Here ya go

Let's read..

First impression: Good stuff, but nothing in terms of practice that hasn't been said before, and nothing really "new" in terms of emphasis.

This is not, of course, a legislative document (although in the Catholic context, that is a difficult concept to pin down. ). It isn't Canon Law and it isn't the GIRM II. It's an Apostolic Exhortation that simply has the force of the Papacy and the Synod of Bishops behind it. Highlights:

(I will say that the Vatican website has vastly improved the online layout of this document, in comparison to past documents.)

1. The sacrament of charity (1), the Holy Eucharist is the gift that Jesus Christ makes of himself, thus revealing to us God's infinite love for every man and woman. This wondrous sacrament makes manifest that "greater" love which led him to "lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13). Jesus did indeed love them "to the end" (Jn 13:1). In those words the Evangelist introduces Christ's act of immense humility: before dying for us on the Cross, he tied a towel around himself and washed the feet of his disciples. In the same way, Jesus continues, in the sacrament of the Eucharist, to love us "to the end," even to offering us his body and his blood. What amazement must the Apostles have felt in witnessing what the Lord did and said during that Supper! What wonder must the eucharistic mystery also awaken in our own hearts!

I was reading parts of Ratzinger's Introduction to Christianity last night, which included his brief discussion of the Cross and the Eucharist. I'll pull from it later, but in that section he powerfully lays out the inadquacy of a "fellowship"-based model of Eucharist, and succintly points out that this "vertical" nature of Eucharist, much-maligned in recent decades, is the only basis in which to have any "horizontal" communion at all. It is only in being centered on Christ's loving sacrifice that we properly and deeply understand who we are in ourselves and in relationship to others. By drawing our eyes to Christ in the first paragraph of this Exhortation, Benedict situates us in that same way. What is this action about? Loving Sacrifice. Who is at the Center? Christ.  What should our response be to this mystery? Wonder.

The Synod of Bishops was able to evaluate the reception of the renewal in the years following the Council. There were many expressions of appreciation. The difficulties and even the occasional abuses which were noted, it was affirmed, cannot overshadow the benefits and the validity of the liturgical renewal, whose riches are yet to be fully explored. Concretely, the changes which the Council called for need to be understood within the overall unity of the historical development of the rite itself, without the introduction of artificial discontinuities.(6)

The footnote here takes us to Benedict's famous speech in December '05 before the Curia, in which he makes this point exactly.

That's the Introduction. The first part of the Exhortation proper concerns belief. What is Eucharist?

The more lively the eucharistic faith of the People of God, the deeper is its sharing in ecclesial life in steadfast commitment to the mission entrusted by Christ to his disciples. The Church's very history bears witness to this. Every great reform has in some way been linked to the rediscovery of belief in the Lord's eucharistic presence among his people.

After covering the defintion of Eucharist and its role in the Church - some of the more "concrete" aspects of the Exhortation...let's pull some:

18. In this regard, attention needs to be paid to the order of the sacraments of initiation. Different traditions exist within the Church. There is a clear variation between, on the one hand, the ecclesial customs of the East (50) and the practice of the West regarding the initiation of adults, (51) and, on the other hand, the procedure adopted for children. (52) Yet these variations are not properly of the dogmatic order, but are pastoral in character. Concretely, it needs to be seen which practice better enables the faithful to put the sacrament of the Eucharist at the centre, as the goal of the whole process of initiation. In close collaboration with the competent offices of the Roman Curia, Bishops' Conferences should examine the effectiveness of current approaches to Christian initiation, so that the faithful can be helped both to mature through the formation received in our communities and to give their lives an authentically eucharistic direction, so that they can offer a reason for the hope within them in a way suited to our times (cf. 1 Pet 3:15).

(Related: a recent article from Catholic Sun on how the restoration of the original order of the sacraments of initiation is going in the Diocese of Phoenix.)

