Crackdown on Liturgical Abuses
When news broke that the Vatican had come out with a number of requirements designed to crack down on so-called liturgical abuses, I worried that it might be one more example of Rome tightening the screws to the laity in response to a sense that the Vatican is losing in the power struggle. Hey, there are a lot more of us than them!
It could be some of that, but whenever I'm confused about how to think about this stuff, I turn to John Allen, the National Catholic Reporter Rome columnist. I think he has a great handle on this stuff. His conclusion? "The document was rumored to bring a Roman hammer down on a number of practices that have become common in various parts of the world: inter-communion with Protestants, for example, or liturgical dance, or altar girls. In the end, the hammer was something of a rubber mallet."
Allen highlighted the major requirements.
A ban on the use of unapproved texts and rites
The absolute necessity of an ordained priest for the celebration of the liturgy
Use of appropriate vessels and vestments
A ban on lay people giving homilies
An insistence on using lay ministers of the Eucharist only when there is an insufficient number of priests to distribute communion
Laity may not hand one another consecrated hosts or the chalice
The Mass may not be divided, with different parts celebrated at different times
Priests always have the right to celebrate the Mass in Latin, but according to the post-Vatican II rite
The obligation of Sunday Mass cannot be satisfied with ecumenical services
Insistence that communion must not be given to non-Catholics and non-Christians in violation of church rules.
Allen quoted Jesuit Fr. Keith Pecklers, who teaches liturgy at Romes Gregorian University. Its obviously a further attempt at tightening the reins, but its much less offensive or restrictive than had been rumored," Pecklers said.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in Catholic press and in churches. I'll keep tracking it.
