The New Liturgy A Documentation, 1903.1965 R. KEVIN SEASOLTZ HERDER AND HERDER 1966 HERDER AND HERDER NEW YORK 232 Madison Avenue, New York 16, N. Y. Nihil obstat: Thomas J. Bcary Censor Librorum Imprimatur: |Robert F. Joyce Bishop of Burlington August 10, 1965 The nihil obstat and imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted nihil obstat and im­ primatur agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 65-13481 © 1966 by Herder and Herder, Incorporated Printed in the United States Contents Acknowledgements Abbreviations x XI Foreword by Joseph Cardinal Ritter xnt Introduction xv Liturgical Documents: 1903 1905 Pius X s.c.c. 1906 S.C.R. 1910 S.C.S. I9II Pius X 1925 1925 1928 S.C.R. Pius XI Pius XI 1928 1943 1943 1945 Pius Pius Pius Pius W 1948 Pius XII S.C.S. 1949 1950 H.O. Pius XII 19^0 Pius XII XI XII XII XII 1952 H.O. 1953 Pius XII 1953 H.O. The Restoration of Church Music 3 The Daily Reception of Holy Communion 7 II The Use of the Slavonic Language in the Liturgy b U The Age for Admission to First Communion 17 The New Arrangement of the Psalter 111 the Roman Breviary 22 The Form of Liturgical Vestments 35 The Kingship of Christ 36 The Reparation Due to the Sacred Heart 47 The Liturgy and Gregorian Chant 58 The Mystical Body of Christ 64 The Promotion of Biblical Studies The Use of the New Latin Version of *02 the Psalms m the Divine Office The -Sacred, Liturgy % The Confirmation of Children in Danger of Death The Use of Chinese in the Mass The Development of Holiness in the Priestly Life Tbc_ Dogmatic Definition of th<^ Assumption of Onr Lady Sacred Art New Discipline for the Eucharistic Fast The New Discipline for the Eucharistic Fast ‘85 THE NEW LITURGY VI 1953 H.O. 1953 S.C.C. 1953 H.O. 1954 HO. 1954 S.C.R. jp54 Pius XII 1955 H.O. 1955 S.C.R. 1955 S.C.R. 1955 Pius XII igsô Pius XII 1957 S.C.R. 1957 Pius XII 1957 H.O. 1957 S.C.R. 1957 S.C.R. 1958 S.C.R. 1958 S.C.P.F. 1958 S.C.R. 1958 S.C.R. 1958 H.O. 1958 H.O. 1959 S.C.R. 1959 John XXI11 1959 H.O. Evening Mass aboard Ship 189 Changes to be made in the Catechism of Blessed Pius X 190 Privileges Regarding First Christmas in the Evening of the Vigil 191 The Eucharistic Fast in the Celebration of the Paschal Vigil 191 The Use of English in the Celebration of Certain Sacraments 192 Various Liturgical Problems I94_ Excessive Indulgence in the Celebration of Evening Mass 203 The Reduction of the Rubrics to a Simpler Form 203 The Restoration of the Holy Week Order 209 Sacred Music 218 The First International Congress of PastorjdJdtiirgy.At_Assisi-Rome 233 The Restored Order of Holy Week 245 The Extension of the Provisions for Evening Mass and the Eucharistic Fast 249 The Validity of Concélébration 250 The Custody of the Blessed Sacrament 251 Gothic Vestments 253 The Blessing of Ashes at Evening Mass on Ash Wednesday 253 The Permission for Vernacular in Various Parts of the Mass 254 Bible Devotions 255 Sacred Music and the Sacred Liturgy 255 Evening Mass Permitted for the Personal Benefit of Priests 282 Privileges for Germany 283 The Celebration of the Paschal Vigil Early Sunday Morning 285 The Lenten Preachers and Parish Priests of the Diocese of Rome 286 The Epistle and Gospel in the 291 Vernacular CONTENTS 1959 S.C.R. 1959 H.O. 1959 John XXIII 1959 S.C.R. 1959 S.C.R. j 960 S.C.R. 1960 S.C.R. i960 i960 H.O. S.C.R. i960 H.O. i960 S.C.R. i960 John XXIII i960 John XXIII i960 S.C.R. i960 i960 S.C.R. S.C.R. i960 John XXIII i960 S.C.R. i960 H.O. i960 S.C.C. i960 S.C.R. 1960 S.C.R. 1961 John XXIII VII The Proclamation of the Gospel and Prophec.es in the Vernacular during Holy Week b 291 The Celebration of Evening Mass for the Personal Benefit of pricsts 292 The Amendment of the Good Friday Prayers Regarding the Jews 292 An Interpretation of the Instruction on Sacred Music and the Liturgy 293 Certain Formulas to be Deleted from the Ritual Baptism of Adults 294 The Dialogue Mass and the Rosary during Mass ' 294 The Insertion of the Litany of the Precious Blood in the Roman Ritual 295 Evening Mass Earlier than 4:00P.M. 295 The .Omission of the Leonine Prayers after Mass. 296 The Distribution of Holy Communion in the Afternoon 297 The Recitation of the Rosary at Mass 298 Worship of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus 300 The New Rubrical Code 305 The Promulgation of the New Rubrical Code 307 The Revision of Particular Calendars 424 Regulations for Publishers of Liturgical Books 425 The International Eucharistic Congress at Munich 427 The Invocation in Honor of the Precious Blood to be added to the Divine Praises 430 The New Code of Rubrics Not to be Anticipated 430 Choir Services and their Conformity with the New Code of Rubrics 431 A New List of Feasts on which the Mass Pro Poptilo Is to be Applied 432 The Anticipation of Lauds Prohibited Even in Private Recitation 433 Pueri Cantores 433 VIII 1961 John XXIII 1961 1961 1961 1961 1961 John XXIII 1962 1962 1962 John XXIII 1962 John XXIII 19Ô2 1963 1963 Vatican. H 1964 Paul VI 1964 US.Tishops. 1964 1964 THE NEW LITURGY The Lenten Preachers and the Parish Priests of the Diocese of Rome 437 The Revision of Calendars and Propers According to the New Code of Rubrics 443 The Use of the Vernacular in Certain 453 Parts of the Mass The Recitation of the Confiteor at Communion Time on Good Friday 454 Holy Communion for the Sick in the Afternoon 454 The Permission .of_a Fcmalc-to—Read the .Epistle and Gospel in the Verna­ cular at Mass Sacred Art Changes in the Code of Rubrics Nodeless Chalices Changes in the Roman Ritual for the Baptism of Adults The Blessing of the New Organ in St. Peter’s Basilica The UNESCO Congress of Music Extraordinary Ministers of Confirmation during the Second Vatican Council The Permission for Nuns to Receive Communion on Good Friday When No Services Are Celebrated in Their Church Th£_ÇonstitutiQn_on the Sacred Liturgy The Change in the Eucharistic Fast for Celebrating Priests Certain Prescriptions of The ,45_5 456 460 462 466 469 471 472 SOI Go into Effect 501 The Use of English in. Accordance with. The Constitution on the Sacred Tituray 504 The. Approval of English in Accordance with The Constitution on the Sacred The New Formula for the Distribution of Holy Communion The Execution of the Approved English 508 508 CONTENTS I964 Paul VI S.C.R. C.L.A. Sacred Art 510 Instruction on the Sacred Liturgy _ 515 Djrcçtives. forJUsc of the Vernacular Shortening of Communion Fast 544 The Concélébration of Mass and Com­ munion under Both Kinds 544 The Ordinary of the Mass and the Rite 'to be Observed in the Celebration of Mass in accorcance witli~tlie~In­ struction on the Proper Tmplementation of The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 574 I964 I965 Appendices: 1947 G.L.C. 1957 1962 Local Local I. Guiding Principles for the Design of Churches According to the Spirit of the Roman Liturgy 2. Diocesan Church Building Directives . The Mass; a Pastoral pireçtory 4. A List of Excerpts from the “Declarations” Added to the Liturgy Schema Prepared by the Central 680 Preparatory Commission A c kno w1 edgem en ts The author gratefully acknowledges permission from the following publishers and individuals to reprint the full texts or excerpts from copyrighted material: The Pope Speaks, Washington, D. C., for the allocution of John XXIII at the blessing of the new organ in St. Peter’s Basilica, September 27, 1962; for the allocution ofJohn XXIII to participants in a UNESCO congress of Music, September 29, 1962; for the allocution of John XXIII to the Lenten preachers and parish priests of Rome, February 10, 1959; for the radio message of John XXIII to the International Eucharistic Congress at Munich, August 7, i960; for the allocution of John XXIII to the Pueri Cantores, January 1, 1961; for the allocution of John XXIII to the Lenten preachers and parish priests of Rome, February 13, 1961; for the allocution of John XXIII to the Ninth Study Week of the Pontifical Commission of Sacred Art in Italy, October 28,1961; for the instruction of the Sacred Congregation of Rites on Sacred Music and the Sacred Liturgy according to the Encyclical Letters Mtisicac sacrae disciplina and Mediator Dei, September 3, 1958. The Bruce Publishing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the following excerpts from volume 5 of The Canon Law Digest, edited by Timothy L. Bouscarcn: “The Use of Chinese in the Mass,” ’’Permission for Vernacular in Va­ rious Parts of the Mass,” “Bible Devotions,” “Evening Mass Permitted for the Personal Benefit of Priests,” “Celebration of Paschal Vigil Early Sunday Morning,” “Privileges for Germany,” “Epistle and Gospel in the Vernacular,” “Proclamation of the Gospel,” "Celebration of Evening Mass for Personal Benefit of Priests,” “Amendment of the Good Friday Prayer,” “Evening Mass earlier than 4 P. M.,” “Recitation of the Rosary at Mass,” “Recitation of the Confiteor,” “Permission for a Female to Read,” “Nodclcss Chalices,” “Permis­ sion for Nuns to Read.” Sr. Anthony Guild Press, Paterson, New Jersey, and to Joseph B. Collins for “Decree on Frequent and Daily Reception of Holy Communion,” Cate­ chetical Documents of Pope Pius X, edited by Joseph B. Collins. National Catholic Welfare Conference News Service, Washington, D. C., for Divino afflante Spiritu by Pius XII; “Sacred Music” by Pius XII; Munifi­ centissimus Deus by Pius XII; Menti nostrae by Pius XII; Mystici Corporis by Pius XII; New Code of Rubrics, i960. The America Press, New York, for “Heart of the King” by Pius XI; “The Kingship of Christ” by Pius XI; Me­ diator Dei by Pius XII. Abbreviations AAS AL AP ASS C.L.A. CLD Denz. EL G. L.C. H. O. MA P.C.L. P.C.E.R.L. PG PL S.C.C. S.C.P.F. S.C.R. S.C.S. TCR TPS Acta Apostolicae Sedis Acta Leonis Acta Pii Acta Sanctae Sedis U.S. Bishop’s Commission on the Liturgical Apostolate Canon Law Digest Enchiridion Symbolorum, cd. Dezinger Ephemerides Liturgicae German Liturgical Commission Holy Office Major Addresses of Pius XII ed. Yzermans Post-Conciliar Commission for the Execution of the Con­ stitution on the Sacred Liturgy Preparatory Commission Entrusted with the Reform of the Liturgy Patralogia Graeca, ed. Migne Patralogia Latina, cd. Migne Sacred Congregation of the Council Sacred Congregation for rhe Propagation of the Faith Sacred Congregation of Rites Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments The Clergy Review The Pope Speaks Foreword JOSEPH CARDINAL RITTER .... Nevertheless, the liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time, it is the font from which all her power flows. For the aim and object of apostolic works is that all who arc made sons of God by faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of his Church, to take part in the sacrifice, and to eat the Lord’s supper.” The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy The Second Council of the Vatican has produced a far-reaching document with top priority. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy calls for a greater intensity of Christian life, it urges the adapta­ tion of changeable institutions to contemporary human needs, it invites the ultimate unity of all Christians, and it exhorts the spread of the Gospel. So speaks The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy to all the Church. It is evident how concerned the Church as mother and teacher is for an authentic renewal of Christian worship. The pastoral tone of the constitution’s message reflects the heart of the wise and gentle Pope John XXIII, of blessed memory. Today, certainly, all arc becoming acutely aware of the ne­ cessity to learn the theological reasons why the Church worships the way she does. A return to utter sincerity and indeed a much desired simplicity in Catholic worship requires an investigation of the history of the sacred liturgy. Father R. Kevin Seasoltz O. S. B. merits a grateful recognition on the part of the Ameri­ can Catholic Church. In presenting us with this enchiridion liturgicuni, he has given us a valuable collection of official statements that have come from the Holy See on the liturgy in the course of this century. A welcome addition to the texts themselves is the introduction, which traces the development of the liturgical movement up to I* " XIV THE NEW LITURGY the time of the constitution on the liturgy. This historical sec­ tion was reminiscent of Dom Olivier Rousseau’s The Progress of the Liturgy. It is of great value to have tliis well-known work updated to the present time. May this present effort aid in deepening the understanding of the historical antecedents of the great document emanating from the Second Vatican Council. Introduction R. Kevin Seasoltz What strikes one most forcibly in reading The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy is its determination that the renewed liturgy shall be the means by which the People of God shall be sanctified and enabled to worship their Creator in spirit and truth. The prin­ cipal concern of the constitution is to make the Church’s worship meaningful to modern man, but the task is an enormous one. Some of the problems involved have been clearly set forth by Louis Bouyer in the concluding paragraphs of his Rite and Man: .... If there is one thing which the history of comparative religion and depth psychology have succeeded in bringing to the fore, it is the fact that, through a process of integration and elaboration, the myth can be surpassed, as has been done in Christianity, but it can in no wise be nullified. To empty it of its content would be to remove from man his natural ability to give a religious interpretation of any sort to his own life and to the world. If, on the other hand, a technological mentality tends to pro­ duce such a state of affairs, we are assured by depth psychology that it will never actually achieve it. And the closer it comes to such an achievement, the more will it corrupt and upset our whole psyche. Even apart from all positive religion, the dreams of modern man, his poetry, and a whole complex of compen­ satory attitudes tend to restore to him the mythic universe which the technological civilization in which he lives threatens to suppress. And if these attitudes were not at least somewhat effective, men would lapse into a neurotic state. If this is so, there is all the more reason that our adapta­ tions of the liturgy should not attempt to rationalize it, to empty it not only of its mystery but also of all its expressions that arc not strictly rational. They should, on the contrary, seize upon the chords in the heart of modern man which re­ spond to these eternal expressions in order to restore to them their maximum efficacy. At the same time, we must do every­ thing in our power to revive man’s atrophied faculties. It will be necessary to restore to the essential liturgical symbols their living richness which has been sadly weakened by our own rationalism. But it will be equally necessary to strive to bring back to our contemporaries a religious culture that XVI THE NEW LITURGY will be human to the extent that it is also biblical. Here, of course, as in every age, theology, if it is both realistic and tra­ ditional, must carry out its essential task of rejoining a reli­ gious view of the world with the rational view of it which we cannot give up. But it would exceed its proper function if it attempted to achieve an artificial, unthinkable reduction of the mystery to pure rationality.1 These same thoughts have been accented and echoed in another way by Romano Guardini in an open letter addressed to the Third German Liturgical Congress held at Mainz from April 20-24, J9^4: The question will, of course, arise whether our present liturgy contains parts which cannot mean much to modern man.... As long as liturgical actions arc merely “celebrated*’ objectively and texts arc merely “got through,” everything will go smoothly because there is no question of an integrated religious act. But once serious prayer is joined to the action, the parts that have no living appeal become apparent. But those whose task it is to teach and educate will have to ask themselves—and this is all decisive—whether they them­ selves desire the liturgical act or, to put it plainly, whether they know of its existence and what exactly it consists of and that it is neither a luxury nor an oddity, but a matter of funda­ mental importance. Or does it, basically mean the same to them as to the parish priest of the late nineteenth century who said: “We must organize the procession better; we must see to it that the praying and singing are done better.” He did not realize that he should have asked himself quite a different question: how can the act of walking become a religious act, a retinue for the Lord progressing through his land, so that an “epiphany” may take place.2 It. would seem that the same concern for an intelligent appre­ ciation of the liturgy is the object of articles 33 and 34 of The Consitution on the Sacred Liturgy: The visible signs used by the liturgy to signify invisible divine things have been chosen by Christ or the Church. Thus not only when things arc read “which were written for our instruction" (Rom 15:4), but also when the Church prays 1 Rite and Man, Notre Dame 1963, 219-220. 2 If the intentions of the council arc to become realities, not on \ wi t icre ‘‘A Letter from Romano Guardini,’’ Herder Correspondence I, no· θ ( uSust 1964), 238. INTRODUCTION XVII or sings or acts, the faith of those taking part is nourished and their minds arc raised to God, so that they may offer him their rational service and more abundantly receive his grace.... Wherefore .... the rites should be distinguished by a noble simplicity; they should be short, clear, and unencumbered by useless repetitions; they should be within the people’s powers of comprehension, and normally should not require much explanation. If the intentions of the council arc to become realities, not only will there be need for specific reform measures on the part of the Liturgical Commission established by Pope Paul, but there will also be need for proper instruction, or more precisely, a genuine education in the sense of the Church which is both constituted and expressed through the liturgy. Without a serious liturgical catechesis on all levels, the reform of texts and rites will be sterile. A great deal of prayer, thought and experiment will be needed before modern man is able to engage himself naturally and intelligently in the liturgy. The way to a thorough renewal has already been partially prepared by theoretical spe­ cialists, but their insights must filter down to the practical ad­ ministrative levels of the parish, religious house and school. In a way, The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy is both a begin­ ning and an end. It is the beginning of a new phase in the life of the Church’s liturgy, but it is also the culmination of years of historical research, theological development and pastoral ex­ perimentation. In the pages which follow a brief attempt will be made to trace the various phases of the modern liturgical movement so that the reader might understand a little better how The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy came to be. The first phase of the movement, which started at Solesmes in the nineteenth century, has been described as the restorative stage, but to understand tins phase one must go back to the Re­ naissance and the Council of Trent. Until quite recently, and still in the minds of many modern rubricists, the liturgy has been described as the official form for the external worship of the Church. The liturgy is looked upon as a mere performance reserved to a clerical church, or at best, participation by the Christian com­ munity is tolerated until the current fad passes away. This false notion of Catholic worship was derived mainly from the Renaissance concept of life and from the theology be- XVIII THE NEW LITURGY hind the Council of Trent. After Trent the Church’s liturgy in the West entered into a period of about thrcc-and-a-half cen­ turies during which there was no real development. Theodor Klauser referred to this age as the “epoch of rubricism and changcIcssncss.”3 The reformed liturgical books which were issued after the council eliminated certain medieval abuses, but they also stabilized the Roman rite at a period of its development when it was almost exclusively a clerical affair. The principal concern of the Fathers at Trent was to defend the Church against the heresies of the reformers; hence, they were mainly blind to the defects in the liturgy at the time and quite insensitive to the need for a thorough liturgical reform. Curiously enough, the commission which prepared for the coun­ cil had outlined the projects for a renewal of the liturgy, but the defensive mentality of the council Fathers precluded their giving any serious attention to such proposals. Consequently, nothing really radical was accomplished. The medieval status of the liturgy was further ensured by the establishment of the Sacred Congregation of Rites on January 22, 1588. A juridical approach to the liturgy was fostered when this congregation deemed that the rubrics expounded by juristic methods were to be the valid norms for regulating the liturgy. Emphasis on the principle of opus operatum led to further anom­ alies. The majority of the fathers at Trent were Nominalists; certainly the doctrine of the sacraments dating from the sixteenth century reflected certain facets of this theological tradition. Rath­ er than construct an organic doctrine of the mysteries of Christian­ ity, the Nominalists made the various elements which constituted the theological tracts dependent on divine decrees; consequently, they left the way open for an extrinsicism which still lingers in many liturgical and sacramental manuals. The Council of Trent refused to align itself with any of the extant theological schools of thought, including the Nominalist school, but when the fathers chose a formula which was acceptable to all as the minimum required for orthodoxy, they often chose the Nominal­ ist formula (as in the ease of opus operatum). 3 A Brief History of the Liturgy, Collegeville, 1953. 27-33· INTRODUCTION XIX Trent really had no other aim than to condemn the Protestant position on the sacraments; hence, it never had any intention of presenting a complete treatment of the Catholic doctrine on the Church’s worship. After the council, however, the Tri­ dentine canons on the sacraments were generally looked upon as being both absolute and exhaustive. In such a theology the major concern is with the validity of the sacraments. A sacramental act simply requires a person or­ dained to that end, an intention of doing what the Church wishes, and the correct formula established by the Church as the sacra­ mental form. The minister of the sacrament is the instrument of Christ, but his proper efficacy is rooted in his juridically cor­ rect execution of the sacramental sign. The recipient automatically receives the grace of the sacrament if he has the intention to receive the sacrament and is free from any impediment to the infusion of grace. Likewise the grace conferred by the sacrament was reduced to an impersonal level. It was looked upon simply as a divine power which fortified man’s will and enlightened his intelligence. There was little appreciation of the fact that the transformation of man’s nature through grace was directed toward a personal entry into the life of the Godhead. Such an exaggerated emphasis was placed on the correct exe­ cution of the sacramental sign that little attention was given to the devotion of the priest administering the sign or to the degree of faith in the recipient of the sacrament. Somehow the sacra­ ments were divorced from personal acts on the part of the min­ ister and the recipient. As Piet Fransen has pointed out, “so long as there is no intention of expressing anything other than the undeniable fact of the fundamental preeminence of the grace which saves us in Christ, these formulas hold no particular danger. But the moment one separates the efficacy, even slightly, from the primacy of the divine within the sacrament, and clings too strongly to the correct execution of the sign, of the opus sacra­ menti, one can fall into magic.”4 4 Theological Implications of Liturgical Discussion at the Council,” A Neto Look at the Church, compiled at the Canisianum, Innsbruck, New York 1963, 185. THE NEW LITURGY The essential fact that the liturgy is primarily prayer aimed at the sanctification of the believer and the worship of God is oblit­ erated. The invisible God acts on man invisibly, but he has chosen to respect man’s nature which is a combination of both the visib c and invisible; hence he has revealed his action upon man by the manifestation of his Word. The function of Word in the liturgy, then, is to reveal, not to conceal. It would seem that Latin rarely fills this function in the Church today, yet the emo­ tionalism which one often finds at the suggestion that it be wholly eliminated from the Roman rite indicates a magical conception of the sacrament and a pagan concept of the place of the spoken word in the worship of the Church. To those who have been influenced by the Nominalist approach to theology, the intro­ duction of the vernacular is relatively unimportant; likewise the active intelligent participation of the faithful is reduced to the minimum required for the fruitful reception of the sacraments. From this point of view, the sacraments make salvation much easier, since they tend to dispense man from his obligation to commit himself to an open, active faith. Likewise those who arc influenced by the Nominalist approach to theology see no urgent necessity to reform or to rethink the liturgy from the very bottom up. They will admit that certain adaptations or simplifications arc needed, but their theological superficiality pre­ cludes their understanding of the basic premises on which an authentic liturgical renewal must be based. The liturgy is meant to bring into full reality, on the level of man’s personal commit­ ment, what is signified and made present through sacred sym­ bolism. The liturgy attains its full purpose only in man’s en­ gagement, his dialogue with God. Surely, God always takes the initiative in man’s sanctification, but the initiative must be terminated with man’s great “Amen” which is at the very foun­ dation of the Christian existence. This does not imply a denial of the clement of mystery in Christianty. There is a mystery here, but unlike the pagans who hid everything pertaining to their gods, Christians seek an intimate knowledge of their God. Since the Incarnation, God has been manifested through Christ; the Church which is the sacrament of Christ in the contemporary world seeks to manifest the Godmade-man. The liturgy, which expresses the mission of the INTRODUCTION XXI Church in the world, should not seek to Ride God, but in and through Christ it should make manifest what is of itself hidden and imperceptible. It is true that during the first centuries of the Church the disciplina arcani was enforced so that the unini­ tiated were not admitted to the divine mysteries, but as time went on this law seemed to be effectively administered not only to the pagans but to the Christians as well. It is this mysterious atmosphere which prevailed especially in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The age was above all the age of the bourgeois humanist whose greatest pleasure consisted in spending his time in a Renaissance palace where he conversed with like-minded men. This idea of court life con­ tributed many false notions to Catholic worship. In the same way as the earthly king was honored by elaborate court cere­ monial, so also the heavenly King awaited the homage of his subjects in a sumptuous and exuberant church resembling a royal salon. For all practical purposes, the liturgy was looked upon simply as the etiquette of the King. The most obvious features were those embodying external pomp and grandeur. The ab­ sence of any intelligible meaning in the rites and even in the sacred words was looked upon as enhancing the majestic, myster­ ious atmosphere. Thus the common people were kept at a fitting distance; there’s was simply the privilege of standing afar and admiring a scene of dazzling grandeur. Modern men who are still embued with a romantic notion of God and the sacred liturgy consequently find a simplification of the rites disturbing. These sentiments seem to be rather preva­ lent in America, England and Ireland at the present time. If, as Louis Bouyer asserts, “all Englishmen and even more, some Americans, naturally delight in antiquarian pageants,' 3 then the philosophical tenets on which Nominalism is based are still deeply rooted in Anglo-American countries. As a result of their inability to penetrate at all the sacred mys­ teries enacted before them, the faithful have devised various ways of occupying their time while in Church. They developed methods of assisting at Mass which were totally unrelated to the essential meaning of the sacred rites being celebrated. The Lit5 Liturgical Piety, Notre Dame 1954, 4. XXII THE NEW LITURGY urgy of the Word became for all practical purposes a vestige of the early Church which no longer truly proclaimed Go s Word, since there were few Christians who could understand the Latin and there were some ecclesiastics who even maintained that the faithful should not understand it. After Alexander VII s condemnation of the missal translations in 1661, this latter propo­ sition could be maintained with some authority. Hand in hand with such developments there grew up other practices which tend to defy any theological justification. Among these would be the practice of reciting the rosary during Mass, prolonged sermons lasting throughout the Mass, and the cele­ bration of Mass before the Blessed Sacrament exposed. These usages proved attractive to the faithful because they were com­ prehensible and the liturgy itself was quite incomprehensible. Furthermore, the Eucharist as sacrament reserved was no longer viewed in the context of the sacrifice of the Mass. This gave rise to a distorted theology of eucharistie devotions, and holy communion which was rarely received was looked upon as a rite almost independent of the Mass. All in all, one can better understand this distorted interpreta­ tion of the liturgy if one comprehends the baroque period, but the basic deviations seem to find their roots beyond the baroque mentality. Consequently, when the romantic period reacted strongly against everything which was redolent of the baroque age, some of the fundamental distorted interpretations of the liturgy remained intact. Various factors influenced the baroque mentality but above all it was the heir to the literary and esthetic culture of the neo­ pagan Renaissance. The fashion of using Greco-Roman mytho­ logy as an artistic and literary medium resulted in the destruc­ tion of the biblical medium which had always been the natural foundation of the Christian tradition. The Church’s liturgy had always been set forth in biblical imagery; consequently such a worship was foreign to a mentality formed on pagan myths. Furthermore the baroque period was characterized by an in­ tense hunger for the life of both mind and body. This hunger expressed itself in a rejection of the discipline and sobriety of the liturgy which demands that one operate on a level above sheer romantic love. The liturgy was looked upon as cold and austere INTRODUCTION XXIII by those who were able to operate only on a romantic level. As Bouyer has pointed out, the baroque period “craved the super­ human instead of the supernatural, as witness the painting of Michelangelo; and it took pleasure in the enormous rather than in the great, as witness the statues of St. John Latcran with their hysterical gesticulations, and the tomb of Alexander VII in St. Peter’s.”6 The final factor which influenced the baroque Church was an instinctive loyalty to Catholicism, but it was a loyalty without a sound theological and biblical foundation. This loyalty mani­ fested itself in a lifeless kind of conservatism which expressed itself in liturgical matters as a stubborn adherence to what was under attack by Protestants and liberal humanists. Rigid and uncritical traditionalism was mistaken for the dynamic tradition which is the life of the Church. Yet underneath this false tra­ ditionalism, the current of the Church’s true tradition continued to flow throughout a period when most Christians were simply incapable of appreciating or understanding it. The theologians of the period were confident that the concise formulae contained in their manuals held the substance of the Christian tradition concerning the sacraments. As long as this doctrine was somehow vaguely expressed in the liturgy, they felt free to adorn the rites with the elements taken from profane culture without any critical appreciation of the evolution of the Church’s liturgy. Above all the baroque period demonstrates that a profound understanding of the theology underlying the liturgy is essential and the expression of this theology in clear, unencumbered rites is necessary if the liturgy is to be an effective font for the Chris­ tian’s life with Christ. Although the romantic period strongly rejected the baroque mentality, it failed to grasp the true theology of the Church’s liturgy, and hence retained much of the superfi­ cial outlook on religion which it sought to reject in rejecting everything baroque. In opposition to the baroque neo-classicism and its use and abuse of mythology, the romantic period extolled the middle ages, and especially the externals of medieval society were exalted as the highest achievement of Christian culture. The medieval 6 Ibid. 6. XXIV THE NEW LITURGY period was above all identified as the most Christian era in the history of the Church and hence its culture was looked upon as the ideal setting for the liturgy. Neo-classicism gave way to nco-Gothic—Gothic churches, Gotliic vestments, Gothic poetry and Gothic music. Unfortunately, the romande period did not bring strong in­ tellectual resources to the task of reforming the Church’s liturgy. In fact, the Church was intellectually quite weak due to the sup­ pression of the great European universities during the Revolution. Furthermore the conservative traditionalism which had charac­ terized the baroque period developed during the romantic period into a full-blown philosophy of Catholicism which took tradi­ tionalism as its root principle. This would be the philosphy behind the “non-liistorical orthodoxy” which Michael Novak speaks of in The Open Church. It is cut off from any kind of criti­ cal evaluation, irrelevant to history, and consequently dead. Archaism and archcologism are confused with tradition. Such an approach to the Church’s liturgy put a final touch on the process of fossilization which had begun with Nominalism and the minimal theological statements formulated in the area of sacramental doctrine by Trent. It was a liturgy structured on these principles which was put into effect in the monasteries restored by Dom Prosper Gucrangcr. Esthctically, there is no question that the worship of the romantic period was more pleasing than that of the baroque era. In fact, the monastic worship which implemented the restored Gregorian chant, a scrupulous observance of the prescribed rubrics and an austere celebration of a liturgy which had been cleansed of all baroque theatricalism was most impressive, but it was nonetheless an antiquarian reconstruction which was completely out of touch with the world in which it was executed. Certainly such a worship could never have been the worship of a normal congregation in the romantic period. It would seem that it could only be the worship of those artificial monastic communities which Dom Guerangcr brought into existence in order to execute his concept of the liturgy. These communities were images of Cluny, but they existed in a world and in a period which had nothing in common with the mentality of the Cluniae culture. Here was a ease of the religious life conceived non-his- w INTRODUCTION XXV torically, without truc relevance for the world in which it ex­ isted. The romantic period also preserved the baroque concept of the Eucharist; it was a sentimental notion based primarily on the divine presence of Christ to be adored rather than a presence of the triumphant Christ whose actuality on the altar as Mediator and Lord springs from the sacrificial action of the Mass. In fact, the Mass was often viewed simply as the instrument for conse­ crating the eucharistie species to be adored at Benediction. The final flaw of the romantic period was the serious weakness of the scholarship which it brought to the task of reforming the liturgy. Dom Gucrangcr’s Les institutions liturgiques and his L'Année liturgique were probably the most significant products of this sham scholarship. Affected by the political efforts to over­ come Gallicanism and to bring about closer ties with Rome, Gucrangcr derived his ultra-montanist tendencies from Lammcnnais. Applying these to the liturgy, he tried to extol the Roman liturgy as being the most Catholic liturgy of all Christian rites. In exalting the Roman missal of Pius V, however, he did not realize that this work did not represent the Roman liturgy in its purest form but was a hybrid of various liturgies. He was not able to distinguish the neo-Gallican practices from the older traditional forms since both had been approved by Pius V himself. Furthermore the general assumption that the liturgy is a kind of court ceremonial seems to have been quite uncritically accepted by Gucrangcr. As Josef Jungmann has remarked, “to Abbot Prosper Gucrangcr, the liturgy was meant to be obscure, not transparent. Liturgy was a sanctuary, off limits for the mere believer. Again and again the principle was stressed that myste­ rious ways and strange language express the symbol of the holy, and inspire reverence in the faithful.’ 