In my most humble experience, I know that the celebration of the older liturgies of the Church can coincide with the modern and both can have a gravitational pull on the other.
But, and not to sound too clerical, celebrating the older Liturgies helps the modern priest formed in the modern liturgies to celebrate the modern liturgies better, meaning by the book, reading the black and following the red! This can be done in a human or non robotic way.
The greatest problem or conundrum for Pope Leo really isn’t the ancient Mass as thorny as it is for him. It is how horribly the Modern Mass is being celebrated.
Let me offer a codicil here. If the modern Mass is celebrated well, it means using its options in a judicious way and the priest-celebrant not hijacking the Mass’s introductory and concluding rites by being a Chatty Kathy! This kind of chattiness, very secular in nature, completely destroys the trajectory of the Prayer begun before Mass begins but officially starting with the Entrance Chant. To negate the trajectory of prayer, by a casual “good morning, how are you” after the prayerful greeting and then launching into a mini homily or an examination of conscience or whatever is not in the Roman Missal, destroys the ethos of prayer of the Mass and at the very beginning!
Just say, after the religious greeting: “Let us acknowledge God’s mercy so as to prepare ourselves to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries.” No hellos, no chattiness, just prayer continuing!
One priest suggests that the introduction to the penitential act should be officially stricken, simply, after the “The Lord be with you” begin the Confiteor or any option for the penitential act. I like that—what do you think?
But the other conundrum for the Pope is the poor quality of music imposed on the Mass or the use of secular tunes with religious words. Also the variety of instrumentation that makes sacred music sound delightful to secular ears. Other than mandating Gregorian Chant for the Propers, which should never be substituted by something else, I don’t know a remedy for corrupted music used in the modern rites.
I don’t know either, what to make of inculturation, especially as it regards music and bodily movements, what some might call liturgical dance. I have no way of judging the quality of liturgical inculturation of the Masses celebrated in Africa by Pope Leo. Are there African voices that are concerned about the liturgical inculturation they experience in Africa. I would like to hear pros and cons and how this inculturation respects Vatican II’s Sacrosanctum Concilium’s clear mandate to preserve some Latin and Gregorian Chant?
At any rather this is what Pope Leo said at a Mass in Cameroon on April 16. It has implications for inculturation in the Mass but in other ways too, especially with devotions. Would Pacchamamma be included in Pope Leo’s concern?
This is what Pope Leo said in his homily at an inculturated African Mass His Holiness was celebrating:
Brothers and sisters, consolation for broken hearts and hope for change in society are possible if we entrust ourselves to God and God’s word. We must, however, always keep the Apostle Peter’s exhortation in our hearts and bring it to mind: obey God, not human beings. To obey him, because he alone is God. This calls us to foster inculturation of the Gospel. It also calls us to be vigilant, even regarding our own religious practices, so as not to fall into the trap of mixing the Catholic faith with other beliefs and traditions of an esoteric or Gnostic nature, which in reality often serve political and economic ends. Only God sets us free; only his word opens paths to freedom; only his Spirit makes us new people capable of changing this country.
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This is what AI summarizes as esoteric or gnostic in inculturation:
The concepts of esotericism and Gnosticism are closely linked by their focus on hidden, internal, or "secret" knowledge as the primary path to spiritual enlightenment. While they overlap, they represent different scopes of religious and philosophical thought.
The Nature of Gnosticism
Gnosticism (from the Greek gnosis, meaning "knowledge") refers to a set of ancient religious movements that emerged alongside early Christianity. Its core nature is defined by:
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Wikipedia
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Direct Experiential Knowledge: Salvation is not achieved through faith or good works, but through gnosis—a direct, mystical experience or "inner knowing" of the divine.
Cosmic Dualism: Gnostics typically view the material world as flawed or evil, created by a lesser, often malevolent deity called the Demiurge.
The Divine Spark: Humans are believed to contain a "divine spark" trapped within the physical body. Enlightenment involves awakening this spark to return to the true, transcendent God.
Spiritual Hierarchy: Humans are often categorized into three types based on their spiritual capacity: Pneumatics (spiritual), Psychics (soulish/mental), and Hylics (material).
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
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The Nature of Esotericism
Esotericism is a broader category of "secret" traditions or teachings intended only for an inner circle of initiates. Its nature is characterized by:
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Wikipedia
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Hidden Wisdom: It suggests that the true meaning of reality or sacred texts is "veiled" and requires specialized training or initiation to understand.
Inner Transformation: Like Gnosticism, it prioritizes internal spiritual work over outward religious ritual.
Diverse Traditions: While Gnosticism is a specific type of esotericism, the term also encompasses Neoplatonism, Alchemy, Hermeticism, and modern movements like Rosicrucianism.
Wisdom Library
Wisdom Library
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Modern Context: Warnings on "Esoteric or Gnostic Nature"
In contemporary settings, the phrase is often used to describe beliefs that blend mainstream religion with alternative spiritualities. For instance, Pope Leo, during a recent visit to Cameroon, warned against mixing the Catholic faith with traditions of an "esoteric or Gnostic nature," cautioning that such blends can distort religious teachings and be used for political or economic ends
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