The evangelization of Latin America was made with the traditional rites of one Church: the Latin Church. One Mass, the Traditional Latin Mass, or very slight variations of it. We must start with this note because so much today is justified with the need for "inculturation"... But what "inculturation" is necessary in Latin America when each of the countries in the vast region was evangelized with all kinds of instruments (catechisms in native languages, the holy examples and martyrdom of thousands of priests and religious, the careful evangelization of the new arrivals - those coming from Catholic Europe or those enslaved and brought by force from Africa), but with only one liturgy?
November 20, 2011:
An "Afro Mass" in the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in the city of Canguçu,
Archdiocese of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (southern Brazil)
Archdiocese of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul (southern Brazil)
Therefore, all post-Conciliar "inculturated rites" in Latin America are purely false, artifices made up and foistered upon unsuspecting spectators by evil agents whose purpose is to desensitize those who once were firmly Catholic.
Some "conservative" Catholics try to justify these egregious abuses in the name of "inculturation", as if Latin America had not been evangelized before any place north of the Rio Grande. It is a condescending and disrespectful view, that demeans those living in these areas of ancient and deep Spanish and Portuguese Catholic heritage.
No: their Mass was the Traditional Latin Mass. It was the Mass of Saint Juan Diego, of Saint Rose of Lima, of Saint Martin de Porres, of Saint Friar Galvao.
This is the real state of the "Reform of the Reform" of the "Ordinary Form" after six years of Pontificate: very little change. No cardinalatial letters, no speeches, no non-binding documents, no non-binding "personal preferences of the celebrant" (such as the "Benedictine arrangement" or non-binding communion on the tongue), and no new (or new-new) translations will change things for the vast majority of Catholics worldwide because they cannot change the essence of the New Mass, a liturgy for the worship of man, as beautifully explained by Don Pietro Leone in his special series The Roman Rite: Old and New.
In six years, the change that actually improved the lives of countless Catholics had just one name: Summorum Pontificum. If only those in Rome took note of this!
In six years, the change that actually improved the lives of countless Catholics had just one name: Summorum Pontificum. If only those in Rome took note of this!
[Image and information source: Blogonicus; tip: Catapulta, via La Cigüeña; we visited this same country when speaking of this very same problem five years ago, on the first anniversary of Rorate Caeli. A link to the images is proudly posted on the left column of the Archdiocesan website, under "Missa Afro".]
24 comments:
Blessed José de Anchieta, pray for us!
A happy new year to all at Rorate!
I had the misfortune of attending a 'Youth Mass' three weeks ago. It was so bad that the photos in this post seem positively Tridentist by comparison.
Sad to say but the Protestants are making enormous gains in Latin America; it's expected to become a mostly Protestant continent in 5 decades. Liberation theology has done so much damage to the Church there.
Dear Anon.: better late than never. This is not posted as "breaking news", but as an appraisal of the current status of the Reform of the Reform. Thank you for your "kindness".
I didn't think things could get any worse than they were. Obviously, I was wrong. This what happens when man takes unto himself to change that which Holy Mother Church has prescribed in perpetuity centuries ago. If they can change the Mass, nothing is outside of their dastardly hands. St. Pius V, pray for us.
Latin America provides yet another focal point where Catholics can ask temselves, reform of what reform?
What a grossly misunderstood assumption this is, in fact. There was no reform, only a subversive process. The liturgy is an outstanding example for all the wrong reasons. Therefore, we must ask ourselves why it was that the last pope propagated liturgical inculturation more than his liberal modernist predecessor whom he admired and espoused above all others?
The liturgy, in Latin America as everywhere else, was almost totally undermined during the pontificate of John Paul II (RIP) - demonstrated poignantly and definitively by his own liturgies and those formats he encouraged (or conveniently ignored. This stands as an everlasting indictment, on Roman Catholic grounds, of his neglect. This is one salient reason why his pontificate is being ignored in the canonisation issue: liturgical protestantisation and anthropocentrism during an athropologically phenomenological papacy cannot be defended using the pre-conciliar paradigm.
The fact that the current pope is attempting to amend the NO yet again and to permit traces of liturgical latinisation attests to the appalling state of the contemoporary new Catholic liturgy. This is where we are at present - no reform in the first place; thus, no possible subsequent reform of any reform and liturgical chaos throughout essentially dechristianised new catholic world. From a liturgical perspective nothing should have been changed in the first place while Latin America is the consequence of post-conciliar ecumenical and interreligious relativism with inculturated norms, values and mores to match
New Catholic,
Thank you for calling out that the Emperor has no clothes.
The exact same tradition-hating, liberal 'inculturation' message was use to shove the Folk Mass down the throats of American Catholics.
I was an adolescent during the sixties and seventies. Those silly Masses had absolutely nothing to do with the Hippies of that era.
American Folk Masses were the pitiful, patronizing, and embarrassing product of my parent's generation, who were making fools of themselves in their post-adolescent rebellion against hundreds of years of Church theological, moral, and liturgical Tradition.
Please post part II as soon as possible.
What we need are courageous orthodox priests with zeal for the salvation of souls. When i think of what those of the past went through just to get the sacraments to those outside the church, it sickens me to see how full of excuses today's church has become.
Very well put, New Catholic. The only problem here, as I see it, is why do you actually expect more from this pope?
It's no exaggeration to say the TLM converted the world, from the Franks in Europe to the Native Americans in the US and the Algonquin Indians in Québec.
Its universality allowed all people to worship together; now we have a Babel of masses. It's too bad, for instance, that I can't worship with my Spanish-speaking brethren, but instead we have are compartmentalized masses (except the TLM, of course, it is forboden).
