The Bishops’ Pastoral Letter and Litany of Lament at last Sunday’s masses are another example of Church leaders’ persistent inability to take full responsibility for the institution’s decisions. The inability to take full responsibility for these decisions has been a constant complaint of survivors and victims of abuse. However, in this action, the episcopal and Read more
After formally banning several “doctrinally problematic” hymns last week, a Missouri bishop, Shawn McKnight, changed his tune, rescinding his original decree in favour of a 12-month synodal process. In his 5 November decree, McKnight wrote “It is now clear that an authentically synodal process of greater consultation did not occur prior to its promulgation”. He Read more
The synodal process has shown a concerning lack of rigorous theological examination of the liturgy—both its theological essence and its ritual execution—leading to debates and speculative discussions that hinder the Church’s progress. This deficiency is starkly highlighted in paragraphs 26-28 of the Synod’s Final Document. The document equates Eucharistic and synodal assemblies as manifestations of Read more
Nativity Catholic Church in Burke, Virginia, launched its first monthly “sensory Mass” on August 11, drawing a full congregation to what is typically the parish’s least-attended Sunday service. The 1pm Mass, designed to accommodate neurodiverse Catholics, featured dimmed lighting, quiet hymns and a range of sensory tools to assist attendees. Volunteers in gray T-shirts greeted Read more
Recently, United States cultural celebrities addressed an open letter to Pope Francis, opposing further restrictions on the pre-conciliar liturgy. The letter, written by poet Dana Gioia, emphasised the aesthetic value and cultural significance of the liturgy according to the 1962 rite: “It would be short-sighted to deprive the next generation of artists of this source Read more
Liturgical scholar Andrea Grillo (pictured) sees liturgical traditionalism as a backward-looking ideology that has little to do with the authentic tradition of the Catholic Church. In an interview with the traditionalist blog “Messa in Latino” the professor of sacramental theology at the Benedictine University of Sant’Anselmo in Rome emphasised the importance of the liturgy for Read more
The sacred liturgy is a personal and communal encounter with God; Pope Francis marvelled as he received professors and students of the Athenaeum University of Saint Pacian of Barcelona in the Vatican on Friday. In his remarks, the Holy Father underscored the incredible value of the liturgy and recalled his, having declared this year ahead Read more
“Without liturgical reform, there is no reform of the Church,” Pope Francis said emphatically last February during an address to the plenary assembly of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. His remarks came around the 60th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy that was issued during Read more
One of the surprises to come out of the Synod on Synodality was a call for better liturgy. The final report of the October 2023 session of the synod referred to “the widely reported need to make liturgical language more accessible to the faithful and more embodied in the diversity of cultures.” The English-speaking church Read more
Soon we’ll be celebrating Ash Wednesday, when Christmas was just 7 weeks ago. The contrasts couldn’t be more startling. Christmas being so engagingly delightful with a cute newborn baby boy, animals, angels, stars and visitors with gifts. Now as we mark Ash Wednesday we are going to have imprinted on our forehead’s ash in the Read more