Cardinal Pell: Little To Fear For Friends Of Traditional Mass
Best Practice.
As they say, relata refero, so take this with a pinch or three of salt.
Cardinal Pell says we have “little” (I’d have preferred “nothing”) to fear, says the article, which doesn’t quote his words directly, and doesn’t even put the “little to fear” words in quotation marks.
Cardinal Pell seems to indicate his evaluation comes not from intimate knowledge of the man, but from past work made with him.
It isn’t much, but it’s something.
If this Pope is so humble, he will quickly understand he has a lot to learn in matter of liturgy, and it would be very wise to keep Monsigner Marini by him and – as he is such a good listener – listen to what he says.
If this Pope thinks he can demolish the liturgy and make of it a kitsch (I see a lot of kitsch in this Pope; my bad, no doubt) happening for former juvenile tambourine-player and a sort of kindergarten-ersatz, then the mildest things that can be said is that he isn’t so humble after all.
Worst Practice.
We shall see. Stranger things happened at sea than a Cardinal who understands as a Pope he has very special duties, and he won’t die if he wears red shoes and a Mozzetta.
The problem here is, though, that to remain by the examples the Pope does not refuse to wear the Mozzetta and the red shoes out of hate for the colour red, but out of an ideological orientation that seems rather ingrained, and an integral part of the persona he wants to project.
If kitsch liturgy and inappropriate dress are part of one’s message, one won’t change it so easily. Still, one never knows…
Mundabor
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Posted on March 16, 2013, in Catholicism and tagged Cardinal Pell, Conservative Catholic, conservative catholicism, Liturgy, Pope Francis. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
Mundabor's Blog 
Tess Livingstone is a rarity in the mainstream press. An editor of the only worthwhile broadsheet in the country, she reports on Church and life matters from solid Catholic ground. She is also Cardinal Pell’s biographer, so in this rare instance one can probably in good conscience take the reporting at face value.
Absolutely right, however, it seems to be speculation on the Cardinal’s part. I would guess that he has as much cause to be nervous as the rest of us as to where the current is about to shift, and we can probably be grateful that he thinks enough of traditionalists to make the statement. Cardinal Pell has been a strong supporter of the traditional communities here – I’ve personally been fortunate enough to serve an ordination for the FSSP under him – and would likely be sensitive to present trepidation (as an aside, it may interest some to know that the deacon in Thursday’s first Mass was one of his seminarians from Sydney).
Couldn’t agree more with the rest of the above, Mundabor, as usual, but may be slightly more optimistic. The statement in the article (by Weigel, admittedly) that the Holy Father has been “persecuted by his more theologically and politically left-leaning Jesuit brethren” does fill me with some hope… My prayer will be that Monsignor Marini sticks around.
I’ve read the statement, Waverley.
It stroke me as an odd type of persecution, becoming the head of one’s order in one’s country and then the head of a seminary possibly at least as influential.
If I were a clergyman, I wouldn’t dislike to be persecuted like that. Methinks, Weigel devalues the currency of persecution like he is Mugabe…
M
I wish I understood Argentine culture more. It seems, with the political wildness down there that the liturgy is perhaps way down on Francis’ list of priorities. He is of the age where perhaps he has chilling memories of the pre-Vatican II world with many on the political far right leading lives of absolute moral bankruptcy with perhaps the Church hierarchy in their back pockets.
I don’t think we can let it go away with it so easily, Akita-ette.
We know – and if we do he should, too – that the liturgy is the very foundation of the Church. Bad liturgy means bad Church. If he does not know this, I think Pope or no Pope his was a wasted religious life. But again he must know, because he was formed before the Great Populist Earthquake.
In the same vein, no level of corruption in any way, shape or form can ever justify the Pinocchio Mass. In fact, if he has experienced corruption he should have reacted using a reverent Mass as an antidote, not the culprit.
I truly hope he will allow Marini some time to, I must say it, convert him to proper liturgy. He won’t become Pope Pius X for sure, but at least he will fall in line a bit.
M
I’d be interested to learn what you mean by ‘Pinocchio’ Mass. I wasn’t aware you were fortunate enough to be present at one of the Mass’ celebrated by the Pope?
A “Pinocchio” Mass is a mass with puppets and other stupid, desecrating things, by which a Pinocchio puppet might be present.
I am proud to never have been to such a mass, and I intend to die without ever having been to such a one.
I’d be interested to know whether you thing a Mass like the one in the video is something you would participate in?
M