THE
P RTAL
August 2012
Page 16
F a t h e r P e t e r ’s P a ge
The next renewal...
“Lex Orandi . . . Lex CredendI” (‘the word prayed is
the word believed’) has long been a maxim of those involved in spreading and
sustaining the Catholic faith.
Within the Anglo-Catholic Movement of
Anglicanism in the past, it was one, if not THE ONE
aspect of Mission which was considered fundamental.
The formularies of Prayer Books were open to
(mis-)interpretation, and many phrases used in her
Liturgy were treated ambiguously, often been open to
contrasting understanding. To ensure that the true
meaning of the Liturgy was conveyed, the way it was
celebrated became fundamental.
emphasis ruled the day: especially in Eucharistic Liturgy.
With the clear teaching of The Catechism of the Catholic
Faith, and the improved new translation of the Missal we
have the equipment to emphasise truths that have often
gone stale or been forgotten.
“losses and absence”
Pope Benedict XVI in a recent address, whilst
recognising what had been gained by liturgical renewal
in the last 40 years, spoke of the “losses and absence”
that he sensed had occurred. Although the new rite
had clearly created a deeper sense of ‘community’, and
has increased the proper understanding of “the local
church”, this has sometimes been at the cost of “a loss
of the transcendence”, and a true understanding of the
Catholic Church in terms of “the Universal Church”.
Good Liturgy became a bye-word of many a Mission
Parish since it was via this – rather than intellectual
exposition – that the fundamental Catholic truths
were proclaimed. “The Mass is Mission” is/was more
than a slogan: it was a crucial factor in the conversion
of souls. Those who ensured that ‘the best’ – be it in
music, vestment or ceremonial – was the minimum that
God & the Gospel required, were not obscurantist’s or
“Consta Reformanda” is a ‘Catholic’ Term: not a
perfectionists for false reasons, but because Salvation Protestant one! The Church – under the guidance of
demanded it!
the Holy Spirit – must be forever ‘renewing’ itself in
faithfulness to Revelation and The Tradition. No more
expose a paradox
is this so, than in the celebration of its Liturgy.
When historians come to reflect on the 20 th Century
of Liturgical Renewal, I am sure they will expose Fr. Harry Entwistle
a paradox: that just at the moment – after many an
Fr. Harry Entwistle, the new Ordinary of The Personal
historic battle – that Anglicans throughout the world Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross in
were achieving in Liturgy what their forefathers had Australia, in a recent talk in Melbourne [read it at: www.
yearned for so much, was the very time that heterodoxy ordinariate.org.uk/document.doc?id=64] surely was
became normative! Such developments can be seen making an important point, which all of us – whether
clearly in both the United States and in England. The in The Ordinariate or not – should take to heart:
“The Ordinariate is not an Anglican Preservation
‘70s & ‘80s were times of great achievements in the
Liturgy: “getting the rite, right!”. But, only to see it Society, living in some imagined golden age. It is a
non-geographical diocese within the Western Catholic
evaporate within a generation.
Church, committed to proclaim the gospel and be
gains reversed
evangelistic. We will have our liturgy that reflects
Within a decade, the gains of liturgical renewal had our English tradition, but it is not an end in itself. It
been reversed: Crucial wording was eliminated and/or reflects what we believe and pray, and its language will
diluted; There were clear attempts to ‘remove’ specific be of our tradition.”
references to the reality of the Eucharistic species with
words of a ‘receptionist’ hue; The removal of patent
Maybe, one of the prophetic roles of The Ordinariate
Sacrificial language: All this was done by people, who in a is to fulfil Pope Benedict XVI hopes and be an exemplar
contradictory way, understood the importance of liturgy – of what true renewal of the Liturgy is all about!
something which had once been the preserve of Catholics
- and ensured that ‘Protestantism’ and/or ‘Liberalism’
Father Peter