21. The Synod recalled that Bishops have the pastoral duty of promoting within their Dioceses a reinvigorated catechesis on the conversion born of the Eucharist, and of encouraging frequent confession among the faithful. All priests should dedicate themselves with generosity, commitment and competency to administering the sacrament of Reconciliation. (60) In this regard, it is important that the confessionals in our churches should be clearly visible expressions of the importance of this sacrament. I ask pastors to be vigilant with regard to the celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation, and to limit the practice of general absolution exclusively to the cases permitted, (61) since individual absolution is the only form intended for ordinary use. (62) Given the need to rediscover sacramental forgiveness, there ought to be a Penitentiary in every Diocese. (63) Finally, a balanced and sound practice of gaining indulgences, whether for oneself or for the dead, can be helpful for a renewed appreciation of the relationship between the Eucharist and Reconciliation. By this means the faithful obtain "remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven." (64) The use of indulgences helps us to understand that by our efforts alone we would be incapable of making reparation for the wrong we have done, and that the sins of each individual harm the whole community. Furthermore, the practice of indulgences, which involves not only the doctrine of Christ's infinite merits, but also that of the communion of the saints, reminds us "how closely we are united to each other in Christ ... and how the supernatural life of each can help others." (65) Since the conditions for gaining an indulgence include going to confession and receiving sacramental communion, this practice can effectively sustain the faithful on their journey of conversion and in rediscovering the centrality of the Eucharist in the Christian life.

Note to priests:

The Church teaches that priestly ordination is the indispensable condition for the valid celebration of the Eucharist.(71) Indeed, "in the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, High Priest of the redemptive sacrifice." (72) Certainly the ordained minister also acts "in the name of the whole Church, when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the eucharistic sacrifice." (73) As a result, priests should be conscious of the fact that in their ministry they must never put themselves or their personal opinions in first place, but Jesus Christ. Any attempt to make themselves the centre of the liturgical action contradicts their very identity as priests. The priest is above all a servant of others, and he must continually work at being a sign pointing to Christ, a docile instrument in the Lord's hands. This is seen particularly in his humility in leading the liturgical assembly, in obedience to the rite, uniting himself to it in mind and heart, and avoiding anything that might give the impression of an inordinate emphasis on his own personality. I encourage the clergy always to see their eucharistic ministry as a humble service offered to Christ and his Church. The priesthood, as Saint Augustine said, is amoris officium, (74) it is the office of the good shepherd, who offers his life for his sheep (cf. Jn 10:14-15).

Following the bishops in the Synod, the Pope in the AE goes on to re-affirm priestly celibacy, then turns to Eucharist and the family, and the issue of the divorced and remarried without annulment. What interests me here is something that Benedict has emphasized every time he speaks of this issue: he doesn't bend on the principle, but he does want to make sure that everything possible is done to help meet the pastoral need:

When legitimate doubts exist about the validity of the prior sacramental marriage, the necessary investigation must be carried out to establish if these are well-founded. Consequently there is a need to ensure, in full respect for canon law (93), the presence of local ecclesiastical tribunals, their pastoral character, and their correct and prompt functioning (94). Each Diocese should have a sufficient number of persons with the necessary preparation, so that the ecclesiastical tribunals can operate in an expeditious manner. I repeat that "it is a grave obligation to bring the Church's institutional activity in her tribunals ever closer to the faithful" (95). At the same time, pastoral care must not be understood as if it were somehow in conflict with the law. Rather, one should begin by assuming that the fundamental point of encounter between the law and pastoral care is love for the truth: truth is never something purely abstract, but "a real part of the human and Christian journey of every member of the faithful" (96).

He also re-emphasizes the Synod's point that marriage prepartion and discernment should be a priority.

Serious discernment in this matter will help to avoid situations where impulsive decisions or superficial reasons lead two young people to take on responsibilities that they are then incapable of honouring.

Part two of the AE deals with more practical concerns - how to celebrate the Mysteries. And here we see a bit of Benedict, again, in the emphasis on beauty:

The beauty of the liturgy is part of this mystery; it is a sublime expression of God's glory and, in a certain sense, a glimpse of heaven on earth. The memorial of Jesus' redemptive sacrifice contains something of that beauty which Peter, James and John beheld when the Master, making his way to Jerusalem, was transfigured before their eyes (cf. Mk 9:2). Beauty, then, is not mere decoration, but rather an essential element of the liturgical action, since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation. These considerations should make us realize the care which is needed, if the liturgical action is to reflect its innate splendour.

