In his address to a delegation from the Eastern Catholic Church, including Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil, the Pope emphasised the importance of unity over liturgical differences and historical grievances.

The Pope described the dispute over the liturgy as a dangerous temptation to focus on one detail to the detriment of the common good of the Church.

"It is incompatible with the Christian faith to seriously disregard the most holy sacrament, the sacrament of love and unity, by discussing the liturgical details of this Eucharist which is the culmination of His divine presence among us.

"Preserving unity is therefore not a pious exhortation but a duty, especially for priests who have promised obedience and from whom the faithful people expect an example of love and meekness" the Pope continued.

Francis began by reflecting on the ancient faith of the Syro-Malabar Church.

He praised the "vigour" of their faith and piety which is recognised worldwide.

He acknowledged past insensitivity when Western missionaries imposed European traditions on Kerala's Christians.

Francis also highlighted the need to respect the unique heritage of the Syro-Malabar Church.

He honoured the Syro-Malabar Church's historical fidelity, drawing on the legacy of St Thomas, the Apostle of India. He emphasised the value of the Christian East in providing ancient and fresh spiritual sources vital for the Church today.

Unity is a duty

Referring to the ongoing liturgical controversy, the Pope said he had "recently sent letters and a video message to the faithful, warning them of the dangerous temptation to focus on one detail".

This danger, he said, comes from "a self-referentiality, which leads to listening to no other way of thinking but one's own".

And it is here, the Pope warned, that "the devil creeps in", aiming to undermine Jesus' desire that we, his disciples, "be one" (John 17.2).

"For this reason" Pope Francis stressed, "guarding unity is not a pious exhortation but a duty".

Pope Francis remains firm: no concessions for those seeking to divide the Church.

His message is clear—unity and obedience are paramount to maintaining the integrity of the Catholic faith.

"Let us work with determination to protect communion" he urged, "and pray tirelessly that those who refused to accept the Church's rulings on liturgical issues may realise they are part of a larger family that loves them and waits for them".

Sources

Vatican News

Katholisch

CathNews New Zealand

At stake here is the language used for the Mass and the question of who has the responsibility for translating the Catholic liturgy into regional languages.

So why should this issue be so very controversial in the 21st century?

Early history
As a specialist in liturgical studies, I can say that, until the end of the 10th century, local bishops indeed made their own decisions about liturgical practices in their areas.

In the second century, for example, some Christian communities celebrated Easter on the actual date of Passover, while others observed it on the Sunday following that date.

A final decision on a uniform date for Easter was not made until after the legalization of Christianity (A.D. 313) by the Roman Emperor Constantine.

Even saints were regional. The first martyrs, venerated by Christians because they died rather than give up their faith, were recognized as saints in their regional Christian churches.

Only later did they become part of the wider groups of holy men and women recognized as saints.

For example, two young women, Perpetua and Felicitas, martyred in the third century, were initially recognized as saints in Carthage in the Roman province of Africa.

Later, their names were included in the Roman prayer over the bread and wine at the celebration of the Eucharist (Mass).

As that prayer spread throughout Western Europe, their names went with it, and today they remain part of one Catholic Eucharistic prayer.

At the time, regional bishops controlled services to venerate the saints. The story of Monica, mother of a future bishop (St. Augustine) and commemorated herself as a saint, reveals the control of local bishops over customs in their areas.

Monica, following North African custom, brought a food offering to a saint's shrine in Italy, but she humbly obeyed after she was told by the local bishop - St. Ambrose of Milan - that the practice was forbidden in northern Italy. Continue reading

• Joanne Pierce is a professor in the Department of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass., USA

Frenchman Fr Louis Bouyer, who died in 2004, was appointed by Pope Paul VI to the Concilium which worked on the revised order of the Mass.

The priest's "Memoires" were published in French earlier this year.

They formed the basis for a commentary by Vatican scribe Sandro Magister last month, in a blog for the Italian publication l'Espresso.

The memoirs were particularly scathing of the role played by Concilium secretary Annibile Bugnini, who Fr Bouyer described as "contemptible".

Magister wrote how, according to Fr Bouyer's memoirs, Fr Bugnini would dismiss other committee members' concerns about certain changes by saying, "The Pope wants it so".

Following the reforms, Fr Bouyer wrote, he was discussing one in particular with Paul VI "which the Pope had found himself approving without being in any way more content with it than I was".

Fr Bouyer told Paul VI that he had been involved in the reform because he was told the Pope himself desired it.

But the Pope responded in turn, "but is it possible? He [Bugnini] told me that you were unanimous in approving it . . .".

Among the incidents recalled by Fr Bouyer is the composition of Eucharistic Prayer II.

"It was Bouyer who had to fix in extremis a horrible formula of the new Second Eucharistic Prayer, from which Bugnini wished to expunge even the 'Sanctus'," Magister wrote.

"And one evening, on the table of a trattoria in Trastevere, he had to rewrite the text of the new canon which is read today at Mass, together with the Benedictine liturgist Bernard Botte, with the added worry of having to deliver the whole thing by the following morning."

Pope Paul VI will be beatified by Pope Francis on October 19.

Sources

• Catholic News Agency
• Image: PrayTell Blog