7 In the introduction to his L'Année liturgique Gucrangcr stated that insofar as the liturgy is an expression of faith, hope, charity, joy and happiness, it should incorporate singing and poetry which arc the proper instruments to express these qualities. Just as in the Scriptures, so also in the liturgy poetry should abound because only poetry can give ade­ quate expression to the Christian mystery. Remnants of such 7 “The Council and Liturgical Reform,” A Neu> Look at the Church, 162. XXVI THE NEW LITURGY an esthetic approach to the liturgy arc still found today in the laments of those who express grief at the possible loss of lovely chant melodies and texts in the face of a more intelligible liturgy. Lovely melodies and texts may fall into desuetude, but one must remember that the liturgy is not primarily an esthetic experience; art docs not exist in the liturgy for art’s sake but only to foster the sanctification of men and the worship of God. Although Dom Guerangcr’s approach to the liturgy was ro­ mantic and esthetic and his theology and pastoral attitudes were shallow, nevertheless he is still worthy to be called the father of the modern liturgical movement. Despite its limitations, L'Année liturgique was used as a meditation book in many parts of the world; consequently, private piety which was predominant at the time was given a liturgical orientation. Since Guerangcr’s ideas were propagated so extensively, the abbey of Solcsmcs which he had restored in 1833 became the center of the liturgical renewal. In 1862-1863, Maurus and Placid Wolter, two brothers who had founded the Benedictine monastery at Beuron, went to Solcsmcs to evaluate the monastic and liturgical life there. They took the Solcsmcsian spirit back wih them to Beuron, and even­ tually Beuronese foundations which were made all over Germany incorporated Dom Guerangcr’s liturgical spirit. At Beuron a little more account was taken of the pastoral aspect of the liturgy, for in 1884 a popular missal was published, the Mcssbucli dcr heiligen Kirche. It has always been known by the name Schott, after its original compiler. In 1872, the monks of Beuron founded the monastery of Maredsous in Belgium, and so the Belgian Benedictine congregation was also heir to Guerangcr’s spirit. The Italian liturgical renewal was considered from the start under the aspect of sacred music, which there, as everywhere, was corrupt. However, St. Pius X in his Motu proprio on sacred music, Tra le Sollecitudini, of No­ vember 22, 1903, did not limit his remarks to music but pleaded for a general return to the liturgy. In part he remarked: Since it is indeed our most fervent wish that the true Chris­ tian spirit should flourish anew in every sphere and be treasured by all the faithful, we must above all consider the sanctity and dignity of the house of God, for it is there that the faithful INTROD UCTION XXVII meet to attain this spirit at its most important and indispensable source, which is active participation in the most sacred mys­ teries and in the public and solemn prayer of the Church. Those who were imbued with Guerangcr’s spirit of the liturgy emphasized only the esthetic restoration of sacred music in Pius X’s Motu proprio. Consequently, Solcsmcs became the center for the study of Gregorian chant, and all over the world the Solcsmcs mark was imprinted on the rendition of church music. However, some of those who had care of souls detected the pastoral aspect of Tra le Sollectitudini; they realized that the liturgy was no longer to be considered simply a subject of study and appreciation by a select few, but that it was to be, in the words of The Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy, “the outstanding means whereby the faithful could express in their lives, and mani­ fest to others, the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church.” In an effort to implement the restoration of the liturgy as the center of the Christian life, the Sacred Conciliar Congregation issued its important decree on daily Communion, Sacra Tridentina Synodus, on December 22, 1905. This was a very important step in the right direction, but it was to be years before the full impact of the decree was realized. It was above all Dom Lambert Bcauduin who understood the full impact of St. Pius X’s exhortation on the sacred liturgy and church music. He had been a diocesan priest in the Belgian diocese of Liege and had had parochial experience for eight years. He was quite active as a “Chaplain of Workers ' appointed in the diocese to assist in the application of the encyclical letter of Pope Leo XIII, Rerum novaruni. In 1906, at the age of 33, Dom Beauduin entered the Benedictine monastery of Mont César at Louvain, a foundation made from Maredsous in 1899. In the monastery he was assigned to teach theology to the young monks and to this task he brought wide experience in pastoral work, a genuine zeal for souls, a profound piety and a keen interest in Christian dogma. It was this background which helped Dom Beauduin realize that the liturgy is meant to be the framework for all Chris­ tian life, not only for a select few but for all God’s people. Beau­ duin was truly the heir to Guerangcr’s liturgical legacy, but he was able to set aside what was obsolete and meaningless because χχνιπ THE NEW LITURGY he realized that the true object of the liturgical movement must not be to create an artificial community to take part in an anti­ quarian liturgy but rather to prepare the real communities of the Church today to take part in a genuinely traditional liturgy rightly understood. The decisive step in the Belgian liturgical movement was taken in 1909 at a Catholic conference in Malines when Dom Beau­ doin proposed a practical program for a liturgical renewal. With the complete approval of Cardinal Mercier, he advocated the translation of the Roman missal and its promotion among the faithful as their principal prayer book. Furthermore he called for a liturgical orientation of all Catholic piety to be based on the Mass and the prayer of the divine office. Finally, he advocated the promotion of Gregorian chant and the special spiritual and liturgical formation of choirs through retreats in liturgical centers such as Benedictine monasteries. Following the conference, Mont César became the center for carrying out this program. Dom Bcauduin was quick to realize that the priests must first of all be won over to the liturgical apostolatc if they arc to apply the principles on a pastoral level. Before the liturgy becomes the life of the parish, religious house, or school, it must first of all be the true source of the spiritual life of those priests who arc in charge of such institutions. The two main organs through which the monks of Mont César propagated their ideas were the review, Questions liturgiques et paroissiales and the conferences of the Semaines liturgiques. After the First World War, the Belgian liturgical movement continued to develop and achieved the full scope for which it is noted today. Meanwhile noteworthy advances were made too in Germany. The first beginnings of the German movement centered around the monastery of Beuron, but it later shifted to die monastery of Maria Laach. In the early stages, the pastoral aspect was absent in Germany; the liturgy was the concern of an elite rather than of the Christian people. However with the profound historical insights of men such as Abbot lldephonsc Herwegen, Dom Odo Cascl and Monsignor Romano Guardini the movement soon departed from the Solesmcsian tradition. The German movement took on a scientific, speculative character. More forcefully than any other scholar, Abbot Herwegen de- INTRODUCTION XXIX monstrated that the medieval period, though superior to the baroque period in its liturgical practices, had already begun to interpolate the liturgy with poetic developments quite foreign to its nature. Far from manifesting an ideal practice and under­ standing of the liturgy, the medieval period prepared the way for the abandonment of the liturgy by Protestantism and the neglect of the liturgy by much of Catholicism in the post-Tridentinc period. Dom Herwegen’s ideas on this point shocked most of his early readers, but it must be admitted today that contemporary research tends to support his conclusions. To this first criticism of the middle ages, the Abbot of Maria Laach and his followers added another criticism which is not so readily accepted today. They maintained that the fundamental error of the middle ages, when that era is compared with primi­ tive Christianity, was its turning from an objective to a subjec­ tive kind of piety. They maintained that the pure spirit of the liturgy lies in its objectivity, whereas the piety of the middle ages and subsequent periods tended more and more to subjectivism. In short, there was a shift from an emphasis on the union of the whole Church with God to the union of the individual with God. This is the substance of Dom Herwegen’s little book, Kirchc und Scele, in which he seems to propose an opposition between the Church’s piety and the piety of the individual Christian. His opponents immediately accused the Maria Laach school of lacking any genuine interest in personal devotion and therefore of tending to foster a brand of religious piety which would not be a valid piety at all since it would be based on an indifference to the person and his own religions life as such. Despite various shortcomings, the monks of Maria Laach and their associates did much to develop a balanced theology of the liturgy which helped to bring the Church’s worship into the center of the Church’s whole life. In 1918 the Ecclesia Orans series was initiated, and the first publication in the series was Romano Guardini’s profound slender volume, The Spirit of the Liturgy. The monastery also established the Verein zur Pflege der Liturgiemissenschafr for the publication of scientific studies on the liturgy, and in 1921 Odo Casel, together with Anton Baumstark and Romano Guardini, founded the Jahrbuch für Liturgie- XXX THE NEW LITURGY wissenschaft. It was mainly in this annual that Doni Cascl devel­ oped his theory of the Kultniysterium. If the work of Maria Laach tended to be somewhat aristocratic, it was balanced and complemented by the pastoral approach of the school of Klosterneuburg in Austria under the direction of Pius Parsch. This line of action was taken up by many of the religious and parish priests throughout Austria and Germany, including such distinguished names as Pinsk in Berlin and Jungmann in Innsbruck. Hence the German movement tended more and more to resemble the Belgian approach in that it combined speculative investigation with practical application. The contribution of the school of the Augustinian canons at Klosterneuburg under Pius Parsch is especially noteworthy be­ cause it emphasized the place of the Bible in the liturgy. In 1923, Parsch published his Das Jahr des Heiles, which has been translated into all the major modern languages. In this work he attempted to explain the Mass and breviary on a popular level. To show how a better knowledge of the Bible could effectively enrich and deepen one’s appreciation of the liturgy, Parsch began the publication of a small periodical called Bibel und Liturgie in 1926. Although he had a great love and earnest zeal for the liturgy and for souls, Parsch was lacking in scientific preparation for the task he undertook; consequently, numerous doctrinal errors are to be found in lais work. In 1936 Josef A.Jungmann, S.J., published his Die Frohbotschaft und unsere Glaubensverkundigung [The Good News Yesterday and Today]. The book exerted a decisive influence on the develop­ ments of both the catechetical and the liturgical movements by providing a basis of sound scholarship for the increasing demands of both reforms. It is really only in the past twenty years that France has become a dynamic center of the liturgical renewal. In a sense, scientific study of the liturgy had been developing there since the beginning of the century. The Dictionnaire d'archéologie chrétienne et de la liturgie was begun in 1903 by Fernand Cabrol and Henri Leclercq, though its completion was not undertaken by Henri Marrou until 1947. In the course of the century the great literary works of Claudel and Péguy had given many readers a new concept of the Church and her life, but in general this thought never INTRODUCTION XXXI penetrated the minds of the ordinary French clergy, to say nothing of the common faithful. From 1942 on, the religious situation in France received in­ creasing attention, as for example in the book, France, pays de mission ?, by Abbé Godin and Pcre Daniel. At Lyons a series of pamphlets on the liturgy, La Clarté-Dieu, was published, and French translations of the important works of Cascl, Pinsk and Parsch were circulated. This culminated in 1943 in the establish­ ment of the Centre de Pastorale Liturgique under the direction of the French Dominicans, Roguct and Duployé. From the start this organization was independent of the French hierarchy, although it has always worked in close collaboration with many of the bishops. In 1945 the Centre began the publication of La Maison-Dieu which from the start has been one of the most im­ portant liturgical journals. Also in 1945 the first national French liturgical congress was held at Saint-Fleur to discuss La messe paroissiale du Dimanche. Every year since then the Centre has organized study meetings at Vanves and Versailles. Another figure in the French movement was Paul Doncoeur S.J., who did much to popularize the liturgy among the French youth. It is important to note here that the French movement gained its strongest adherents from those who realized the ne­ cessity for a missionary effort in the de-Christianized homes and industrial cities. The movement was pastoral in this sense, but it was not parochial, for some of its most influential leaders felt that the modern parish could no longer be the center of Christian life and worship. As we have already mentioned, the German movement took a more pastoral turn under the leadership of men such as J. Pinsk, who was a chaplain to Berlin students. In 1934, Pinsk started the publication of Liturgisches Leben, which at the time was the most outspoken journal of its kind in Germany. It dealt with the vital questions of liturgical piety, the mystical body, and the ecclesial dimensions of the various sacraments. This brought attention to the liturgical movement along with support on the one hand and opposition on the other. To work out some of the difficulties of the movement, the bishop of Passau organized a liturgical committee 111 1939 with such men as Jungmann and Guardini among its members. In 1940 the German hierarchy XXXII THE NEW LITURGY took over the leadership of the movement and appointed Bishop Landersdorfcr of Passau and Bishop Stohr of Mainz as the ad­ visors on liturgical matters to the Bishops’ Conference of Fulda. These two bishops appointed a liturgical commission consisting of the original members of the committee organized in 1939, along with representatives from Maria Laach, Beuron, Kloster­ neuburg and the Oratory at Leipzig. This commission issued an official guide to the arrangement of parochial religious services in 1942. On April 10, 1943 Cardinal Bertram, the Archbishop of Breslau and chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference, sent a report to Pope Pius XII on the liturgical movement in Germany and requested a number of induits for the German Church. He also pleaded for a reform of the breviary and the ritual. Pius XII issued his encyclical letter, Mystici Corporis, on June 29, 1943. Since the liturgy is both expressive and constitutive of the Church, this encyclical was an important mark in the history of the hturgical movement. On December 24, 1943 Cardinal Maglionc, the Papal Secretary of State, sent a letter to Cardinal Bertram informing him that a meeting of the cardinals of the Sacred Congregation of Rites and of the Sacred Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs had taken place on No­ vember ii to discuss the German liturgical movement. Permission for dialogue Mass was granted and the “German Solemn Mass” was kindly tolerated, even though it was not in accord with the existing rubrics since the faithful were singing in the ver­ nacular during the solemn Mass. Perhaps at this point it might be noted that the liturgical move­ ment was slower getting started in English-speaking countries than it was in Europe. However, considerable research into the origins and the evolution of liturgical rites was carried out by English students, both Catholic and Anglican, in the nine­ teenth and early twentieth centuries but the practical importance of such work was not always realized at the time. In 1929 the Society of St. Gregory was founded in England by Dom Ber­ nard McElligott, and publication of its quarterly, Music and Liturgy, was begun. The journal has since changed its name to Liturgy and is currently edited by the distinguished pastoral liturgist, J. D. Crichton. - INTRODUCTION XXXIII In the United States the pioneer of the movement was the late Doni Virgil Michel of St. Jolin’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. In 1926 he established the Liturgical Press and be­ gan publication of Orate Fratres (now Worship). It was Father Michael Ducey who laid the groundwork for the American liturgical weeks. He succeeded in convincing the American Benedictine abbots that some kind of liturgical weeks similar to the Belgian study days should be held in this country. In 1940 the first American national liturgical week was sponsored under the auspices of the Benedictine Liturgical Conference, which was replaced in 1944 by the National Liturgical Conference. The latter organization has continued to organize study weeks annually and for all practical purposes has developed into the American Center of Pastoral Liturgy. By the end of the Second World War the liturgical movement was well on its way in the major Catholic countries of the world. In August 1946, at the Liturgical Congress of Maastricht, a major international congress was planned but was never held because of post-war conditions. At Maastricht, however, contact was established between the French and Dutch movements for the first time. The meeting was attended by such distinguished liturgists as Fathers Doncœur, Duployc and Roguct. On January 28, 1947 the Holy See granted the Belgian hierarchy permission for the celebration of evening Mass on Sundays and holy days. From that date, privileges of this nature have been granted more and more frequently. In the same year, the Li­ turgical Institute at Trier was founded under the direction of Dr. Johannes Wagner, secretary of the German Liturgical Commis­ sion. Balthasar Fischer was appointed one of the professors at the Institute. On September 18, 1947, Pope Pius XII gave an important address in the Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls on the occasion of the fourteenth centennial celebrations in honor of St. Benedict. Part of his address was devoted to the liturgical movement and formed a prelude to the publication of the ency­ clical Mediator Dei on November 20, 1947. Styled as the Magna Charta of the liturgical movement, this encyclical was the first to be entirely devoted to the liturgy. Although it is generally positive in tone, it contains many statements which reflect the spirit of unrest which the liturgical movement had engendered XXXIV THE NEW LITURGY in various European countries. Nevertheless the document gave the liturgical renewal a decisive impetus, On November 28, 1947 a bilingual ritual was approved for use in France. Although the texts were simply translations of the Rituale Romanum without any emendations or additions, the publication was a move in the right direction. Eventually, simi­ lar rituals were published in the major modern languages for general use throughout the Church. In 1948 Father Jungmann published his Missarum Sollemnia. Although written during the war years with limited scholarly resources at hand, the book is a milestone in the history of liturgical research; it is a work of monumental learning combined with a catechetical and pastoral perspective. For the next few years progress in the liturgical movement was rather slow. In June 1950 the first national German Liturgical Congress was held dealing with the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist. This was the first public conference organized by the institute at Trier. Of special importance was an address given by Romano Guardini which eventually led to the resolution that the German bishops should ask the Holy Sec to transfer the Holy Saturday liturgy to the evening or night. On November 2, 1950 the bishops of Germany, Austria and France asked for this transfer of the Holy Saturday liturgy. The request was favorably received and on February 9, 1951 the Holy Sec granted permission for the evening celebration. From July 12-15, 1951 the first international liturgical study week, organized by the Liturgical Institute at Trier and the Centre de Pastorale Liturgique, met at the abbey of Maria Laach. Some forty scholars, mainly from France, Germany and Belgium, discussed the “Problems of the Missale Romanum.” In 1948 an investigation had been made by Ephemerides Liturgicae to find out which proposed reforms of the Roman liturgy enjoyed wide­ spread support. The first international meeting, therefore, con­ cerned itself mainly with those proposals which centered around the rite of the Mass and the Easter Vigil service. Many of the conclusions from this session, which were passed on to the Sacred Congregation of Rites, were adopted in the Ordo Sabbati Sancti and in the decrees which simplified the rubrics. INTRODUCTION XXXV In the following year a somewhat larger meeting of scholars was held at Saintc-Odilc near Strasbourg to follow up the work done at Maria Laach. These meetings proved to be quite helpful for channeling liturgical investigations; consequently, it was decided that the scope of the sessions should be expanded at a meeting to be held the following year at Lugano. This site was chosen mainly so that the Italians could attend. The national liturgical organizations of Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland collaborated in planning the Lugano gathering, which was at­ tended by Cardinals Ottaviani, Pro-prefect of the Holy Office, Frings of Cologne, and Lcrcaro of Bologna, by officials of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, and by bishops, priests and laymen from approximately a dozen countries, including the United States and England. The bishops submitted the four major reso­ lutions of the conference to Rome. They included a request for a reform of the entire Holy Week liturgy, permission to extend the format of the “German Solemn Mass’ to other countries, permission to have the liturgical readings in the vernacular, and encouragement of more active participation on the part of the faithful. The following year, 1954, the fourth international study meeting was held at the abbey of Mont César in Louvain. The major topics discussed were the system of pericopes and concélébration. No definite resolutions were passed on to the Holy See because the subjects had not yet been sufficiently investigated. On March 23, 1955 the decree Cum nostra hac aetate was issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites. Similar to the January 6, 1953 apostolic constitution, Christus Dominus, which simplified the regulations governing evening Mass and the eucharistie fast, the 1955 decree provided for a general simplification of the rubrics. It provided for a reduction of commemorations, the number of octaves, and the number of days on which the Creed was to be recited. Far-reaching changes in the Holy Week liturgy were effected the following November 16 by the decree Maxima re­ demptionis nostrae. On December 25, 1955 Pope Pius XII issued his encyclical letter Musicae Sacrae Disciplina. International congresses on church music had been held in Rome in 1950 and in Vienna in 1954, but neither of these meetings had been pastorally orientated; XXXVI THE NEW LITURGY they were of interest mainly to musicologists and treated such relatively unimportant matters as orchestral Masses and singing by women. In his encyclical letter, Pius XII sought to expound the true place of sacred music in the liturgy. This theme was taken up and numerous practical points were made in the instruc­ tion issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites on September 3, 1958. This latter instruction also contained important regula­ tions governing the active participation of the laity in the liturgy. In September, 1956 the fifth international study meeting was held at Assisi as a tribute to Pope Pius XII on the occasion of his eightieth birthday. Far-reaching liturgical reform took place during his reign and his encyclicals Mystici Corporis and Mediator Dei helped to clarify the theological foundations of the liturgy and to give inspiration to the liturgical renewal. It was under Pius XII’s leadership above all that the liturgical movement became a pas­ toral apostolatc. It was to express their gratitude to the Holy Father that the liturgical and pastoral leaders of the world gath­ ered for the Assisi congress. There were approximately 1200 participants from all over the world, including a half-dozen car­ dinals and about eight hundred bishops. The congress closed with an allocution by the Pope in the course of a papal audience in Rome. The Holy Father dealt particularly with the relation between the Eucharist and the altar and the problem of concélé­ bration. In general, Rome seemed to be disturbed by the quick­ ening pace of the liturgical movement and by the far-reaching demands made by the northern European countries. As a result, the development of the liturgical movement was delayed for a considerable time following the Assisi meeting. The advances made by the biblical movement and the liturgical movement were brought together at the Congress at Strasbourg in July 1957. Scholars had come to realize that no true liturgical progress is possible without a biblical catechesis of Christians, for without the Bible there is no liturgy. It was the biblical movement that gave the liturgical movement the authenticity and profoundity that it needed. Brief mention has already been made of the instruction on sacred music and the sacred liturgy issued by the Sacred Congre­ gation of Rites on September 3, 1958. This was simply a codifi­ cation of current laws and the exhortations of the various popes. INTRODUCTION XXXVII Shortly after the publication of the encyclical Mediator Dei, Pope Pius XII instituted on May 28, 1948 a Pontifical Commission for the General Liturgical Restoration. The major efforts of this commission during his pontificate were the Holy Week restora­ tion of 1955, effective with the Holy Week rites of 1956; the simplification of the rubrics in 1955; and the 1958 instruction mentioned above. With the accession of Pope John XXIII to the papacy in Oc­ tober 1958, the commission for the liturgical restoration was retained. Although the Holy Father announced plans for an ecumenical council in January 1959, the status of the commission was unaffected by the notice, since a general council could not be expected to enact the minute rubrical details of liturgical celebra­ tion. On June 5, i960, however, the Holy Father appointed a new Pontifical Liturgical Commission to prepare for the Second Vatican Council. Nevertheless, it was felt that a preliminary correction of the rubrics should be undertaken even before the council discussed the more general problems of the liturgy. Con­ sequently, the Holy Father published a new code of rubrics on July 26, i960. This new code served an immediate need for sounder and clearer rubrics and it also was an important step in preparation for the liturgical renewal of the council itself. The only other significant publication before the first session of the council was a new edition of the second part of the Pon­ tificale Romanum, which included among other tilings a simplifi­ cation of the rite for the consecration of a church. This was issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites on April 13, 1961. Shortly after he had announced the forthcoming ecumenical council, Pope John XXIII established three secretariats and eleven commissions to prepare the council agenda. Unlike the other commissions, the liturgical commission faced problems which had already been quite clearly formulated over the past fifteen years. Four points especially had come to the fore: the pastoral character of the liturgy, its importance in missionary countries, the desire and the need for vernacular in the liturgy, and the desire for concélébration.8 8 For the immediate background of The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, the author wishes to acknowledge Iris indebtedness to P. M. Gy for his article XXXVIII THE NEW LITURGY As country after country had come into contact with the li­ turgical apostolate, the conviction grew that the liturgy is in­ trinsically pastoral. At the Assisi Congress, it was especially evident that the liturgical movement had taken on universal dimensions. Due to the Nijmegen and Fichstatt Congresses, the zeal of various missionary bishops, and the apostolate of Fr. Johannes Hofinger, it became increasingly clear that missionary activity must incorporate efforts at liturgical renewal. But as the movement spread it was apparent that insurmountable hurdles had to be overcome before the most important reforms could be made. This was certainly the case with the question of the ver­ nacular in the liturgy. Although bilingual rituals were in use in many countries and other vernacular concessions had been made in missionary coutries, the vernacular proclamation of the Word in the Mass was still excluded. Likewise major obstacles stood in the way of a restoration of the rite of concélébration. It seems that permission for concélébra­ tion was seriously considered for the Holy Thursday liturgy in 1955, and it was certainly considered for the celebrations at Lourdes in 1957; but action was delayed in view of various theological controversies occasioned by the writings of Karl Rahner and others, and also because of the prevalence of a narrow kind of priestly eucharistie piety which views concélébration as an in­ fringement on one’s private Mass and hence as a disturbing in­ novation. In spite of the fact that Pius XII had sought to clarify the theological basis for concélébration in his discourse to the Assisi Congress and through a response of the Holy Office, a practical rite was never formulated. Although it would have seemed natural for Pope John to look to the countries where the liturgical reform had made most progress when naming the personnel of the pre-conciliar com­ mission on the liturgy, this was not the case. In the beginning the liturgical experts among the French and German bishops and those on the staffs of the liturgical centers at Paris and Trier were not included, but when it became obvious that their help was needed the following were named to the commission: Bishop in La Maison-Dieu, No. 76, 1963, and to A. Bugnini for his article in the Os- servatore Romano, April I, 1962. INTRODUCTION XXXIX O. Spuclbeck of Meissen, East Germany, Bishop Jenny of Cam­ brai, France, Fathers A.-G. Martimort and A.-M. Roguet from the Center of Pastoral Liturgy in Paris, and Monsignor Johannes Wagner, the director of the liturgical institute at Trier. In recruiting the members for the commission, the president, Cardinal Gaetano Cicognani, ultimately tried to secure the services of the most competent men and also to ensure an equitable representation from the various parts of the Church. Father A. Bugnini, an Italian Lazarist who had been secretary of the commission for reform set up by Pius XII, was also chosen as secretary of the pre-conciliar liturgical commission. The choice was fortunate because he proved himself to be a gifted organizer and possessed a pastoral spirit and an open mind. The work of the commission was described by Father Bugnini in an article written for the L'Osservatore Romano on April I, 1962. The projects were divided among subcommittees which spent four months of intensive work on the thirteen divisions of the schema: the liturgical mystery, liturgical formation, participa­ tion, language, adaptation (chapter 1); the Mass and concélébra­ tion (chapter 2); the sacraments (chapter 3); the divine office (chapter 4); sacred music (chapter 6); sacred art, vestments and church furnishings (chapter 7); and the calendar (appendix). In the end a special chapter dealing with the liturgical year was added. Every sub-committee had at least one bishop, although he did not necessarily take charge. The texts composed by the sub-committees were compiled to make the complete schema which was examined by the preconciliar commission three times in its session held in April, 1961, again by means of a written evaluation, and finally in a session held in January, 1962. The commission then had to prepare a document which would be presented to the council fathers. Before all else two preliminary problems had to be solved. The first was the scope of the document: should it be confined to a treatment of the Latin liturgy alone or should it be concerned with the other Catholic liturgies as well? The second problem was the orientation of the document: should it be juridical or should it attempt to give a theological justification for its decisions on practical reform? XL THE NEW LITURGY The first question was quite important, since the council was to be ecumenical and not simply a council of the Latin Church. The objection that a general council should not undertake to discuss the reformation of a single rite was a valid objection. Surely the preponderance in numbers of the council fathers belonging to the Roman rite would naturally lead to a one-sided treatment of various issues; furthermore, it was not agreed that members of other rites should take part in the discussions on the reform of the Roman rite. However, often objections of this kind were raised not so much out of deference for the eastern rites as out of a desire to defeat a reform in the liturgy of the Roman rite. At any rate when the council did assemble the fathers from the Oriental Churches expressed their willingness to consider the reform of the Roman rite because they recognized that the prin­ ciples underlying the liturgical reform of one rite are valid for all rites and for the whole Church. The solution to the second problem appeared to be obvious: the schema should be both disciplinary and doctrinal, or in con­ ciliar language, it should not be a simple decree but rather a constitution. In this regard it was unfortunate that there was not collaboration between the theological commission and the litur­ gical commission in formulating the document. The style in which the schema was to be cast presented another problem. The documents submitted to the fathers at Trent and Vatican I were biblically and patristically oriented and abstracted as far as possible from theological disputes. However, since Pius XII’s encyclical, Mediator Dei, and other recent decrees of the Holy Sec attempted to deal with the contemporary theological aspects of the liturgy, it did not seem possible to maintain a dis­ tance from the theological implications in the modern liturgical developments. It was finally agreed that the traditional conciliar style of a constitution would be adopted but where necessary disciplinary directives would be made. In other words, the con­ stitution would be biblical and patristic in its foundation but certain general canonical precisions would also be made. The degree of detail to be incorporated into the constitution presented another problem. On the one hand it was desirable to have a precise program of reform so as to ensure implementa­ tion but on the other hand the enactment of a detailed disciplinary ____ INTRODUCTION χΠ document was not the work of an ecumenical council. The result was a schema which outlined the general principles of reform and a long list of declarationes to explain the text for the council fathers. The declarationes arc really the foundation for the schema, and although they arc not binding on the post-conciliar com­ mission, they do indicate the general lines of interpretation which should be given to the constitution. On January 13, 1962, the final draft of the schema prepared by the prc-conciliar liturgical commission was accepted at a plenary session. The text was transmitted immediately to the central commission. Since the program of reform was so vast, Cardinal Gaetano Cicognani, the president of the liturgical com­ mission, hesitated to sign the document. He finally signed it on February 1 and died a few days later. Cardinal A.M. Larraona, a Spanish Claretian who had long been associated with the Congregation for Religious, was ap­ pointed as Cardinal Cicognani’s successor on February 22, 1962. Cardinal Larraona was almost completely innocent of any com­ prehension of the true nature of liturgical reform. In fact in the beginning he was strongly opposed to the reform and con­ sequently often proved to be an annoying obstacle in the work of the liturgical commission. Also on February 22, the Holy Father promulgated the mys­ terious Apostolic Constitution, l eternm Sapientia, which forbade any opposition to the use of Latin in the Roman liturgy. In light of this document restrictive changes were made in the li­ turgical schema after it had been discussed by the central con­ ciliar commission. About this time also Father Bugnini lost his chair in liturgy at the Pontifical Lateral! University, and when the conciliar liturgical commission was named he was not appointed secretary. The Council itself opened on October 11, 1962; shortly after­ wards the fathers elected the members of the various commissions. Six of the bishops elected, including Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro and Bishop G. van Bekkum, had been members of the pre-conciliar liturgical commission. Father Ferdinand Antonelli, a Fran­ ciscan who had served on the commission for liturgical reform set up by Pius XII, was named secretary. XLII THE NEW LITURGY The liturgical schema was debated af fifteen general congrega­ tions of the council from October 22 to November 13. There were 328 oral interventions and more than the same number of written interventions. Although the debate was poorly organized and was often repetitious it familiarized the fathers who were not informed on liturgical matters with the thought underlying the schema and it gave them an opportunity to get abreast of the developments. Much to the surprise of many of the Roman prelates, it was soon discovered that the desire for liturgical reform was very strong among the bishops. The council fathers who had come from mission territories and from Latin America even went further in their demands for the vernacular and for adapta­ tion than the pre-conciliar commission. The question of liturgical language was in the debates, but of all the problems discussed, that of communion under both species met with the strongest opposition. If that part of the constitution had been put to a separate vote, it probably would not have been passed. There were also many conflicting opinions on the question of the reform of the divine office. The question proved especially difficult because of the absence of any absolute criteria afforded by divine institution. Since Christ instituted the sacraments and gave precise directives concerning at least several of them, there are absolute standards against which to judge, but this is not the case with the divine office. Finally, it is interesting to note that although sacred music plays a considerable role in the liturgy and on the part of some was thought worthy of having a central place in the constitution, the whole question attracted very little at­ tention in the council itself, probably because the fathers knew so little about the topic. On November 14, 1962, the council fathers gave approval in principle to the liturgy schema by a vote of 2162 to 46. The conciliar commission then set about its task of analyzing the written interventions of the fathers and making the amendments which they desired. Between November 17 and December 6,1962, the amendments to articles 1 to 46 were voted upon. Chapters 2 to 8 were revised between the first and second sessions of the Coun­ cil and were voted on during the second session of the council. Each chapter of the constitution was submitted to a final vote; the terms were placet, placet juxta modum, and non placet. Although INTRODUCTION XLIII votes juxta modum were counted as placet, the commission had to indicate to the fathers the nature of the modi. In several cases where there were so many qualified votes, the commission chose to present a new amendment to the fathers. For example, since there were 781 votes juxta modum on the Mass, the commission decided to make an amendment granting the local ordinary general control over concélébration. Also since the vote on the sacraments was 1054 votes juxta modum, the commission decided to let the choice of the language of the sacraments up to the episcopal conferences. The final vote on the complete constitu­ tion was taken on November 22, 1963. The various amendments that were made to the constitution seem to fall into two significant categories. The one class was doctrinal and was aimed at establishing continuity between the teaching of Trent and Vatican II; the other class was pastoral and was concerned with the use of the vernacular. If the present council complements Vatican I from the point of view of ecclesiology, it may be compared with Trent in matters of liturgy and sacramental theology. Today there is no need for the Church to defend her sacramental theology against the at­ tacks of the Reformers; in fact she must acknowledge that a number of liturgical perceptions of the Reformers were quite valid. Protestant observers at the council were pleased to see such a manifestation of truthfulness and humility on the part of many of the council fathers. Nevertheless, the Church must not give the opinion that she has reversed her position; she must demonstrate that her present teaching is in accord with earlier conciliar teaching. It was for this reason that a number of amend­ ments emphasizing the sacrificial character of the Eucharist, af­ firmed so strongly at Trent, were inserted into chapter II of the constitution. Some of the fathers maintained that this aspect of the Eucharist had been overshadowed in the constitution by the lengthy consideration of the Mass as a meal. In regard to the vernacular, the fathers realized that if it is to be truly pastoral, the council must not only provide for the im­ mediate needs of the Church but must also anticipate the future developments. From a pastoral point of view, changes which are too radical can be debilitating; however, provision must be made for progressive evolution in the Church’s institutes. It XLIV THE NEW LITURGY is in this sense that the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy is truly pastoral. In this regard Father Edward Schillebeeckx has remarked that some theologians . . . have interpreted the affirmation of the pastoral orientation of the Council in a purely pragmatic sense, a pastoral care which is less concerned with the truth, or at any rate the formulation of the truth, than with the fully existential experience of faith, for which a vague indication of the content of belief would suffice. . . . The fact that today’s modern language is ‘dated’ tomorrow simply implies that expressing the truth is a neverending task which has to be begun anew all the time, but it is quite out of the question that one could ever hope to promote a certain historical interpretation to the status of a timeless statement that could of itself provide an absolute formulation of the faith. . . . This ... is the painful mistake people make who think the Church ‘must speak its own language’ (which it must) but who then identify that language with one par­ ticular phase of the perennially new language of revelation. The Catholic Church must undoubtedly speak its own lan­ guage of revelation. The Catholic Church must undoubtedly speak its own language, and it should not, in the name of irenics, speak a language alien to it. But the Church’s own language is the ever-changing language of the people, only cast in the idiom of the one revelation and also, as a negative norm, in the language of the Bible.9 Pope Paul, who as the cardinal-archbishop of Milan had given the liturgy schema his support on the first day of debate, October 22, 1962, promulgated the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy as head of the Church on December 4, 1964. The following January 27, 1964, he issued a Motu proprio putting part of the constitution into effect. Mystery surrounds the release of this document. The text of the document was drawn up by the Sacred Congregation of Rites under the direction of Cardinal Lercaro and Father Antonelli. Apparently the first draft did not meet with complete papal approval; when it was finally issued it was castigated as a betrayal of the council fathers who had approved the constitution. Not only did the text fail to say anything about the changes contemplated in the Mass, but it actually contradicted the constitution in regard to the approval 9 “The Second Vatican Council,” The Layman in the Church (New York: Alba House, 1963), pp. 22-26. — INTRODUCTION XLV needed for vernacular texts. Whereas the constitution authorized regional conferences of bishops to select and approve these texts, the Motu proprio required that these translations be submitted for approval to the Holy Sec. Cardinal Larroana, the prefect of the Congregation of Rites, who had been opposed to the original liturgical schema, let it be known that he was not responsible for the restriction. He also indicated that several members of the Holy Office had had access to the Pope while the document lay on his desk waiting for approval. On January 28, 1964, L’Osservatore Romano carried an article by the Benedictine liturgist, Dorn Salvatore Marsili, which said clearly that the Motu proprio grants very little. His conclusion was preceded by a number of significant insights. He noted that the liturgy constitution was not intended as a code of rubrics; as a document based on contemporary theological perspectives, it called for a transformation of mentality in ceremonial matters. He admitted the need for a certain elasticity in liturgical matters and the desirability of adapting the liturgy to provide for the diverse spiritual needs in the Church and in the world. The whole tone of the article seemed to indicate that it was directed at the Congregation of Rites and other Roman prelates who simply did not grasp the pastoral implications in the liturgy constitution. For writing so bold an article, Father Marsili was literally banished from Rome but was later rescued by Cardinal Lercaro and restored to his former academic positions in Rome. Since the Belgian, German, and French bishops had authorized vernacular versions of the Mass and sacraments in early January on the basis of the constitution, they protested to the Pope about the Motu proprio. After