37. Since the eucharistic liturgy is essentially an actio Dei which draws us into Christ through the Holy Spirit, its basic structure is not something within our power to change, nor can it be held hostage by the latest trends. Here too Saint Paul's irrefutable statement applies: "no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 3:11).

38. In the course of the Synod, there was frequent insistence on the need to avoid any antithesis between the ars celebrandi, the art of proper celebration, and the full, active and fruitful participation of all the faithful. The primary way to foster the participation of the People of God in the sacred rite is the proper celebration of the rite itself. The ars celebrandi is the best way to ensure their actuosa participatio. (114) The ars celebrandi is the fruit of faithful adherence to the liturgical norms in all their richness; indeed, for two thousand years this way of celebrating has sustained the faith life of all believers, called to take part in the celebration as the People of God, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (cf. 1 Pet 2:4-5, 9) (115).

39. While it is true that the whole People of God participates in the eucharistic liturgy, a correct ars celebrandi necessarily entails a specific responsibility on the part of those who have received the sacrament of Holy Orders. Bishops, priests, and deacons, each according to his proper rank, must consider the celebration of the liturgy as their principal duty (116). Above all, this is true of the Diocesan Bishop: as "the chief steward of the mysteries of God in the particular Church entrusted to his care, he is the moderator, promoter, and guardian of the whole of its liturgical life" (117). This is essential for the life of the particular Church, not only because communion with the Bishop is required for the lawfulness of every celebration within his territory, but also because he himself is the celebrant par excellence within his Diocese (118). It is his responsibility to ensure unity and harmony in the celebrations taking place in his territory. Consequently the Bishop must be "determined that the priests, the deacons, and the lay Christian faithful grasp ever more deeply the genuine meaning of the rites and liturgical texts, and thereby be led to an active and fruitful celebration of the Eucharist" (119). I would ask that every effort be made to ensure that the liturgies which the Bishop celebrates in his Cathedral are carried out with complete respect for the ars celebrandi, so that they can be considered an example for the entire Diocese (120).

40. Emphasizing the importance of the ars celebrandi also leads to an appreciation of the value of the liturgical norms. (121) The ars celebrandi should foster a sense of the sacred and the use of outward signs which help to cultivate this sense, such as, for example, the harmony of the rite, the liturgical vestments, the furnishings and the sacred space. The eucharistic celebration is enhanced when priests and liturgical leaders are committed to making known the current liturgical texts and norms, making available the great riches found in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and the Order of Readings for Mass. Perhaps we take it for granted that our ecclesial communities already know and appreciate these resources, but this is not always the case. These texts contain riches which have preserved and expressed the faith and experience of the People of God over its two-thousand-year history. Equally important for a correct ars celebrandi is an attentiveness to the various kinds of language that the liturgy employs: words and music, gestures and silence, movement, the liturgical colours of the vestments. By its very nature the liturgy operates on different levels of communication which enable it to engage the whole human person. The simplicity of its gestures and the sobriety of its orderly sequence of signs communicate and inspire more than any contrived and inappropriate additions. Attentiveness and fidelity to the specific structure of the rite express both a recognition of the nature of Eucharist as a gift and, on the part of the minister, a docile openness to receiving this ineffable gift.

snip

Consequently it is essential that the education of seminarians and priests include the study of art history, with special reference to sacred buildings and the corresponding liturgical norms. Everything related to the Eucharist should be marked by beauty. Special respect and care must also be given to the vestments, the furnishings and the sacred vessels, so that by their harmonious and orderly arrangement they will foster awe for the mystery of God, manifest the unity of the faith and strengthen devotion (125).

snip

Finally, while respecting various styles and different and highly praiseworthy traditions, I desire, in accordance with the request advanced by the Synod Fathers, that Gregorian chant be suitably esteemed and employed (130) as the chant proper to the Roman liturgy (131).

Comments

[Jazmany Castellano]

So, is anyone surprised by this?

