From the wonderful interview granted by Monsignor Guido Marini, the new Master of Pontifical Liturgical Ceremonies - and a man who is not afraid to follow rules - to Bruno Volpe (Petrus):
Monsignor, first of all, welcome and good work...
"Thank you for the wishes, I truly need them. You know, I have been in Rome for a very short time, and I look around, I study, I reflect: there is so much to do and to toil, believe me."
So it goes from one Marini...to another: what do you say to Piero, your predecessor?
"I thank him from my heart. He gave so much to the Church, he served two Popes, and I find myself only at the beginning of my path."
You have been called to a difficult job...
"Certainly. The life of every head of liturgical ceremonies of the Holy Father is filled with problems. We are under the limelights, we cannot allow ourselves the luxury of making great mistakes."
Many have claimed that you were called because [you are] liturgically more traditionalist and sober than Archbishop Piero Marini. But what is your conception of the liturgy?
"[It is] as the Church wishes and teaches, not more and not less. I am not the kind of person who looks for inventions and oddities. I may even seem banal, but the liturgy is respect to the rules laid down by the Church, and I see no reason for which I should disobey it."
It is said precisely that in Genoa, where you worked up to now, the liturgy was well cared for, sober and elegant, without bizarre adornments...
"But liturgy is naturally thus. I repeat: no one can act against the liturgical laws of the Church. The Mass is a gift, a grace, not a show. Therefore, no invention, but absolute respect for liturgical rules."
Pope Benedict XVI, other than a great theologian, is also a fine liturgist. He attributes to the liturgy, [when] correctly executed, a notable relevance...
"Working together with the Holy Father will be a grace for me. The popularity of the Pontiff, his preaching of truth and courage, are before the eyes of all. Regarding the liturgy, I completely share the thesis of the Pope: the Mass is Sacrifice."
In your opinion, have there been liturgical abuses recently?
"You know, the Church is large. But, as the Pontiff himself recognized in the accompanying letter to the Motu Proprio 'Summorum Pontificum', there have been abuses and extravagant interpretations. What I can say is that certainly I will not be the author of any fabrication, I will limit myself to scrupulously apply the existing rules."
By the way, what do you think of the Motu Proprio which has liberalized the Mass in the Tridentine Rite?
I agree with the Motu Proprio 100%; [it is] an act of good sense, of justice, of freedom, and of foresight.
