Letters

Liturgical abuses (letter)

George Simpson

Contents - Oct 2004 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Addressing the shortfall of priests - Michael Gilchrist Today's non-practising young Catholics: are Church conservatives to blame? - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church around the World Society: US bishops call on Catholic institutions to oppose culture of death - Patrick Reilly University: International Movement of Catholic Students Australia - Aaron Russell Liturgy: Why priests should stick to the Mass texts - Bishop T.J. Paprocki Books: Be Not Afraid: Cardinal George Pell's new book to be launched in November Society: Why marriage should receive greater government support - Michael Casanova The Pope's Encyclical on the Eucharist - Sr Mary Augustine OP Letters: Pastoral letters (letter) - Charles Francis, AM Letters: State Aid (letter) - Alan A. Hoysted Letters: Liturgical abuses (letter) - George Simpson Letters: Graham Greene (letter) - Thomas A. Watkin Letters: Come As You Are? (letter) - Brigid P. McKenna Letters: Ghana: help needed (letter) - Name and address supplied Letters: Year of the Eucharist (letter) - Fr Glen Tattersall FSSP Letters: Catholic Doctors' Association of Victoria (letter) - Dr Dominica Ho Books: The Ceremonies Of The Roman Rite Described, Fortescue,O'Connell, Alcuin Reid - Msgr. Peter J. Elliott (reviewer) Books: The Organic Development of the Liturgy, by Alcuin Reid OSB - Msgr Peter J. Elliott (reviewer) Books: The Two Wings Of Catholic Thought, edited by D.R. Foster, J.W. Koterski SJ - Br Christian Moe FSC (reviewer) Books: More new titles from AD Books Reflection: Our Lady, Fatima and the 'annihilation of nations' - Anne Lastman

The new draft translation of the Missal has raised controversy about its accuracy. We must accept that the translation of a dead language into a living tongue will require periodic review to maintain accuracy.

Some claim that we are going back 50 years. If this is true, it is not necessarily a bad thing. Then our churches were full. Today they are almost empty.

Meanwhile, the recent document, Redemptoris Sacramentum, has correctly affirmed the right of the faithful to complain about abuses, since they have a God-given right to attend authentic liturgies.

Vatican II decreed that the regulation of the Sacred Liturgy depends solely on the Holy See and, as laws may determine, on the bishop and legitimately established, competent, territorial bodies of bishops. Therefore, no other person, not even a priest, may add, remove or alter anything in the liturgy on his own authority (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 22)

Some suggest (Letters, September AD2000) that the modern generation is too well-educated to blindly follow authority. While I agree that this generation has received extensive instruction - if not brainwashing at times - this does not necessarily equate with education.

How can a generation, which, for the most part, rejects the Author of all knowledge, claim to be educated? I would have thought one of the hallmarks of the educated was the ability to recognise and respect legitimate authority.

GEORGE SIMPSON
North Blackburn, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 17 No 9 (October 2004), p. 14