Vatican II's Golden Jubilee

Vatican II’s Golden Jubilee

 The fuss about the new liturgical translation and changes that flourished last Fall seems to have petered out. We have much more publicity about the campaign for religious freedom this month. It is not doctrinal teaching even though the fervor with which it is presented at mass might suggest it is. Actually the Scriptural admonition "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" could be construed as "Stay out of politics". But that might involve taking the Scriptures too literally to suit our purpose.

It is also noticeable that the current campaign is organized and pushed by the USCC, the American bishops, not by the Pope or the Church Hierarchy in Rome, undoubtedly an exercise in the recently neglected principle of subsidiarity. (If you don't remember the "principle of subsidiarity", look it up.) It was formally enunciated by Pius XI in the 1930's and strongly endorsed at Vatican II, but conveniently forgotten since then. It says that if you are the people most affected by a law or rule, then you should have a voice in formulating the rule. Of course this would mean that married couples should have a say in discussing contraception, priests in discussing celibacy, nuns in discussing revisions of their bye-laws. 

However I meant to comment on the liturgical restorationism. I understand that it was a gesture to the Society of St. Pius X, which has never accepted the liturgical changes of Vatican II. It seems that pacifying those who reject Church teaching is a greater priority than avoiding the loss of those who have remained faithful to the Church.

.William Dantonio describes the latter as: those who had one foot in the old Latin Mass church and the other foot in the new English-language Mass church. “These were the Catholics most clearly influenced by the changes brought on by the documents and the spirit of Vatican II. Events showed them to be the most active in moving away from being just “pray, pay and obey” Catholics. They became “the people of God,” with emphasis on the community of believers rather than the pre-Vatican II emphasis on priests and religious as somehow closer to God by virtue of their status in the church.”

They had embraced the teaching of the council, most enthusiastically the reformed liturgy in the vernacular. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy was the first council document published on 12/4/63 and it states (2,14) "the full and active participation of all the people is the aim to be considered before all else". This was evident in their wholehearted involvement in the liturgical responses, actions and music, in the variety and quality of such responses and particularly in the spontaneity of such reactions.

Inevitably such public identification with the renewed liturgy became the focus of those who rejected Vatican II and all it stood for. Spontaneity in celebration had to be banned, joyful and enthusiastic hymns outlawed, only fully pre-choreographed activities involving a careful walk between the lines permitted.. The reverent assembly circling the altar during the canon was abandoned (only ordained ministers were allowed in the sanctuary), the chaotic sign of peace was reined in, communion under both species no longer permitted. The special character and status of the clergy must be maintained.

Next year we will celebrate the publication of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy with nothing left to celebrate. Maybe we need a John XXIII Society to refuse to abandon what the Church taught 50 years ago!