considerable wrangling within the curia, a final version of the Motu proprio was drawn up and printed in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis. The next text stated clearly that the bishops need submit to the Holy See only their decisions con­ cerning the vernacular translations and not the translations them­ selves. Also those phrases which had been introduced to suggest that the basis for the changes was the Pope’s good pleasure and not the constitution itself were withdrawn. When Pope Paul announced the membership of the post-conciliar commission which would oversee the implementation of XL VI THE NEW LITURGY the constitution, most liturgists were pleased, for they recognized the competency of most of the men appointed. Cardinal Lcrcaro was named president, and Father Bugnini secretary. The establishment of this commission was looked upon as an important step in acknowledging the collegial character of the episcopacy. In light of the constitution the bishops are co-rcsponsible along with the Pope for directing the worship of the Church. For the past three hundred and fifty years the Roman Congregation of Rites has exercised almost exclusive control over liturgical matters. It is to be expected that various members of the curia will fight hard to retain their power over the Church’s worship, “but it is the hope of seasoned observers, that the leaven of contact between the people and the living eucharistie mystery of the Church resulting from the application of the Constitution will work in favor of Pope John’s aggiornatnento of the Church, despite such misgivings. ”10 Through this brief survey of the liturgical movement an attempt has been made to set the background against which the Consti­ tution on the Sacred Liturgy must be viewed. The advances and the experiences of the liturgical movement especially since the reign of St. Pius X form the underlying foundations of the docu­ ment. A cursory study of the constitution indicates the patterns which the Church follows in her work of renewal and reform. She looks back over her long history and she studies her tradi­ tion not to copy the historical past, but rather to discover in the past the valid principles for a truly dynamic liturgical re­ newal. But the Church also looks out upon the world as it is today and she tries to anticipate what the world will be like to­ morrow, so that the liturgy will be an effective means of sanctifi­ cation for men of all ages. Above all, the Church looks to the Church, to the People of God, for it is God’s People whom she hopes to sanctify, it is to God that she hopes to give glory. Unlike so many of the decrees that appear in this volume, the constitu­ tion is not a juridical document; it is rather a magisterial state­ ment of profound theological import. For that reason it will 10 Xavier Rynne, The Second Session (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1964), p. 305. INTRODUCTION XLVII possibly be passed over quickly by those who respond only to juridical terms, or more likely, juridical interpretation will be given where it does not belong. True renewal and reform, litur­ gical or otherwise, cannot be legislated. It is principally an in­ terior thing which manifests itself in the life that is Christian. It is to enable men to live this life better that Pope Paul has pro­ mulgated the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. ITURGICAL DOCUMENTS THE RESTORATION OF CHURCH MUSIC Motu proprio of Pope St. Pius X November 22, 1903 (Tra le sollecitudini, ASS 36, 1903, 329-339) Chief among the anxieties of the pastoral office, not only of this Su­ preme Chair, which we, although unworthy, occupy through the inscrutable disposition of Providence, but of every local church, is without doubt that of maintaining and promoting the decorum of the house of God where the august mysteries of religion are celebrated, and where the Christian people assemble to receive the grace of the sacraments, to be present at the holy sacrifice of the altar, to adore the august sacrament of the Lord’s Body and to join in the common prayer of the Church in the public and solemn liturgical offices. Noth­ ing then should take place in the temple calculated to disturb or even merely to diminish the piety and devotion of the faithful, nothing that may give reasonable cause for disgust or scandal, nothing, above all, which directly offends the decorum and the sanctity of the sacred functions and is thus unworthy of the house of prayer and of the ma­ jesty of God. We do not deal separately with the abuses which may occur in this matter. Today our attention is directed to one of the most common of them, one of the most difficult to eradicate and the existence of which is sometimes to be deplored even where everything else is de­ serving of the highest praise—the beauty and sumptuousness of the temple, the splendor and the accurate order of the ceremonies, the attendance of the clergy, the gravity and piety of the officiating min­ isters. Such is the abuse in connection with sacred chant and music. And, indeed, whether it is owing to the nature of this art, fluctuating and variable as it is in itself, or to the successive changes in tastes and habits in the course of time, or the sad influence exercised on sacred art by profane and theatrical art, or the pleasure that music directly produces, and that is not always easily kept within the proper limits, or finally to the many prejudices on the matter so lightly introduced and so tenaciously maintained even among responsible and pious per­ sons, there is a continual tendency to deviate from the right rule, fixed by the end for which art is admitted to the service of worship and laid down very clearly in the ecclesiastical canons, in the ordinances of the general and provincial councils, in the prescriptions which have on various occasions emanated from the Sacred Roman congregations, and from our predecessors, the sovereign pontiffs. It is pleasing to us to be able to acknowledge with real satisfaction the large amount of good that has been done in this respect during the last decades in this our fair city of Rome, and in many churches ----- 4 THE NEW LITURGY • · in our country, but in a more especial way among some nations in which excellent men, full of zeal for the worship of God, have, with the approval of this Holy Sec and under the direction of the bishops, united in flourishing societies and restored sacred music to the fullest honor in nearly all their churches and chapels. Still, the good work that has been done is very far indeed from being common to all, and when we consult our own personal experience and take into account the great number of complaints that have reached us from all quarters during the short time that has elapsed since it pleased the Lord to ele­ vate our humble person to the summit of the Roman pontificate, we consider it our first duty, without further delay, to raise our voice at once in reproof and condemnation of all that is out of harmony with the right rule above indicated, in the functions of worship and in the performance of the ecclesiastical offices. It being our ardent desire to see the true Christian spirit restored in every respect and be preserved by all the faithful, we deem it necessary to provide before everything else for the sanctity and dignity of the temple, in which the faithful assemble for the object of acquiring this spirit from its foremost and indispensable fount, which is the active participation in the holy mysteries and in the public and solemn prayer of the Church. And it is vain to hope that the blessing of heaven will descend abun­ dantly upon us for this purpose when our homage to the Most High, instead of ascending in the odor of sweetness, puts into the hand of the Lord the scourges with which the divine redeemer once drove the unworthy profaners from the temple. Wherefore, in order that no one in the future may be able to plead in excuse that he did not clearly understand his duty, and that all vagueness may be removed from the interpretation of some things which have already been com­ manded, we have deemed it expedient to point out briefly the principles regulating sacred music in the functions of public worship, and to gather together in a general survey the principal prescriptions of the Church against the more common abuses in this matter. We, there­ fore, publish, motu proprio and with sure knowledge, our present “in­ struction” to which, as “to a juridical code of sacred music,” we desire with the fullness of our apostolic authority that the force of law be given, and we impose its scrupulous observance on all by this docu­ ment in our own handwriting. Instruction on i Sacred Music General Principles I. Sacred music, as an integral part of the solemn liturgy, participates in its general object, which is the glory of God and the sanctification and edification of the faithful. It tends to increase the decorum and the splendor of the ecclesiastical ceremonies, and since its principal THE RESTORATION OF CHURCH MUSIC 5 office is to clothe with befitting melody the liturgical text proposed for the understanding of the faithful its proper end is to add greater efficacy to the text, in order that by means of it the faithful may be the more easily moved to devotion and better disposed to receive the fruits of grace associated with the celebration of the most holy mys­ teries. 2. Sacred music should consequently possess, in the highest degree, the qualities proper to the liturgy, and precisely sanctity and goodness of form from which spontaneously springs its other character, uni­ versality. It must be holy, and must, accordingly, exclude all profanity not only in itself, but in the manner in which it is presented by those who execute it. It must be true art, for otherwise it will be impossible for it to exer­ cise on the minds of those who hear it that efficacy’ which the Church aims at obtaining in admitting into her liturgy the art of musical sounds. But it must, at the same time, be universal in this sense, that while every nation is permitted to admit into its ecclesiastical compositions those special forms which in a certain manner constitute the specific character of its native music, still these forms must be subordinated in such a manner to the general characteristics of sacred music that nobody of another nation may receive, on hearing them, an impression other than good. 2 The Kinds of Sacred Music 3. These qualities are possessed in the highest degree by the Gregorian chant, which is, consequently, the chant proper to the Roman Church, the only chant she has inherited from ancient fathers, which she has jealously guarded for centuries in her liturgical codices, which she directly proposes to the faithful as her own, which she prescribes exclusively for some parts of the liturgy, and which the most recent studies have so happily restored to their integrity and purity. Upon these grounds the Gregorian chant has always been regarded as the supreme model for sacred music, so that the following rule may be safely laid down: The more closely a composition for church ap­ proaches in its movement, inspiration and savor the Gregorian form, the more sacred and liturgical it is; and the more out of harmony it is with that supreme model, the less worthy it is of the temple. The ancient traditional Gregorian chant must, therefore, be largely restored in the functions of public worship, and everybody must take for certain that an ecclesiastical function loses nothing of its solemnity when it is accompanied by no other music except them. Efforts must especially be made to restore the use of the Gregorian chant by the people, so that the faithful may again take a more active ό THE NEW LITURGY part in the ecclesiastical offices, as they were wont to do in ancient times. 4. The qualities mentioned arc also possessed in an excellent degree by the classic polyphony, especially of the Roman school, which reached its greatest perfection in the fifteenth century, owning to the works of Pierluigi da Palestrina, and continued subsequently to produce compositions of excellent quality from the liturgical and musical stand­ point. The classic polyphony approaches closely to the Gregorian chant, the supreme model of all sacred music, and hence it has been found worthy of a place side by side with the Gregorian chant in the more solemn functions of the Church, such as those of the Pontifical chapel. This, too, must therefore be restored largely in ecclesiastical functions, especially in the more important basilicas, in cathedrals and in the churches and chapels of seminaries and other ecclesiastical in­ stitutions in which the necessary means are usually not lacking. 5. The Church has always recognized and favored the progress of the arts, admitting to the service of worship everything good and beautiful discovered by genius in the course of ages—always, however, with due regard to the liturgical laws. Consequently modern music is also admitted in the Church, since it, too, furnishes compositions of such excellence, sobriety and gravity that they arc in no way un­ worthy of the liturgical functions. But as modern music has come to be devoted mainly to profane uses, greater care must be taken with regard to it, in order that the musical compositions of modern style which arc admitted in the Church may contain nothing profane, be free from reminiscences of motifs adopted in the theatres and be not fashioned even in their external forms after the manner of profane pieces. 6. Among the various kinds of modem music that which appears less suitable for accompanying the functions of public worship is the theatrical style, which was in the greatest vogue, especially in Italy, during the last century. This of its very nature is diametrically op­ posed to the Gregorian Chant and the classic polyphony, and therefore to the most important law of all good music. Besides the intrinsic structure, the rhythm and what is known as the “conventionalism” of this style adapt themselves but badly to the exigencies of true liturgi­ cal music. 3 The Liturgical Text 7. The language of the Roman Church is Latin. It is therefore forbidden to sing anything whatever in the vernacular in solemn li­ turgical functions—much more to sing in the vernacular the variable or common parts of the Mass and Office. I----------------- THE RESTORATION OF CHURCH MUSIC 7 8. The texts that may be rendered in music, and the order in which they are to be rendered, being determined for every liturgical function, it is not lawful to confuse this order or to change the prescribed texts for others, selected at will, or to omit them either entirely or even in part, unless when the rubrics allow that some vcrsicles arc simply re­ cited in choir. However it is permissible, according to the custom of the Roman Church, to sing a motet to the Blessed Sacrament after the Benedictus in a solemn Mass. It is also permitted, after the offer­ tory prescribed for the Mass has been sung, to execute during the time that remains a brief motet to words approved by the Church. 9. The liturgical text must be sung as it in the books without alter­ ation or inversion of the words, without undue repetition, without breaking syllables and always in a manner intelligible to the faithful who listen. 4 External Form of the Sacred Compositions 10. The different parts of the Mass and the office must retain, even musically, that particular concept and form which ecclesiastical tradi­ tion has assigned to them, and which is admirably expressed in the Gregorian chant. Different, therefore, must be the method of com­ posing an introit, a gradual, an antiphon, a psalm, a hymn, a Gloria in Excelsis. 11. In particular the following rules are to be observed: a) The Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, etc., of the Mass must preserve the unity of composition proper to their text. It is not lawful, there­ fore, to compose them in separate pieces, in such a way that each of such pieces may form a complete composition in itself, and be capable of being detached from the rest and substituted by another. b) In the office of vespers it should be the rule co follow the Cae­ rimoniale Episcoporum, which prescribed the Gregorian chant for the psalmody and permits figured music for the versicles of the Gloria Patri and the hymn. It will nevertheless be lawful on the greater solemnities to alternate the Gregorian chant of the choir with the so-called falsibordoni or with verses similarly composed in a proper manner. It may be also al owed sometimes to render the single psalms in their entirety in music, provided the form proper to psalmody be preserved in such compositions; that is to say, provided the singers seem to be psalmodizing among themselves, either with new motifs or with those taken from the Gregorian chant, or based upon it. The psalms known as di concerto are, therefore, forever excluded and prohibited. c) In the hymns of the Church the traditional form of the hymn is preserved. It is not lawful, therefore, to compose, for instance, 8 THE NEW LITURGY a Tantum Ergo in such wise that the first strophe presents a romanza, a cavatina, an adagio and the Genitori an allegro. d) The antiphons of the vespers must be as a rule rendered with the Gregorian melody proper to each. Should they, however, in some special case be sung in figured music, they must never have either the form of a concert melody or the fullness of a motet or a cantata. The Singers 12. With the exception of the melodies proper to the celebrant at the altar and to the ministers, which must be always sung only in Gregorian chant, and without the accompaniment of the organ, all the rest of the liturgical chant belongs to the choir of lévites, and, therefore, singers in church, even when they are laymen, arc really taking the place of the ecclesiastical choir. Hence, the music rendered by them must, at least for the greater part, retain the character of cho­ ral music. By this it is not to be understood that solos arc entirely excluded. But solo singing should never predominate in such a way as to have the greater part of the liturgical chant executed in that manner; rather should it have the character of hint or a melodic projection, and be strictly bound up with the rest of the choral composition. 13. On the same principle it follows that singers in church have a real liturgical office, and that therefore women, as being incapable of exercising such an office, cannot be admitted to form part of the choir or of the musical chapel. Whenever, then, it is desired to employ the acute voice of sopranos or contraltos, these parts must be taken by boys, according to the most ancient usage of the Church. 14. Finally, only those are to be admitted to form part of the musi­ cal chapel of a church who are men of known piety and probity of life, and these should by their modest and devout bearing during the liturgical functions show that they are worthy of the holy office they exercise. It will also be fitting that singers while singing in church wear the ecclesiastical habit and surplice, and that they be hidden be­ hind grating when the choir is excessively open to the public gaze. 6 Organ and Instruments 15. Although the music proper to the Church is purely vocal mu­ sic, music with the accompaniment of the organ is also permitted. In some special cases, within due limits and within the proper regards, other instruments may be allowed, but never without the special li- THE RESTORATION OF CHURCH MUSIC 9 ccnsc of the ordinary, according to the prescriptions of the Caeri­ moniale Episcoporum. 16. As the chant school should always have the principal place, the organ or instruments should merely sustain and never overwhelm it. 17. It is not permitted to have the chant preceded by long prelu­ des or to interrupt it with intermezzo pieces. 18. The sound of the organ as an accompaniment to the chant in preludes, interludes and the like must be not only governed by the special nature of the instruments, but must participate in all the quali­ ties proper to sacred music as enumerated. 19. The employment of the piano is forbidden in church, as is also that of noisy or frivolous instruments such as drums, cymbals, bells and the like. 20. It is strictly forbidden to have bands play in church, and only in a special case and with the consent of the ordinary will it be permis­ sible to admit a number of wind instruments, limited, judicious and proportioned to the size of the place—provided the composition and accompaniment to be executed be written in a grave and suitable style, and similar in all respects to that proper to the organ. 21. In processions outside the church the ordinary may give per­ mission for a band, provided no profane pieces are executed. It would be desirable in such cases that the band confine itself to accompanying some spiritual canticle sung in Latin or in the vernacular by the singers and the pious associations which take part in the procession. 7 The Length of the Liturgical Chant 22. It is not lawful to keep the priest at the altar waiting on account of the chant or the music for a length of time not allowed by the liturgy. According to ecclesiastical prescriptions the Sanctus of the Mass should be over before the elevation, and therefore the priest must here have regard to the singers. Ί he Gloria and the Credo ought, according to the Gregorian tradition, to be relatively short. 23. In general, it must be considered to be a very grave abuse when the liturgy in ecclesiastical functions is made to appear secondary to and in a manner at the service of the music, for the music is merely a part of the liturgy and its humble handmaid. 8 Principal Means 24. For the exact execution of what has been herein laid down, the bishops, if they have not already done so, are to institute in their dioceses a special commission composed of persons really competent ΙΟ THE NEW LITURGY in sacred music, and to this commission let them entrust in the manner they find most suitable the task of watching over the music executed in their churches. Nor arc they to see merely that the music is good in itself, but also that it is adapted to the powers of the singers and be always well executed. 25. In seminaries of clerics and in ecclesiastical institutions let the above-mentioned traditional Gregorian chant be cultivated by all with diligence and love, according to the Tridentine prescriptions, and let the superiors be liberal of encouragement and praise toward their young subjects. In like manner let a Schola Cantorum be estab­ lished, whenever possible, among the clerics for the execution of sacred polyphony and of good liturgical music. 26. In the ordinary lessons of liturgy, morals, canon law given to the students of theology, let care be taken to touch on those points which regard more directly the principles and laws of sacred music, and let an attempt be made to complete the doctrine with some particu­ lar instruction in the esthetic side of the sacred art, so that the clerics may not leave the seminary ignorant of all ’those notions, necessary as they arc for complete ecclesiastical culture. 27. Let care be taken to restore, at least in the principal churches, the ancient Scholae Cantorum as has been done with excellent fruit in a great many places. It is not difficult for a zealous clergy to institute such scholat even in the minor country churches—nay, in them they will find a very easy means for gathering round them both the children and the adults, to their own profit and the edification of the people. 28. Let efforts be made to support and promote in the best way possible the higher schools of sacred music where these already exist, and to help in founding them where they do not. It is of the utmost importance that the Church herself provide for the instruction of its masters, organists and singers, according to the true principles of sacred art. 9 Conclusion 29. Finally, it is recommenced to choirmasters, singers, members of the clergy, superiors of seminaries, ecclesiastical institutions and religious communities, parish priests and rectors of churches, canons of collegiate churches and cathedrals and, above all, to the diocesan ordinaries to favor with all zeal these prudent reforms, long desired and demanded with united voice by all; so that the authority of the Church which herself has repeatedly proposed them, and now incul­ cates them, may not fall into contempt. Given from our Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, on the day of the Virgin and Martyr, St. Cecilia, November 22, 1903, in the first year of our pontificate. Pius X, Pope THE DAILY RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION II THE DAILY RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION Decree of the Sacred Congregation of the Council December 22, 1905 (Sacra Tridentina Synodus, ASS 38, 1905, 400-406) The Holy Council of Trent, having in view the ineffabe riches of grace which arc offered to the faithful who receive the most holy Eucharist, makes the following declaration: “The holy council wishes indeed that at each Mass the faithful who are present should communi­ cate, not only in spiritual desire, but sacramentally, by the actual re­ ception of the Eucharist. ’1 These words declare plainly enough the wish of the Church that all Christians should be daily nourished by this heavenly banquet and should derive therefrom more abundant fruit for their sanctification. This wish of the council fully conforms to that desire wherewith Christ our Lord was inflamed when he instituted this divine sacra­ ment. For he himself, more than once, and in clarity of word, pointed out the necessity of frequently eating his flesh and drinking his blood especially in these words: This is the bread that had come down from heaven; not as your fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread shall live forever.2 From this comparison of the food of of angels with bread and with manna, it was easily to be understood by his disciples that, as the body is daily nourished with bread, and as the Hebrews were daily fed with manna in the desert, so the Chris­ tian soul might daily partake of this heavenly bread and be refreshed thereby. Moreover, we are bidden in the Lord’s Prayer to ask for “our daily bread” by which words, the holy fathers of the Church all but unanimously teach, must be understood not so much that ma­ terial bread which is the support of the body as the eucharistie bread which ought to be our daily food. Moreover, the desire of Jesus Christ and of the Church that all the faithful should daily approach the sacred banquet is directed chiefly to this end, that the faithful, being united to God by means of the sacrament, may thence derive strength to resist their sensual passions to cleanse themselves from the stains of daily faults, and to avoid these graver sins to which human frailty is liable; so that its primary purpose is not that the honor and reverence due to our Lord may be safeguarded or that it may serve as a reward or recompense of virtue bestowed on the recipients.3 Hence the holy council calls the Eucharist “the anti1 Scss. 22, ch. 6. 2 Jn 6:59. 3 St. Augustine, Semi. 57 on St. Matthew, De Orat. Dom., no. 7. 12 THE NEW LITURGY dote whereby we may be freed from daily faults and be preserved from mortal sin.”4 The will of God in this respect was well understood by the first Christians; and they daily hastened to this Table of life and strength. They continued steadfastly in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of the breaking of the bread.5 The holy fathers and writ­ ers of the Church testify that this practice was continued into later ages and not without great increase of holiness and perfection. Piety, however, grew cold, and especially afterward because of the widespread plague of Jansenism, disputes began to arise concerning the dispositions with which cnc ought to receive frequent and daily communion; and writers vied with one another in demanding more and more stringent conditions, as necessary to be fulfilled. The result of such disputes was that very few were considered worthy to receive the holy Eucharist daily, and to derive from this most healthgiving sacrament its more abundant fruits; the others were content to par­ take of it once a year, or once a month, or at most once a week. To such a degree indeed, was rigorism carried that whole classes of per­ sons were excluded from a frequent approach to the holy table, for instance, merchants or those who were married. Some, however, went over to the opposite view; they held that daily communion was prescribed by divine law and that no day should pass without communicating, and besides other practices not in accord with the approved usage of the Church, they determined that the Eucharist must be received even on Good Friday and in fact so ad­ ministered it. Toward these conditions, the Holy See did not fail in its duty. A decree of this Sacred Congregation which begins with the words “Cum ad aures," issued on February 12, 1679, with the approbation of Pope Innocent XI, condemned these errors, and put a stop to such abuses; at the same time it declared that all the faithful of whatsoever class, merchants or married persons not at all excepted, could be ad­ mitted to freouent communion according to the devotion of of each one and the judgment of his confessor: Then on December 7, 1690, by the decree of Pope Alexander VIII, Sanctissimus Dominus noster, the proposition of Baius was condemned, requiring a most pure love of God, without any admixture of defect, on the part of those who wished to approach the holy table. The poison of Jansenism, however, which, under the pretext of showing due honor and reverence to the Eucharist, had infected the minds even of good men, was by no means a thing of the past. The question as to the dispositions for the proper and licit reception of holy communion survived the declarations of the Holy See, and it was a fact that certain theologians of good repute were of the opinion 4 Sess. IJ ch. 2 5 Acts 2:42 THE DAILY RECEPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION 13 that daily communion could be permitted to the faithful only rarely and subject to many conditions. On the other hand, there were not wanting men endowed with learning and piety who offered an easier approach to this practice, so salutary and so pleasing to God. They taught, with the authority of the fathers, that there is no precept of the Church which prescribes more perfect dispositions in the ease of daily than of weekly or month­ ly communion; while the fruits of daily communion will be far more abundant than those of communion received weekly or monthly. In our own day the controversery has been continued with increased heat and not without bitterness, so that the minds of confessors and the consciences of the faithful have been disturbed, to the no small detriment of Christian piety and fervor. Certain distinguished men, themselves pastors of souls, have as a result of this, urgently begged His Holiness Pope Pius X to deign to settle, by his supreme authority, the question concerning the dispositions required to receive the Eu­ charist daily; so that this practice, so salutary' and so pleasing to God, not only might suffer no decrease among the faithful, but rather that it increase and everywhere be promoted, especially in these days when religion and the Catholic faith arc attacked on all sides, and the true love of God and piety are so frequently lacking. His Holiness, being most earnestly desirous, out of his solicitude and zeal, that the faithful should be invited to the sacred banquet as often as possible, even daily and should benefit bvJ its most abundant fruits, committed the aforesaid question to this Sacred Congregation, to be studied and decided definitely (definiendam) Accordingly, the Sacred Congregation of the Council, in a plenary’ session held on December 16, 1905, submitted this matter to a very' careful study, and after sedulously examining the reasons adduced on either side, determined and declared as follows: 1. Frequent and daily communion, as a practice most earnestly desired by Christ our Lord and by the Catholic Church, should be open to all the faithful, of whatever rank and condition of life; so that no one who is in the state of grace, and who approaches the holy table with a right and devout intention (recta piaque mente) can be pro­ hibited therefrom. 2. A right intention consists in this: that he who approaches the Holy Table should do so, not out of routine, or vain-glory, or human respect, but that he wish to please God, to be more closely united with him by charity, and to have recourse to this divine remedy for his weakness and defects. 3. Although it is especially fitting that those who receive commun­ ion frequently or daily should be free from venial sins, at least from such as are fully deliberate, and from any affection thereto, neverthe­ less it is sufficient that they be free from mortal sin, with the purpose of never sinning in the future; and if they have this sincere purpose, ' 14 THE NEW liturgy it is impossible but that daily communicants should gradually free them­ selves even from venial sins, and from all affection thereto. 4. Since, however, the sacraments of the new law, though they produce their effect ex opere operato nevertheless produce a great effect in proportion as the dispositions of the recipient are better, therefore, one should take care that holy communion be preceded by careful preparation, and followed by an appropriate thanksgiving, according to each one’s strength, circumstances and duties. 5. That the practice of frequent and daily communion may be carried out with greater prudence and more fruitful merit, the con­ fessor’s advice should be asked. Confessors, however, must take care not to dissuade anyone from frequent or daily communion, provided he is found to be in a state of grace and approaches with a right in­ tention. 6. But since it is plain that by the frequent or daily reception of the holy Eucharist union with Christ is strengthened, the spiritual life more abundantly sustained, the soul more richly endowed with vir­ tues, and the pledge of everlasting happiness more securely bestowed on the recipient, therefore, parish priests, confessors and preachers, according to the approved teaching of the Roman catechism6 should exhort the faithful frequently and with great zeal to this devout and salutary practice. 7. Frequent and daily communion is to be promoted especially in religious institutes of all kinds; with regard to which, however, the decree Quemadmodum, issued on December 17, 1890, by the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars, is to remain in force. It is to be promoted especially in ecclesiastical seminaries, where students are preparing for the service of the altar; as also in all Christian establ­ ishments which in any way provide for the care of the young (ephe­ beis). 8. In the case of religious institutes, whether of solemn or simple vows, in whose rules, or constitutions, or calendars, communion is assigned to certain fixed days, such regulations arc to be considered as directive and not perceptive. The prescribed number of commun­ ions should be regarded as a minimum but not a limit to the devotion of the religious. Therefore, access to the eucharistie table, whether it be rather frequently or daily, must always be freely open to them according to the norms above laid down in this decree. Furthermore, in order that all religious of both sexes may clearly understand the prescriptions of this decree, the superior of each house will provide that it be read in community, in the vernacular, every year within the octave of the feast of Corpus Christi. 9. Finally, after the pub ication of this decree, all ecclesiastical writ­ ers are to cease from contentious controversy concerning the disposi­ tions requisite for frequent and daily communion. 6 Part 2, ch. 4, no. 60. THE USE or· THE SLAVONIC LANGUAGE IN THE LITURGY 1$ All this having been reported to His Holiness Pope Pius X by the undersigned Secretary of the Sacred Congregation in an audience held on December 17, 1905, His Holiness ratified this decree, confirmed it and ordered its publication, anything to the contrary notwithstanding. He further ordered that it should be sent to all local ordinaries and regular prelates, to be communicated by them to their respective semi­ naries, parishes, religious institutes, and priests; and that in their re­ port on the state of their dioceses or institutes they should inform the Holy See concerning the execution of the prescriptions therein enacted. Given at Rome, the 20th day of December, 1905. Vincent, Cardinal Bishop of Palestrina, Prefect Cajetan DcLai, Secretary THE USE OF THE SLAVONIC LANGUAGE IN THE LITURGY Decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites December 18, 1906 {De usu linguae Slavonicae, Decreta Authentica Congregationis Sacrorum Rituum VI, 4196) i. Seeing that the Apostolic Sec has judged it to be fitting now to limit within certain bounds what it before legislated concerning the use of the Glagolitic language in the liturgy, the use of this language ought to be considered and held by everyone to be a local privilege, belonging to certain churches; it should by no means be considered a personal privilege belonging to certain priests. For this reason, those priests who arc trained in the use of Old Church Slavonic will not be able to use this language when celebrating Mass in a church which docs not have this privilege. 2. Once the index of privileged churches has been compiled and published, it will be allowed to no one for whatever cause or pretext, to introduce the use of Old Church Slavonic into any other church. If any priest, whether secular or regular, docs otherwise, or attempts to, he remains ipso facto suspended from the celebration of Mass and the performance of his other priestly duties until he has obtained pardon from the Holy See. 3. In churches which enjoy the privilege, it will be allowed that Mass may be celebrated and office recited according to public and solemn rite, only in Old Church Salvonic. The admixture of any other language whatsoever is excluded (except as is provided for in the eleventh article of this decree). 16 THE NEW LITURGY 4. Wherever the people are accustomed to reply to the celebrant or sing parts of the Mass, this also may be done in the privileged church­ es only in Old Church Slavonic. That this may be done more easily the ordinary may allow for the faithful exclusively the use of a hand missal written in Latin characters, rather than in Slavonic letters. 5. In these aforesaid churches which undoubtedly possess the privi­ lege of the use of the Slavonic language, the ritual, printed in that language, may be used in the administration of sacraments and sacramentals, provided that the ritual is one approved and recognized by the Holy See. ... 6. The bishops should take care that in their seminaries the studies both of Latin and Old Church Slavonic should be carried on, so that the priests may be ready to serve in cither a Latin or a Slavonic diocese as necessity may dictate. 7. Unless some other necessity dictates a different course of action, it will be the duty of the bishops, before holy ordination, to designate those clerics who are going to be sent to Latin churches and those who are going to be sent to Slavonic churches; the bishops shall do this after they have looked into the wishes and dispositions of the candidates. 8. If any priest, attached to a church where the Latin language is used, should be assigned to another church, which enjoys the privilege of using Old Church Slavonic, he will be obliged to sing the solemn Mass and the divine office in Slavonic; however, he may celebrate the liturgy privately and fulfill the canonical hours privately in the Latin language. A priest, however, attached to a church of Old Slavonic, but by chance serving a Latin church, is obliged to celebrate both solemn and private Mass and also to sing the canonical hours in the Latin language; but he has the faculty of reciting the office privately in Glagolitic. 9. It is likewise permitted for priests, attached to Latin-speaking churches, to celebrate Mass privately in Latin in another church which enjoys the privilege of Old Slavonic. However, priests attached to churches of Old Slavonic may not celebrate in this language even privately in churches where the Latin language is used. 10. In a church of the Latin language, where it is customary to sing at solemn Mass the epistle and gospel in Slavonic after it is sung in Latin, this custom may be preserved. At parish Masses, it is permitted, after the recitation of the gospel, to read it in the vernacular for the instruction of the faithful. 11. In those parishes where the privilege of using Old Slavonic prevails, if one of the faithful so desires, baptism or the other sacra­ ments, including marriage, may be administered according to the Roman Latin ritual, and this may be done publicly. The ritual prayers for the burial of the dead may be in the same language. Priests are severely forbidden to oppose such a desire in any way. 12. In preaching the word of God or in other acts of cult which are not strictly liturgical, the vernacular Slavonic language may be THE AGE FOR ADMISSION TO FIRST COMMUNION I7 used for the convenience and welfare of the people, but the general decrees of this Sacred Congregation of Rites must be observed. T3· The bishops of those regions where the language in use is a vernacular language should seek to provide for a uniform version of prayers and hymns in which the people participate, so that when they move from one diocese or parish to another there may be no conflict in any of the prayers or hymns. 