Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Pastor concerned with liturgical formation

The pastor of St. Mary's in Norwalk, CT, wrote a letter to his parishioners on the topic of liturgical formation. Here's how it began:
These past two Sundays I have dedicated my Pastor’s Column to New Year Resolutions. First I recommended that following Pope Benedict XVI’s lead, people no longer receive Holy Communion in the hand, and start receiving on the tongue. Secondly I recommended that people start correcting themselves when they use the Lord’s name in vain. This week I recommend that everyone in the parish make it a point to attend the 9:30 am Extraordinary Form of the Mass at least a few times during the coming year.
Read the rest at WDTPRS.

Update (2008-01-21): Fr. Z has posted the second part of Fr. Markey's letter. Here's an excerpt:
Yet beyond the lack of fidelity to the Vatican II liturgical norms there is still a deeper question which has only now begun to be addressed by Pope Benedict XVI: whether the liturgical reform of [read: after] the Second Vatican Council that we have today was what the Fathers of the Council intended. ... For example, today much of what Catholics think is the Second Vatican Council liturgical reform did not in fact come from the Council. ... For this reason Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to liberalize the Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) is essential to reconnecting us with our lost tradition, and understanding what authentic worship of God is all about.
Part of me wants to make a "pilgrimage" to Norwalk... part of me wants to experience this in my own backyard.

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