[tt]

The most remarkable thing about this document is how little of Benedict we see in it; it is essentially a summary of the synod propositions which were already released and does not really go beyond what the Synod proposed.

That doesn't make for high drama and this will seem anticlimactic and even disappointing for many. The big picture message that emerges from this document is that Benedict appears to take collegiality very seriously, that for him a synod of bishops is really a synod of bishops and not a pretext for grand papal statements and gestures.

It remains to be seen whether there will be any papal actions in this area; the exhortation gives very little indication of this.

Something interesting that may be missed on an initial read-through is that Benedict states in a footnote that he is referring the synod's suggestion of moving the sign of peace to the CDW for further study.

[RP Burke]

... this "vertical" nature of Eucharist, much-maligned in recent decades, is the only basis in which to have any "horizontal" communion at all.

An affirmation of the truth of both vertical and horizontal dimensions of communion -- but that the horizontal only comes after the vertical. Very well put.

[G]

If no one is "surprised by this" or its considered "anticlimatic", thank God. All that demonstrates is that our hierarchy is staying close to the two thousand year old teaching that's been handed down to us. In contrast to the those who are constantly looking for "surprise" and, when it isn't forthcoming, promptly dub it "anticlimatic". Perhaps those folks could turn to the Discovery Channel in the continuing quest to find something to "tickle their ears".
For my part, the document makes me appreciate elements of the Mass that I hadn't thought of before. E.g., that by beauty we don't mean decoration but an essential element that links heaven to earth.
Oh, and BTW, what is a diocesan Pententiary?

[Tim Ferguson]

G, every diocese is to have a diocesan penitentiary (canon 508), who is a priest who has the authority to absolve sacramentally certain penalties, such as excommunications which have not been publicly declared. In practice, I suspect that few dioceses in the US actually follow this law, as the whole penal system of the Church has been greatly underutilized.

[geist]

I for my part am excited about the AE. I think it is not so much "anticlimactic" as it is diplomatic. I read it as a clear shift back to what Sacrosanctum Concilium really intended and a reversal of many of the abuses of the past few decades -- but without waving a big banner and shouting "WE'RE CHANGING THINGS!" This is perhaps the best way to get real liturgical reform into the dioceses, even those dioceses with bishops who may be resistant to such reform. I think the document is brilliant.

[PMcGrath]

The document is massively disappointing. For DECADES, we've been BEGGING Rome: Attack the Liturgical Abuses! Surely they cannot have been so deaf as to have missed all the complaints that have been coming in? Haven't the angels relayed our prayers to them?

We already have a perfectly good liturgical theory! All this document is going to be is Mahony's birdcage liner.

Haugen & Haas's drivel has not been suppressed, and there will be a MahonyFest in 2008.

I think I will bang my head against the wall for a few hours tonight. That will be less painful than this document.

[TerryC]

How could you expect a grand change on the enforcement of liturgical abuses in a document such as this? There are already adequate guidance documents prohibiting most abuses in the GRIM and Redemptionis Sacramentum. As you say we already have good liturgical theory.
What is needed is not a public document calling bishops to task, at least not until Rome has privately called them to task, which has probably not happened. I say probably because private means just that. I would expect that after such a private dressing down we would see a sudden turn in certain bishops behavior or an equally sudden removal of them from their episcopal duties. As this has not happen I deduce that such a private ultimatum has not been given.
To expect some kind of specific laundry list of either prohibited actions or specific actors is unrealistic at best. We already know the prohibited actions, so you can bet the bishops know them too. As for the actors, how could Rome be unaware of them?

[TerryC]

On your side note of restoration of the order of sacraments: I am somewhat disturbed by this. Why? In the real world I see many teens who come from homes where there is not an especially strong practice of a sacramental life. A small but significant number blossom into a sacramental life based on the catechesis they go through during preparation for Confirmation.
I am already concerned that the Mystery of the Eucharist and the Mass cannot be adaquately conveyed to an eight or nine year old. One of the problems we have is that there are far too many adults who's formation stopped after their first Communion or Confirmation, which was done in their pre-adolescent years.
In a perfect world these confirmed Christians would continue to grow in Christ throughout their lives, in the real world as it is, some we never see again once they complete their Confirmation. Of those we do keep through their high school years most come form strong families, but not all. Of those that don't most we we never see at all were there not some pressure for them to continue in catechism at least until they finish Confirmation.
Confirm at third grade and a goodly number of these souls will be lost to us.