14· Devotional books in which there is a vernacular edition of liturgical prayers issued for the private use of the faithful, arc to be authorized and approved by the bishops. THE AGE FOR ADMISSION TO FIRST COMMUNION Decree of the Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments August 8, 1910 (Quam singulari, AAS 2, 1910, 577-583) The pages of the gospels plainly testify to the special love which Christ showed while on earth to the little ones. It was his delight to be in their midst. He laid his hands upon them. He embraced and blessed them. He was indignant when they were repulsed by his disciples and reprimanded the latter in the following words: “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the king­ dom of God” (Mk 10:13-16). How highly he prized their innocence and simplicity of soul he shows when, calling a little one, he said to his disciples: “Amen I say to you, unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receives me” (Mt 18:3-5). Bearing this in mind, the Catholic Church from the beginning took care to bring Christ to the little ones through eucharistie commun­ ion, which was given even to the sucklings. This as was prescribed in almost all the ancient rituals till the thirteenth century, was done at baptism, and the same custom prevailed for a long time in some places; it is still in vogue with the Greeks and Orientals. But to avoid all danger, lest the children should spit out the consecrated host, the custom obtained from the beginning of giving the holy Eucharist under the species of wine alone. The infants did not, however, receive holy communion only at baptism, but they frequently afterward partook of the divine repast. For it was the custom in many churches to give communion to the children immediately after the conununion of the adults. ι8 THE NEW LITURGY Later on this custom became obsolete in the Latin Church, neither were children permitted to approach the holy table before the dawn of the use of reason and before having some knowledge of the august sacrament. This new discipline, already accepted by several particular councils, was solemnly confirmed in the Fourth Latcran Ecumenical Council by promulgating the celebrated twenty-first canon, in which the reception of the sacraments of penance and holy communion is prescribed to all the faithful having arrived at the use of reason in the following words: “All the faithful of both sexes, after coming to the use of reason, shall confess all their sins alone to their proper priest at least once a year, strive to fulfill the enjoined penance as far as possible, devoutly receiving holy communion at least at Easter time, unless by the advice of the priest and for some reasonable cause he should deem it well to abstain for a while.” The Council of Trent, in no way disapproving of the ancient disci­ pline of giving holy communion to children before they have attained the use of reason, confirmed the decree of the Latcran Council and pronounced anathema on those who hold a contrary opinion (Sess. XXI de Communione, c. 4. Sess. XIII de Eucharistia, c. 8, can 9.) “If any one shall deny that all the faithful of both sexes, who have attained the use of reason, are obliged to receive communion every year, at least at Easter time, according to the precepts of holy Mother Church, let him be anathema.” Therefore, in virtue of the aforesaid decree of the Latcran Council still in force, the faithful as soon as they arrive at the years of discretion are obliged to receive the sacraments of penance and holv communion at least once a year. But in establishing the year when children come to the use of reason many errors and deplorable abuses have crept in, in the course of time. There were those who considered one age necessary for the sacrament of penance, another for holy eucharist. For the sacrament of penance they judged the age necessary in which one can distinguish right from wrong, hence can commit sin; for holy Eucharist, however, they re­ quire a greater age in which a deeper knowledge of matters of faith and a better preparation of the soul can be had. And thus, according to the various customs of places and opinions of men, the age of ten years was fixed for receiving first holy communion in some places, in others fourteen years and even more were required, in the mean­ while those children under the required age being forbidden to re­ ceive holy communion. This custom, by which, under the plea of safeguarding the august sacrament, the faithful were kept away from the same, was the cause of many evils. It happened that the innocence of childhood, torn away from the embraces of Christ, was deprived of the sap of interior life; from which it also followed that youth destitute of this strong help, surrounded by so many snares, having lost its candor, fell into vice before ever tasting of the sacred mysteries. Even though a more THE AGE FOR ADMISSION TO FIRST COMMUNION 19 thorough preparation and an accurate sacramental confession should precede first holy communion, which docs not happen everywhere, yet the loss of first innocence is always to be deplored and might have been avoided by receiving the holy Eucharist in more tender years. Not less is the custom, which exists in many places, to be condemned, according to which children arc not allowed to receive the sacrament of penance before they arc admitted to communion, or else absolution is not given to them; thus it happens that burdened, perhaps, with mortal sins, they remain a long time in great danger. But the worst of all is that, in some places, children not yet admitted to first holy communion arc not permitted to receive the sacred via­ ticum, even when in danger of death, and thus, dying and being buried as infants, they arc not helped by the prayers of the Church. Such injury is caused by those who insist on an extraordinary pre­ paration for first holy communion, more than is reasonable, not realizing that this kind of precaution proceeds from the errors of the Jansenists, who maintain that holy Eucharist is a reward, not a remedy for human frailty. The Council of Trent holds a different opinion when it teaches that it is “an antidote by which we arc freed from daily faults and pre­ served from mortal sins” (Sess. XIII de Eucharistia, c. 2), which doc­ trine has lately been inculcated by a decree given on the 26th day of December, 1905, in which daily approach to communion is opened to all, both old and young, two conditions only being required, the state of grace and a right intention. Neither does it appear reasonable that while formerly even sucklings received the remnant of the sacred particles, at present an extraordinary preparation should be required from the children, who are in the happy state of innocence and candor and greatly need this heavenly food on account of the many tempta­ tions and dangers of our times. The abuses which we condemn may be traced to the fact that those who demand a certain age for penance and another for holy Eucharist have neither wisely nor rightly defined the required age. The Lateran Council requires one and the same age for both sacraments, since it imposes a joint obligation of penance and communion. Therefore, since the age of discretion required for penance is that at which right can be distinguished from wrong—namely when one comes to the use of reason—so also for conununion that age is required which can distinguish the eucharistie bread from the common, which in turn is also the age at which a child attains the use of reason. Nor did the principal interpreters of the Lateran Council and those who lived at that time think differently. From the history of the Church it is evident that many synods and episcopal decrees, beginning with the twelfth century, shortly after the Lateran Council, admitted children of seven years of age to holy communion. There is, moreover, a testi­ mony of the greatest authority, St. Thomas Aquinas, which reads: When children begin to have some use of reason so that they can conceive some devotion toward the sacrament (Eucharist), then this 20 THE NEW LITURGY sacrament can be given to them.” The same is explained by Ledesma as follows: “I say with the consent of all, that holy Eucharist should be given to all having the use of reason, no matter how soon they naay acquire the same; even though the child should have a confused idea of what it is doing.” Vasqucz explains the same passage in the following words: “As soon as a child attains the use of reason it is obliged by divine law so that not even the Church can dispense it from the same. The same is taught by St. Antoninus, writing: “But when a child is capable of wrongdoing—that is, of committing mortal sin, then he is subject to the precept of confession and consequently Communion” (3 tit. 14 ch. 2, 5). The Council of Trent also forces us to the same conclusion. While it declares that “infants, lacking the use of reason, arc not obliged to receive holy communion, it assigns as the only reason, because they cannot commit sin (sess. 21, canon 4): “Since,” it says, “at the age they cannot lose the acquired grace of the children of God.” From which it is evident that the council believed the children obliged to receive communion as soon as they could lose grace by sin. ' The words of the Roman council, held under Benedict XIII, agree with this teaching that the obligation of receiving holy Eucharist begins “after the boys and girls have come to the use of reason, to that age, namely, in which they are capable of distinguishing this sac­ ramental food, which is no other than the true body of Jesus Christ, from common and profane bread, and know how to approach the same with the proper devotion and religion” (Istrnzione per quei die debomia la prima volta ammetersi alla S. Communione, Append. 30, 2). The Roman catechism, however, says: “At what age better than’ the one prescribed by the father or the priest to whom they confess their sins. For theirs is the duty to find out and to inquire of the children if they have acquired some knowledge of this admirable sacrament and a taste for the same.” From all this it follows that the age of discretion required for holy communion is that at which the child can distinguish the eucharistie from common material bread and knows how to approach the altar with proper devotion. A perfect knowledge of the articles of faith is, therefore, not ne­ cessary, as a few elements alone are sufficient; nor is the full use of reason required, since the beginning of the use of reason, that is, some kind of use of reason, suffices. Wherefore, to put off communion any longer or to exact a riper age for the reception of the same is to be rejected absolutely, ana the same has been repeatedly condemned by the Holy See. Thus Pius IX, of happy memory, in the letters of Car­ dinal Antonelli to the bishops of France given on the 12th day of March, 1866, severely condemned the growing custom existing in some dio­ ceses of putting off holy communion to a maturer age and rejected the numoer of years as fixed by them. The Sacred Congregation of the Council, on the 15 th day of March, 1851, corrected a chapter of the provincial council of Rouen, in which THE AGE FOR ADMISSION TO FIRST COMMUNION 21 children under twelve years of age were forbidden to receive holy communion. This same Congregation on the Discipline of Sacraments, acting in a similar manner in a case proposed to it from Strasbourg on March 25, 1910, in which having been asked whether children of twelve or fourteen years could be admitted to holy communion it answered: “Boys and girls are to be admitted to holy communion when they arrive at the age of discretion or attain the use of reason.” Having seriously considered all these things, the Sacred Congrega­ tion on the Discipline of Sacraments at a general meeting held on the 15th of July, 1910, in order that the above mentioned abuses might be removed and the children of tender years become attached to Jesus, live his life and obtain assistance against the dangers of corruption, has judged it opportune to lay down the following norm for admitting, children to first holy communion to be observed everywhere: 1. The age of discretion required both for confession and commun­ ion is the time when the child begins to reason, that is, about the seventh year, more or less. From this time on the obligation of satisfying the precept of both confession and communion begins. 2. Both for first confession and first communion a complete and perfect knowledge of Christian doctrine is not necessary. The child will, however, be obliged to gradually learn the whole catechism according to its ability. 3. The knowledge of Christian doctrine required in children in order to be properly prepared for first holy communion is that they understand according to their capacity those mysteries of faith which are necessary as a means of salvation, that they be able to distinguish the Eucharist from common and material bread, and also approach the sacred table with the devotion becoming their age. 4. The obligation of the precept of confession and communion which rests upon the child falls back principally upon those in whose care they are, that is, parents, confessors, teachers and their pastor. It belongs to the father, however, or to the person taking his place, as also to the pastor, to admit the child to first holy communion. 5. The pastors shall take care to announce and distribute general communion once or several times a year to the children, and on these occasions they shall admit not only first communicants, but also others who, with the consent of their parents and the pastor, have already been admitted to the sacred table before. For both classes several days of instruction and preparation shall precede. 6. Those who have the care of children should use all diligence so that after first communion the children shall often approach the Holy Table, even daily if possible, as Jesus Christ and Mother Church desire, and that they do it with a devotion becoming their age. They should bear in mind their most important duty, by which they are obliged to have the children present at the public instructions in catechism, otherwise they must supply this religious instruction in some other way. THE NEW LITURGY 7. The custom of not admitting children to confession, or of n°t absolving them, is absolutely condemned. Wherefore the ordinaries of places using those means which the law gives them shall sec that it is done away with. 8. It is an utterly detestable abuse not to administer viaticum and extreme unction to children having attained the use of reason and to bury them according to the manner of infants. The ordinaries of places shall proceed severely against those who do not abandon this custom. These resolutions of the eminent fathers, the cardinals of this Sacred Congregation, have been approved by our Most Holy Lord Pope Pius X in an audience given on the 7th day of the current month, and he has commanded the present decree to be edited and promulgated. He has commanded all the ordinaries that the present decree should be made known not only to the pastors and the clergy, but also to the people, to whom it shall be read yearly at Easter time in the vernacular language. The ordinaries themselves will be obliged at the end of every five years (together with the other affairs of their diocese) to give an ac­ count of the observance of this decree to the Holy See. Everything else to the contrary notwithstanding. Given in Rome at the residence of the same Sacred Congregation on the 8th day of August, 1910. D. Cardinal Ferrata, Prefect Ph. Giustini, Secretary THE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE PSALTER IN THE ROMAN BREVIARY Apostolic Constitution of Pope St. Pius X November I, 1911 (Divino afflatu, AAS 3, 1911, 633-638 It is beyond question that the psalms composed under divine inspira­ tion, which are collected in the sacred books, have from the beginning of the Church not only contributed wonderfully to foster the piety of the faithful offering the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is to say, the fruit of lips confessing to his name (Heb 13:15), but have also had a conspicuous part, from custom introduced under the old law, in the sacred liturgy itself and in the divine office. Hence, as Basil says, that natural voice of the Church (Hotnil. in Ps. 1, no. 2,) and the psalmody called by our predecessor Urban VIII (in Divinam p sa h no­ diam the daughter of her hymnody which is constantly sung before THE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE PSALTER 23 the throne of God and the Lamb, and which, according to Athanasius, teaches the men whose chief care is the divine worship the manner in which God is to be praised and the words in which they are fitly to confess him (Epist. ad Marcellinum in interpret. Psalmor no. 10). Au­ gustine beautifully says on the subject: “That God may be praised well by man, God himself has praised himself; and since he has been pleased to praise himself man has found the way to praise him (In Psalm, cxliv. no. 1). Besides, there is in the Psalms a certain -wonderful power for stimu­ lating zeal in men s minds for all the virtues. For although all our Scripture, both the Old and New, is divinely inspired and useful for doctrine, as is written, the Book of Psalms, like a paradise containing in itself (the fruits) all the others, gives forth songs, and with them also shows its own songs in psalmody (cantus edit, et proprios insuper cum ipsis inter psallendum exhibet). Such are the words of Athanasius (Epist. ad Marcell. op. cit. no. 2), who rightly adds in the same place: “To me it seems that the psalms for him who sings them are as a mirror in which he may contemplate himself and the movements of his soul and, under this influence, recite them” (op. cit. no. 12). Hence, Au­ gustine says in his Confessions: “How I wept in hymns and canticles, deeply moved by the voices of your sweetly sounding Church ! These voices poured into my ears and truth became clear in my heart and then feelings of piety grew warm within me and my tears flowed and it was well with me for them” (book IX, ch. 6). For who can fail to be stirred by those numerous passages of the psalms which proclaim so loudly the immense majesty of God, his omnipotence, his ineffable justice or goodness or clemency, and his other infinite praises? Who can fail to be inspired with similar feelings by those thanksgivings for benefits received from God, or by these so trustful prayers for benefits desired, or those cries of the penitent soul for its sins? Who is not stirred to admiration by the Psalmist as he recounts the acts of divine goodness toward the people of Israel and the whole race of man and when he hands down the dogmas of heavenly wisdom? Who is not kindled with love by the picture of Christ the Redeemer lovingly shadowed forth whose voice Augustine heard in all the psalms, praising or mourn­ ing, rejoicing in hope or yearning for accomplishment? (In Ps. xlii., no. 1.) With good reason was provision made long ago, by decrees of the Roman pontiffs, by canons of the councils, and by monastic laws, that members of both branches of the clergy should chant or recite the entire psaltery every week. And this same law, handed down from antiquity, our predecessors St. Pius V, Clement VIII and Urban VIII religiously observed in revising the Roman breviary. Even at present the psaltery should be recited in its entirety within the week were it not that owing to the changed condition of things such recita­ tion is frequently hindered. For in the course of time there has been a constant increase among the faithful in the number of those whom the Church, after their mortal L ·. 24 THE NEW LITURGY life, has been accustomed to count among the denizens of heaven and to set before the Christian people as patrons and models. In their honor the offices of the saints began to be gradually extended until it has come about that the offices of the Sundays and ferias are hardly ever heard, and thus neglect has fallen on not a few Psalms, albeit these are, no less than the others, as Ambrose says (Enarrat, in Ps. i.t no. 9), “the benediction of the people, the praise of God, the praising of the multitude, the rejoicing of all, the speech of all, the voice of the Church, the resounding confession of faith, the full devotion of authority, the joy of liberty, the cry of gladness, the echo ofjoy. More than once serious complaints have been made by prudent and pious men about this omission, on the ground that owing to it those in sacred orders have been deprived of so many admirable aids for praising the Lord and expressing the inmost feelings of the soul, and that it has left them without that desirable variety in praying so highly necessary for our weakness in supplicating worthily, attentively and devoutly. For, as Basil has it, “the soul, in some strange way, frequently grows torpid in sameness, and what should be present to it becomes absent; whereas by changing and varying the psalmody and the chant for the different hours, its desire is renewed and its attention restored (Regulae fusius tractatae, q. 37, no. 5.) No wonder, then, that a great many bishops m various parts of the world have sent expressions of their opinions on this matter to the Apostolic See, and especially in the Vatican Council when they asked, among other things, that the ancient custom of reciting the whole psaltery within the week might be restored as far as possible, but in such a way that the burden should not be made any heavier for the clergy, whose labors in the vineyard of the sacred ministry arc now increased owing to the diminution in the number of the laborers. These petitions and wishes, which were our own, too, before we assumed the pontificate, and also the appeals which have since come from others of our venerable brothers and from pious men, we have decided should be granted—but with care, so that from the reciting of the entire psal­ tery within the week no diminution in the cultus of the saints may follow, on the one hand, and on the other, that the burden of the divine office may become not more oppressive, but actually lighter. Where­ fore, after having suppliantly implored the Father of Lights and asked for the assistance of holy prayers on the matter, following in the foot­ steps of our predecessor, we chose a number of learned and active men with the task of studying and consulting together in order to find some way, which might meet our wishes, for putting the idea into execution. In fulfillment of the charge entrusted to them they elaborated a new arrangement of the psaltery, and this having been approved by the cardinals of H. R. C. belonging to the Congregation of Sacred Rites, we have ratified it as being in entire harmony with our own mind, in all things, that is, as regards the order and partition of the psalms, the antiphons, versicles, hymns with their rubrics and THE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE PSALTER 25 rules, and we have ordered an authentic edition of it to be set up in our Vatican printing press and then published. As the arrangement of the psaltery has a certain intimate connection with all the divine office and the liturgy, it will be clear to everybody that by what we have here decreed we have taken the first step to the emendation of the Roman breviary and the missal, but for this we shall appoint shortly a special council or commission. Meanwhile, now that the occasion presents itself, we have decided to make some changes at present, as is prescribed in the accompanying rubrics; and first among them that in the recitation of the divine office due honor, by their more frequent use, be restored to the appointed lessons of sacred Scripture with the rcsponsorics of the season, and, second, that in the sacred liturgy those most ancient Masses of the Sundays during the year and of the ferias, especially those of Lent, recover their rightful place. Therefore, by the authority of these letters, we first of all abolish the order of the psaltery as it is at present in the Roman breviary, and we absolutely forbid the use of it after the i st day of January of the year 1913. From that day in all the churches of the secular and regular clergy, in the monasteries, orders, congregations and institutes of reli­ gious, by all and several who by office or custom recite the canonical hours according to the Roman breviary issued by St. Pius V and re­ vised by Clement VIII, Urban VIII and Leo XIII, we order the reli­ gious observance of the new arrangement of the psaltery in the form in which we have approved it and decreed its publication by the Vati­ can printing press. At the same time we proclaim the penalties prescribed in law against all who fail in their office of reciting the canonical hours everyday; all such arc to know that they shall not be satisfying this grave duty unless they use this our disposition of the psaltery’. We command, therefore, all the patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, abbots and other prelates of churches, not excepting even the cardinal archpriests of the patriarchal basilicas of the city, to take care to introduce at the appointed time into their respective dioceses, churches or mon­ asteries, the psaltery with the rules and rubrics as arranged by us; and the psaltery and these rules and rubrics we order to be also inviolately used and observed by all others who are under the obligation of re­ citing or chanting the canonical hours. In the meanwhile it shall be lawful for everybody and for the chapters themselves, provided the majority of a chapter be in favor, to use duly the new order of the psaltery immediately after its publication. This we publish, declare, sanction, decreeing that these our letters always are and shall be valid and effective, notwithstanding apostolic constitutions and ordinances, general and special, and everything else whatsoever to the contrary. Wherefore, let nobody infringe or temerariously oppose this page of our abolition, revocation, permission, or­ dinance, precept, statute, induit, mandate and will. But if anybody shall presume to attempt this let him know that he will incur the in- 20 THE NEW LITURGY dignation of almighty God and of his apostles the blessed Peter and Paul. Given at Rome at St. Peter’s in the year of the incarnation of our Lord 1911, on November the first, the feast of All Saints, in the ninth year of our pontificate. A. Cardinal Agliardi, Chancellor of H. R. C. Fr. Scb. Cardinal Martinelli, Prefect to the S. C. R. Visa M. Riggi, C. A., Not. Rubrics For the Recitation of the Divine Office and the Celebration of Mass According to the Constitution Divino afflatu. Title i On the method of Reciting the Divine Office According to the New Order of the Psaltery. I. In the recitation of the divine office, according to the Roman rite, the psalms for each of the canonical hours are to be taken daily from the day of the week as they are distributed in the newly arranged psaltery which is to be published, to take the place of the old arrange­ ments, in the new editions of the Roman breviary. 2. But exception is to be made for all the feasts of our Lord and their entire octaves, the Sundays within the octaves of the Nativity, Epiphany, the Ascension and Corpus Domini, the vigil of the Epi­ phany and the Friday after the octave of the Ascension, when the office of these days is to be said; so also for the vigil of the Nativity at lauds and at the other little hours up to none, and the vigil of Pentecost; also for all the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the holy angels, of St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, the saints, apostles and doubles of the first and second class, and for the entire octaves of all of them, if their office is said, which is to be said in the manner assigned, either in the breviary or in the Proper of the diocese or institute, with this rule, however, that the psalms at lauds, the hours and compline arc to be taken from the Sunday, as in the new psaltery; but at matins and vespers they are to be said as given in the common unless where special psalms are assigned. For the last three days of the Holy Week no change is to be made, but the office is to be said integrally as it now exists in the breviary, the psalms at lauds, however, being taken from the current feria as in the new psaltery, with the exception of the can­ ticle of Holy Saturday, which remains still: Ego dixi: In dimidio. At compline the psalms are taken from the Sunday as in the new psal­ tery. THE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE PSALTER 27 3. In every other double or major double feast, or in a semi-double or simple, and in the ferias during Eastertide the psalms with their antiphons at all the hours and the verses at matins are to be said as they arc given in the psaltery for the occurring day of the week; all the rest, and the antiphons at the Magnificat and Benedictus, as in the proper or common. But if any such feasts have proper or specially assigned antiphons in any of the greater hours it shall retain them in the same with its psalms as given in the breviary: in the other hours the psalms and antiphons arc to be said from the occurring feria. 4. The lessons at matins in the first noctum are always to be read from the occurring Scripture, even though sometimes in the breviary lessons from the common be assigned—except on feasts of our Lord or feasts, of any class, of the Blessed Virgin, the angels, St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, the apostles or a double of the first or second class, or in the case of a feast which has its lessons proper and not from the common or which occurs in ferias which have no lessons from the Scripture, and therefore necessarily take their lessons from the com­ mon. In feasts in which hitherto there were lessons from the common but proper rcsponsorics, the same lessons with the proper responsories are to be retained. 5. In double and semi-double feasts not excepted above the office is to be said as follows: At matins, invitatorium, hymn, lessons of the second and third nocturn and rcsponsorics of the three noctums proper or from the common; the antiphons, psalms and verses of the three noctums and the lessons of the first nocturn from the occurring feria. At lauds and vespers the antiphons with psalms from the feria; the chapter, hymn, verses and antiphons at the Benedictus or Magnificat, with the prayer cither from the proper or from the common. At little hours and compline the antiphons with the psalms are al­ ways said from the occurring feria. At prime for the short lesson is read the chapter of none from the proper or common. At tierce, sext and none, the chapter, short rcsponsory and prayer arc likewise taken from the proper or the common. 6. In the Saturday office of our Lady and in simple feasts the office is to be said thus: at matins the invitatorium and hymn are said from the same office or the same feasts; the psalms with their antiphons and verse from the occurring feria; the first and second lessons from the feria, with rcsponsorics proper or from the common; the third lesson from the office or feast, the two lessons being joined whenever there arc two lessons for the feast; at the other hours all arc said as set forth above in no. 5 for double feasts. In ferias and in simple feasts the psalms at matins, which are found in the new psaltery distributed into three noctums, arc to be said without interruption with their nine antiphons to the third verse inclusively, omitting the first and second verses. 28 THE NEW LITURGY Title 2 On the Order of Importance of Feasts 1. To judge rightly which of several offices is higher, and conse­ quently, either in occurrence or concurrence or in order of deferment or translation is to be chosen, the following characteristics of dignity are to be considered: a) higher rite, unless when there occurs a privileged Sunday, or octave day, or even any octave day according to the rubrics; b) the quality of primary or secondary, c) personal dignity, according to the following order: feasts of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels, St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph, saints, apostles and evangelists; d) external solemnity, that is, if the feast is feriatum or if it is cele­ brated with an octave. 2. In cases of occurrence, and in order of deferment or translation, another characteristic also is to be considered, viz.: e) the quality of Proper in feasts. A feast is said to be Proper of a place in the case of the title of a church, the patron, even secondary, of the place, a saint (described in the martyrology or in its approved appendix) whose body or any notable and authentic relic of whom is possessed, or a saint who has some special connection with the church, or the place, or the community. Therefore, any proper feast of this kind, ceteris paribus, takes precedence of a feast of the universal Church; to be excepted, however, are the privileged Sundays, ferias, octave days and vigils, as well as primary double feasts of the first class of the universal Church, which are considered and are proper of all places. A feast of the universal Church, of any rite whatsoever, inasmuch as it is preceptive, is, ceteris paribus, to take precedence of feasts granted to special places by mere induit of the Holy Sec, which cannot be said to be proper in the sense above described. Title 3 On the Accidental Occurrence and Translation of Feasts I. On major Sundays of the first class, whatever feast may occur on them, their office is always to be said; Sundays of the second class give way only to double feasts of the first class, in which case commemora­ tion of the Sunday is made in both vespers, lauds and in the Mass, together with the ninth lesson at matins. 2. On minor Sundays, or Sundays through the year, the office of the day is always to be said, unless there occurs any feast of our Lord, or a double of the first or second class, or an octave day of the feast of our Lord, in which case in the office of the feast or octave day com- — THE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE PSALTER 29 memoration is made of the Sunday in both vespers, lauds and Mass, with the ninth lesson at matins. If the Sunday within the octave of the Nativity occurs on the feast of St. Thomas, bishop and martyr, or on the feast of St. Sylvester, bishop and confessor, the office of the Sunday is said with the commemoration of the occurring feast; in which case on December 30, in the office of the day within the octave, the lessons of the first and second nocturns arc taken from the feast of the Nativity, with the rcsponsories of the Sunday. With regard to the Sunday which falls between the feast of the Circumcision and the Epiphany no change is to be made. 3. Doubles of the first and second class which are hindered either by some major Sunday or by some higher office arc to be transferred to the nearest following day which is free from another double feast of the first or second class, or from offices excluding such feasts, saving, however, the privilege conceded by the rubrics to the feasts of the Purification and Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the solemn commemoration of St. Joseph. 4. Double major feasts of whatever dignity and double minor feasts of the doctors of the Church can no longer be transferred, but when they are hindered, commemoration is made of them, as the rubrics prescribe for other hindered double minor feasts (saving what is laid down in the following paragraph concerning the omission on Sun­ days of the ninth historical lesson) unless they happen to occur on doubles of the first class, in which commemoration is to be made of no office, except of the occurring Sunday, or feria, or privileged octave. 5. If in a major Sunday there occurs a double major or minor office, or a semi-double or simple, the office of the Sunday is to be said with commemoration of the occurring office in both vespers (but only in first vespers for a simple feast), lauds and Mass, without the ninth his­ torical lesson. So also the Sunday office is to be said in minor Sundays, unless there occurs on them any feast of our Lord, or any double of the first and second class, or the octave day of a feast of our Lord, in which case, as has been said above in no. 1, the office is to be of the octave day with the commemoration and ninth lesson of the Sunday. 6. The day on which is celebrated the conunemoration of all the faithful departed excludes the translation of any feast whatsoever. Title 4 On the Perpetual Occurrence of Feasts and Their Translation I. All double feasts, major or minor, or semi-doubles, which are perpetually hindered are transferred to the first free day, according to the rubrics. 2. Double feasts of the first and second class perpetually hindered are transferred, as to their proper place, to the first day free from another double feast of the first or second class or from any octave day, or from 30 THE NEW LITURGY offices excluding feasts of this kind, saving the privilege conceded to the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 3. Major Sundays exclude the perpetual assignation of any double feast even of the first class. Minor Sundays exclude the assignation of any major or minor double, except it be a feast of our Lord. The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary is perpetually assigned to Sep­ tember 12. 4. November 2 excludes both occurring feasts which are not dou­ bles of the first class and perpetually transferred feasts of whatever rank. Title 5 On the Concurrence of Feasts I. Major Sundays have integral vespers in concurrence with any feast whatsoever unless it be a double of the first or second class; therefore, in the first vespers the antiphons with the psalms are taken from the Saturday; but in Advent the antiphons are said from the Sunday lauds, with the Saturday psalms. 2. Minor Sundays cede vespers to doubles of the first and second class to all feasts of our Lord and to the octave days of the feasts of our Lord; feasts, the antiphons and psalms in first vespers being taken from the Saturday. 3, The rules regulating vespers within the octave of the Nativity of our Lord remain unchanged. Title 6 On Commemorations I. On doubles of the first class commemoration of the preceding office is not made, unless the latter be Sunday, even per annum, or a double of the first or second class, or the octave day of some primary feast of our Lord, or a day within a privileged octave, or a major feria. In occurring offices commemoration is made only of the Sunday, of whatever rite it be, a privileged octave and a major feria. Of the fol­ lowing office (even when celebrated as a simple) commemoration is always to be made—but not of a day within a non-privileged octave or of a simple. 2. In doubles of the second class commemoration is always to be made of the preceding office, unless this be of a semi-double feast or of a day within a non-privileged octave. In cases of occurrence com­ memoration is made of every Sunday, of every double or semi-double reduced to a simple, of a privileged octave, or a major feria and of a vigil; but of a simple, commemoration is made only at lauds and in THE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE PSALTER 31 private Masses. But of any following office, even a simple or one observed as a simple, commemoration is always to be made, and also of the day within the octave if the office of this is to be observed on the following day; and in that case with the antiphon and versicle and first vespers of the feast. Although the feasts of our Lord and their octave days have the privi­ lege of prevailing over minor Sundays when they occur with these, still when several commemorations arc to be made (remembering always that in the vespers the first commemoration is of the concurring office whatever be its rite and dignity) the following order is to be observed both in vespers and in lauds and Mass: first, of the Sunday whatever its rank; second, of the day within the octave of Epiphany or Corpus Christi; third, of an octave day; fourth, of a major double; fifth, of a minor double; sixth, of a semi-double; seventh, ot a day within a common octave; eighth, of the Friday after the octave of the Ascension; ninth, of a major feria; tenth, of a vigil; eleventh, of a simple. Title 7 On the Proper Conclusion of Hymns and on the Proper Verse at Prime, on the Suffrages oj the Saints, the Prayers, the Athanasian Creed and the Third Oratio in Mass I. When on the same day there occur several offices which have a proper conclusion of the hymns or a proper verse at prime, the con­ clusion and verse to be said are those which are proper of the office which is recited on that day. 2. Henceforth, when the suffrages of the saints should be said, only one suffrage is to be recited according to the formula proposed in the ordinary of the new psaltery. 3. The Athanasian creed is added at prime in the feast of the Holy Trinity and in the Sundays only after Epiphany and after Pentecost, when the office of these is to be followed, saving the exception made in the following paragraph. 4. When on a Sunday commemoration is made of any double office, or of an octave day, or of a day within an octave, the suffrage, prayers, symbol Quicinnqne and the third oratio in the Mass are omitted. Title 8 O/i the Votive Office and on Additional Offices I. Since by this new disposition of the psaltery the causes of the general induit of July 5, 1883, for votive offices, these offices and other similar ones granted by special induits are entirely removed and are pronounced to be removed. 32 THE NEW LITURGY 2. So also ceases the obligation of reciting in choir, on the days prescribed by the rubrics heretofore in force, the little office of the Blessed Virgin, the office of the dead and the gradual and penitential psalms. But the chapters which are under obligation to recite these additional offices by reason of some special constitution or legally shall ask for the commutation of them by the Holy Sec. 3. On the feast of St. Mark and in the triduum of rogations the obligation of reciting the litany of the saints, even out of choir, still remains. Title 9 On the Feasts of Dedication and of the Title of a Church and on the Patrons I. The feast of the dedication of every church is always primary and a feast of our Lord. 2. The anniversary of the dedication of a cathedral church and the titular feast of the same arc to be celebrated with the rite of double of the first class with octave throughout the whole diocese by all the clergy, regular as well as secular, who use the diocesan calendar; and by regulars of both sexes living in the diocese who use their own calen­ dar, as a double of the first class, but without an octave. 3. As the sacred Latcran Arch-basilica is mother and head of all churches of the city and the world, both the anniversary of its dedica­ tion and the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, which, in addition to the great solemnity of the Resurrection of our Lord, is wont to be commemorated by it as titular, shall henceforth be celebrated as the double of the second class by all the clergy, secular and regular, including even those who follow some special rite. 4. The feast of the principa patron of a town, city, diocese, prov­ ince or nation shall be celebrated as a double of the first class with octave by all clergy, secular and regular, who live therein and use the diocesan calendar; but by the regulars who live therein and use their own calendar the said feast, although never feriat uni, shall be cele­ brated under the same rite, but without an octave. Title io On the Masses on Sundays and Ferias and on Masses for the Dead I. On Sundays, even minor ones, whatever feast occur, provided it be not a feast of our Lord or its octave day, or a double of the first or second class, the Mass of the Sunday shall always be said with com­ memoration of the feast. If the feast to be commemorated is a double, the third Oratio is to be omitted. 