Skip to main content

FSSPX.News: Traditionis Custodes and Active Participation

 +
JMJ

 Aside from "accept Vatican II" and "accept the New Mass", it would appear that the next part of the matra is whispered "Active Participation".

Active Participation isn't really a novelty, as Pope St. Pius X encouraged the laity to pray the Mass with the priest - following along in their missal, uniting themselves with the priest.

I don't think he meant was passes for 'active participation' in the Novus Ordo.

 For reference here's what the Anteconciliar Popes (my new favorite phrase) meant.

 P^3

 Courtesy of FSSPX.News

The letter from Pope Francis that accompanies the motu proprio Traditionis Custodes tries to show the continuity between the Tridentine Mass and the Novus Ordo, relying particularly on the notion of active participation. What is it actually?

Here is the passage which seeks to establish this link: “Among the resolutions that the bishops [of the Council] have indicated with the greatest insistence, is that of full, conscious and active participation by all the people of God in the liturgy [Sacrosanctum Concilium I,2,14], in line with what Pius XII had already stated in his encyclical Mediator Dei on the renewal of the liturgy [§192].”

Active Participation Among Anteconciliar Popes

The term “active participation” is found in a text by Pope St. Pius X from 1903, Tra Le Sollecitudini or Instruction on Sacred Music. The holy pope makes “active participation in the most holy mysteries” “the foremost and indispensable font” of the true Christian spirit.

How would St. Pius X carry out this program? For the faithful, in two ways: by encouraging the restoration of Gregorian chant in a way to make it accessible to the faithful; and by promulgating two decrees: on the communion of children beginning at the age of reason and on frequent communion. This gives an indication of what St. Pius X meant by active participation.

In his encyclical devoted to the liturgy, Mediator Dei, dated 1957, Pope Pius XII takes up the idea, although the expression is not literally there. It is necessary to carefully follow its text, which contains an essential key to understanding the conciliar deviation.

“It is, therefore, desirable, Venerable Brethren, that all the faithful should be aware that to participate in the eucharistic sacrifice is their chief duty and supreme dignity, and that not in an inert and negligent fashion, giving way to distractions and day-dreaming, but with such earnestness and concentration that they may be united as closely as possible with the High Priest.”

“Now the exhortation of the Apostle, ‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,’ requires that all Christians should possess, …we must all undergo with Christ a mystical death on the cross…that in union with the immaculate Victim, we become a victim acceptable to the eternal Father.’”

“Therefore, they are to be praised who, with the idea of getting the Christian people to take part more easily and more fruitfully in the Mass, strive to make them familiar with the ‘Roman Missal,’ so that the faithful, united with the priest, may pray together in the very words and sentiments of the Church.”

Pope Pius XII will, however, give an explanation filled with common sense and pastoral concern:

“Many of the faithful are unable to use the Roman missal even though it is written in the vernacular; nor are all capable of understanding correctly the liturgical rites and formulas. So varied and diverse are men's talents and characters that it is impossible for all to be moved and attracted to the same extent by community prayers, hymns and liturgical services. Moreover, the needs and inclinations of all are not the same, nor are they always constant in the same individual.”

“Who, then, would say, on account of such a prejudice, that all these Christians cannot participate in the Mass nor share its fruits? On the contrary, they can adopt some other method which proves easier for certain people; for instance, they can lovingly meditate on the mysteries of Jesus Christ or perform other exercises of piety or recite prayers which, though they differ from the sacred rites, are still essentially in harmony with them.”

A Change of Perspective

Sacrosanctum Concilium, the constitution on the liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, contains the expression “active participation” eleven times. This expression is nothing more or less than a Trojan horse.

In fact, in the text of the Council, the term “active” participation has a double meaning. For many bishops it means participation as described and defined by Pius XII.

But for editors and innovators, it means an active participation, by which the faithful are entrusted with a greater or lesser part of the material realization of the liturgical ceremony. Examples include readings, acclamations, presentation of gifts, distribution of Holy Communion, bodily gestures, and attitudes (No. 30 of Sacrosanctum Concilium).

That this is indeed the spirit of the Council is confirmed in a text of Paul VI from 1974, which affirms: “It is a mistake to recite the Rosary during the celebration of the liturgy, though unfortunately this practice still persists here and there” (Marialis Cultus, no.48, February 2, 1974).