[Maureen]

I find this reasoning disturbing. We should withhold Confirmation until catechesis is done? Then we shouldn't be confirming any Christians until they're on their deathbeds.

I was no more fully catechized after 8th grade than the Man in the Moon, but my parish stopped offering classes after our grade was Confirmed, so I was sure I knew everything. There weren't any extra classes offered for kids who didn't feel ready for Confirmation, either.

The confusion of "Confirmation" with "graduation from catechesis" is the _problem_, not the solution.

[Geri]

"A small but significant number blossom into a sacramental life based on the catechesis they go through during preparation for Confirmation."

An odd assumption for a Catholic to make -- might they not "blossom" based not on the catechesis, but on the sacrament itself?
Do we not all believe in the efficacy of the sacrament of Confirmation and the grace it bestows?

Just askin'....

[cheyan]

My diocese started the restored order when I was 8, the year after my First Communion. I could have been confirmed that year, but I chose to wait, as I had been told that it was an adult assent and I didn't feel adult yet.
My parents had both been confirmed at 12, so I chose to be confirmed when I was also 12.
I understood the sacrament better at 12 than I did at 8, but also better at 16 than I did at 12 and understand it even better now that I'm 23. I am sure that when I am 30, 40, 50, 60, I will have more and more understanding of it.
But that doesn't mean I should have waited until I had grandkids before receiving it! In fact, I wish I had received it when I was 8. The sacrament is about receiving graces and having our baptisms confirmed by the bishop. No teenager or preteen should be deprived of those graces just because they're not adult yet.

[Schola23]

About using chant in mass...

I've read a lot of the discussion here about this because it's interesting, revelatory, and relevant to me. I'm a graduate student in my 20's, and I participate in a church choir (made up entirely of college students) that leads the music at one of our parish's Sunday masses. I do wish that some of the musical idealists in the crowd could be a little more understanding, however.

Our choir decided at the beginning of Lent that using chant mass parts would be fun, so we have been doing that up to this point. I'm telling you, although we chose simple and common chants, they are much more difficult to perform than the much-maligned Marty Haugen arrangements. Since they are difficult, we have gotten mostly negative feedback. It may or may not be worth continuing the effort, especially since we made this decision somewhat capriciously, and not out of a historical or theological understanding of the value of chant. Personally, I'm not so sure I get it. If we're going to sing difficult music that parishioners aren't going to follow anyway, why not go for Bach or Mozart? Are Baroque and Classical music really any less Catholic than chant? Why?

I am curious, too, if there are different kinds of Chant? The document referenced in this post talks about Gregorian, which is of course the one that I have heard of. If there are different kinds, how can you tell? And why is one more appropriate than another?

[jeffrey]

Schola23, that's quite a number of questions.

The main reason chant feels different (and maybe harder) is that it is non-metric, which is to say that its phrase and rhythms are not divided into neat units of 4 beats or 3 beats such that you can tap your toe to it. Like the Psalms (and like prayer) the rhythm undulates in a different way, more akin to natural speech. It is not grounded in an earthy way and that is for a reason. The early Christians had access to metric Greek poetry but rejected that style for the song of their worship. Chant does have a pulse but it is not overt. This permits the music to float and modulate in a more prayerful way.

As for the Gregorian tradition proper, it is the very foundation of music as we know it, at least in the West. It is the song of the Roman Rite, intimately bound up with the development of the liturgical text.

If you are attempting to accompany chant, that might be part of the problem you are having. Try it unaccompanied. As for the text, you should learn that separately before putting it with the music.

You might also see musicasacra.com for tutorials. There is so much more to say but I'll leave it there, and just encourage you to go forward. There is a vast world of amazing music awaiting your discovery.