2. In the ferias of Lent, quartertense, second rogations and in vigils, if the office to be said is that of a double feast (but not of the first or THE NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE PSALTER 33 second class) or a semi-double, private Masses may be said ad libitum, either of the feast with commemoration and last gospel of the feria or vigil, or of the feria or vigil with commemoration of the feast; but private votive Masses or private Masses of the dead are forbidden on a feria, and these also are forbidden on a feria on which the Mass of the Sunday is to be anticipated or deferred. In Lent private Masses of the dead can be said only on the first weekday free in the calendar of the church in which the Mass is celebrated. 3. When in any place a feast hindered by a minor Sunday is cele­ brated ex voto or with fréquentation of the people (of which the ordinary shall be the judge) Masses of the said hindered feast can be celebrated, provided one Mass of the Sunday be not omitted. Whenever a Mass is sung or read out of the order of the office, if a commemoration is to be made of a Sunday or feria or vigil, the gospel of these is also to be read at the end. 4. At the Mass of a Sunday, even a minor one, with commemora­ tion of a double feast, major or minor, and of a day within an octave howsoever to be celebrated, the proper color of the Sunday is to be retained, with the preface of the Most Holy Trinity, unless when there is a proper preface of the season or that of the octave of a feast of our Lord. 5. The laws for sung Masses of the dead remain unchanged. Read Masses are permitted on doubles only on the day of the death, or for the day of the death, provided it be not a feast of obligation, or a double of the first or second class or a feria excluding doubles of the first class. As regards read Masses of the dead to be said on days of semi-double or simple rite, for the future they can never be celebrated on the fe­ rias enumerated in no. 2, save for the exception admitted therein. But it shall be lawful in such Masses of the feria to add the Oratio pro Defunctis for whom the sacrifice is applied, in the last place but one, as the rubric of the missal permits. But since for the application of the indulgences of the privileged altar, Masses of the dead should hitherto be celebrated in nigris, the Supreme Pontiff has been pleased to grant said indulgences for the future, although the Mass of the feria be said with the Oratio pro Defunctis. In other ferias throughout the year not excepted in no. 2, as well as in semi-doubles, in days with­ in non-privilegcd octaves and in simples, Masses of the dead as well as the other votive Masses can be said according to the rubrics. Title ii Oh the Collects in Mass With reference to collects commanded by ordinaries, they are hence­ forth forbidden (unless they be prescribed for some grave reason) not only on the vigils of the Nativity and of Pentecost and on doubles of the first class, but even on doubles of the second class, of the major THE NEW LITURGY 34 Sundays within privileged octaves, and whenever in the Mass arc to be said more than three Orationes prescribed on that day by the rubrics. Title 12 On Conventual Masses In churches in which there is the obligation of choir, only one Mass shall always be recited with the presence of the choir members and that of the office of the day, unless the rubrics ordain otherwise; other Masses hitherto celebrated with the presence of the choir shall for the future be read extra Chorum, after the proper canonical hour; but exception from this rule is made for the Masses in Litaniis majoribus et minoribus and the Masses on the feast of the Nativity of our Lord. So also exception is made for the Masses on the anniversaries of the creation and coronation of the supreme pontiff, of the election and consecration or translation of the bishop, as well as on the anniversary of the latest deceased bishop and of all the bishops or canons; and for all Masses ex fundatione. Title 13 On the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed I. On the commemoration of all the faithful departed the office and Mass of the current day are to be omitted and only the office and Mass of the dead are to be said as is prescribed in the appendix of the new psaltery. 2. If on November 2 there occur a Sunday or a double of the first class the commemoration of the dead shall be celebrated on the first following day not similarly hindered; on which, should a double of the second class chance to occur, this is transferred according to the rule laid down in tit. Ill, no. 3. Temporary Prescriptions I. The calendar of every diocese or order or congregation using the Roman breviary for tne year 1913 shall absolutely be drawn up ac­ cording up the rules above set forth. 2. On Sundays on which in the calendars for the coming year 1912 are inscribed, under double rite major and minor, feasts of the saints, or of the angels, or even of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or an octave day of feasts other than those of our Lord, both the ofhcc in private recitation and the read Masses shall be ad libitum, cither as is given in the calendar of the year 1912 or of the Sunday with commemoration of the double, major or minor. Also in the ferias, concerning which in tit. X, no. 2, private Masses can be celebrated as is there noted. THE FORM OF LITURGICAL VESTMENTS 35 3. What has been laid down in tit. ΧΙΠ of these rubrics with regard to the commemoration of all the faithful departed is to be put into application absolutely from the year 1912. 4. Until the new correction of the Roman breviary and missal decreed by our Most Holy Lord be published: a) Perpetual calendars are not to be sent to the Sacred Congrega­ tion of Rites for correction and approval; b) No petition is to be made to raise the degree of a rite or to in­ troduce new feasts; c) As regards special feasts, either of the Blessed Virgin Mary or of saints or blessed, or double rite major or minor, assigned for Sundays, the local ordinaries or the superiors of regulars are to prescribe that they be either commemorated in both vespers, in lauds and in the Mass, or provide, by presenting valid arguments to the Sacred Roman Congregation, for their transference to another day; or better, they are to be omitted; d) No correction of the rubrics having been made in the mean­ while, the rules above laid down are to be inserted in the new breviaries and missals after the general rubrics, omitting the decrees of the Sacred Roman Congregation hitherto inserted at the beginning of the bre­ viary; e) In future editions of the breviary the following antiphons at lauds arc changed in consequence of the new reformation of the bre­ viary: On Sexagesima Sunday: ant. 5. In Excelsis ★ laudate Deum. On the third Sunday of Lent: ant. 3. Adhœsit anima mea * post te,Deus mens. On the fourth Sunday of Lent: ant. 4. Me suscepit* dextera tua, Domine. On Thursday of Holy Week: ant. 3. Tti autem, Domine * scis omne concilium eorum adversum me in mortem, ant. 5. Fac, Domine * judicium injuriam patientibus: et vias peccatorum disperde. THE FORM OF LITURGICAL VESTMENTS Decree of the Sacred Congregaton of Rites December 9, 1925 (Æ4S 18, 1925, 58-59) The following question was submitted to the Sacred Congregation of Rites: Question: Whether in executing and using vestments for the sa­ crifice of the Mass and sacred functions it is permissible to depart from the approved usage in the Roman Church and to introduce another style or even the ancient cut? 3<5 THE NEW LITURGY Reply: It is not permitted to depart, without consulting the Holy See, according to the decree or circular letter of the Sacred Congre­ gation of Rites given to the most reverend ordinaries on August 21,1863. An example of this letter is as follows: To the Most Reverend Bishop as to a Brother: Because of reports from some most reverend bishops and from other ecclesiastics and laymen, it has not escaped the notice of the Holy Sec that some dioceses in England, France, Germany and Belgium have changed the shape of the sacred vestments which are used in the celebration of the holy sacrifice of the Mass, and have conformed them with an indeed more fastidious art to the style known as Gothic. In order to safeguard the rites appointed by law, the Sacred Congre­ gation could by no means neglect to make a precise investigation con­ cerning a proposed change of this kind. As a result of this investigation, although the same Sacred Congre­ gation well knows that vestments in the Gothic style were in vogue especially in the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, it has as well recognized that, from the sixteenth century, namely from al­ most the very time of the Council of Trent, and up to our own days, the Roman Church and other churches of the Latin rite throughout the world have abandoned this custom. During this time, the Holy See by no means objected to this development. Further, the Sacred Congregation judged that no innovations should be made, throughout the time of this same observance, as many of the sovereign pontiff's have taught in their constitutions, wisely admonishing that these chan­ ges, inasmuch as they arc contrary’· to the approved customs of the Church, can often bring about disturbances, and lead the souls of the faithful to scandal. But since the Sacred Congregation of Rites judges that the reasons that have suggested the present imiovation may be of some substance, after an audience with our most Holy Father Pius IX, it has decided to invite your grace, in a most friendly way, to explain the courses of such changes to the extent that such changes have taken place in your diocese. THE KINGSHIP OF CHRIST Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI December 11, 1925 (Qwas primas, AAS 17, 1925, 593-610) To our venerable brethren, the patriarchs, primates, archbishops, bish­ ops and other ordinaries in peace and communion with the apostolic see. THE KINGSHIP OF CHRIST 37 1. In our first encyclical letter addressed to the bishops of the uni­ versal Church at the beginning of our pontificate we referred to the main cause of the evils that weigh down the world. The cause, we declared, was the complete neglect of Jesus Christ and his holy law by the majority of men. We stated then that as long as this condition remained, and our Savior had no place cither in private or public life, there would be little hope for lasting peace among nations. 2. Men must seek the peace of Christ in the kingdom of Christ. For peace cannot be founded on a stronger basis. The future looked brighter to us as we saw evidence of a wider interest everywhere in the Church of Christ the one source of salvation. Men were anxious to return to their Father’s household, from which they had strayed. 3. The missionary exhibition that has been a feature of this Holy Year has shown men the untiring zeal of the Church in spreading Christ’s kingdom to the ends of the earth. And it has also called at­ tention to the vast regions still unrcachcd by the sweet law of our gentle Savior. 4. Pilgrims coming to Rome during this Holy Year have had but one aim: to expiate their sins at the tombs of the apostles, and to pro­ mise in our presence loyalty to the law of Christ. 5. It gave joy to our heart when thousands of our faithful children gathered in St. Peter’s with one voice proclaimed Christ the King of Glory, as they heard our decree raising to the honors of the altar six confessors and virgins. While men and nations, spuming Christ’s law, arc hurrying to ruin and death, the Church of Christ continues to nourish generation after generation of Christ’s faithful followers with the teachings and law of his kingdom on earth, as they pilgrimage to the eternal kingdom. 6. We have commemorated this jubilee year because it marks the sixteenth centenary of the Council of Nicaea. There is a special reason for this. For that council proclaimed and defined the dogma of the consubstantiality of the eternal Son with the eternal Father, and added to the creed the statement: “of whose Kingdom there shall be no end,” thereby affirming the kingly dignity of Christ our Lord. 7. In answer to the world-wide petition of many bishops, priests and people, we deem it fitting to close this Holy Year by establishing a special feast of the kingship of Christ. We wish therefore in this encyclical to explain the meaning of the kingship of Christ, and we ask you in turn to explain it to your flocks, so that the annual celebra­ tion of the feast may be attended by ever increasing spiritual benefits to the whole Church of God. 8. Christ has long been proclaimed King because of his pre-eminence over all creatures. Christ is said to reign in the minds of men because of the keenness of his intellect and the extent of his knowledge, and because he is Truth itself and the source of all truth for all men. He reigns, too, in the wills of men, for his own human will was ever perfectly and completely obedient to the will of the Father. More- 38 THE NEW LITURGY over by his grace and inspiration he so rules our free wills that they spring forward to the most noble endeavors. He reigns, too, in our hearts by his love “which surpasses knowledge,”1 while his mercy and kindness draw all men to him; so that no one is loved so intensely and so universally as is Jesus Christ. 9. To Christ as man belong the title and power of King in strict reality. For it is only as man that he may be said to have received from the Father “power and glory and a kingdom,”2 since the Word is consubstantial with the Father and has all things in common with him, and consequently has supreme and absolute dominion over all created things. 10. He it is that shall come out of Jacob to rule,3 who is sent by the Father as King over Sion, and shall have the Gentiles for his in­ heritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession.4 Of the future King of Israel, it is said: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of righteousness.”5 There are many similar passages pointing to the kingdom of Christ, none perhaps more striking than the psalm that foretells: “In his days shall justice spring up and abundance of peace . . . And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.”6 11. The testimony of the prophets is even more abundant. What Isaiah said is well known: “For a child is born to us and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God the mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. His empire shall be multiplied and there shall be no end of peace. He shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and forever.”7 12. Jeremiah foretells “the just seed” that shall rise from the house of David, the Son of David that shall reign as king “and shall be wise and shall execute judgment on the earth.”8 Daniel tells of the kingdom that the God of heaven shall found, “that shall never be destroyed and shall stand forever.”9 And again he says: “I beheld therefore in the vision of the night, and lo, one like the son of man, came with the clouds of heaven. And he came even to the Ancient of days, and they presented him before him. And he gave him power and glory of a kingdom; and all the peoples, tribes and tongues shall serve him. His power is an everlasting power that shall not be taken away and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.”10 Zachary predicted the coming of the merciful king “riding upon an ass and a colt the foal of an ass, 1 3 5 7 9 Eph 3:19. Nm 24:19. Ps 2. Is. 9:6-7. Dn. 2:44. 2 Dn 7:13-14. 4 Ps 2. 6 Ps. 71. 8 Jcr 23, 5. 10 Dn 7:13-14. THE KINGSHIP OF CHRIST 39 entering Jerusalem, “the just one and savior,” amid the acclamations of the people.11 The evangelists recognized the fulfillment of this prophecy on the first Palm Sunday. 13. The New Testament is still clearer than the Old in teaching and confirming the doctrine of the kingship of Christ. Gabriel, in announcing to Mary that she shall bcar\ son, says: “the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he shall be king in the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”12 14. Moreover, Christ speaks of his own kingly authority. He does this in his last discourse when he refers to the eternal reward for the just and the eternal punishment for the unjust; in his reply to Pilate, who asked him in public trial: “Art thou then a king?’ And again, after his resurrection when he gave his apostles their world-wide commission to teach and baptize, he took occasion to refer to his king­ ship,13 confirming the title publicly,14 and solemnly announced that all power was given him in heaven and on earth.15 From these words we necessarily conclude the greatness of his power and the infinite extent of his kingdom. St. John calls him “the ruler of the kings on the earth”16 and in his vision sees him as one who “has on his garments and on his thigh a name written, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.’17 And St. Paul asserts that it is Christ whom the Father “appointed heir of all things,”18 “for he must reign” until at the world’s end he has put all his enemies under His Father’s feet.19 15. It was only right then that the Catholic Church, Christ’s king­ dom on earth, in view of all that is contained in Scripture, should salute her Founder in the yearly cycle of her liturgy as King of kings and Lord of lords. In fact, she used these titles in a variety of languages both in her ancient psalmody and in the sacramentaries. She uses them now in her daily public prayers and in the adorable sacrifice. The harmony of the Eastern liturgies with our own in this continual praise of Christ the King proves the truth of the axiom: “The rule of worship indicates the rule of faith" (Legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi). 16. “Christ has dominion over all creatures, which is his by essence and by nature, and not seized by violence nor usurped,” says St. Cyp­ rian. His kingship is founded on the hypostatic union (the union of the divine and human natures in the one Person, Christ). From this it follows that to him as man, men and angels are subject and are bound to recognize his rule. Not only is he to be adored by angels and men because of the hypostatic union Christ has power over all creatures. 11 13 15 17 19 Za 9:9. Mt 25:31-40. Mt 28:18. Ap 19:16. i Cor 15:25. 12 14 16 18 Lk 1: 32-33 Jn 18:37 Ap 1:5 Heb. 1:2. 40 THE NEW LITURGY Not only has he this natural right, but he has an acquired right as well, for he is our Redeemer and has purchased his subjects with his Blood. “You were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious Blood of Christ, as a lamb unspotted and undcfilcd.”20 We are no longer our own property for Christ has bought us “at a great price.”21 Our very bodies are “the members of Christ.”22 17. Christ possesses the threefold power of lordship. First we know from the testimony of Scripture that the dominion of our Redeemer is universal, and that he was not only given to us as Redeemer but also as Lawgiver, to whom obedience is due. The gospels do not merely tell us that he made laws; they show him to us in the very act of making them. He promises that those who keep his laws shall remain in his love.23 When the Jews accused him of breaking the Sabbath law, he claimed judicial power which had been given him by the Father. “For neither does the Father judge any man but he has given all judg­ ment to the Son.”24 The right of rewarding and punishing all living men is included in this power, for this right is inseparable from that of judging. He also holds executive power for all must obey his com­ mands and none can escape the sanctions he imposes. 18. Scripture proves that Christ’s kingdom is spiritual; and his ac­ tions confirm this. Often when the Jews, and even the apostles, ex­ pected that the Messiah would restore the earthly kingdom of Israel, ic rejected the idea. When the people wanted to make him king, he refused their offer and took to flight. He stated plainly to Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world.” As described in the gospels, Christ’s kingdom is one that men prepare to enter by penance, and without faith and baptism they cannot actually enter it. And baptism, though an external rite, signifies and produces an interior rebirth. His king­ dom is opposed to that of Satan and the powers of darkness. It demands of its citizens a spirit of detachment from riches and earthly things, as well as a spirit of gentleness. His followers must hunger and thirst after justice, deny themselves and carry the cross. Christ’s kingly office is closely bound up with his office as Redeemer and Priest. For as Redeemer he purchased his kingdom at the price of his own blood, and as Priest offers himself continually as a victim for our sins. 19. In virtue of the absolute rule over all creatures given him by the Father, Christ has authority in civil affairs. While on earth he did 20 I Pet 1:18-19. 22 i Cor 6:15 24 Jn 5:22. 21 i Cor 0:20. 23 Jn 14:15. TEH KINGSHIP OF CHRIST 41 not exercise that power. And while he did not possess or care for earthly goods, he did not interfere with those who held them. Nor docs he today. “He who gives the heavenly kingdom does not take away the earthly” (Non eripit mortalia qui regna dat celestia). 20. Our predecessor Leo XIII has accurately stated this truth: “His empire includes not only Catholic nations, not only baptized persons who, though of right belonging to the Church, have been lea astray by error or have been cut off from her by schism, but also those who are outside the Christian faith. So that truly the whole of mankind is subject to the power of Jesus Christ.” 21. All men, whether collectively or individually, arc subject to Christ. So there is no difference in this matter between the individual, the family or the state. The salvation of society, the salvation of the individual is in him. “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved.”25 He is the author of happiness and prosperity for every man and for every nation. “For a nation is happy when its citizens are happy. What else is a nation but a number of men living in concord?”26 3 22. If the rulers of nations wish to preserve their authority, to pro­ mote and increase the prosperity of their countries, they will not ne­ glect the public duty of reverence and obedience to the law of Christ. What we said at the beginning of our pontificate holds true today: “With God and Jesus excluded from pub ic life, with authority derived not from God but from man, the very basis of that authority has been taken away. For the chief reason of the distinction between ruler and subject has been done away with. The result is that human society is tottering to its fall, because it has no longer a secure and solid foun­ dation” ( Ubi Arcano). 23. Society will at last receive the great blessing of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony, once men recognize both in public and in private life that Christ is King. Our Lord’s royal office invests the human authority of rulers with a religious meaning and it cnobles the citizen’s duty of obedience. It is not fitting that men redeemed by Christ should serve their fellow men. That is why St. Paul urged wives to revere Christ in their husbands, and slaves to respect Christ in their masters. They were not to be obeyed as men but as the vicegerents of Christ. "You have been bought with a price; do not become the slaves of men.”27 25 Acts 4:12. 27 i Cor 7:23. —- 26 St. Augustine. 42 THE NEW LITURGY If rulers realize that they govern not by their own right, but by the mandate of the divine King and in his place, they will exercise au­ thority piously and wisely; and in making and administering laws they will ever keep in view the common good and the human dignity of their subjects. The results will be peace and tranquility for there will be no longer any reason for discontent. If subjects see the au­ thority of Christ, God and man, reflected in their rulers, they will not refuse them loyal obedience, even though these same rulers, being men like themselves, through human weakness show themselves deserving of criticism. With the spread of the kingdom of Christ men will be­ come more conscious of the common bond that unites them, and peace and harmony will result. Conflicts will be thus prevented, or at least their bitterness will be lessened. 24. If the nations enter into the kingdom of Christ, loyal to his law, then the world of nations will receive that peace which the King of Peace came to bring upon earth. For he came to reconcile all things in himself; to serve and not to be served, a model of humility, teaching all men that “his yoke is sweet and his burden light.” As our prede­ cessor Leo XIII said twenty-five years ago: “Then at length will many evils be cured; then will law regain its former authority; peace with all its blessings will be restored. Men will sheathe their swords and lay down their arms when all freely acknowledge and obey the au­ thority of Christ, and every tongue confesses that the Lord Jesus Christ is the glory of God the Father” (Annum Sacrum). 4 25. Nothing will serve better to promote an appreciation of these blessings and to spread them far and wide through society than the institution of a special feast in honor of the kingship of Christ. For people are taught the truths of the faith and brought to appreciate them more effectively by the annual celebration of the sacred mysteries than by official pronouncements of the Church. For such pronounce­ ments usually reach only the few and, for the most part, the learned; feasts reach all the faithful. Pronouncements speak once; feasts speak every year, in fact forever. The Church’s teaching impresses the mind primarily, while her feasts influence both mind and heart, affecting the whole of man’s nature. For man is made up of body and soul and needs these external functions. These sacred rites in all their varied beauty stimulate man to a deeper penetration of the truths God has revealed. Thus they become part of his very life. 26. History shows us that feasts have been instituted down through the ages to meet the needs of the faithful, as when a common danger threatened or insidious heresy was raising its head. At times, too, when there was a call for a deeper consideration of some mystery of the faith, the Church answered that call by instituting a special THE KINGSHIP OF CHRIST 43 feast. So it was that in the first days of the Church, when martyrdom was the order of the day, the cult of the martyrs was established. This was done, says St. Augustine, in order “that the feast of the martyrs might incite men to martyrdom.” And so in peaceful times, the li­ turgical honors paid to confessors, virgins and widows produce greater piety and zeal among the members of God’s household. 27. The feasts in honor of our Lady effected still more remarkable results. For as a result men grew not only in their devotion to the Mother of God as an ever-present advocate with her divine Son, but also in their love for her as a Mother willed to them by their Savior. And one of the results following from the public honor paid to our Lady and the saints has been the protection of the Church at all times against error and heresy. It is surely a mark of God’s Providence in always bringing good out of evil that he has allowed faith and piety to weaken, and truth to be assailed by error, from time to time. For the final result has always been that truth has shone forth more bril­ liantly and faith has developed into new vigor. 28. The feasts introduced into the liturgy in recent times have had a similar origin and have been followed by similar results. When devout reverence for the Blessed Sacrament had slackened, the feast of Corpus Christi was established, so that by means of solemn prayers and processions, men might be brought back again to honor publicly the eucharistie Christ. So, too, when the poison of Jansenism had infected many hearts with its gloomy severity, the feast of the Sacred Heart was instituted, reviving trust and love in that Heart which had loved men so much. 29. In establishing throughout the Catholic world the feast of the kingship of Christ, we are meeting the need of the day and supplying a remedy for the plague that afflicts modern society. That plague is secularism. That plague is not the growth of a day. It has been growing for some time. First the rule of Christ over nations was repudiated. The right of the Church to teach, legislate and govern men, guiding them along the path of salvation was denied, even though she holds that right from Christ himself. Gradually the true religion of Christ was likened to all other false, man-made religions and put on a par with them. Then it was placed under the power of the state, and merely tolerated at the whim of rulers of states. Some even went so far as to advocate replacing God’s true religion by a natural religion, based on some vague religious feeling. Others urged the abandon­ ment of God and advocated openly the practice of impiety. 30. The consequences of this rebellion against Christ are before our eyes in the modern world. We called attention to these evils in our encyclical Ubi Arcano. Sorrowfully we call attention to them again. They are: the seeds of disunity sown far and wide; bitter and hostile rivalries between nations, blocking the path of peace; insatiable greed masking behind pretended public spirit and patriotism, that is a source of domestic turmoil; blind, uncontrolled selfishness driving 44 THE NEW LITURGY men to seek nothing but their own ease and welfare, and making these the measure of all things; homes shattered by neglect and families broken by disunion and instability. In a word, society shaken to its foundations and headed for ruin. 31. We firmly hope that the feast of the kingship of Christ, which in the future will be observed each year, may hasten the return of society to our loving Savior. It is the duty of all members of the Church to do all in their power to bring about this happy result. Many wrong­ ly assume that because they do not hold an important place in society, they can do nothing to stem the tide of modern errors. It is true, of course, that leaders in society hold the place of greatest influence. Nonetheless, as the enemies of the Church grow bolder day by day, it is the duty of every Catholic to fight bravely under the banner of Christ the King. All arc called to defend his rights and to win over to our Lord those who are now bitter and estranged from him. 32. The annual celebration throughout the Catholic world of the feast of the kingship of Christ will draw attention to the evils that secularism has brought upon society by drawing men away from Christ, and will also help greatly to remedy them. While nations in­ sult the sacred name of our Savior by suppressing all mention of it in their national and international gatherings, it is our duty all the more bravely to proclaim his kingly dignity and power, all the more universally to affirm his rights. 33. Ever since the end of the last century the way has been happily and providentially prepared for the celebration of this feast. The devotion to Christ the King has b> en the subject of learned discussion in many books published in all parrs of the world and written in many different languages. The kingship and kingdom of Christ has been recognized in the holy custom of the dedication of families to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. And this act of dedication has been performed by nations and kingdoms as well as by families. In fact the whole human race was consecrated to the Sacred Heart, in the Holy Year 1900, by Pope Leo XIII. 34. The frequent eucharistie congresses held during recent years have done much to give public recognition to the rights of Christ the King. They have enabled the people of each diocese, district, nation, and in fact the whole world to gather together in adoration of Christ the King, hidden beneath the sacramental species. By at­ tending sermons and meetings, by public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed, by joining in solemn processions, men pay united homage to Christ their King. It is a divine inspiration that the people of Christ bring Jesus forth from the silence and hiddenness of the tab­ ernacle, and carry him triumphantly through the city’s streets, so that he whose own received him not when he first came upon earth may now receive his kingly rights in full. 35. This Holy Year now drawing to a close offers the best possible opportunity for inaugurating the annual observance of the feast of THE KINGSHIP OF CHRIST 45 the kingship of Christ. For during this year the God of mercy has raised men s minds and hearts to the contemplation of heavenly bles­ sings, “which arc above all understanding,” and has either restored them once more to his saving grace, or by inspiring them to greater holiness has made them firmer in the pursuit of virtue. 36. Therefore, by our apostolic authority, we institute the feast of the kingship of our Lord Jesus Christ to be observed yearly through­ out the world on the last Sunday of October, the Sunday immediately preceding the feast of All Saints. We further ordain that the dedica­ tion of mankind to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which our predecessor of saintly memory, Pope Pius X, commanded to be renewed yearly, be made annually on that day. This year, however, we desire it to be observed on the thirty-first day of the month. On this day we ourself shall celebrate pontifically in honor of the kingship of Christ, and shall command that the same dedication be made in our presence. It seems to us that we cannot close this Holy Year in a more fitting manner. Nor can we better show our gratitude and that of the whole Catholic world to Christ, immortal King of the ages, for the countless blessings showered upon us, upon the Church and upon the Catholic world during this holy time. 37. It is not necessary for us to explain to you at greater length, venerable brethren, why we have decreed that the feast of the kingship of Christ should be observed in addition to those other feasts in which his kingly dignity is already acknowledged and celebrated. It suffices to say that, although in all the feasts of our Lord the material object of worship is Christ, nevertheless their formal object is something quite distinct from his royal title and dignity. We have commanded its observance on a Sunday in order that not only the clergy may fulfill their duty by offering Mass and saying the office but that the laity also, free from their daily toil, may joyfully give expression to their loyal obedience and subjection to Christ. The last Sunday of October seems the most convenient day for this purpose, for it marks the end of the liturgical year; and so the feast of the kingship of Christ sets the crowning glory on the mysteries of the life of Christ already com­ memorated during the year. And then, too, before celebrating the triumph of All Saints, we proclaim and extol his glory who triumphs in all the saints, and all the elect. It is your duty, venerable brethren, to see that sermons arc preached to the people in every parish, ex­ plaining the meaning and import of this feast, that they may prove py their lives that they are faithful and obedient subjects of the divine King. 38. In closing this letter, venerable brethren, we wish briefly to enumerate the blessings which we hope and pray may accrue to the Church, to society and to each of the faithful, as a result of the venera­ tion of the kingship of Christ. 39. When we honor the royal dignity of Christ, it will remind men that the Church he founded as a perfect society, has a natural 4ό THE NEW LITURGY and inalienable right to complete freedom and immunity from any state interference. It will remind men also that the Church, in carrying out her divinely appointed task of teaching, ruling and guiding souls to eternal happiness in the kingdom of Christ, cannot be subject to any external power whatsoever. The state is obliged to extend similar freedom to orders and communities of men and women who render valuable help to the bishops of the Church, by laboring for the estab­ lishment and extension of Christ’s kingdom. By means of their sacred vows they fight against the threefold concupisccnscs. By professing a more perfect life they make the holiness of the Church, which her divine Founder willed to be one of her characteristics, more striking and more conspicuous to all eyes. 40. The annual celebration of this feast will remind nations that rulers as well as individuals are obliged to give public honor and obe­ dience to Christ. It will call to their minds the last judgment, when Christ, who has been cast out of pubic life, despised, neglected and ignored, will avenge these insults most severely. For his kingly dignity demands that the state should observe the commandments of God and follow Christian principles in making laws, administering justice and providing youth with a sound moral education. 41. The faithful by meditating on these truths will gain strength and courage to model their lives on the true Christian ideal. If Christ, has all power in heaven and on earth, if his dominion is over all men since all have been purchased by his Blood, it is clear that all our facul­ ties are under his sway. 42. Christ must reign in our minds, which must assent firmly and submissively to all revealed truths and to all Christ’s teaching. He must reign in our wills, which should bow in obedience to God’s laws and precepts. He must reign in our hearts, which, turning aside from all natural desires, should love God above all things and cling to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and our members, which should serve as instruments of our soul’s sanctification, or to use St. Paul’s words, “as instruments of justice unto God.”28 43. If the faithful arc taught these sublime truths, they will be great­ ly helped in their struggle after virtue. It is our fervent desire, venerable brethren, that those outside the fold of Christ may seek after and ac­ cept the sweet yoke of Christ. And it is our desire too that we who by the mercy of God, are members of the household of the faith may bear that yoke not as a burden, but gladly, devotedly and lovingly. So that when we have lived our lives in accordance with the laws of God’s kingdom, we may receive the reward of our good deeds and, esteemed by Christ our King as good and faithful servants, we may share with him in eternal happiness and glory in his heavenly kingdom. 28 Rom 6:13. THE REPARATION DUE TO THE SACRED HEART 47 THE REPARATION DUE TO THE SACRED HEART Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI May 8, 1928 (Miserentissitnus Redemptor, AAS 20, 1928, 165-178) Venerable brothers, greetings and apostolic benediction: 1. Our most merciful Redeemer, having assured the salvation of the human race by his death on the cross, before he ascended to his heavenly Father, said these consoling words to his sorrowing apostles and disci­ ples: “Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”1 These happy words are also our own source of hope and salvation, words which, venerable brothers, come readily to mind every time when, from this high watchtower, as it were, we look down upon the human family afflicted by so many grievous ills, and upon the Church, assailed without respite by attacks and plots. As a matter of fact, this promise of our divine Lord, as it once upon a time raised high the fallen spirits of the apostles and urged them on to spread most zealously the seed of the gospel through all the earth, so also has guided the Church to victory over the powers of hell. As­ suredly, most powerfully and effectively on those very occasions when she was encompassed by the greatest dangers and calamities. Christ then bestowed on her precisely those helps most necessary to meet the conditions of the times, by his wisdom which “reacheth from end to end mightily and ordercth all things sweetly.”2 Nor in our own times has “the hand of the Lord been shortened,”3 especially on such occasions when an erroneous doctrine is being taught and spread about throughout the world, and by reason of which we fear that the sources of the Christian life may be dried up, for by such errors men are led to forsake the Christian life and rhe love of God. 2. Since some Christians, perhaps, arc ignorant of, and others are indifferent to the sorrows which the most loving Jesus revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in his apparitions to her, as well as his wishes and desires which he manifested to mankind, all of which in the last analysis work to man’s advantage, it is our pleasure, venerable brothers, to write you at some length of the obligation which rests upon all to make those amends which we owe to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. We feel certain that each of you will zealously teach to your own flocks what we herein write and that you will exhort them to do all that we wish to be done. 1 Mt 28:20. 3 Is 59:1. 2 Wis 8:1. 