization of Peoples, for the Clergy, for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life, and of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life
• the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences
• representatives of the Union of Superiors General and of the International Union of Superiors General

Source

• National Catholic Register
• Vatican News
• NZ Herald
• Image: Vatican News

The directive not to vote came from the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops, said US Conference of Catholic Bishops president Cardinal Daniel DiNardo.

DiNardo said he was told the evening before this week's US bishop's national meeting to delay action until after a Vatican-convened global meeting on sex abuse next February.

"We are not ourselves happy about this," DiNardo said.

"We are working very hard to move to action — and we'll do it. I think people in the church have a right to be skeptical. I think they also have a right to be hopeful."

Another US bishop, Christopher Coyne, said he does not know whether American members of the Congregation for Bishops - Cardinals Blase Cupich and archbishop emeritus Donald Wuerl- played a role in the Vatican directive.

However, a source close to Wuerl doubts he was involved in making the decision.

The proposed new step US bishops were about to vote on were drafted in September by the bishops' Administrative Committee.

They included developing a new code of conduct for themselves and creating a special commission, including lay experts, to review complaints against bishops.

Although they agreed not to vote on them, the bishops planned to proceed with discussing the proposals during their meeting.

Cardinal Blase J. Cupich suggested they might hold a non-binding vote on the proposals at the current conference meeting and then convene a special assembly for a formal vote after considering the results of the global meeting in February.

"I realise that another meeting will create logistical challenges for the conference staff and the bishops' schedules, but there is a grave urgency to this matter and we cannot delay," he said.

While acknowledging their disappointment in the decision from Rome, the bishops affirmed the importance of their own obedience.

DiNardo said they were responsible to be attentive to the Holy Father and his congregations, while Coyne noted bishops are by nature collegial, "so when the Holy See asks us to work in collegiality, that's what we do."

Source

• Fox News Network
• National Catholic Register
• National Catholic Reporter