www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Pope Welcomes Ambrosian-Rite Lectionary

Shlomo Lkhoolkhoon,

First, sorry that I have not been posting. I have been very sick. I read this article and I loved reading that the Roman Church is choosing to preserve one of its ancient rites:

Fush BaShlomo Lkhoolkhoon,
Yuhannon

Pope Welcomes Ambrosian-Rite Lectionary

Archbishop of Milan Presents Work to Pontiff

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 16, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI today welcomed a new lectionary for use in the Ambrosian rite, expressing his prayer that the communities who use that rite may always "walk in truth and charity."
The Pope greeted the Ambrosian Church today when he addressed Italian-speaking pilgrims gathered to pray the Angelus in St. Peter's Square.

"May the Ambrosian Church," the Pontiff said, "nourished by the wisdom and the abundance of holy Scripture, always walk in truth and charity, and give valid witness to Christ, the Word of salvation for humanity of all times."

The Ambrosian rite is celebrated mainly in the Archdiocese of Milan, Italy. The new lectionary is entering into use as the rite celebrates the First Sunday of Advent.

There was a change in criteria for selecting the Bible passages for the new lectionary. The old criterion was one of continuity: Every Sunday a passage would be read from the same Gospel and each Sunday would pick up where the preceding Sunday had left off. The new criterion is a thematic one: Every Sunday will highlight a particular aspect of the life and teaching of Jesus, supported by readings from the Old Testament and the epistles of Paul.

The new lectionary is divided into three parts: the mystery of the Incarnation, the mystery of Easter and the mystery of Pentecost.

Along with the new lectionary, the Ambrosian liturgical calendar has also been modified.

Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, archbishop of Milan, presented a copy of the new lectionary to the Pope.

Speaking with L'Osservatore Romano, the cardinal called the work "an ecclesial effort of great importance for the diocese and the communities of the Ambrosian rite."

"What has been achieved is something like the restoration of a very valuable ancient building," the prelate explained, "which one wants to enhance, returning it to its original splendor and also [...] making it correspond to today's needs."

Cardinal Tettamanzi recalled that the Church of Milan, since the time of St. Ambrose, "has guarded and continually renewed its own original way of celebrating the mysteries of the life of Christ in the course of the liturgical year."

He expressed his wish that "the new lectionary be received and seen as a gift that helps us to profess, celebrate and live the faith beginning from the Word of God," reinvigorating liturgical life "like a beating heart of the community on its journey to holiness and in its missionary dynamism."

Via the New Liturgical Movement...



The new Ambrosian Lectionary and the Extraordinary Form of the Ambrosian Rite
by Nicola De Grandi
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As some readers may be aware, today is the first day of the Ambrosian Liturgical Year, and the first Sunday of Advent of the Ambrosian Rite.

Maybe fewer of our readers know that today also comes into force the new Ambrosian Rite Lectionary, written by order of Dionigi Card. Tettamanzi, Archbishop of Milan.

This event has been recently greatly advertised in the Diocese as a key moment of the renovation of the Ambrosian Rite after the Second Vatican Council, and a restoration of an "Ambrosian way" to read the Holy Writ.

Unfortunately, while it is true that, after thirty years of continous liturgical renovation, whose poor fruits are often under everybody's eyes, this Lectionary stands perfectly and consistently in the line of Abp. Bugnini's school, it is very far from the truth that the new Lectionary is inspired by a true spirit of Ambrosian restoration.

We became aware today, with great sadness and concern, that the Archbishop of Milan has ordered to impose the new Lectionary also in all churches where the Extraordinary Form of the Ambrosian Rite is celebrated. Msgr. Magnoli, Secretary of the Diocesan Congregation for the Ambrosian Rite, has explained today to the faithful gathered in the church of San Rocco al Gentilino in Milan that they ought to accept this imposition, in conformity to Article 6. of Motu Proprio "Summorum Pontificum".

Now, while it is comforting to hear, as we maintained on the NLM, and contrary to what some believed, that the Archbishop of Milan is and considers himself in fact bound by the Papal authority as expressed in the Motu Proprio, we cannot but wonder why the same Archbishop doesn't recognize validity to many other articles of the same "Summorum Pontificum". For instance, as to the possibility for every Ambrosian Rite priest to choose freely to celebrate Mass either according to the new Missal or to the traditional Missal, which is now explicitly denied and forbidden!

