My interpretation of Pope Leo’s liturgical remarks to the Eastern Churches is that in no way should Latin Rite bishops try to persuade Eastern Rite Catholics to embrace the Latin Rite liturgies.
Implied in this, is that the integrity of the ancient liturgical traditions of the east be maintained and not corrupted by Latin Rite ideologies concerning the liturgies of the Church in the wake of Vatican II. Post Vatican II Latin Rite corruptions should not be foisted on the Eastern Rites of the Church!
But let’s look at what has happened to the pristine heritage of the Latin Rite Liturgies of the Church in the wake of Vatican II led by liturgists who wanted to dismantle our heritage altogether.
We have dragged into it not only Eastern Rite/Orthodox traditions, but also Protestant traditions inimical to our own rite!
Let’s talk about Chant!
The Latin Rite’s chant treasury is Gregorian Chant, plain and complex, as well as, Polyphony. Vatican II asked that it be maintained.
About 98% of Catholics in the post-Vatican II era have no clue as to our patrimony of Gregorian Chant or Polyphony. Why?
Because we have dragged into the Latin Rite, Protestant music and their chants like Anglican and Lutheran, if chants are used. Sometimes even the manner of eastern chants. We no longer mandate that in the Sung Mass, the Propers be chanted in Gregorian Chant, plain or complex. In fact the Propers are no longer required and thus Protestant hymns with their saccharine Protestant sounds are used, like “How Great Thou Art”, Amazing Grace, and Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” Often the theology of these songs are Protestant too. But other hymns, even devotional Catholic hymns, substitute the Propers which should be sung in Gregorian Chant!
Or, we use Kitschy new songs created by modern liturgical musicians who make mega bucks over constantly trying to keep Catholic parishes up to date with current trends. Their hymns sound like Broadway ditties!
We also rely upon non-denominational worship and praise music, thus forming young Catholic to leave our tradition for the fleetingly trendy, superficial and energetic non-denominational worship.
We have dragged icons from the East into our churches.
We have dragged Protestant fellowship into the Mass, with chatty celebrants, friendly, welcoming and smiling and their facing the congregation to emphasize them, not God. And congregations are encouraged to be chatty in the church before and after Mass and exude fellowship, hospitality and charm during Mass especially at the Kiss of Peace.
Pope Leo, please help us to purify our Latin Rite Mass of all these corrupting influences in our rite and get back to our heritage by getting rid of Eastern Rite, Protestant and Non-denominational corruptions!
4 comments:
The only thing I don't quite follow is Pope Leo leveraging that Dicastry, and Latin Bishops to "help" the East.
I believe we're all sui juris. Therefore, what help would we need?
Would that Leo XIV have been around from 1895 though about 1932 when the Roman Church through horrid treatment caused 3 schism, St. Alexis Toth of Wilkes-Barre to the Russian Church; the creation of the Polish National Catholic Church in Scranton, PA and the Priest Orestes Chornock who became the Bishop founder of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese.
~250K souls led away from the Catholic Church. Honestly, we've never fully recovered from Toth/Chornock.
As for Easternizations in the Roman Church, this always struck me as a curious compromise that doesn't always adhere to Byzantine usage.
So, yes, the Roman Church has its own rich and beautiful traditions that needs a Latin version of Orientalium Ecclesiarum to reclaim.
Leo was all for preserving the Eastern rites, of which many are on the endangered list as practioners flee their war torn countries. Leo was asking bishops to come up with ways of assisting these dispersed and scattered communities, many likely lacking financial means to establish churches, where those rites can be practiced and preserved and around which refugees might gather, where I am guessing he was talking of maybe unused properties/closed churches, perhaps help with seminaries making room for them to have a place to instruct, and who knows what else.
As for ikons, the West formerly had those, too, and I see no problem with them.
Bob,
Understood.
I hadn't considered the physical assistance component.
While I trust Pope Leo's intentions, the trickle down to Latin Ordinaries has, historically, been destructive to us as mentioned. The effects of the above, split families among them, is still not a healed wound 100 to 130 years on.
ByzRus, this may be the most correct application of synodality, rather than a third tier free-style interpretation of doctrine, liturgy, and scripture.
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