Thus, in less than 20 years (from 1957 to 1974), Pope Paul VI has condemned as an error what Pope Pius XII praised as an attitude in all respects in accordance with the spirit of the liturgy. This large difference makes it possible to measure the distance which separates the Tridentine rite from the reformed rite after the Council.

Conclusion

Contrary to what the letter of Pope Francis tries to make us believe, there is no homogeneous evolution between the Tridentine liturgy and the reformed liturgy. The intentions of St. Pius X and of Pius XII have been betrayed by liturgies in search of novelties.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Curious Case of Steve Skojec and the Dangers of Deep Diving into the Crisis Sub-Titled: The Failings of Others

 + JMJ It's been a while now since Steve Skojec sold 1P5 and abandoned the Catholic Faith. I've been a 'Trad' since 1982 and in those 40+ years I seen this death-spiral before with a similar end point. It seems that anyone who jumps into the fray unprepared for the enormous task of righting wrongs will, eventually, become discouraged by not the task but the people who surround them.   I remember when Skojec complained of the treatment his family received from a traditional priest.  This seems to have been the start of the end for him. So what can we learn from the likes of Steve Skojec, Michael Voris (maybe?), Louie Verrecchio, Gerry Matatix and other celebrity Catholics? Probably quite a lot about what not to do. First, don't burn out on the crisis?  When you burn out, on work or anything else, little things assume a more greater importance than they are due.   This is one of my 'canary in the coal mine' signals that I've been stretching myself too th...

Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (de fide) - Expanded Listing

+ JMJ A friend had mentioned that he has seen a longer list of truths of the Faith than the one I posted here .  I have finally discovered it online. I have yet to completely determine what dogmas were missed in the original, those I have found are highlighted. Source: A List Of The Dogmas Of The Catholic Church - Fr. Carota Alternate Source: Referencing Ott   Posts Listing the Dogmas of the Catholic Church Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (de fide) - Expanded Listing: Answer for Reader (Oct 2022) Updated List of Teachings of the Catholic Church (Oct 2021) *** Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (Oct 2015) De Fide teaching of the Catholic Church (Apr 2013)           *** Latest version    

De Fide Teachings of the Catholic Church (Updated)

+ JMJ  Update: I was reviewing Ott's work directly and noted that some of the Teachings are De Fide while others are different levels of authority (such as Sent Certa etc).  So please refer to Ott for the actual classification). Posts Listing the Dogmas of the Catholic Church Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (de fide) - Expanded Listing: Answer for Reader (Oct 2022) Updated List of Teachings of the Catholic Church (Oct 2021) *** Dogmas of the Catholic Faith (Oct 2015) De Fide teaching of the Catholic Church (Apr 2013)           *** Latest version  

Homily vs Sermon

+ JMJ Something that I've noticed is that Modern Catholics use the phrase 'Homily' instead of 'Sermon'. I've often wondered about this difference. Here's what I found Catholic Encyclopedia (1910) Homily: ...Since Origen's time homily has meant, and still means, a commentary, without formal introduction, division, or conclusion, on some part of Sacred Scripture , the aim being to explain the literal, and evolve the spiritual, meaning of the Sacred Text.  ... Wikipedia Sermon: : A sermon is an oration , lecture , or talk by a member of a religious institution or clergy . Sermons address a scriptural, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. Elements of the sermon often include exposition, exhortation, and practical application.   Catholic Encyclopedia (1910) Sermon: As to preaching at the present day, we can clearly trace the influe...

Becoming Traditional Catholic Part I

+ JMJ It is a big step from the non-Traditional to Traditional Catholic World. First of all, the Trad world is much smaller, isolated and under siege. This leads to a number of interesting elements that a person making the transition needs to take into account. The Trad World Is Smaller It is a fact that in the states there are about 30,000 Traditional Catholics who support the SSPX and about 3,000 in Canada.  The other Traditionalit orders (FSSP, ICK, etc), I assume, are in the same ball park if not smaller. Let put that in perspective, in my area there are 270,000 non-Traditional Catholics. Consequently, aside from the larger centers,  a Traditional 'Parish' or Mass Centre will be 200 people or less. This has the advantage of being like an extended family and cozy. It has the disadvantage that any crazy 'uncles' in that family will be in plain sight. Be forewarned that any eccentricity that would be drowned in a sea of people in a non-Traditiona...