Furthermore, it is very clear from the text of the Apostolic Letter that the use of vernacular readings is allowed, and not imposed. It is on the contrary far from clear and very open to interpretation, that a new Lectionary, whose features are largely incompatible with the structure of the traditional Ambrosian Calendar, can be used.

In order to understand the critical importance of this imposition, some precisions are in order.

First of all, the traditional Ambrosian "Ordo Lectionum" is most probably one of the most ancient and original features of the Rite itself. We have evidences that some readings were read since before St. Ambrose's times, and learned studies published by scholars like Prof. C.Alzati and P. Carmassi have shown that the Ambrosians considered their "pollens Ordo Lectionum" "a vigorous order of the readings" - as cited in the VIIth century Versum de Mediolano Civitate" - as a central point of their peculiar way to worship God.

The mystagogical character of this order of readings, its powerful catechetical mark and its noble history with strict connections with the liturgy of Jerusalem are only some of the unique peculiarities of the Ambrosian way to read the Holy Writ during the Mass.

Secondly, it is true that, shamefully, for thirty years the Ambrosians renounced their noble traditions and chose to adopt almost in toto the Roman Lectionary. However, it is a paradox that, with a pretext to restore the Ambrosian tradition, they have now fabricated a brand new Lectionary (with all the same year A and B's of the Roman one) to replace the ancient and original "Ordo Lectionum".

Thirdly, while some characteristics of the old calendar have been restored, on the other hand some very temerarious novelties have been introduced, such as a Vigil Mass for Saturday evening, with a proclamation of the Resurrection throughout the year, and a proper form different from the Sunday Mass, but equally able to fulfill the Sunday obligation. In other words, the Archbishop of Milan has de facto established Saturday as a second holy day in the week!

Today, in the church of S.Rocco, by intervention of some pious hands, the new Lectionary suddenly "disappeared", and the traditional readings were read.

Now we hope that this very imprudent imposition be withdrawn by the diocesan authorities in order to restore peace and harmony amongst the Ambrosian faithful.

Thank goodness someone had the sense to hide the "new" lectionary of the revisionist ecumenists and let the old readings be read.

Dear Friends,

Pope Paul VI and at least one other Pontiff before him were "Milanese Catholics" and not "Roman Catholics."

The long-time pastor of St Nicholas UGC parish in Toronto, the Rev. Fr. Dr Bohdan Lypsky, said that the Milanese Rite, in a number of respects, is actually closer to the Byzantine Rite than to the Roman Rite (?).

And scholars have discovered that the old commemoration of the "Pope" in the Milanese Liturgy does not refer to the Roman Pontiff but to the . . . Archbishop of Milan!

The Mozarabic Rite has been approved for the faithful of Spain, but there doesn't seem to be much mass interest in using it. One Spanish liturgical scholar was quoted to have said that the use of the Mozarabic Rite only makes sense when used in accordance with the "extraordinary rubrics."

Alex

Is there also an "extraordinary form" of other rites beside the Roman Rite? Does it mean that the Motu Proprio also applies for Christians of other rites whose liturgies have been somehow modified?

This is precisely one of the main weaknesses of the liturgical deformation that has been going on since the 1960's in the Western rites: the increased tendency to turn (and thereby impoverish) each Sunday into a thematic celebration, instead of simply letting Sunday be Sunday, with all its richness and 'symbolic polyvalence'. (cf. "Sunday in the Byzantine Tradition" in Robert Taft's Beyond East and West: Problems in Liturgical Understanding. The Pastoral Press, Washington DC, 1984)

I'd like to point out that the continuous reading of the Scriptures in the liturgy is, in fact, THE ancient tradition.

The more ancient forms of the Western rites did have "idea feasts" on some Sundays and "thematic Sundays" but these were very few and very rich (e.g. Trinity Sunday), and I don't think one can maintain (as Fr. Taft does) that ordinary Sundays in the old Roman Missal were "Feasts of the Trinity." However, what has happened since the 1960's has been precisely to increase this tendency in the Western rites: for example, the forced and artificial coordination of the "Responsorial Psalm" with the readings, and the method of selecting the readings themselves.

