CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
Where will it all end? Joseph Shaw on preventing chaos
M
y column in this Today we have a clearer idea of how In these cases, the local Ordinaries issue is illustrated things will end. Recently a priest in the took the issues seriously, for which we as usual with diocese of Detroit in the USA discovered should thank God. We know, however, one of Dom Hubert van that his own baptism had been invalid, that not all bishops would have done so. Zeller’s cartoons. A priest meaning that he was not a priest after The clerical abuse scandal has already is vesting, and handing his all, and all the Masses he had celebrated, indicated that what is happening under maniple back to the server: and all the absolutions he had given in the surface of the institutional Church maniples were not listed as vestments in Confession, were invalid. At the time of can be worse than we are inclined to the reformed liturgical books published writing, Catholic media is alight with imagine. shortly before the cartoon. He makes a the arrest of a priest in the Archdiocese Of course, mandating maniples gesture of despair. Once you get rid of of New Orleans, who had been found once more for the celebration of Mass maniples, he seems to say, is not going to solve all our what next? What will prevent problems. Stronger medicine chaos consuming the Church? is required. What we can Put like that it sounds a say, however, is that the bit silly. But as with the best increasingly widespread jokes, Van Zeller, who was also celebration of the Church’s a profound spiritual writer, ancient liturgy will be part of is saying something absurd, the solution, for the simple and yet somehow true. In reason that it emphasises 1972, when this collection of the very supernatural reality cartoons was published, it which is being forgotten with wasn’t clear where it would such terrible consequences. end. Prophecies of doom To be specific, it reinforces were easy to mock: are liturgical discipline to maniples really so important? preserve the validity of the And yet, people were nervous, sacraments; it treats holy disoriented, disturbed. If things with heightened something as apparently solid respect to ward off sacrilege; as the liturgy could change, and it feeds the spiritual then what could not? Joseph, lives of priests and laity in a Cardinal Ratzinger, before unique way. his election as Pope, noted in Its supporters do not 1997: propose the Extraordinary "I ask myself — where will it all end?" ‘A community is calling Form as an alternative to From Cracks in the Curia or Brother Choleric Rides Again by Brother its very being into question decent seminary formation Choleric (aka Dom Hubert van Zeller), 1972 when it suddenly declares or the prosecution of clerical that what until now was its holiest and recording a pornographic film with two criminals. What we say is what we know, highest possession is strictly forbidden women, on the altar of his church. He is that it supports the growth of all aspects and when it makes the longing for it seem being charged with indecency, because of the Christian life: intellectual and emotional, imaginative and artistic, downright indecent.’1 this was all visible through a window. It is not that liturgical traditionalists These particular examples of the chaos spiritual and moral. Formal education in 1972 were unable to distinguish liturgy consuming the Church demonstrate in an and the enforcement of rules are and doctrine. They simply recognised unexpected way the connection between necessary, but they are not enough; in that the two things are closely entwined, the liturgy, doctrine, and morality. We any case, there is very little most of us as did the radicals who were driving the might like to think of the deacon who can do about them. What we can all do is changes. Between the traditionalists carried out the invalid baptism as a simple- to play our part in the restoration of the and the radicals stood the establishment minded nincompoop, but for the mind- liturgy which will renew the Church’s types who would spend the next half a boggling consequences of his action. The inner life. Venite, adoremus. century fervently pretending that the second story is downright demonic. But liturgy could be changed indefinitely they both speak of a collapse of respect for without any danger that doctrine would the supernatural reality of what happens 1. In his long interview with Peter Seewald, Salt of the Earth: lose its moorings. The Church at the End of the Millennium. in the liturgy.
WINTER 2020
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