48 THE NEW LITURGY 3. From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, he, divine Love itself, gave himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion by which we honor the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and hnowledge.”4 As formerly divine Goodness wished to exhibit to the human race, as it came from the Ark of Noah, a sign of the renewed covenant between them, “my bow which appears in the clouds,”5 so in our own troubled times, while that heresy held sway which is known as Jansenism, the most insidious of all heresies, enemy of the love of God and of filial affec­ tion for him—for this heresy preached that God was not so much to be loved by us as a Father as to be feared as an unrelenting Judge —the most kind Jesus manifested to the nations his Sacred Heart, unfolding our banner of peace and love to the breeze, an augury of certain vic­ tory in the battle before us. Wherefore our predecessor Leo XIII, admiring as he did the great possibilities which devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus contains, with reason wrote in his encyclical Annum Sacrum: “Just as when the newly bom Church lay helpless under the yoke of the Caesars, there appeared in the heavens a cross, at once the sign and cause of the marvelous victory which was soon to follow,” so today, behold before our very eyes, there appears an­ other most happy and holy sign, the Most Sacred Heart ofJesus, crowned by a brilliant cross set among raging flames. In this Sacred Heart we should place all our hopes; from it, too, we ask and await salva­ tion. 4. Are we not to see, venerable brothers, in that blessed sign and in the devotion which flows from it, the very substance of our holy religion, as well as the rules to guide us toward a more perfect form of life, since the Sacred Heart is the road which will most surely lead us to know intimately Jesus Christ and will cause our hearts to love more tenderly and to imitate him more generously than we have here­ tofore done? Since this is so, it is no wonder then that our predeces­ sors have always defended this most praiseworthy devotion to the Sacred Heart from the objections launched by those who will not accept it, that they have praised it most highly and have always promoted it with the greatest possible zeal insofar as the conditions of time and place seemed to demand such action. Certainly, it is due to nothing short of the inspiration of God that the childlike love of the faithful for the Sacred Heart increases day by day, that pious associations to promote devotion to the Sacred Heart have come into being every­ where, and that the custom has become quite common of receiving holy communion on the first Friday of the month, a custom which had its origin in the wish of Jesus Christ himself. 4 Col 2:3. 5 Gn 9:14. THE REPARATION DUE TO THE SACRED HEART 49 5. Among the different practices which directly accompany devo­ tion to the Most Sacred Heart assuredly the foremost is the act of con­ secration by which we offer to the Heart of Jesus both ourselves and all that belongs to us, recognizing that all we have comes to us from the infinite charity of God. Our Lord, having revealed to that most pure lover of his Sacred Heart, St. Margaret Mary, how much more he insisted on the immense love which he has borne toward us than on his rights over us, asked that mankind pay him this tribute of devo­ tion. Therefore, the saint herself, together with her spiritual director, Claude de la Colombicrc, first of all offered him an act of consecra­ tion. In the course of time, individuals began paying him the same tribute, then whole families and certain associations, and last of all, public officials, the inhabitants of cities, and whole nations. Due to the machinations of wicked persons, both in the century just ended and in this century, things had come to such a pass that men despised the rule of Christ and publicly declared war upon his Church by means of laws and popular enactments contrary' to both the divine and na­ tural law, even going as far as to cry out publicly: “we will not have this man to reign over us.”6 But by this act of consecration there burst forth, in startling contrast to these cries, the unanimous voice of the lovers of the Sacred Heart, rising to vindicate the glory and defend the rights of the same Sacred Heart, “for he must reign,”61 “may thy Kingdom come.” Finally, at the beginning of the century, as a happy consequence of all this, the whole human race which belongs by inherent right to Christ, “in whom all things are re-established,”7 was consecrated to his Most Sacred Heart by our predecessor then happily reigning, Leo XIII, amid the applause of the whole Christian world. 6. These auspicious and happy beginnings we ourself, through the great goodness of God, brought to completion, as was pointed out in our encyclical Quas Primas, on the occasion when, acceding to the desires and wishes expressed by numerous bishops and the faithful, we instituted at the close of the jubilee year the feast of Christ the King of all men, which feast we ordered to be celebrated solemnly all over the Christian world. By that act we not only brought forth clearly into the light of day the fact of the supreme dominion of Christ over all things, over civil society and the home, as well as over individ­ uals; we also experienced beforehand the joy of that most happy day when the whole world will submit joyfully and willingly to the sweet yoke of Christ the King. Wherefore we commanded that, together with the celebration of this feast, there should be renewed annually the act of consecration, and this we did in order to obtain more surely and in greater quantities the fruits of such a consecration and to bind with Christian love in the communion of peace all peoples to the heart of the King of kings and Sovereign of sovereigns. 6 Lk 19:14. 6* i Cor 15:25. 7 Eph 1:10. 50 THE NEW LITURGY 7. Moreover, to all these expressions of veneration, and especially to that most fruitful one, the act of consecration, which, by means of the institution of the feast of Christ the King has been, as it were, again confirmed, it is expedient that another be added, and of this last, venerable brothers, we wish to speak now somewhat at length. We refer to the act of expiation or of reparation, as it is called, to be made to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 8. If in the act of consecration the intention to exchange, as it were, for the love of the Creator the love of us creatures stands out most prominently, there follows almost naturally from this another fact, namely, that if this same uncreated Love has either been passed over through forgetfulness or saddened by reason of our sins, then we should repair such outrages, no matter in what manner they have occurred. Ordinarily, we call this duty reparation. If we arc held to both these duties for the same reasons, we arc held to the duty of making repara­ tion by the most powerful motives of justice, and of love of justice in order to expiate the injury done God by our sins and to re-establish, by means of penance, the divine order which has been violated; and of love, in order to suffer together with Christ, patient and covered with opprobrium, so that we may bring to him, insofar as our human weakness permits, some comfort in his sufferings. Since we arc all sinners, burdened with many offenses, we should honor God. This should take place not only by means of that cult by which we adore, in the veneration due him from us, his infinite Majesty, or by means of prayer when we recognize his supreme dominion over us, or by acts of thanksgiving when we praise his infinite generosity toward us; it is necessary to do more than all this. We must also satisfy the ust anger of God because of “the numberless sins, offenses, and negigenccs” which we have committed. Therefore, we must add to the act of consecration, by virtue of which we offer ourselves to God and become thereby, as it were, sacred to him by reason of the sanctity which necessarily flows from an act of consecration, as the Angelic Doctor teaches,8 an act of expiation, by means of which all our faults are blotted out, lest perchance the sanctity of infinite justice spurn our arrogant unworthincss and look upon our gift as something to be rejected rather than to be accepted. All men arc obliged to make reparation since, according to the teach­ ings of our holy faith, our souls have been disfigured, as a result of the pitiable fall of Adam, by original sin; we arc subject also to our passions and corrupted in a truly sad way, and have thus made our­ selves worthy of eternal damnation. It is true that the proud philos­ ophers of this world deny the above truth, resurrecting in its place the ancient heresy of Pelagius which conceded to human nature a certain inborn goodness which, by our own powers, raises us up to ever higher levels of perfection. These false theories, born of human 8 Summa Theol., Ila-IIac, q. 81, a. 8, c THE REPARATION DUE TO THE SACRED HEART 51 pride, have been condemned by the apostle, who admonishes us that we were by nature children of wrath.”9 As a matter of fact, from the very creation of the world mankind has recognized, in one way or another, the obligation of making reparation, and impelled, as it were, by a natural instinct, has tried to placate the Deity by offering him public sacrifices. 9. But no effort on our part would have been great enough to expiate the faults of men if the Son of God had not assumed human nature in order to redeem us. The Savior of mankind announced this truth speaking through the psalmist: “Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not: but a body thou has fitted to me. Holocausts for sin did not please thee. Then said I: Behold I come.”10 In truth “he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: he was wounded for our iniquities. 11 Who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,”12 blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us, and he had taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross, 13 so “that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice.”14 10. Though the ample redemption of Christ more than abundantly satisfied for all our offenses1·'’ nevertheless, by reason of that marvelous disposition of divine Wisdom by which we may complete those “things that arc wanting of the sufferings of Christ in our own flesh, for his body, which is the Church,”16 we are able, in fact, we should add to the acts of praise and satisfaction which “Christ in the name of sinners has presented to God, our own acts of praise and satisfaction. How­ ever, we must always remember that the expiatory value of our acts depends solely on the bloody sacrifice of Christ, which is renewed without interruption on our altars in an unbloody manner, since in both eases “the victim is the same, the one who offers himself by means of the ministry of the priesthood is the same, the very same one who offered himself on the cross, the only difference being in the manner in which the sacrifice is made.”17 For this reason we must bring to­ gether, in the august sacrifice of the blessed Eucharist, the act of immoation made by the priest with that of the faithful, so that they, too, may offer themselves up as “a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God.”is Therefore, St. Cyprian dared to affirm that “the sacrifice of our Lord is not complete as far as our sanctification is concerned unless our offer­ ings and sacrifices correspond to his passion.”19 The apostle admonished us that “bearing about in our body the mortifications of Jesus”20 and “buried together with him by baptism 9 11 13 15 17 19 Eph 2:3 Is 534.5· Col 2:14. See Col 2:13. Cone. Trid., scss. 22, c. 2. Ep. 63, n. 381. 10 Heb 11:5-7. 12 i Pet 2:24. 14 i Pet 2:24. 16 Col 1:24. 18 Rom 12:1. 20 2 Cor 4:10. 52 THE NEW LITURGY unto death,”21 not only should we “crucify our flesh with the vices and concupiscences”22 “escaping the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world,”23 but also that the “life of Jesus be made mani­ fest in our bodies,”24 and, having become partakers in his body and eternal priesthood, we should offer up “gifts and sacrifices for sins.”25 For not only arc they partakers in the mysteries of this priesthood and in the duty of offering sacrifices and satisfaction to God, who have been appointed by Jesus Christ the High Priest as the ministers of such sacrifices, to offer God “a clean oblation in every place from the rising of the sun even to the going down,26 but also those Christians called and rightly so, by the prince of the apostles, “a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood,27 who are to offer “sacrifices for sin”28 not only for themselves but for all mankind, and this in much the same way as every priest and “high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God.”29 ii. In the degree to which our oblation and sacrifice will the more perfectly correspond to the sacrifice of our Lord, that is to say, to the extent to which we have immolated love of self and our passions and crucified our flesh in that mystical crucifixion of which the apostle writes, so much the more plentiful fruits of propi­ tiation and of expiation will we garner for ourselves and for others. A wondrous bond joins all the faithful in Christ, the same bond which unites the head with the other members of the body, namely the com­ munion of saints, a bond full of mystery which we believe in as Catho­ lics and by virtue of which individuals and nations are not only united to one another but likewise with the head itself, “who is Christ: from the whole body, being compacted and fitly joined together, by what every joint supplieth, according to the operation in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in charity.”30 This, too, was the prayer which Jesus Christ himself, the Mediator between God and men, at the hour of his death made to His Father: “I in them and thou in me: that they may be made perfect in one.”31 12. As the act of consecration proclaims and confirms our union with Christ, so the act of expiation, by purifying us from sins, is the beginning of such union; our participation in the sufferings of Christ perfects it, the offerings we made to him of our sacrifices for the wel­ fare of our brethren brings such union to its final consummation. This, was precisely the design of the mercy of Jesus when he unveiled to our gaze his Sacred Heart, surrounded by the emblems of his passion 21 23 25 27 29 31 Rom 6:4. 2 Pt 1:4. Heb 5:1. i Pt 2:9. Heb. 5:1. Jn 15:11-23. 22 24 26 28 30 Gal 5:24. Cor 4:10. Mai 1:10. Heb 5:1. Eph 5:15-16 THE REPARATION DUE TO THE SACRED HEART 53 and aflame with the fire of love, that we, on the one hand, perceiving the infinite malice of sin, and on the other, filled with a knowledge of the infinite love of our Redeemer, might detest sin more cordiallv and substitute for it an ardent love of him. 13· The spirit of expiation or of reparation has always played one of the chief roles in the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Cer­ tainly, reparation is most consonant with the origin, nature, efficacy and particular practices of this special devotion, a fact confirmed by history and the customs of the faithful, by the sacred liturgy, and by the official documents of Roman pontiffs. As a matter of fact, on the occasion when Jesus revealed himself to St. Margaret Mary, though he then insisted on the immensity of his love, at the same time, with sorrowful mien, he grieved over the great number of horrible outrages heaped upon him by the ingratitude of mankind. He used then these words, words which should be graven on the hearts of all pious souls so as never to be forgotten by them: “Behold this Heart which has loved men so much, which has heaped upon them so many benefits. In exchange for this infinite love it finds ingratitude; it meets with forgetfulness, indifference, outrages, and all this at times even from souls bound closely to it in the bonds of a very special love.” 14. In order to make reparation for such faults, he among other requests, made this special request as one which would be most ac­ ceptable to him, namely, that the faithful, inspired by the intention of making reparation, should receive holy communion—and for this reason it is called the “communion of reparation”—and for an hour should practice acts and prayers of reparation before the Blessed Sa­ crament—which devotion is rightly called the “Holy Hour.” The Church has not only approved these devotions but has enriched them with very special spiritual favors. 15. But how can we, one may ask, believe that Christ reigns happily in heaven if it is possible to console him by such acts as those of re­ paration? We answer it in the language of St. Augustine, words quite opposite to our subject: “The soul which truly loves will compre­ hend what I say.”32 Every soul which burns with true love of God, if it but turns its thoughts to the past, sees in meditation and can contemplate Jesus suffering for mankind, afflicted by grief in the midst of sorrows suffered “for us men and for our salvation,” weighed down by agony and re­ proaches, “bruised for our sins,"33 in the very act of healing us by his bruises. With so much the more understanding can pious souls meditate upon these mysteries if they appreciate that the sins committed now would be able themselves to cause Christ to die a death, ac­ companied by the same sufferings and agonies as his death on the cross, since every sin must be said to renew in a certain way the passion of 32 In Ioan. Evang. Tract. 26:4. 33 Is 53:5. 54 THE NEW LITURGY our Lord, “crucifying again to themselves the Son of God and making him a mockery.”34 And if, in view of our own future sins, foreseen by him, rhe soul of Jesus became sad even unto death, there can be no doubt that by his pre-vision at the same time of our act of reparation he was in some way comforted when “there appeared an angel from heaven”35 to console that Heart of his bowed down with sorrow and anguish. At the present time we, too, in a marvelous but no less true manner, may and ought to console that Sacred Heart which is being wounded continually by the sins of thoughtless men, since—and we read this also in the sacred liturgy—Christ himself grieved over the fact that he was abandoned by his friends. For he said, in the words of the psalmist: “My heart had expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none; and for one that would comfort me, and I found none.”36 16. To the above we may add that the expiatory passion of Jesus Christ is renewed and in a certain manner continued in his mystical body, the Church. To use again the words of St. Augustine: “Christ suffered all that he had to suffer: nothing at all is lacking to the number of his sufferings. Therefore his sufferings are complete, but in him as in the head; there remain even now the sufferings of Christ to be endured in the body.”37 In fact, Christ himself made the same state­ ment, for to Saul, “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,”38 he said: “I am Jesus whom thou pcrsccutcst.”39 By this he plainly affirmed that persecutions visited on the Church arc in reality directed against the Head of the Church. There­ fore, Christ, suffering in his Mystical Body, with reason desires to have us as companions in his own acts of expiation. He asks to be united with us for, since wc “arc the body of Christ and members of member,”40 insofar as the Head suffers so also should the members suffer with it.41 17. Now, anyone who uses his eye and mind, if he but think of this world “seated in wickedness,”42 can see, as we stated above, how urgent, especially in our own times, is the need of expiation or of reparation. There come to our cars from every side the cries of na­ tions, whose rulers or governments have actually risen up and have conspired together against the Lord and against his Church.43 Wc have seen both human and divine rights overthrown in these coun­ tries, churches destroyed to their very foundations, religious and con­ secrated virgins driven from their homes, thrown into prison, made 34 Hcb 6:6. 36 Ps 68:21. 38 Acts 9:1. 40 i Cor 12:27. 42 i Jn 5:19. 35 Lk 22:43. 37 An Psalm Ixxxvi. 39 Acts 9:5. 41 See 1 Cor 12:26. 43 See Ps 2:2. THE REPARATION DUE TO THE SACRED HEART 55 to go hungry, treated with unspeakable savagery. We have seen troops of boys and girls, torn from the bosom of Holy Mother Church, made to deny and blaspheme Christ, and urged to commit the worst sins against purity. Wc have seen a whole Christian people menaced, oppressed, in constant peril of apostasy from the faith or of a most barbarous death. These happenings, sorrowful as they are, seem to have been foreseen in such calamities as are now occuring, and to anticipate “the beginning of those sorrows” which will be revealed by the man of sin who is lifted above all that is called God or that is worshiped.”44 18. Nor is that other spectacle, venerable brothers, less sad, that even among the faithful, washed as they have been by baptism in the blood of the innocent Lamb and enriched by his grace, we encounter so many of every station in life who, ignorant of things divine, are poisoned by false doctrines and live a sinful life far from their Father’s house, without the light of the true faith, without the joy of hope in a future life, deprived of the strength and comfort which come with the spirit of love. Of them one may say quite truthfully that they arc immersed in darkness and in the shadow of death. Moreover, disrespect for the discipline of the Church is on the increase among the faithful, also for ancient traditions, upon which the Christian life has been built, by which domestic society is governed, by which the sanctity of marriage is protected. The process of educating youth has been weakened or spoiled by too much effeminacy, and even the right to educate children in their religion has been taken away from the Church. Christian modesty is forgotten, sad to say, both in our manner of life and of dress, especially by women. There has come into existence, too, an uncontrollable desire to possess the base things of this world, an unreasonable regard for civil interests, an intemperate searching after popular applause, a despisal of legitimate authority and of the Word of God, by all of which the faith itself is shaken to its foundation or placed in jeopardy. 19. There must be added to this accumulation of evils the sloth and laziness of those who, like the apostles asleep or like those disciples who had fled away, since they are not firmly rooted in the faith, have shamefully abandoned Christ, burdened with sorrows and attacked by the satellites of Satan, as well as the perfidy of those others who, following in the footsteps of Judas the traitor, cither with sacrilegious temerity approach holy Communion or go over to the camp of the enemy. There thus comes to mind, almost involuntarily, the thought that wc have arrived at the hour prophesied by our Lord when he said: “And because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold.”45 20. If the faithful, burning with love for the suffering Christ, should meditate on all these considerations, it would be unthinkable that 44 2 Th 2:4. 45 Mt 24:12. 5(5 THE NEW LITURGY they should not expiate with greater zeal both their own and the faults of others, that they should not repair the honor of Christ, be filled with zeal for the eternal salvation of souls. Assuredly, we inay adapt to our own age to describe it what the apostle wrote: “When sin abound­ ed, grace did more abound,”46 for even though the sinfulness of man has greatly increased, by the grace of the Holy Ghost there has also increased the number of the faithful who most gladly try to make satisfaction to the divine Heart of Jesus for the numerous injuries heaped upon him. What is more, they joyfully offer themselves to Christ as victims for sin. Anyone who has been considering in a spirit of love all that has been recalled to his mind up to this point, if he has impressed these thoughts, as it were, upon the fleshly tablets of his heart, such a one assuredly cannot but abhor and flee all sin as the greatest of evils. He will also offer himself whole and entire to the will of God and will strive to repair the injured majesty of God by constant prayer, by voluntary penances, by patient suffering of all those ills which befall him; in a word, he will so organize his life that in all things it will be inspired by the spirit of reparation. 21. From this spirit of reparation there have been born many fami­ lies of religious men and women who, day and night, in tireless manner, have set before themselves the task of taking, in as far as that is pos­ sible, the place of the angel who comforted Jesus in the garden. Like­ wise, certain pious associations, approved by the Holy See and enriched with indulgences, have as their ideal to make reparation for sin by means of certain practices of piety and of the virtues. And not to speak of all these holy works, we select one for mention, namely the frequent practice of making solemn reparation not only by individuals but often by whole parishes, dioceses and even nations. 22. Venerable brothers, just as the act of consecration, which began in a small way and afterwards came into general use, achieved, by reason of our approval, the splendid purposes and ends desired, so we wish ardently that this devotion of reparation, which has already been introduced and is the pious custom of certain places, possess the seal of highest approval of our apostolic authority, so that it likewise may come to be practiced universally and in a most solemn manner by all Christian peoples. We establish, therefore, and we order that annually, on the feast of the Sacred Heart, in all the churches of the world, there take place a solemn act of reparation (the same formula must be used by all and is the one attached to this encyclical) to our most loving Redeemer, in order that we may, by this act, make repa­ ration for our own sins and may repair the rights which have been violated of Christ, the King of kings and our most loving Master. 23. Nor can we doubt, venerable brothers, that from this holy practice now re-established and extended to the whole Church we may 46 Rom 5:20. THE REPARATION DUE TO THE SACRED HEART 57 expect many signal blessings, not only for individuals but for society itself, domestic and civil, since Christ himself promised to St. Margaret Mary that “he would shower abundantly his graces upon those who rendered this honor to the Sacred Heart.” Assuredly sinners “looking upon him whom they pierced,”47 stricken by the sorrow of the Church, detesting the injuries offered to the King of kings, “will return to themselves,”48 for they cannot become obstinate in sin in the presence of him whom they have wounded “coming in the clouds of heaven,”49 for then too late and without hope shall they “bewail themselves to him.”50 But the just will “be justified still and the holy will be justified still.”51 They will consecrate themselves with renewed ardor to the service of their King. Seeing him so despised and so often attacked, seeing, too, that so many injuries are inflicted on him, certainly their zeal for the salvation of souls will be increased when they hear the lament of the divine Victim: “What profit is there in my blood?”52 and, at the same time, meditate upon the joy of the Sacred Heart “over the sinner who doth penance. *53 24. We, before all other things, hope and greatly desire that the justice of God, which would have pardoned Sodom if only ten just lad been found therein, shall be exercised with more mercy toward all mankind. The faithful, in union with Christ, the Mediator and our Head, will pray for and ask from God such mercy. May the most gracious Mother of God be propitious to these our wishes and to these our commands; she who gave us Christ the Redeemer, who watched over him and, at the foot of the cross, offered him a victim for our sins. She, too, by reason of her wondrous union with him and of a most singular grace of God, became and is piously known as the, Mother of Reparation. Confiding in her intercession with Jesus, the one Mediator of God and man.” who wished to associate his own Mother with himself as the advocate of sinners, as the dispenser and mediatrix of grace, we impart from our heart, as an augury of divine favors and a proof of our fatherly love, to you, venerable broth­ ers, and to all the flock confided to your grace, the apostolic blessing. Given at Rome, at St. Peter’s the ninth day of May, 1928, the seventh year of our pontificate. Pius XI, Pope 47 49 51 53 Jn 19:37. Mt 26:64. Ap 22:11. Lk 15:7. 48 Is 46:8. 50 Ap 1:7. 52 Ps 19:10 58 THE NEW LITURGY THE LITURGY AND THE GREGORIAN CHANT Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XI December 20, 1928 (Divini cultus, AAS 21, 1928, 33-41) Since the Church has received from Christ her Founder the office of safeguarding the sanctity of divine worship, it is certainly incumbent upon her, while leaving intact the substance of the Sacrifice and the sacraments, to prescribe ceremonies, rites, formulas, prayers and chant for the proper regulation of that august public ministry, so rightly called the liturgy, or the eminently “sacred action.” For the liturgy is indeed a sacred thing, since by it we arc raised to God and united to him, thereby professing our faith and our deep obligation to him for the benefits we have received and the help of which we stand in constant need. There is thus a close connection between dogma and the sacred liturgy, and between Christian worship and the sanctifica­ tion of the faithful. Hence, Pope Celestine I saw the standard of faith expressed in the sacred formulas of the liturgy. “The rule of our faith,” he says, “is indicated by the law of our worship. When those who arc set over the Christian people fulfill the function committed to them, they plead the cause of the human race in the sight of God’s clemency, and pray and supplicate in conjunction with the whole Church.” These public prayers, called at first the “work of God” and later “the divine office” or the daily “debt” which man owes to God, used to be offered both day and night in the presence of a great concourse of the faithful. From the earliest times the simple chants which graced the sacred prayers and the liturgy gave a wonderful impulse to the piety of the people. History tells us how in the ancient basilicas, where bishop, clergy and people alternately sang the divine praises, the li­ turgical chant played no small part in converting many barbarians to Christianity and civilization. It was in the churches that heretics came to understand more fully the meaning of the communion of saints; thus the Emperor Valens, an Arian, being present at Mass cele­ brated by St. Basi, was overcome by an extraordinary seizure and fainted. At Milan St. Ambrose was accused by heretics of attracting the crowds by means of liturgical chants, and it was due to these that St. Augustine made up his mind to become a Christian. It was in the churches, finally, where practically the whole city formed a great joint choir, that the workers, builders, artists, sculptors and writers gained from the liturgy that deep knowledge of theology which is so apparent in the monuments of the middle ages. THE LITURGY AND GREGORIAN CHANT 59 No wonder, then, that the Roman pontiffs have been so solicitous to safeguard and protect the liturgy. They have used the same care in making laws for the regulation of the liturgy, in preserving it from adulteration, as they have in giving accurate expression to the dogmas of the faith. This is the reason why the fathers made both spoken and written commentary upon the liturgy or “the law of worship”; for this reason the Counci of Trent ordained that the liturgy should be expounded and explained to the faithful. In our own times, too, the chief object of Pope Pius X, in the Motu proprio which he issued twenty-five years ago, making certain pro­ scriptions concerning Gregorian chant and sacred music, was to arouse and foster a Christian spirit in the faithful, by wisely excluding all that might ill befit the sacrcdncss and majesty of our churches. The faithful come to church in order to derive piety from its chief source, by taking an active part in the venerated mysteries and the public solemn prayers of the Church. It is of the utmost importance, therefore, that anything that is used to adorn the liturgy should be controlled by the Church, so that the arts may take their proper place as most noble ministers in sacred worship. Far from resulting in a loss to art, such an arrangement will certainly make for the greater splendor and dignity of the arts that are used in the Church. This has been especially true of sacred music. Wherever the regulations on this subject have been carefully observed, a new life has been given to this delightful art, and the spirit of religion has prospered; the faithful have gained a deeper understanding of the sacred liturgy, and have taken part with greater zest in the ceremonies of the Mass, in the singing of the psalms and the public prayers. Of this we ourself had happy expe­ rience when, in the first year of our pontificate, we celebrated Solemn Mass in the Vatican Basilica to the noble accompaniment of a choir of clerics of all nationalities, singing in Gregorian chant. It is, however, to be deplored that these most wise laws in some places have not been fully observed, and therefore their intended re­ sults not obtained. We know that some have declared that these laws, though so solemnly promulgated, were not binding upon their obe­ dience. Others obeyed them at first, but have since come gradually to give countenance to a type of music which should be altogether banned from our churches. In some cases, especially when the memory of some famous musician was being celebrated, the opportunity has been taken of performing in church certain works which, however excellent, should never have been performed there, since they were entirely out of keeping with the sacrcdncss of the place and of the liturgy. In order to urge the clergy and faithful to a more scrupulous ob­ servance of these laws and directions which arc to be carefully obeyed by the whole Church, we think it opportune to set down here some­ thing of the fruits of our experience during the last twenty-five years. This we do the more willingly because in this year we celebrate not 00 THE NEW LITURGY only the memory of the reform of sacred music to which we have referred, but also the centenary of the monk Guido of Arezzo. Nine hundred years ago Guido, at the bidding of the pope, came to Rome and produced his wonderful invention,1 whereby the ancient and traditional liturgical chants might be more easily published, circulated and preserved intact for posterity—to the great benefit and glory of the Church and of art. It was in the Latcran Palace that Gregory the Great, having made his famous collection of the traditional treasures of plainsong, editing them with additions of his own, had wisely founded his great Schola in order to perpetuate the true interpretation of the liturgical chant. It was in the same building that the monk Guido gave a demonstration of his marvelous invention before the Roman clergy and the Roman pontiff himself. The pope, by his full appro­ bation and high praise of it, was responsible for the gradual spread of the new system throghout the whole world, and thus for the great advantages that accrued therefrom to musical art in general. We wish, then, to make certain recommendations to the bishops and ordinaries, whose duty it is, since they are the custodians of the liturgy, to promote ecclesiastical art. We are thus acceding to the requests which, as a result of many musical congresses and especially that recently held at Rome, have been made to us by not a few bishops and learned masters in the musical art. To these we accord due need of praise; and we ordain that the following directions, as hereunder set forth, with the practical methods indicated, be put into effect. 1. All those who aspire to the priesthood, whether in seminaries or in religious houses, from their earliest years are to be taught Gre­ gorian chant and sacred music. At that age they arc able more easily to learn to sing, and to modify, if not entirely to overcome, any de­ fects in their voices, which in later years would be quite incurable. Instruction in music and singing must be begun in the elementary, and continued in the higher classes. In this way, those who are about to receive sacred orders, having gradually experienced in chant, will be able during their theological course quite easily to undertake the higher and “esthetic” study of plainsong and sacred music, of poly­ phony and the organ, concerning which the clergy ought to have a thorough knowledge. 2. In seminaries, and in other houses of study for the formation of the clergy, both secular and regular, there should be a frequent and almost daily lecture or practice—however short—in Gregorian chant and sacred music. If this is carried out in the spirit of the liturgy, the students will find it a relief rather than a burden to their minds, after the study of the more exacting subjects. Thus a more complete education of both branches of the clergy in liturgical music will result in the restoration to its former dignity and splendor of the choral 1 That is, the system of staff-notation—Tr. THE LITURGY AND GREGORIAN CHANT 6l office, a most important part of divine worship; moreover, the scholae and choirs will be invested again with their ancient glory. 3. Those who arc responsible for and engaged in divine worship in basilicas and cathedrals, in collegiate and conventual churches of religious, should use all their endeavors to see that the choral office is carried out duly—i.e. in accordance with the prescriptions of the Church. And this, not only as regards the precept of reciting the divine office “worthily, attentively and devoutly,” but also as regards the chant. In singing the psalms attention should be paid to the right tone, with its appropriate mediation and termination, and a suitable pause at the asterisk; so that every verse of the psalms and every strophe of the hymns may be sung by all in perfect time together. If this were rightly observed, then all who worthily sing the psalms would signify their unity of intention in worshiping God and, as one side of the choir sings in answer to the other, would seem to emulate the ever-lasting praise of the seraphim who cried one to the other: “Holy, Holy, Holy. ’ 4. Lest anyone in the future should invent easy excuses for exempting himself from obedience to the law of the Church, let every chapter and religious community deal with these matters at meetings held for the purpose; and just as formerly there used to be a Cantor or director of the choir, so in the future let one be chosen from each chapter or choir of religious, whose duty will be to see that the rules of the liturgy and of choral chant are observed, and, both individually and generally, to correct the faults of the choir. In this connection it should be ob­ served that, according to the ancient discipline of the Church and the constitutions of chapters still in force, all those at least who are bound to office in choir are obliged to be familiar with Gregorian chant. And the Gregorian chant which is to be used in every church, of what­ ever order, is the text which, revised according to the ancient manu­ scripts, has been authentically published by the Church from the Vati­ can press. 5. We wish here to recommend, to those whom it may concern, the formation of choirs. These in the course of time came to replace the ancient scholae and were established in the basilicas and greater churches especially for the singing of polyphonic music. Sacred poly­ phony, we may here remark, is rightly held second only to Gregorian chant. We are desirous, therefore, that such choirs, as they flourished from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, should now also be created anew and prosper, especially in churches where the scale on which the liturgy is carried out demands a greater number and a more careful selection of singers. 6. Choir schools for boys should be established not only for the greater churches and cathedrals, but also for smaller parish churches. The boys should be taught by the choirmaster to sing properly, so that, in accordance with the ancient custom of the Church, they may sing in the choir with the men, especially as in polyphonic music the highest part, the cantus, ought to be sung by boys. Choirboys, especial­ 62 THE NEW LITURGY ly in the sixteenth century, have given us masters of polyphony: first and foremost among them the great Palestrina. 7. As we have learned that in some places an attempt is being made to reintroduce a type of music which is not entirely in keeping with the performance of the sacred office, particularly owing to the exces­ sive use made of musical instruments, we hereby declare that singing with orchestral accompaniment is not regarded by the Church as a more perfect form of music or as more suitable for sacred purposes. Voices, rather than instruments, ought to be heard in the church: the voices of the clergy, the choir and the congregation. Nor should it be deemed that the Church, in preferring the human voice to any musical instrument, is obstructing the progress of music; for no in­ strument, however perfect, however excellent, can surpass the human voice in expressing thought, especially when it is used by the mind to offer up prayer and praise to almighty God. 8. The traditionally appropriate musical instrument of the Church is the organ which, by reason of its extraordinary grandeur and majesty, has been considered a worthy adjunct to the liturgy, whether for ac­ companying the chant or, when the choir is silent, for playing har­ monious music at the prescribed times. But here too must be avoided that mixture of the profane with the sacred which, through the fault partly of organmakers and partly of certain performers who arc partial to the singularities of modern music, may result eventually in diverting this magnificent instrument from the purpose for which it is intended. We wish, within the limits prescribed by the liturgy, to encourage the development of all that concerns the organ; but we cannot but lament the fact that, as in the case of certain types of music which the Church has rightly forbidden in the past, so now attempts arc being made to introduce a profane spirit into the Church by modern forms of music; which forms, if they began to enter in, the Church would likewise be bound to condemn. Let our churches resound with organ music that gives expression to the majesty of the edifice and breathes the sacredness of the religious rites; in this way will the art both of those who build organs and of those who play them flourish afresh, and render effective service to the sacred liturgy. 9. In order that the faithful may more actively participate in divine worship, let them be made once more to sing the Gregorian chant, so far as it belongs to them to take part in it. It is most important that when the faithful assist at the sacred ceremonies, or when pious sodalities take part with the clergy in a procession, they should not be merely detached and silent spectators, but, filled with a deep sense of the beauty of the liturgy, should sing alternately with the clergy or the choir, as it is prescribed. If this is done, then it will no longer happen that the people either make no answer at all to the public prayers —whether in the language of the liturgy or in the vernacular—or at best utter the responses in a low and subdued murmur. 