This thematization is often made worse by the missalettes distributed in innumerable parishes, which often provide explanatory notes that force the readings into a "theme" which is then hammered home in canned comments written for the commentator(s) or the priest-celebrant to say before each reading and (sometimes) before the Mass itself, in addition to the homily.

we Catholics are SO blessed to have Benny as our Pope, he and John Paul the Great (eternal memory) make it two in a row. if the Holy Father is willing to do this for the Ambrosian Rite, it follows that he indeed is sympathetic to ECs as well as Traditional Latins.many years to His Holiness, and thank GOD for such blessings.
Much Love,
Jonn

The abbreviated version of this thread title is "Pope Welcomes Ambrosia . . ." which gave me the impression the thread had something to do with a fruit salad popular in the American south - it's actually quite nice.

Fr. Serge

should have seen that coming. I am a big fan of ambrosia. served around Thanksgiving and Christmas here in Dixie. I ought to know, have been eating it most of my life.
Much Love,
Jonn

I'm not a fan of modifying a ancient rite and adopting someone's non organic boo-boo...

I'm surprised that the Pope accepted the changes...makes one wonder

I think Pope Benedict has to pick and choose his battles.

Alexis

I agree with Logos-Alexis

and John when it comes to John Paul the Great (may he rest in peace) he was very bad for the Latin Rite liturgy but otherwise he was great and as to H.H. Benedict he is pretty traditional himself

Pope Benedict's views on liturgical reform are often oversimplified as "restorationist" or "traditionalist". This, I believe, is the root of some of the unrealistic hopes that many Catholics have for his reign.

Compared to Pope John Paul II and Paul VI, the current Pope has a keener sense of the need for continuity in sacred music and the physical orientation of the Mass. He also understands the importance of permitting traditional liturgies to continue (see Summorum Pontificum). We can be certain that, as long as Benedict is Pope, there will be greater efforts towards the recovery of the Roman Church's patrimony of sacred music, and a greater emphasis on the beauty, aesthetics, reverent celebration and proper orientation of the Mass. For all of these, we should be grateful.

Nevertheless, it is also a fact that Pope Benedict is committed to the liturgical reform as codified in the Novus Ordo and its revised liturgical books. As a young peritus in Vatican II, Joseph Ratzinger was harshly critical of the old papal liturgy, and as Cardinal he was on record as stating his wholehearted acceptance of many of the reforms (new Offertory, different Eucharistic prayers).

There is no evidence that Pope Benedict is an advocate of the "Reform of the Reform", despite what some followers of this school (e.g. the writers of New Liturgical Movement) want us to think. ("Reform of the Reform" now means so many things to so many people, but when it was coined in the early 1990's it was in order to describe that school of thought which upheld the necessity of reforming the old preconciliar liturgy while also pressing for the restoration of some elements of that liturgy, to the Novus Ordo)

He has been content -- and I am certain that he has good reasons for this -- to offer the liturgy according to the new books, in a manner that is "more traditional" while remaining within the bounds and rubrics of the new liturgy. He has also spoken in the past against a new wave of changes to the liturgy.

Nearly 4 years into his reign, there are no signs that he intends to restore some of the ceremonies and prayers that were dropped in the 1950's and 1960's. Instead, his goals are far more modest: celebrate the Novus Ordo with greater reverence and beauty, and implement more beautiful and faithful translations of the liturgy. (It should be noted that this last project was begun by Pope John Paul II). The very fact that the Curia is now leisurely presiding over the introduction of a new English translation of the existing liturgical books is enough indication that there are no radical changes afoot for the liturgy.

Yes, Pope Benedict, as Cardinal Ratzinger, had some hard things to say about the liturgical reform and its implementation. One of these statements -- which seemed to describe the Novus Ordo as "fabricated liturgy" -- has been overused and abused by Traditionalists.

However, as Pope, he has not made any moves towards actually changing the new rites towards the direction of "re-traditionalization" in the sense of restoring abolished rites and prayers.