In the TLM, one worships not just in continuity with worshippers throughout the world in the here-and-now, but also in union with centuries of worshippers and Saints; from St. Augustine to St. Thérèse and St. Padre Pio.
How many Saints has the Masonic Novus Ordo Seculorum mass formed? How many great works of art has it inspired? Just questions...
Brian said: "American Folk Masses were the pitiful, patronizing, and embarrassing product of my parent's generation, who were making fools of themselves in their post-adolescent rebellion against hundreds of years of Church theological, moral, and liturgical Tradition."
Brian, you hit the nail on the head.
Brian,
I went through the same thing.
On a good note: I attended this morning a NO Mass in the Archdiocese of Washington DC. the priest was young--his homilies are excellent on all counts. The altar is Italian marble, with the three Archangels in relief below, holding the altar on their shoulders, a life-size statue of Our Lady is visible to the right of the priest, his vestments were modern but nobly beautiful. The new translation was followed closely, and there is thus some hint of Romanitas in its clipped, efficient style. DC is not a haven for the TLM; our parish has lots of things that could be improved, but it's WAY better than it was 20 years ago.
The images tell the story of Vatican II. Hopefully some in Latin America were able to watch Pope Benedict's 2011 Christmas eve Mass and learn from it.
"It's too bad, for instance, that I can't worship with my Spanish-speaking brethren, but instead we have are compartmentalized masses..."
Saint Mark's parish in Plano, Texas (Dallas Diocese), is a parish divided by the post-Vatican II liturgical insanity that has gripped the "Latin" Church.
Hispanics have "their" Masses and non-Hispanics have "their" Masses at said parish.
At Christmas and Easter, the parish offeres "bilingual" Masses.
St. Mark's offers a Monday evening Novus Ordo Latin Mass that was supposed to have continued during Advent.
The priest who had offered the Latin Mass was unavailable during Advent.
His replacement, an Hispanic priest (a fine priest), instead offered Spanish Masses (Our Lady of Guadalupe) on Monday evenings.
Unaware that said change had been made, I arrived at the parish a few weeks ago on a Monday night to worship at the Latin Mass.
I was informed that the Latin Mass would return December 26.
I thought...how sad...rather than Hispanics and non-Hispanics uniting at St. Mark's via one Mass — offered in Latin — the parish had favored an "Hispanic-flavored" Mass over Holy Mother Church's ancient and unifying Latin Mass.
But that is the state of "Latin" Church liturgy.
The "Latin" Church is the "Tower of Babel" Church — divided liturgically.
The unfortunate reality is that our recent Popes have done that to us.
Tom
A little more than two weeks ago...at Rome with Pope Benedict XVI:
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1104859.htm
"The Mass was celebrated in Spanish, Portuguese and Latin...
"Latin American musicians sang and played traditional instruments such as the bombo drum, flute, guitars and various percussion instruments like goat nails."
Why should we expect Latin Americans to offer TLMs when His Holiness featured the above at Rome?
Tom
Latin"less" America is suffering from the same essential problems as the Latin"less" Rite western church. They are Latinless. The prophecy of Daniel rolled up for the end times is for our days. Abomination and desolation in the Holy Temple is underscored by the church which has succumbed to false religions and their evil influences - division is from satan and his smoke billowing from the fissures in the temple. Nothing will improve until these abominable practices are atoned for and the source of this evil, the vernacular rites, are purged from what were once holy places now closed or being closed down by the hundreds.
"It's too bad, for instance, that I can't worship with my Spanish-speaking brethren, but instead we have are compartmentalized masses..."
True, but ethnic parishes were very much in existence before Vatican II. IMO they are probably necessary: even when the Mass is in Latin, the sermon and the other sacraments are administered in the vernacular. In addition, immigrants also frequently have specific pastoral needs which are best met by clergy and congregants of their own ethnicity.
What pastoral needs to immigrants have that differ from, in this case, Americans? Are their problems, sins, limitations, struggles, etc..all that different? Language barriers are no excuse to live in social/mental ghetto (just learn the language and ask the priest to be patient during confession, if necessary). I am a Brazilian and I can't image a single instance in which it would have made any difference if I had a Portuguese speaking priest nearby.
By the way, just say no to the NO!
Suggestion: Everyone should find an open Catholic Church to make a Holy Hour of Reparation! Or make one in your own home!
Dear LeonG,
I appreciate your "John the Baptist" style more and more, everyday. You speak of very serious matters, but I smile and am happy that you have the courage to speak of your convictions which are expressed so well and so clearly....and I might add your love of Holy Mother Church is transparent.
Happy New year to you and everyone here!
Barbara
Latin America has suffered liturgically even more, IMO, than many areas in North America. The indigenista and africanista movements have tried to negate our Western culture and heritage as much as possible. Anglos have been more than helpful in this endeavor since it has been their joy to not consider us Western. If the future of the American church lies with Hispanics then it will be a very sad future. Get ready for the "pentecostalization" of American Catholicism.
There can be no real "reform of the reform" as long as the Vatican positively forbids the NO Mass from retaining the ceremonial of the Traditional Rite. As long as this policy persists the hope of an eventual organically "unified" rite is a pipe dream. The interim Missal from 1965-70 had the TEXT of the Tridentine Rite in a fairly accurate translation as found in the St. Joseph's Missal for the laity BUT IT FORBAD THE TRADITIONAL CEREMONIAL FROM BEING USED IN IT. I suspect that the reason for this was that if that was permitted NO ONE WOULD HAVE WANTED THE NEW RITE. As long as this policy persists there is no actual way there can be a reform of the reform.
Thank you Barbara,
A very blessed and frutiful New Year to you and all here.
2012 is going to be immensely testing so let us be prepared for worse.
Damask Rose,
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Thanks,
NC
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