10. Let the clergy, both secular and regular, under the lead of their THE LITURGY AND GREGORIAN CHANT 63 bishops and ordinaries, devote their energies, cither directly or through other trained teachers, to instructing the people in the liturgy and in music, as being matters closely associated with Christian doctrine. This will be best effected by teaching liturgical chant in schools, pious confraternities and similar associations. Religious communities of men or women should devote particular attention to the achievement of this purpose in the various educational institutions committed to their care. Moreover, we arc confident that this object will be greatly furthered by those societies which, under the control of ecclesiastical authority, arc striving to reform sacred music according to the laws of the Church. ii. To achieve all that we hope for in this matter numerous trained teachers will be required. And in this connection we accord due praise to all the schools and institutes throughout the Catholic world which, by giving careful instruction in these subjects, are forming good and suitable teachers. But we have a special word of commendation for the Pontifical Higher School of Sacred Music, founded in Rome in the year 1910. This school, which was greatly encouraged by Pope Benedict XV and was by him endowed with new premises, is also most particularly favored by us; for we regard it as a precious heritage left to us by two sovereign pontiffs, and we therefore wish to recom­ mend it in a special way to all the bishops. We are well aware that the fulfillment of these injunctions will en­ tail great trouble and labor. But do we not all know how many artistic works our forefathers, undaunted by difficulties, have handed down to posterity, imbued as they were with pious zeal and with the spirit of the liturgy? Nor is this to be wondered at; for anything that is the fruit of the interior life of the Church surpasses even the most perfect works of this world. Let the difficulties of this sacred task, far from deterring, rather stimulate and encourage the bishops of the Church who, by their universal and unfailing obedience to our behests, will rend­ er to the Sovereign Bishop a service most worthy of their episcopal office. These things we command, declare and sanction, decreeing that this apostolic constitution be now and in the future firm, valid and efficacious, that it obtain full and complete effect, all things to the contrary notwithstanding. Let no man therefore infringe this con­ stitution by us promulgated, nor dare to contravene it. Given at St. Peter’s, Rome, on the fiftieth anniversary of our ordina­ tion to the priesthood, the twentieth day of December in the year 1928, the seventh of our pontificate. Andreas Cardinal Fruhwirth Cancellarius S.R.E. Camillus Cardinal Laurenti S. R.C. Pro-Praefectus Josephus Wilpert Decanus Coll. Proton. Apostolicoruin Dominicus Spolverini Protonotarius Apostolicus 04 THE NEW LITURGY THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XII June 29, 1943 (Mystici Corporis, AAS 35, 1943, 193-248) Venerable brothers, health and apostolic benediction: I. We first learned of the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church,1 from the lips of the Redeemer himself. Illustrating, as it does, the grand and inestimable privilege of our intimate union with a Head so exalted, this doctrine is certainly calculated by its sublime dignity to draw all spiritually minded men to deep and serious study, and to give them in the truths which it unfolds to the mind a strong incentive to such virtuous conduct as is conformable to its lessons. This is why we have thought it fitting to speak with you on this sub­ ject through this encyclical letter, examining and explaining above all what concerns the Church militant. The surpassing magnificance of the argument attracts us; the circumstances of the present hour urge us on. 2. For we intend to speak of the riches hidden in a Church, which Christ had purchased with his own blood,2 and whose members glory in a thorn-crowned Head. Striking proof is this, that the greater glory and exaltation are bom only of sufferings, and hence that we should rejoice if we partake of the sufferings of Christ, that when his glory shall be revealed we may also be glad with exceeding joy.3 3. And a first observation to be made is that the society established by the Redeemer of the human race is not unlike its divine Founder, who was persecuted, calumniated and tortured by those very men whom he had undertaken to save. We do not deny, rather from a heart filled with gratitude to God we admit that even in our turbulent times there are many who though outside the fold of Jesus Christ look to the Church as the only haven of salvation; but neither are we unaware that the Church of God not only is ridiculed and hated disdainfully, maliciously by those who shut their eyes to the lights of Christian wisdom and pitiably return to the teachings and customs and practices of ancient paganism; but even by many Christians, who are allured by specious error or caught in the meshes of the world’s corruption, it is not understood, is neglected and even at times looked upon as an irksome nuisance. There is reason, then, venerable brothers, why in obedience to the voice of our conscience and in answer to 1 See Col 1:24. 3 See I Pt 4:13. 2 Acts 20:28. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 65 many prayers, we should give honor before the eyes of all to the beauty, the grandeur, the glory of Mother Church. To her after God we owe everything. 4. And one may hope that these our instructions and exhortations will be all the more helpful to the faithful in the circumstances of today. For we know that if all the painful calamities of this turbulent period, that cruelly torture almost countless men, arc accepted as from God’s hands with calm and submissive spirit, they naturally lift souls above the passing things of earth to those of heaven that abide forever, and stimulate a certain unsuspected thirst and keen desire for spiritual things. Thus, with the added grace of the divine Spirit, men are moved and, one might say, compelled to be more thoughtful in seeking the king­ dom of God. The more men are withdrawn from the vanities of this world and from an inordinate love of temporal things, certainly the more likely it is that they will perceive the light of heavenly mysteries. But the vanity and emptiness of earthly riches arc more manifest today than perhaps at any other period, when kingdoms and states are crum­ bling, when huge piles of goods and all kinds of wealth are sunk in the measureless depths of the sea, and cities, towns and fertile fields are strewn with massive ruins and defiled with the blood of brothers. 5. Moreover we trust that the following exposition of the doc­ trine of the Mystical Body of Christ will be acceptable and useful to those, also, who are without the fold of the Church. This confi­ dence is based not only on the fact that their good will toward the Church seems to grow from day to day, but also because, while before their eyes today nation rises up against nation, kingdom against king­ dom, and discord is sown everywhere, as arc the seeds of envy and hatred if they turn their gaze to the Church, if they contemplate her divinely given unity—by which all men of every race are united to Christ in the bond of brotherhood—they will be forced to admire this fellow­ ship in charity, and with the guidance and assistance of divine grace will long to share in the same union and charity. 6. There is a special reason, too, a supremely happy reason, that brings this mystery to our mind and with it a deep sense ofjoy. During the year that has passed since the twenty-fifth anniversary’ of our epis­ copal consecration we have had the great consolation of witnessing something that has made the image of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ stand out most clearly before the whole world. Though a deadly and long war has pitilessly broken the bond of brotherly union between nations, we have seen our children in Christ, in whatever part of the world they happened to be, with one heart and one af­ fection lift up their souls to the common Father who, carrying in his own heart the cares and fears of all, is guiding the bark of the Catholic Church in the teeth of a raging tempest. This is a testimony to the marvelous union existing among Christians; but it also proves that, as our paternal love embraces all peoples, whatever their nationality and race, so Catholics the world over, though their countries have 66 THE NEW LITURGY drawn the sword against each other, look up to the vicar of Jesus Christ as to the loving Father of them all, who with unswerving impartiality and unsullied judgment rising above the conflicting gales of human passions, speaks truth and justice and charity and with all his power defends them. 7. We have been no less consoled to know that with ready gener­ osity a fund has been created for the erection of a church in Rome to be dedicated to our saintly predecessor and patron Eugene I. As this temple, to be built through the gracious gifts of all the faithful, will be a lasting memorial of this happy event, so we desire to offer this encyclical letter in testimony of our gratitude. It tells of those living stones which rest upon the living cornerstone, which is Christ, and arc built together into a holy temple, far surpassing any temple built by hands, into a habitation of God in the Spirit.4 8. But the chief reason for our present exposition of this sublime doctrine is our solicitude for the souls entrusted to us. Much indeed has been written on this subject; and we know that many today are turning with greater zest to a study which delights and nourishes Chris­ tian piety. This, it would seem, is chiefly because a revived interest in the sacred liturgy, the more widely spread custom of receiving holy communion and the more fervent devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus practiced today have brought many souls to a deeper consid­ eration of the unsearchable riches of Christ which arc preserved in the Church. Add to this that recent documents on Catholic Action, by drawing closer the bonds of union between Christians and be­ tween them and the ccclesistical hierarchy and especially the Roman pontiff, have undoubtedly helped not a little to place this truth in its proper light. Nevertheless, while we can derive legitimate joy from all this, we must confess that grave errors in regard to this doctrine arc spread among those outside the true Church, and that among the faithful, too, inaccurate or thoroughly false ideas are entering which turn minds aside from the straight parth of truth. 9. For while there still survives a false rationalism, which ridicules anything that transcends and defies the power of human genius—and it is accompanied by a cognate error, popular naturalism they call it, which sees and wants to see in the Church nothing but a juridical and social union—there is on the other hand a false mysticism creeping in, which in its attempt to eliminate the immovable frontier that sepa­ rates creatures from their Creator garbles the sacred Scriptures. 10. As a result of these conflicting and mutually antagonistic schools of thought some through empty fear look upon so profound a doctrine as something dangerous and so they fight shy of it as of the beautiful but forbidden fruit of Paradise. It is not so. Mysteries revealed by God cannot be harmful to men; nor should they remain as treasures hidden in a field, useless. They have been given from on high precisely 4 See Eph 2:21-22; 1 Pt 2:5. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 67 to help the spiritual progress of those who study them in a spirit of piety. For, as the Vatican Council teaches, “reason illumined by faith, if it seeks earnestly, piously and wisely, does attain, under God, to a certain knowledge and a most helpful knowledge of mysteries, by considering their analogy with what it knows naturally, and their mutual relations and their common relation with man’s last end,” although, as the same holy synod observes, reason even thus illumined “is never made capable of understanding these mysteries as it does those truths which form its proper object.”5 II. After pondering all this long and seriously before God we consider it part of our pastoral duty to explain to the entire flock of Christ through this encyclical letter the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ and of the union of this Body of the faithful with the divine Redeemer; and from this consoling doctrine to point certain lessons, that will make a deeper study of this mystery bear yet richer fruits of perfection and holiness. Our purpose is to throw an added ray of glory on to the supreme beauty of the Church; to bring out into fuller light the exalted supernatural nobility of the faithful who in the Body of Christ are united with their Head; and finally to exclude definitely the many errors current in this matter. I 12. When one reflects on this doctrine, one recalls immediately the words of the apostle: “Where sin abounded, grace did more abound.”6 All know that the father of the whole human race was constituted by God in a state so exalted that he was to hand on to his posterity together with earthly existence the heavenly life of divine grace. But after the unhappy fall of Adam, the universal progeny of mankind infected by a hereditary stain lost their sharing of the divine nature,7 and we were all children of wrath.8 But God, all merciful, “so loved the world as to give his only-begotten Son”;9 and the Word of the Eternal Father through this same divine love assumed human nature from the race of Adam—but an innocent and spotless nature it was —so that he, as a new Adam, might be the source whence the grace of the Holy Spirit should flow unto all the children of the first parent. Through the sin of the first man they had been excluded from adop­ tion into the children of God; through the Word incarnate made brothers according to the flesh of the only-begotten Son of God, they would receive the power to become the sons of God.10 As he hung upon the cross, Christ Jesus not only avenged the justice of the Eternal Father that had been flouted, but he also won for us, his brothers, an unending 5 Scss. 3, Const, de fide cath., ch. 4. 6 Rout 5:20 7 See 2 Pt 1:4. 8 Eph 2:3. 9 Jn 3:16. 10 See Jn 1:12. 68 THE NEW LITURGY flow of graces. It was possible for him personally, immediately to impart these graces to men; but he wished to do so only through a visible Church that would be formed by the union of men, and thus through that Church every man would perform a work of collabora­ tion with him in dispensing the graces of redemption. The Word of God willed to make use of our nature, when in excruciating agony he would redeem mankind; in much the same way throughout the centuries he makes use of the Church that the work begun might endure.11 13. If we would define and describe this true Church of Jesus Christ —which is the one, holy, catholic, apostolic, Roman Church12—we shall find no expression more noble, more sublime or more divine than the phrase which calls it “the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ.” The title is derived from and is, as it were, the fair flower of the repeated teaching of sacred Scripture and the holy fathers. 14. That the Church is a body is frequently asserted in sacred Scripture. “Christ,” says the apostle, “is the Head of the Body of the Church.”13 If the Church is a body, it must be an unbroken unity, according to these words of Paul: “Though many we are one body in Christ.”14 But it is not enough that the body of the Church be an unbroken unity; it must also be something definite and perceptible to the senses, as our predecssor of happy memory, Leo XIII, in his encyclical Satis cognituni, asserts: “The Church is visible because she is a body.”15 Hence, they err in a matter of divine truth who imagine the Church to be invisible, intangible, a something merely “pneumatological,” as they say, by which many Christian communities, though they differ from each other in their profession of faith, are united by a bond that eludes the senses. 15. But a body calls also for a multiplicity of members, which are linked together in such a way as to help one another. And as in our mortal composite being when one member suffers all other mem­ bers share its pain, and the healthy members come to the assistance of those ailing, so in the Church the individual members do not live for themselves alone, but also help their fellows, and all work in mu­ tual collaboration for their common comfort and for the more perfect building up of the whole body. 16. Again, as in nature a body is not formed by any haphazard group­ ing of members but must be constituted of organs, that is, members that have not the same function and arc arranged in due order, so for this reason above all the Church is called a body, that it is con­ stituted by the coalescence of structurally united parts, and that it 11 12 13 15 See Vat. Council, Const, de Eccl., prol. See ibid., Const, de fide cath., ch. i. Col i:i8. 14 Rom 12:5. See AAS 36, 710. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST has a variety of members reciprocally dependent. It is thus the apostle describes the Church when he writes: “As in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office: so we being many are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another.”16 17. One must not think, however, that this ordered or “organic” structure of the body of the Church contains only hierarchical elements and with them is complete; or, as an opposite opinion holds, that it is composed only of those who enjoy charismatic gifts—though mem­ bers gifted with miraculous powers will never be lacking in the Church. That those who exercise sacred power in this Body are its first and chief members must be maintained uncompromisingly. It is through them, commissioned by the divine Redeemer himself, that Christ’s apostolate as teacher, king, priest, is to endure. At the same time, when the fathers of the Church sing the praises of this mystical body of Christ, with its ministries, its variety of ranks, its offices, its conditions, its order, its duties, they are thinking not only of those who have received sacred orders, but of all those, too, who following the evange­ lical counsels pass their lives either actively among men or in the silence of the cloister, or who aim at combining the active and contemplative life according to their institute. They were thinking of those who though living in the world consecrate themselves wholeheartedly to spiritual or corporal works of mercy; as well as those who live in the state of holy matrimony. Indeed, let this be clearly understood, espe­ cially in these our days: the fathers and mothers of families, and those who arc spiritual parents through baptism, and in particular those members of the laity who assist the ecclesiastical hierarchy in spreading the kingdom of the divine Redeemer, occupy an honorable, even though often lowly place in the Christian community. Under the impulse of God and with his help they can reach the peak of holiness; and such holiness, Jesus Christ has promised, will never be wanting to the Church. 18. Now we see how the human body is given its own means to provide for its own life, health and growth and for the same of all its members. Similarly, the Savior of mankind out of his infinite good­ ness has provided in a marvelous way for his mystical body, endowing it with the sacraments; so that by so many consecutive, graduated graces, as it were, its members should be supported from the cradle to life’s last breath, and that the social needs of the Church might also be generously provided for. As all know, through the waters of bap­ tism those who arc born into this world, being dead in sin, are not only born again and made members of the Church, but being stamped with a spiritual seal, they become capable and fit to receive the other sacraments. By the chrism of confirmation, the faithful are given added strength to protect and defend the Church, their Mother, and the faith she has given them. In the sacrament of penance a saving medicine 16 Rom 12:4. 70 THE NEW LITURGY is offered to the Church’s members who have fallen into sin, not only to provide for their own health, but to remove from other members of the Mystical Body all danger of contagion or rather to afford them the tonic of virtuous example. 19. Nor is that enough; for in the holy Eucharist the faithful arc nourished and grow strong at the same table, and in a divine ineffable way are brought into union with each other and with the divine Head of the whole body. Finally, like a devoted mother the Church is at the bedside of those who arc sick unto death; and if it be not always God’s will that by the sacred anointing of the sick she restore health to this mortal body, yet she does minister supernatural medicine for wounded souls, and sends new citizens on to heaven to enjoy forever the happiness of God—new advocates assigned to her. 20. For the social needs of the Church Christ has provided in a particular way by two sacraments which he instituted. Through matrimony, when the contracting parties are ministers of grace to each other, provision is made for the external and properly regulated increase of Christian society and, what is of greater importance, for the correct religious education of the offspring, without which this mystical body would be in grave danger. Through holy orders men are set aside and consecrated to God, to offer in sacrifice the eucharistie Victim, to feed the flock of the faithful with the bread of angels and the food of doctrine, to guide them in the way of God’s command­ ments and counsels, to strengthen them with all the other supernatural helps. 21. Here it is pertinent to remark that just as at the beginning of time God gave man’s body the most extraordinary power to subject all creatures to himself and to increase and multiply and fill the earth, so at the beginning of the Christian era he gave the Church those means that were needed to overcome dangers without number and to fill not only the whole world but the realms of heaven as well. 22. Only those are really to be included as members of the Church who have been baptized and profess the true faith and who have not unhappily withdrawn from body-unity or for grave faults been ex­ cluded by legitimate authority. “For in one Spirit,’’ says the apostle “we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether slaves or free.”17 As therefore in the true Christian community there is only one body, one Spirit, one Lord and one baptism, so there can be only one faith.18 And so if a man refuse to hear the Church, let him be considered—so the Lord commands—a heathen and a publican.19 It follows that those who are divided in faith or government cannot be living in one body such as this, and cannot be living the life of its one divine Spirit. 17 I Cor 12:13. 19 See Mt 18:17. 18 Sec Eph 4:5. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 71 23. One must not imagine that the body of the Church, just be­ cause it bears the name of Christ, is made up during the days of its earthly pilgrimage only of members conspicuous for their holiness, or consists only of the group of those whom God has predestined to eternal happiness. It is the Savior’s infinite mercy that allows place in his mystical body here for those whom he did not exclude from the banquet of old.-0 For not every sin, however grave and enormous it be, is such as to sever a man automatically from the body of the Church, as docs schism or heresy or apostasy. Men may lose charity and divine grace through sin and so become incapable of supernatural merit, and yet not be deprived of all life, if they hold on to faith and Christian hope, and illumined from above they are spurred on by the strong promptings of the Holy Spirit to salutary fear and by God are moved to prayer and penance for their sins. 24. Let everyone then abhor sin, which defiles the members of our Redeemer; but if anyone unhappily falls and his obstinacy has not made him unworthy of communion with the faithful, let him be received with all affection and let eager charity see in him a weak mem­ ber of Jesus Christ. For, as the Bishop of Hippo remarks, it is better “to be cured within the Church’s community than to be cut off from its body as incurable members.’’20 21 “No reason to despair of the health of whatever is still part of the body; once it has been cut off, it can be neither cured nor healed.”22 25. In the course of the present study, venerable brothers, we have thus far seen that the Church has been so constituted that it may be likened to a body. We must now explain clearly and precisely why it is to be called not merely a body, but the body of Jesus Christ. This follows from the fact that our Lord is the Founder, the Head, the Sup­ port and the Savior of this mystical body. 26. As we set out briefly to expound in what sense Christ founded his social body, the following thought of our predecessor of happy memory, Leo XIII, occurs to us at once: “The Church which, already conceived, came forth from the side of the second Adam in his sleep on the cross, first showed herself before the eyes of men on the great day of Pentecost.”23 For the divine Redeemer began the building of the mystical temple of the Church when by his preaching he announced his precepts; he completed it when he hung glorified on the cross; and he manifested and proclaimed it when he sent the Holy Ghost as Paraclete in visible form on his disciples. 27. For while fulfilling his office as preacher, he chose apostles, sending them as he had been sent by the Father,24 namely as teachers, 20 See Mt 9:11; Mk 2:16; Lk 15:2. 21 August., Epist. CLVII, 3, 22: PL 33, 680. 22 August., Semi CXXXVII, 1: PL 38, 75423 Divinum Illud : AAS 29, 649. 24 Jn 15:18. 72 THE NEW LITURGY rulers, instruments of holiness in the assembly of the believers; he appointed their chief and his vicar on earth;25 he made known to them all things whatsoever he had heard from his Father;26 he also established baptism,27 by which those who should believe would be incorporated in the body of the Church; and finally, when he came to the close of his life, at the Last Supper he instituted the wonderful sacrifice and sacrament of the Çucharist. 28. That he completed his work on the gibbet of the cross is the unanimous teaching of the holy fathers, who assert that the Church was bom from the side of our Savior on the cross like a new Eve, mother of all the living.28 “And it is now,” says the great Ambrose, speaking of the pierced side of Christ, “that it is built, it is now that it is formed, it is now that it is. . . molded, it is now that it is created. ... Now it is that arises a spiritual house for a holy priesthood.”29 One who reverently considers this venerable teaching will easily dis­ cover the reasons on which it is based. 29. And first of all, by the death of our Redeemer, the New Testa­ ment took the place of the old law which had been abolished; then the law of Christ together with its mysteries, laws, institutions and sacred rites was ratified for the whole world in the blood of Jesus Christ. For, while our divine Savior was preaching in a restricted area—he was not sent but to the sheep that were lost of the house of Israel30 —the law and the gospel were together in force;31 but on the gibbet of his death Jesus made void the law with its decrees,32 fastened the handwriting of the Old Testament to the cross,33 establishing the New Testament in his blood, shed for the whole human race.34 “To such an extent, then,” says St. Leo the Great, speaking of the cross of our Lord, “was there effected a transfer from the law to the gospel, from the synagogue to the Church, from many sacrifices to one Vic­ tim, that, as our Lord expired, that mystical veil which shut off the innermost part of the temple and its sacred secret from the main temple was rent violently from top to bottom.”35 30. On the cross, then, the old law died, soon to be buried and to be a bearer of death,36 in order to give way to the New Testament, 25 See Mt 16:18-19. 26 Jn 15:15; 17:8 and 14. 27 Sec Jn 3:5. 28 See Gn 3:20. 29 Ambrose, In Luc II, 87: PL 15, 1585. 30 See Mt 15:24. 31 See St. Thos., I-II, q. 103, a. 3, ad 2. 32 Sec Eph 2:15. 33 Sec Col 2:14. 34 Sec Mt 26:28; I Cor 11:25. 35 Leo the Great, Sernt. LXVIII, 3: PL 54, 374. 36 Jerome and Augustine, Epist. CXII, 14 and CXVI, 76: PL 22,9 24 311 943; St. Thos., I-II, q. 103, a. 3, ad 2; a. 4, ad 1; Council of Flor, pro Jacob- Mansi, 31, 1738. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 73 of which Christ had chosen the apostles as qualified ministers;37 and it is by the power of the cross that our Savior, although he had been constituted the Head of the whole human family in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, exercises fully the office itself of Head in his Church. “For it was through his triumph on the cross, according to the teaching of the Angelic and Common Doctor, that he won power and dominion over the Gentiles”;38 by that same victory he increased that immense treasury of graces which, as he reigns in glory in heaven, he lavishes continuously on his mortal members; it was by his blood shed on the cross that God’s anger was removed, and that all the heavenly gifts especially the spiritual graces of the New and Eternal Testament, could then flow from the fountains of our Savior for the salvation of men, of the faithful first of all; it was on the tree of the cross, finally, that he entered into possession of his Church, that is, all the members of his mystical body; for they would not have been united to this mystical body through the waters of baptism except by the salutary virtue of the cross, by which they had been already brought under the complete sway of Christ. 31. But if our Savior, by his death, became in the full and complete sense of the word the Head of the Church, it was likewise through his blood that the Church was endowed with that fullest communi­ cation of the Holy Spirit, through which, from the time when the Son of Man was lifted up and glorified on the gibbet by his sufferings, she is divinely illumined. For then, as Augustine notes,39 with the rending of the veil of the temple it happened that the dew of the Para­ clete’s gifts, which heretofore had descended only on the fleece, that is, on the people of Israel, fell copiously and abundantly (while the fleece remained dry and deserted) on the whole earth, that is, on the Catholic Church, which is confined by no boundaries of race or ter­ ritory. Just as at the first moment of the incarnation, the Son of the eternal Father adorned with the fullness of the Holy Spirit the human nature which was substantially united to him, that it might be a fitting instrument of the Divinity in the sanguinary task of the redemption, so at the hour of his precious death he wished that his Church should be enriched with the abundant gifts of the Paraclete in order that in dispensing the divine fruits of the redemption it might be for the In­ carnate Word a powerful instrument that would certainly never fail. For the juridical mission of the Church, and the power to teach, govern and administer the sacraments derive their supernatural efficacy and force for the building up of the body of Christ from the fact that Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross, opened up to his Church the fountain of divine graces, which protect it from ever teaching men false doc­ trine, and enable it to rule them for their soul’s salvation through 37 See 2 Cor 3:6. 38 See St. Thos., Ill, q. 42, a. 1. 39 See De pecc. orig. XXV, 29 : PL 44 400. 74 THE NEW LITURGY supcmaturally enlightened pastors, and to bestow on them abundant heavenly graces. 32. If we closely consider all these mysteries of the cross, those words of the apostle arc no longer obscure for us, in which he teaches the Ephesians that Christ by his blood made the Jews and the Gen­ tiles one, “breaking down the middle wall of partition ... in his flesh” by which the two peoples were divided; and that he had made the old law void “that he might make the two in himself into one new man,” that is, the Church, and might reconcile both to God by the cross.40 / 33. The Church which he founded by his blood, he strengthened on the day of Pentecost by a special power, given from heaven. For, having solemnly installed in his exalted office him whom he had already nominated as his vicar, he had ascended into heaven; and sitting now at the right hand of the Father he wished to make known and proclaim his Spouse through the visible coining of the Holy Spirit with the sound of a mighty wind and tongues of fire.41 For just as he himself, when he began to preach, was made known by his eternal Father through the Holy Spirit descending and remaining on him42 so like­ wise, as the apostles were about to enter upon their office of preaching, Christ our Lord sent the Holy Spirit down from heaven, to touch them with tongues of fire and to point out as by the finger of God the supernatural mission and supernatural office of the Church. 34. That this mystical body which is the Church should be called Christ’s is proved, in the second place, from the fact that he must be universally acknowledged as its actual Head. “He,” as St. Paul says, “is the Head of the body, the Church.”43 He is the Head from whom the whole body, perfectly organized, “groweth and maketh increase unto the edifying of itself.”44 35. You arc aware, venerable brothers, of the brilliant language used by the masters of scholastic theology, and chiefly by the Angeic and Common Doctor, when treating this question; and you know that the reasons advanced by Aquinas arc a faithful reflection of the mind and writings of the holy fathers, who after all merely repeated and commented on the inspired word of sacred Scripture. 36. However, for the good of all we wish to touch on this point briefly. And first of all it is clear that the Son of God and of the Blessed Virgin is to be called the Head of the Church for his singular pre­ eminence. For the Head is in the highest place. But who is in a higher place than Christ, God, who as the Word of the eternal Father must be acknowledged to be the “first born of every creature?”45 Who has reached more lofty heights than Christ, man, who, though born of the immaculate Virgin, is the true and natural Son of God, and thanks 40 Sec Eph, 2:14-16. 42 See Lk 3:22; Mk 1:10. 44 See Eph 4:16; Col 2:19. 41 See Acts 2:1-4. 43 Col 1:18. 45 Col 1:15. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 75 to his miraculous and glorious resurrection, a resurrection triumphant over death, has become the “first born of the dead”?46 Who, finally, has been so exalted as he, who as “the one Mediator of God and men”47 has in a most marvellous manner linked earth to heaven, who raised on the cross, as on a throne of mercy, has drawn all things to himself,48 who as the Son of man, chosen from among countless, is the object of God’s love beyond all men, all angels and all creation?49 37· Because Christ is so exalted, he alone by every right rules and governs the Church; and herein is yet another reason why he must be likened to a head. As the head is the “royal citadel” of the body50 —to use the words of Ambrose—and all the members, over which it is placed for their good,51 are naturally guided by it as being endowed with superior powers, so the divine Redeemer holds the helm of the universal state of Christians, and directs its course. And as a govern­ ment of human society means merely this, to lead men to the end pro­ posed by means that arc expedient, just and helpful,52 it is easy to see how our Savior, model and ideal of good shepherds,55 performs all these functions in a most striking way. 38. For while still on earth, he instructed us by precept, counsel and warning in words that shall never pass away, and will be spirit and life54 to all men of all times. Moreover, he conferred a triple power on his apostles and their successors, to teach, to govern, to lead men to holiness. This triple power, defined by special ordinances, by rights and obligations, he made the fundamental law of the whole Church. 39. But our divine Savior governs and guides his community also directly and personally. For it is he who reigns within the minds and hearts of men and bends and subjects to his purpose their wills even when rebellious. “The heart of the King is in the hand of the Lord; whithersoever he will, he shall turn it.”55 By this interior guidance the “Shepherd and Bishop of our souls”56 not only watches over indi­ viduals, but exercises his providence over the universal Church as well, whether by enlightening and giving courage to the Church s rulers for the loyal and effective performance of their respective duties, or by singling out from the body of the Church—especially when times arc grave—men and women of conspicuous holiness, who may point the way for the rest of Christendom to the perfecting of his 46 Col 1:18; Ap 1:5. 47 j Tim 2;5> 48 See Jn 12:32. 49 See Cyr. Alex., Comm. in Job. I, 4: PG 73, 69; St. Thos., I, q. 20, a. 4, ad i. 50 Hexaëin. VI, 55: PL 14, 265. 51 See August., De agon. Christ. A'X, 22: PL 40, 301. 52 See St. Thos I, q. 22, a. 1-4. 53 $ec jn 10:1-18; 1 Pt 5·'Ι-5· 54 See Jn 6:63. 55 prv 21:1. 56 See I Pt 2:25. -s- — 76 THE NEW LITURGY mystical body.57 Besides, from heaven Christ never ceases to look down with extraordinary love on his unspotted Spouse so sorely tried in her earthly exile; and when he sees her in danger, either himself or through the ministry of his angels, or through her whom we hail the Help of Christians, and other heavenly advocates, takes her out of the tempestuous sea, and in calm and tranquil waters comforts her with the peace “which surpasseth all understanding.”58 40. But we must not think that he rules in a hidden59 or extra­ ordinary way. On the contrary, our divine Redeemer also governs his mystical body in a visible way and ordinarily through his vicar on earth. You know, venerable brothers, that after he had ruled the “little flock”60 himself during his mortal pilgrimage, when about to leave this world and return to the Father, Christ our Lord entrusted to the chief of the apostles the visible government of the entire com­ munity he had founded. He was all wise; and how could he leave without a visible head the body of the Church he has founded as a human society? Nor against this may one argue that the primacy of jurisdiction established in the Church gives such a mystical body two heads. For Peter in virtue of his primacy is only Christ’s vicar; so that there is only one chief Head of this body, namely Christ. He never ceases personally to guide the Church by an unseen hand, though at the same time he rules it externally, visibly through him, who is his representative on earth. After his glorious ascension into heaven this Church rested not on him alone, but on Peter, too, its visible founda­ tion stone. That Christ and his vicar constitute only one Head is the solemn teaching of our predecessor of immortal memory, Boniface VIII, in the apostolic letter Unam Sanctanr,6i and his successors have never ceased to repeat the same. 41. They, therefore, walk the path of dangerous error who believe that they can accept Christ as the Head of the Church, while they reject genuine loyalty to his vicar on earth. They have taken away the visible head, broken the visible bonds of unity, and they leave the mystical body of the Redeemer in such obscurity and so maimed that those who are seeking the haven of eternal salvation cannot see it and cannot find it. 42. What we have thus far said of the universal Church must be understood also of the individual Christian communities, whether Eastern or Latin, which go to make up the one Catholic Church. For they, too, are ruled by Christ Jesus through the voice of their own respective bishops. Bishops, then, must be considered the nobler members of the universal Church, for they arc linked in an altogether 57 58 59 60 61 See Acts 8:26; 9:1-19; 10:1-7; 12:3-10. Phil 4:7. See Leo XIII, Satis Cognitum: ASS 27, 725. Lk 12:32. See Corp. lur. Can., Extr. comm. I, 8, 1. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 77 special way to the divine Head of the whole body and so arc rightly called “principal parts of the members of the Lord”;62 what is more, as far as each one’s own diocese is concerned, they each and all as true shepherds feed the flocks entrusted to them and rule them in the name of Christ.63 Yet in exercising this office they arc not altogether in­ dependent, but arc duly subordinate to the authority of the Roman pontiff; and although their jurisdiction is inherent in their office, yet they receive it directly from the same supreme pontiff. Hence, they should be revered by the faithful as divinely appointed successors of the apostles.64 To bishops, more than to the rulers of this world, even those in supreme authority, should be applied the sentence: “Touch not my anointed ones.”65 For bishops have been anointed with the chrism of the Holy Spirit. 43. That is why we arc deeply pained when we hear that not a few of our brother bishops are being attacked and persecuted not only in their own person, but—what is more cruel and heart-rending for them—in the faithful committed to their care, in those who share their apostolic labor, even in the virgins consecrated to God; and all this, just because they arc a pattern of the flock from the heart,66 and conserve, with justifiable energy and loyalty, the sacred “deposit of faith”67 confided to them, just because they insist on the sacred laws that have been engraved by God on the souls of men, and, after the example of the supreme shepherd, defend their flock against ravenous wolves. Such an offense we consider committed against our own person, and we repeat the magnificent words of our predecessor of immortal memory, Gregory’ the Great: “Our honor is the honor of the universal Church; our honor is the united strength of our brothers; and we are truly honored when due honour is given to each and every­ one.”68 44. Because Christ the Head holds such an eminent position, one must not think that he docs not require the body’s help. What Paul said of the human organism is to be applied likewise to this mystical body: “The head cannot say to the feet: I have no need of you.”69 It is manifestly clear that the faithful need the help of the divine Re­ deemer, for he has said: “Without me you can do nothing,”70 and in the teaching of the apostle, every advance of this body toward its perfection derives from Christ the Head.71 Yet this, too, must be held, marvelous though it appear: Christ requires his members. First, 62 63 64 65 66 68 69 71 Gregory the Great, Moral. 14. 