On the contrary, the only actual changes to the Mass either implemented or contemplated in the reign of Benedict XVI, are all within the "tradition" of the Novus Ordo. I refer here to the new formulae for the dismissal of the people, and the looming reform of the Ordo Missae in order to move the Kiss of Peace from its traditional (since the 5th century) Roman position just before Communion, to just before the Offertory (just like in the Ambrosian rite). There has been talk of abolishing the Eucharistic Prayers for Children, but this abolition has not been actually pushed through by the Vatican itself, and in any case these Prayers were not part of the Roman Missal until 2002 (prior to 2002, these were published separately).

It should also be noted that Pope Benedict extended to Poland the indult to receive Communion in the hand -- something that Pope John Paul II had refused to permit. He has also confirmed the indults given to the Neo-Catechumenal Way. While he now gives communion only on the tongue, he has not actually forbidden communion in the hand. If I am not mistaken, he has also continued the practice of having the Apostles' Creed said during the Paschal season (rather than the Nicene Creed)

Indeed, if anything, Summorum Pontificum clearly speaks of a new reform of the 1962 Roman Missal, without specifying when this will be implemented, and how extensive the new reforms will be. However, in the year since Summorum, three changes have already been made to the aforesaid Missal: 1) the new Good Friday Prayer for the Jews, 2) the "optionalization" of the requirement to say the readings in Latin, and 3) the strong encouragement that the Masses of the Holydays of Obligation be said on the same days as in the Novus Ordo.

To sum up, Pope Benedict's view of the liturgy can be described as:

1) Strict celebration of the liturgy according to the rubrics of the reformed liturgy, with greater reverence and a greater "sense of tradition" with regards to vestments, rubrics, music and orientation

2) Adherence to the reform of the liturgy as contained in the liturgical books promulgated by John Paul II, and a continuation of some of this reform's tendencies

3) Adherence to the vision of the liturgical reform, while condemning and disowning the distorted forms that it often took in practice.

I agree almost completely, asianpilgrim. I am a *tad* more hopeful than you, but overall that's an accurate portrayal. I don't think the liturgical vision of Joseph Ratzinger in 1964, however, is the same as it is in 2008.

As far as the "strong encouragement" about having the same Holy Days, you should see the Vatican's letter that was sent to the Bishops of England and Wales. I don't think it's fair to say the Vatican is encouraging anything like that.

Alexis

Dear Alexis:

Yes, I have read that letter [rorate-caeli.blogspot.com] . The letter does clarify that the Holy Day Masses may continue to be offered on the original, 1962 Missal dates, thus denying the contention of the English bishops that the Holy Days MUST be offered on the days assigned to these in the Novus Ordo calendar, and not on the original days.

However, the same letter does declare that "it is appropriate" to also offer the Holy Day Masses on the same day to which the Episcopal Conferences have assigned these:

3. Thus, in accordance with nn. 356-361 of the Rubricae Generales Missalis Romani of 1962, it is appropriate to celebrate the external solemnity of Holy Days on the Sunday to which they have been transferred by the Episcopal Conference, as has been customary in many other countries hitherto.

This is, in fact, a rather novel application of the aforementioned rubrics. Among the Holy Days, as a rule, only Corpus Christi had its external solemnity in the following Sunday (on account of the Corpus Christi procession).

Prior to Vatican II, though, was there provision for celebrating, for example, the external solemnity of Epiphany on the first Sunday after January 1 (the Sunday to which many Episcopal Conferences have moved its celebration since the 1970's)? Same question with the Ascension and other Holy Days.

In practice, if one wishes to follow this latest missive from Ecclesia Dei to the letter, one would offer the Holy Day Mass TWICE: on the original day, and again on the day to which it has been moved by the Episcopal Conference. While this situation is indeed foreseen in the 1962 rubrics for a few feasts (Sacred Heart, Our Lady of the Rosary), there never was any general practice of applying this practice to ALL the Holy Days of Obligation.

Quite frankly, it still wreaks havoc on the traditional calendar.

As one of the MC's in a parish that offers the TLM, this is of practical concern to me! Take, for example, Epiphany. The Philippine bishops have moved Epiphany to the First Sunday after January 1. So, January 4, 2009 will be Epiphany in the Philippines according to the Novus Ordo calendar, and there is pressure on us to offer the Mass of the Epiphany on the aforesaid date. However, January 4 -- in the traditional calendar -- is the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus next year!