Martin Luther is quoted saying that the withdrawal of mass would herald the end of the church. Departure from the traditional catholic mass appears to have had similar effect. Debate has been simmering over the decades since Vatican II instituted drastic changes. It has pitted conservatives against modernists with evident cracks among the congregation. The debate revolves around what benefits the changes brought.
Trouble seems to have begun with the implementation of proposals of Vatican II. Conservatives suggest that it led to ecumenism which is equated to false faith. Proponents of this old model suggest that the latest version was a disaster to the Vatican based church. They suggest that it should revert to its old model.
The desire to modernize the liturgy is not monopolized by the current generation. History has it that St. Athanasius was faced with the same quest in the fourth century. His letter to the faithful helped to stop a wave that sort to change the status. He encouraged Catholics to remain faithful to tradition and resist the urge to adopt practices that would cripple the body of Christ.
The old order, referred to as Trindentine, is supported since it had taken centuries to curve. Dismantling it by the stroke of a papal declaration would be erroneous. Conservatives are alive to the fact that the faithful owe the pope blind obedience. His Extraordinary Magisterium allows him to institute such changes, but they must not be at the expense of its essence or form.
It is worth noting that the new version did not invalidate the old one. The findings of a commission formed by the pope direct that the old version can still be followed. There are structural differences that are worth noting. They are distinctive and separate the old version from the new one.
The Eucharistic celebration began with consecration of water to be sprinkled to the faithful. This happened in the sacristy and involved addition of salt and a consecration prayer. Sprinkling happened as the priest and his team processed toward the altar. The main celebrant wore differently from co-celebrants. The procession was accompanied by a psalm.
Distinctive departure from the traditional order saw priests leading the celebrations facing the congregants as opposed to the altar as was the tradition. This also applied to co-celebrants, deacons and altar servers. An antiphon is recited before the celebrant leads in the sign of the cross. The order of words has changed slightly.
Changes in the administration of the communion also instituted by Vatican II are subjects of controversy. Originally, only the priest administered the communion. It was to be placed on the tongue instead of receiving using hands. Tabernacles were also removed from the center and place on the side. This signaled dilution of the centrality of communion in the lives of Catholics.
It is uncertain if the new version has saved the church or led to its fall. An example is the decline in vocations as the number of nuns, brothers and priests reduce. Conservatives argue that there was no crisis that necessitated the change. Statistics indicate a dangerous decline in congregations as well as vocations. The debate now is whether things would improve if the traditional version is reintroduced.
Trouble seems to have begun with the implementation of proposals of Vatican II. Conservatives suggest that it led to ecumenism which is equated to false faith. Proponents of this old model suggest that the latest version was a disaster to the Vatican based church. They suggest that it should revert to its old model.
The desire to modernize the liturgy is not monopolized by the current generation. History has it that St. Athanasius was faced with the same quest in the fourth century. His letter to the faithful helped to stop a wave that sort to change the status. He encouraged Catholics to remain faithful to tradition and resist the urge to adopt practices that would cripple the body of Christ.
The old order, referred to as Trindentine, is supported since it had taken centuries to curve. Dismantling it by the stroke of a papal declaration would be erroneous. Conservatives are alive to the fact that the faithful owe the pope blind obedience. His Extraordinary Magisterium allows him to institute such changes, but they must not be at the expense of its essence or form.
It is worth noting that the new version did not invalidate the old one. The findings of a commission formed by the pope direct that the old version can still be followed. There are structural differences that are worth noting. They are distinctive and separate the old version from the new one.
The Eucharistic celebration began with consecration of water to be sprinkled to the faithful. This happened in the sacristy and involved addition of salt and a consecration prayer. Sprinkling happened as the priest and his team processed toward the altar. The main celebrant wore differently from co-celebrants. The procession was accompanied by a psalm.
Distinctive departure from the traditional order saw priests leading the celebrations facing the congregants as opposed to the altar as was the tradition. This also applied to co-celebrants, deacons and altar servers. An antiphon is recited before the celebrant leads in the sign of the cross. The order of words has changed slightly.
Changes in the administration of the communion also instituted by Vatican II are subjects of controversy. Originally, only the priest administered the communion. It was to be placed on the tongue instead of receiving using hands. Tabernacles were also removed from the center and place on the side. This signaled dilution of the centrality of communion in the lives of Catholics.
It is uncertain if the new version has saved the church or led to its fall. An example is the decline in vocations as the number of nuns, brothers and priests reduce. Conservatives argue that there was no crisis that necessitated the change. Statistics indicate a dangerous decline in congregations as well as vocations. The debate now is whether things would improve if the traditional version is reintroduced.
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