35· 43· TL 75, 1062. Sec Vat. Council, Const, de Eccl., ch. 3. See Cod. lur. Can., canon 329, 1. I Parai. XVI, 22\ Ps. CIV, 15. Sec i Pt 5:3. 67 Sec i Tim 6:20. See Ep. ad Etilog. 30: PL 12, 933· I Cor 12:21. 70 Jn 15:5. Sec Eph 4:16; Col 2:19. 78 THE NEW LITURGY the person of Jesus Christ is borne by the supreme pontiff, who in turn must call on others to share much of his solicitude lest he be over­ whelmed by the burden of his pastoral office, and must be helped daily by the Church praying. Moreover, our Savior docs not rule the Church directly in a visible manner, and so in carrying out the work of re­ demption he wishes to be helped by the members of his body. This is not because he is indigent and weak, but rather because he has so willed it for the greater glory of his unspotted Spouse. Dying on the cross he left to his Church the immense treasury of the redemption; toward this she contributed nothing. But when those graces come to be distributed, not only docs he share this task ofsanctification with his Church, but he wants it in a way to be due to her action. Deep mystery this, subject of inexhaustible meditation: that rhe salvation of many depends on the prayers and voluntary penances which the members of the mystical body of Jesus Christ offer for this intention and on the assistance of pastors of souls and of the faithful, especially of fathers and mothers of families, which they must offer to our divine Savior as though they were his associates. 45. To the reasons thus far adduced to show that Christ the Lord should be called the Head of the society whch is his body three others may be added here. They arc closely related to one another. 46. We begin with the similarity which wc see existing between Head and body, in that they have the same nature. Our human nature is inferior to angelic nature, and yet, be it observed, through God’s goodness it has risen above angelic nature: “For Christ,” as Aquinas says, “is Head of the angels; for even in his humanity he is superior to angels. Even as man he illumines the angelic intellect and influences the angelic will. But in respect to similarity of nature Christ is not Head of the angels, because he did not take hold of the angels—to quote the apostle—but of the seed of Abraham.”72 And Christ not only took our nature, he became one of our flesh and blood with a frail body that could suffer and die. But “if the Word emptied him­ self, taking the form of a slave,”73 it was that he might make his brothers in the flesh partakers of the divine nature,74 in this earthly exile through sanctifying grace, in heaven through the joys of eternal bliss. The reason why the only-begotten Son of the eternal Father wished to be a Son of man was that we might be made conformed to the image of the Son of God73 and be renewed according to the image of him who created us.76 Let those, then, who glory in the name of Christian all look to our divine Savior as the most exalted and most perfect exemplar of all virtues; but then let them also, by careful avoidance of sin and assiduous practice of virtue, bear witness by their conduct 72 Connu, in ep. ad Eph., ch. 1, lect. 8; Heb 2:16-17. 73 Phil 2:7. 74 See 2 Pt 1:4. 75 Sec Rom 8:29. 76 See Col 3:10. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 79 to his teaching and bis life, so that when God appears they may be like unto him and sec him as he is.77 47. The whole body of the Church, no less than the individual members, should bear resemblance to Christ. Such is his will. And wc see that realized when following in the footsteps of her Founder she teaches, she governs and offers the divine sacrifice. Embracing the evangelical counsels she reflects the Redeemer’s poverty, obedience and virginal purity. Enriched with institutes of many different kinds as with so many precious jewels, she points out Christ deep in prayer on the mountain, or preaching to the peoples or healing the sick and wounded and bringing sinners back to the path of virtue, or, in a word, doing good to everyone. What wonder then if, while she walks this earth, she be persecuted like Christ, hounded and weighed down with sorrows. 48. Christ must be acknowledged Head of the Church for this reason too, that, as supernatural gifts have found their supreme fullness and perfection in him, it is from this fullness that his mystical body receives. It is an observation made bvy a number of fathers,’ that as the head of our mortal body is the seat of all the senses while the other parts of our organism have only the sense of touch, so all the powers that arc found in Christian society, all the gifts, all the extraordinary jraccs, all attain their utmost perfection in the Head, Christ. “In lim it had well pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell.’’78 He is gifted with those supernatural powers that accompany the hy­ postatic union. Is not the Holy Spirit dwelling in him with a fullness of grace, than which no greater can be imagined? To him has been given “power over all flesh”79 “all the treasures of wisdom and knowl­ edge arc in him”80 abundantly. The knowledge, which is called “vi­ sion,” he possesses with such clarity and comprehensiveness that it surpasses similar celestial knowledge found in all the saints of heaven. So full of grace and truth is he that of his inexhaustible fullness we have all received.81 49. These words of the disciple whom Jesus loved, lead us to the last reason why Christ our Lord should be declared in a very particular way Head of his mystical body. In us the nerves reach from the head to all parts of the body and give them the power to feel and move; in like manner our Savior communicates power to his Church so that the things of God are understood more clearly and more eagerly desired by the faithful. From him shines into the body of the Church whatever light illumines supernaturally the minds of those who believe, from him every grace to make them holy, as he is holy. 50. Christ enlightens his whole Church. This is evident from al­ most numberless passages from the sacred Scriptures and holy fathers. 77 See i Jn 3:2. 79 See Jn 17:2. 81 See Jn 1:14-16. 78 Col 1:19. 80 Col 2:3. •Μ· 8θ THE NEW LITURGY “No man had seen God at any time: the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared.”82 Come a teacher from God 83 to give testimony to the truth,84 he shed such light upon the nascent apostolic Church that the chief of the apostles exclaimed: “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”85 From heaven he assisted the evangelists in such a way that as members of Christ they wrote what they had learned at the dictation, as it were, of the Head.86 And for us today, who still linger on in this earthly exile, he is the author of faith as in our heavenly house he will be its finisher.87 It is he who grants the light of faith to believers; it is he who from his divine riches imparts the supernatural gifts of knowledge, understanding and wisdom to the pastors and teachers and above all to his vicar on earth, so that they may faithfully preserve the treasury of faith, defend it, with reverence and devotion explain and protect it. It is he who, though unseen, presides at the Church’s councils and guides them.88 51. Holiness begins from Christ; by Christ it is effected. For no act conducive to salvation can be performed unless it proceeds from him as its supernatural cause. “Without me, he says, you can do noth­ ing.”89 If we grieve and do penance for our sins, if with filial fear and hope we turn again to God, it is because he is leading us. Grace and glory flow from his unfathomed fullness. Our Savior is continual­ ly pouring out his gifts of counsel, fortitude, fear and piety, especially on the leading members of his body, so that the whole body may grow daily more and more in spotless holiness. When the sacraments of the Church are administered by external rite, it is he who produces their effect in souls.90 He nourishes the redeemed with his own flesh and blood, and thus calms the soul’s turbulent passions; he gives in­ crease of grace and is preparing future glory for souls and bodies. All these treasures of his divine goodness he is said to disburse to the members of his mystical body not merely because he, who is the eu­ charistie Victim on earth and the glorified Victim in heaven, lets his wounds and prayers plead our cause before the eternal Father, but also because he selects, he determines, he distributes every single grace to every single person “according to the measure of the giving of Christ.”91 Hence, it follows that from our Lord as from a fountain­ head “the whole body compacted and fitly joined, by which every joint supplieth, according to the operation in the measure of ever)’ 82 Sec Jn 1:18. 83 See Jn 3:2. 84 Sec Jn 18:37. 85 See Jn 6:68. 86 See August., De cons, evang. I, 35, 34: PL 34, 1070. 87 See Heb 12:2. 88 See Cyr. Alex., Ep. 55 de Syntb: PG 17» 293· 89 See Jn 15:5. 90 Sec St. Thos., Ill, q. 64, a. 3. 91 Eph 4:7. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 81 part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in chari­ ty.”92 52. The thoughts which we have expounded, briefly and succinctly, tracing the manner in which Christ our Lord wishes that his abundant graces should flow from his fullness into the Church, in order that it should become most like himself, help not a little to clarify the third reason why the social body of the Church should be honored by the name of Christ: that reason lies in the fact that our Savior himself sus­ tains in a divine manner the society which he founded. 53. As Bellarminc notes with acumen and accuracy,93 this naming of the body of Christ is not to be explained solely by the fact that Christ must be called the Head of his mystical body, but also by the fact that he so sustains the Church, and so in a certain sense lives in the Church, that it is, as it were, another Christ. The doctor of the Gentiles in his letter to the Corinthians affirms this when, without further qualification, he calls the Church “Christ,”94 following no doubt the example of his Master who called out to him from on high, when he was attacking the Church: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”95 Indeed, if we arc to believe Gregory of Nyssa, the Church is often called “Christ” by the apostle;96 and you are conversant, vener­ able brothers, with that phrase of Augustine: “Christ preaches Christ.”97 54. But this noble title of the Church must not be so taken to mean that the ineffable bond by which the Son of God assumed a definite human nature belongs to the universal Church; rather it consists in this, that our Savior shares his most personal prerogatives with the Church in such a way that she may portray in her whole life, both ex­ ternal and interior, a most faithful image of Christ. For in virtue of the juridical mission by which our divine Redeemer sent his apostles into the world, as he had been sent by the Father,98 it is he who through the Church baptizes, teaches, rules, looses, binds, offers, sacrifices. But in virtue of that higher, interior and wholly sublime communication, with which we dealt when we described the manner in which the Head influences the members, Christ our Lord brings the Church to live his own supernatural life, by his divine power permeates his whole body and nourishes and sustains each of the members according to the place which they occupy in the body, very much as the vine nour­ ishes and makes fruitful the branches which are joined to it.99 92 Eph 4:16; see Col 2:19. 93 Sec De Rom. Pont. I, 9; De Concil. II, 19. 94 Sec I Cor 12:12. 95 Sec Acts 9:4; 22:7; 26:14. 96 See Greg. Nyss., De Vita Moysis: PG 44, 385. 97 See Sertn. CCCLIV, 1: PL 39, 1563. 98 Sec Jn 17:18, and 20:21. 99 See Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae: ASS 22, 392; Satis Cognitum: ibid., 28, 710. 82 THE NEW LITURGY 55. If we examine closely this divine principle of life and power given by Christ, insofar as it constitutes the very source of every gift and created grace, we easily see that it is nothing else than the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and who is called in a special way the “Spirit of Christ” or the “Spirit of the Son.”100 For it was by this Breath of grace and truth that the Son made beautiful his soul in the immaculate womb of the Blessed Virgin; this Spirit delights to dwell in the dear soul of our Redeemer as in his most cherished shrine; this Spirit Christ merited for us on the cross by shedding his own blood; this Spirit he bestowed on the Church for the remission of sins, when he breathed on the apostles;101 and while Christ alone received this Spirit without measure,102 to the members of the mystical body he is imparted only according to the measure of the giving of Christ, from Christ’s own fullness?103 But after Christ’s glorification on the cross, his Spirit is communicated to the Church in an abundant outpouring so that she and her single members may become daily more and more like to our Savior. It is the Spirit of Christ that has made us adopted sons of God104 in order, that one day “we, all beholding the glory of the Lord with open face, may be transformed into the same image from glory to glory.”105 56. To this Spirit of Christ too, as to an invisible principle, is to be ascribed the fact that all the parts of the body arc joined one with the other and with their exalted Head; for he is entire in the Head, entire in the Body and entire in each of the members. To the members he is present and assists them in proportion to their various tasks and offices and the greater or less grade of spiritual health which they en­ joy. It is he who through his heavenly grace is the principle of every supernatural act in all the parts of the body. It is he who while he is personally present and divinely active in all the members, also acts in the inferior members through the ministry of the higher members. Finally, while with his grace he provides the constant growth of the Church, he yet refuses to dwell with sanctifying grace in members that are wholly severed from the body. This presence and activity of the Spirit of Jesus Christ is tersely and vigorously described by our predecessor of immortal memory, Leo XIII, in his encyclical letter Divinum illud in these words: “Let it suffice to say that, as Christ is the Head of the Church, so is the Holy Spirit her soul.”106 57. If that vital principle by which the whole community of Chris­ tians is sustained by its Founder, being considered now not in itself but in its created effects, it consists in those heavenly gifts which our Redeemer together with his Spirit bestows on the Church and which he and his Spirit, from whom come supernatural light and holiness 100 Rom 8:9; 2 Cor 3:17; Gal 4:6. 101 See Jn 20:22. 103 Sec Eph 1:8; 4:7. 102 Sec Jn 3:34. 104 Sec Rom 8:i4-I7i Gal 4:6-7. 105 See 2 Cor 3:18. 106 /1SS 29, 650. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 83 make operative in the Church. The Church, then, no less than each of her holy members, can make this thought of the apostle her own: “And I live, now not I; but Christ liveth in me.”107 58. The account which we have given you of the “mystic Head”108 would indeed remain incomplete if we were not at least briefly to touch on this thought of the same apostle: “Christ is the Head of the Church; he is the Savior of his body.”109 For in these words we have the last reason why the body of the Church is given the name of Christ, namely that Christ is the divine Savior of this body. The Samaritans were right in proclaiming him “Savior of the world”;110 indeed he is most certainly to be called the “Savior of all men,” even though we must add, with Paul: “especially of the faithful.”111 Before all others, that is, he has purchased with his blopd his members, who constitute the Church.112 But since we have already treated this subject clearly enough when treating of the Church’s birth on the cross, of Christ as the source of light and principle of sanctity, and of Christ as support of his Mystical Body, there is no reason why we should explain it further; but rather let us all, giving perpetual thanks to God, meditate on it with a humble and attentive mind. For what our Lord, hanging on the cross, began, he does not cease to continue always and uninter­ ruptedly amid the joys of heaven: “Our Head,” says St. Augustine, “intercedes for us: some members he is receiving, others he is chastizing, others cleansing, others consoling, others creating, others calling, others recalling, others correcting, others renewing.”113 But to us it has been granted to collaborate with Christ in this work of salvation, “from one and through one saved and saving.”114 59. And now, venerable brothers, we come to that part of our explanation in which we desire to make clear that the Body of Christ which is the Church, should be called mystical. This word, used by many early writers, has the sanction of numerous pontifical documents. There arc several reasons why it should be used; for by it we may distinguish the Body of the Church, which is a society whose Head and Ruler is Christ, from his physical body which, born of the Virgin Mother of God, now sits at the right hand of the Father and rests hidden under the eucharistie veil; as well as from any ordinary body in the natural order, whether physical or moral. This latter distinction is of great importance in view of modern errors. 60. In a natural body the principle of unity so unites the parts that each lacks its own individual subsistance; on the contrary in the Mys107 Gal 2:20. 108 See Ambrose, De Elia ct ieiim. 10, 36-37, et In Psalm. 118, serin. 20, 2: PL 14, 710, and 15, 1483. 109 £ph 5:23. 110 Jn 4:42. 111 See I Tim 4:10. 1,2 Acts 20:28. 113 Enarr. in Ps. 85:5; PL 37, 1085. 114 Clem. Alex., Strom., 7, 2; PG 9, 413. 84 THE NEW LITURGY deal Body that mutual union, though intrinsic, links the members by a bond which leaves to each intact his own personality. Besides, if we examine the relation existing between the several members and between the members and the head, in every physical, living body all the different members arc ultimately destined to the good of the whole alone; while every moral association of men, if we look to its ultimate usefulness, is in the end directed to the advancement of all and of every single member. For they arc persons. And so—to return to our theme—as the Son of the Eternal Father came down from heaven for the salvation of us all, he likewise established the Body of the Church and enriched it with the divine Spirit to assure immortal souls attempting to attain their happiness, according to the words of the apostle: “All things are yours; but you arc Christ’s and Christ is God’s.” 115 For the Church exists both for the good of the faithful and to give glory to God and Jesus Christ whom he sent. 61. But if we compare a mystical body to a moral body, here again we must notice that the difference between them is not slight, rather it is very considerable and very important. In the moral body, the principle of union is nothing more than the common end, and the common cooperation of all under authority for the attainment of that end; whereas in the Mystical Body, of which we are speaking, this collaboration is supplemented by a distinct internal principle, which exists effectively in the whole and in each of its parts, and whose excellence is such that of itself it is vastly superior to whatever bonds of union may be found in a physical or moral body. This is something, as we said above, not of the natural but of the supernatural order. Essentially it is something infinite, uncreated: the Spirit of God who, as the angelic doctor says, “numerically one and the same, fills and unifies the whole Church.”116 62. Hence, this word in its correct signification gives us to under­ stand that the Church, a perfect society of its kind, is not made up of merely moral and juridical elements and principles. It is far superior to all other human societies,117 it surpasses them as grace surpasses na­ ture, as things immortal are above all those that perish.118 Such human societies, and in the first place civil society, are by no means to be de­ spised or belittled. But the Church in its entirety is not found within this natural order, any more than the whole of man is encompassed within the organism of our mortal body.119 The juridical principles, on which also the Church rests and is established, derive from the divine constitution given to it by Christ, and contribute to the attaining of its supernatural end; but what lifts the society of Christians far, far 115 116 117 118 119 i Cor 3:23; Pius XI, Divini Redemptoris, AAS 1937, 80. De Veritate, q. 29, a. 4-6. See Leo XIII, Sapientiae Christianae, ASS 22, 392. See Leo XIII, Satis Cognitum, AAS 28, 724. See Ibid. 710 THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 85 above the whole natural order is the Spirit of our Redeemer, who until the end of time penetrates every part of the Church’s being and is active within it. He is the source of every grace and every gift and every miraculous power. Just as our composite mortal body, for all its being a marvelous work of the Creator, falls far short of the eminent dignity of our soul, so the social structure of the Christian community, though eloquent of its divine Architect’s wisdom, remains still some­ thing inferior, when compared to the spiritual gifts which give it beauty and life and to their divine source. 63. From what we have thus far written and explained, venerable brothers, it is clear, we think, how grievously they err who arbitrarily picture the Church as something hidden and invisible, as do they also who look upon it as a mere human institution with a certain disci­ plinary code and external ritual, but lacking power to communicate supernatural life.120 No; the Mystical Body of Christ is like Christ the Head and Exemplar of the Church, “who is not complete, if only his visible human nature is considered, or if only his divine, invisible nature . . . but he is one through the union of both and one in both ... 121 Thus the Word of God took unto himself a human nature liable to sufferings, so that he might consecrate in his blood the visible society founded by him and “lead man back to things invisible under a visible rule.”122 64. For this reason we deplore and condemn the pernicious error of those who conjure up from their fancies an imaginary Church, a kind of society that finds its origin and growth in charity, to which they somewhat contemptuously oppose another, which they call juridi­ cal. But this distinction, which they introduce, is baseless. For they fail to understand that the same reason that led our divine Redeemer to give to the community of men he founded the constitution of a society, perfect of its kind, containing all the juridical and social ele­ ments, namely that he might perpetuate on earth the saving work of redemption,123 was also the reason why he wished it to be enriched with the heavenly gifts of the consoling Spirit. The Eternal Father indeed wished it to be the “kingdom of the Son of his predilection”;124 but it was to be a real kingdom, in which all believers would make the obeisance of their intellect and will,125 and humbly and obediently model themselves on him, who for our sake “was made obedient unto death.”126 There can, then, be no real opposition or conflict between the invisible mission of the Holy Spirit and the juridical commission of ruler and teacher received from Christ. Like body and soul in us, 120 Sec Ibid. 710. 121 Sec Ibid. 710. 122 St. Thomas., De Veritate, q. 29, a. 4, ad 9. 123 Vatican Council, sess. IV, Const, dogm. de Eccl., prologue. 124 Col 1:13. 125 Vatican Council, scss. Ill, Const, de fide Cath., ch. 3. 126 Phil 2:8. 86 THE NEW LITURGY they complement and perfect each other, and have their source in our one Redeemer, who not only said, as he breathed on the apostles: “Receive ye the Holy Spirit,”127 but also clearly commanded: As the Father hath sent me, so I send you”;128 and again: “He who hcarcth you, hearcth me.”129 65. And if at times there appears in the Church something that points to the weakness of our human nature, put it down not to the juridical constitution, but rather to that regrettable inclination to evil found in everyone, which its divine Founder permits even at times in the most exalted members of his Mystical Body, for the purpose of testing the virtue of flocks and shepherds, and that all may increase the merit of their Christian faith. For, as we said above, Christ did not wish to exclude sinners from his Church; hence if some members of the Church are spiritually ill, that is no reason why we should lessen our love for the Church, but rather a reason why we should increase our devotion to her members. Oh, the loving Mother is spotless in the sacraments, by which she gives birth to her children and nourishes them; she is spotless in the faith, which she has preserved inviolate always, in her sacred laws imposed on all, in the evangelical counsels which she recommends, in those heavenly gifts and extraordinary graces through which, with inexhaustible fecundity,130 she generates hosts of martyrs, virgins and confessors. But it cannot be laid to her charge if some members fall weak or wounded. In their name she prays to God daily: “Forgive us our trespasses;” and with the brave heart of a mother turns at once to nurse them back to spiritual health. When, therefore, we call the body of Jesus Christ mystical we hear a solemn warning in the very significance of the word. It is a warning that echoes these words of St. Leo: “Recognize, O Christian, your dignity, and being made a sharer of the divine nature go not back to your former worthlessness along the way of unseemly conduct. Keep in mind of what Head and of what body you arc a member.”131 2 66. Here, venerable brothers, we wish to speak in a particular way of our union with Christ in the body of the Church. St. Augustine has justly remarked that this union is something sublime, mysterious and divine;132 but for that very reason it often happens that many misunderstand it and explain it incorrectly. It is at once evident that this union is very close. In sacred Scripture it is likened to the pure 127 Jn 20:22. 128 Jn 20:21. 129 Lk 10:16. 130 See Vatican Council, scss. Ill, Const, de fide Cath., ch. 3. 131 Serm. 21, 3: PL 5 , 192-193. 132 See St. August, Contra Faust. 21, 8: PL 42, 392. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 87 union of man and wife, and is compared with the vital union of branch and vine, and with the cohesion found in our body.133 Even more, it is represented as being so close that the apostle says: “He (Christ) is Head of the body of the Church,”134 and the unbroken tradition of the fathers from the earliest times teaches that the divine Redeemer and the society which is his body form but one mystical person, that is to say, to quote St. Augustine, the whole Christ.135 Our Savior himself, in his high-priestly prayer, has gone so far as to liken this union with that marvelous oneness by which the Son is in the Father and the Father in the Son.136 67. Our union in and with Christ is first evident from the fact that, since Christ wishes his Christian community to be a body which is a perfect society, its members must be united because they all work to­ gether toward a single end. The nobler this end, toward which they work together, and the diviner the motive which actuates this colla­ boration, the higher no doubt will be the form of union. Now the end in question is supremely exalted: the continuous sanctifying of the members of the body for the glory of God and of the Lamb that was slain.137 The motive is altogether divine: not only the will of the eternal Father and the earnest wish of our Savior, but the inte­ rior inspiration and impulse of the Holy Spirit in our minds and hearts. For if not even the smallest act conducive to salvation can be performed except in the Holy Spirit, how can unnumbered multitudes of every people and every race work together harmoniously for the supreme glory of the T riunc God, except in the power of him who proceeds from Father and Son in one eternal act of love? 68. Now since this social body of Christ has been designed by its Founder to be visible, this cooperation of all its members must also be externally manifest through their profession of the same faith, and their sharing the same sacred rites, through participation in the same sacrifice and practical observance of the same laws. Above all, every­ one must be able to sec the supreme Head, who gives effective direction to what all arc doing in a mutually helpful way toward attaining the desired end, that is, the vicar on earth of Jesus Christ. As the divine Redeemer sent a Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, who in his name138 should govern the Church in an invisible way, similarly he commis­ sioned Peter and his successors to be his personal representatives on earth and to assume the visible government of the Christian community. 69. These juridical bonds far surpass those of any other human society, however exalted; and yet another principle of union must 133 134 135 136 138 See Eph 5:22-23; Jn 15:1-5; Eph 4:16. Col 1:18. See Enarr. in Ps. 17, 51, and 15, 2, 1: PL 36, 154, and37, 1159. Jn 17:21-23. 137 Ap 5:12-13. Sec Jn 14:16, 26. 88 THE NEW LITURGY be added to them in those three virtues which link us so closely to each other and to God: Christian faith, hope and charity. 70. “One Lord, one faith,”139 writes the apostle: the faith, that is, by which we hold fast to God, and to him whom he has sent, Jesus Christ.140 The beloved apostle tells us how close this faith binds us to God: “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.”141 This Christian faith binds us no less closely with each other and with our divine Head. For all we who believe, “having the same spirit of faith,”142 are illumined by the same light of Christ, are nourished by the same food of Christ, live under the jurisdiction and teaching authority of Christ. If the same spirit of faith breathes in all, we all are living the same life “in the faith of the Son of God, who loved us and delivered himself for us.”143 And once Christ, our Head, through an ardent faith enters into us and dwells within our hearts,144 he becomes the “Author and finisher” of our faith.145 71. As by faith on this earth we hold fast to God as the Author of truth, so Christian hope leads us to long for him as the font of bles­ sedness, “looking for the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great Lord.”146 It is because of this united desire of the heavenly king­ dom, whence our refusal to accept a permanent home here, our seeking for one beyond147 and our yearning for the glory on high, that the apostle of the Gentiles did not hesitate to write: “One body and one Spirit, as you are called in one hope of your calling,”148 and to assert that Christ in us is our hope of glory.149 72. But if the bonds of faith and hope, which bind us to our Re­ deemer in his mystical body, are weighty and important, those of charity surely are no less so. Even in the natural order the love of friendship is something supremely noble. What then shall we say of that supernatural love, which God pours into our souls? “God is charity and who abides in charity, abides in God and God in him.”150 The effect of this charity—such would seem to be God’s law—is to force him to enter into our loving hearts to return love for love: "If anyone love me . . . my Father too will love him, and we shall come to him and make our abode within him.”151 Charity, then, more than any other virtue binds us closely to Christ. On fire with this flame from heaven how many children of the Church have rejoiced to suffer insults for him, and to face and overcome the hardest trials, though it cost their lives and the shedding of their blood. For that 139 Eph 4:5. 141 I Jn 4:15. 143 See Gal 2:20. 145 See Heb 12:2. 147 See Heb 13:14. 149 See Col 1:27. 151 Jn 14:28. 140 See Jn 17:3. 142 2 Cor 4:13. 144 See Eph 3:17. 146 Tit 2, 13. 148 Eph 4:4. 150 1 Jn 4:16. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 89 reason our divine Savior earnestly exhorts us in these words: “ Remain in my love.” And as charity, if it find no outward expression and effectiveness in good works, is something jejune and altogether empty, he added at once: “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; as I also have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”152 73. Corresponding to this love of God and of Christ there must be love of the neighbor. How can we claim to love the divine Re­ deemer if we hate those whom he has redeemed with his precious blood, so that he might make them members of his mystical body? For that reason the beloved disciple warns us: “If any man say: I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that lovcth not his brother whom he secth, how can he love God whom he sceth not? And this commandment we have from God, that he who lovcth God love also his brother.”153 Rather, one should say that the more we become “members one of another,”154 “mutually one for another,”155 the closer we shall be united with God, with Christ; as on the other hand the more ardent the love that binds us to God and our divine Head, the closer we shall be united to each other in the bonds of charity. 74. Now the only begotten Son of God embraced us in his infinite knowledge and undying love even before the world began. To give visible, and exquisitely beautiful expression to this love, he took unto himself in hypostatic union our nature: whence—as Maximus of Turin with a certain unaffected simplicity remarks—“in Christ our own flesh loves us.”156 75. But the knowledge and love of our divine Redeemer, of which we were the object from the first moment of his incarnation, are more than any human intellect or heart can hope to grasp. For hardly was he conceived in the womb of the Mother of God when he began to enjoy the vision of the blessed, and in that vision all the members of his mystical body were continually and unceasingly present and he embraced them with his redeeming love. O marvelous condescension of divine love for us ! O inestimable disposition of limitless charity ! In the crib, on the cross, in the unending glory of the Father, Christ has all the members of the Church present before him and united to him in a clearer and more loving way than a mother loves her little one clasped to her breast, than anyone knows and loves himself. 76. You will readily understand from all this, venerable brothers, why Paul the apostle so often writes that Christ is in us and we in Christ. In proof of which there is this other, more subtle reason. Christ is in us through his Spirit, whom he gives to us, and through whom he acts within us in such a way that all divine activity of the Holy 152 Jn 15:9-10. 154 Rom 12:5. «6 Serttt. XXIX: PL 56, 594- 153 i Jn 4:20-21. 155 i Cor 12:25. 90 THE NEW LITURGY Spirit within our souls must also be attributed to Christ.157 “If a man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his,'’ says the apostle, “but if Christ be in you . . . the spirit liveth because of justification.”158 77. This communication of the Spirit of Christ is the channel through which flows into all the members of the Church those gifts, powers and extraordinary graces found super-abundantly in the Head as in their source, and they arc perfected day by day in these members according to the office they may hold in the mystical body of Jesus Christ. Thus the Church becomes, as it were, the filling out and complement of the Redeemer, while Christ in a sense attains through t ic Church a fullness in all things.159 Here we touch the reason why to the mind of Augustine the mystical Head, which is Christ, and the Church, which on this earth as another Christ bears his person, constitute one, new man, in whom heaven and earth arc yoked together in perpetuating the cross’s work of salvation: by Christ we mean the Head and the body, the whole Christ. 78. We are well aware that many a veil shrouds this profound truth of our union with the divine Redeemer and in particular of the Holy Spirit’s dwelling within our souls, and impedes our power to under­ stand and explain it. This mystery is enveloped in a darkness, rising out of the mental limitations of those who seek to grasp it. But we know, too, that well directed and earnest study of this doctrine and the clash of diverse opinions and their discussion, provided love of truth and due submission to the Church be the arbiter, will open rich and bright vistas, whose light will help to progress in kindred sacred sciences. Hence we do not censure those who in various ways and with diverse reasonings strain every effort to understand and to clarify the mystery of this our mar­ velous union with Christ. But let all agree uncompromisingly on this, if they would not err from truth and from the orthodox teaching of the Church: to reject every kind of mystic union, by which the faithful would in any way pass beyond the sphere of creatures and rashly enter the divine, even to the extent of one single attribute of the eternal Godhead being predicated of them as their own. And besides, let all hold this as certain truth, that all these activities are common to the Most Blessed Trinity, insofar as they have God as supreme efficient cause. 79. Let it be observed also that one is treating here of a hidden mystery, which in this earthly exile can never be fully disclosed and grasped, and expressed in human language. The divine Persons are said to be indwelling inasmuch as they arc present to intellectual crea­ tures in a way that lies beyond human comprehension, and arc known 157 See St. Thomas., Conini. in Ep. and Eph. ch. 2 lect. 5. 158 Rom 8:9-10. 159 See St. Thomas., Conitn. in Ep. and Eph. ch. 1, lect. 8. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 91 and loved by them160 in a purely supernatural manner alone within the deepest sanctuary of the soul. If we would approach at least a little toward perceiving this truth, let us not neglect the method re­ commended by the Vatican Council161 in similar eases. Seeking light so as to discern at least partially the hidden things of God, the council finds it in comparing these mysteries one with the other and with the last end toward which they point. 80. It seems to us that something would be lacking to what we have thus far proposed concerning this close union of the mystical body of Jesus Christ with its Head, if we did not add here a few words on the holy Eucharist, wherein this union during this mortal life reaches as it were, a climax. 81. Through the eucharistie sacrifice Christ our Lord wishes to give special evidence to the faithful of our union among ourselves and with our divine Head, marvelous as it is and beyond all praise. For here the sacred ministers act in the person not only of our Savior but of the whole Mystical Body and of everyone of the faithful. In this act of sacrifice, through the hands of the priest, whose word alone has brought the immaculate Lamb to be present on the altar, the faith­ ful themselves with one desire and one praver offer it to the eternal Father—the most acceptable Victim of praise and propitiation for the Church’s universal needs.162 And just as the divine Redeemer, dying on the cross, offered himself as Head of the whole human race to the eternal Father, so “in this pure oblation”163 he offers not only him­ self as Head of the Church to the heavenly Father, but in himself his mystical members as well. He embraces them all, even the weak and ailing ones, in the tenderest love of his Heart. 82. The sacrament of the Eucharist is itself a striking image of the Church’s unity, if we consider how in the bread to be consecrated many grains go to form one substance;164 and in it the very Author of supernatural grace is given to us, so that through him we may re­ ceive the Spirit of charity, in which we arc bidden to live now not our life but the life of Christ, and in all the members of his social body to love the Redeemer himself. 83. If in the sad and anxious days through which we are passing there arc many who cling so firmly to Christ the Lord hidden beneath the eucharistie veils that neither tribulation nor distress nor famine nor nakedness nor danger nor persecution nor the sword can separate them from his love,165 then undoubtedly holy communion, which once again in God’s providence is much more frequented even from 160 161 162 163 165 See St. Thomas. I, q. 43, a. 3. Sess. 3, Const, de fid. Cath. ch. 4. See Divinum Illud: ASS 29, 653. Mal. 1:11. See Rom 8:35. 164 See Didache 9:4. ■ THE NEW LITURGY I [ days of early childhood, may become a source of the courage that makes /heroes out of Christians. 3 84. If the faithful, venerable brothers, in a spirit of sincere piety understand what has been written here and hold to it, it will be easier for them to escape the errors which arise from an irresponsible investi­ gation of this difficult matter, such as some have made, and which are noised abroad not without seriously endangering Catholic faith and disturbing the peace of souls. For some there are who neglect the fact that the apostle Paul has used metaphorical language in speaking of this doctrine, and, failing to distinguish the physical from the social body of Christ as they should, out of their fancy draw some deformed kind of unity. They want the divine Redemer and the members of the Church to coalesce into one physical person and, while they bestow divine attributes on man, they make Christ our Lord subject to error and to human inclination to evil. Catholic faith and the writings of the holy fathers reject such false teaching as impious and sacrilegious; to the mind of the apostle of the Gentiles it is equally abhorrent. He brings Christ and his mystical body into a marvelously intimate union, it is true, but he distinguishes one from the other as Bridegroom and bride.166 85. Just as false and dangerous is the error of those who try to de­ duce from the mysterious union of all with Christ a certain unhealthy quietism. They would attribute the whole spiritual life of Christians and their progress in virtue exclusively to the action of the divine Spirit, setting aside and neglecting the corresponding work and colla­ boration which we must contribute to this action. No one of course can deny that the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ is the one source of what­ ever supernatural power enters into the Church and its members. For “the Lord will give grace and glory,” as the psalmist says.167 But that men should continue consistently in their good works, that they ad­ vance generously in grace and virtue, that they strive earnestly to reach the heights of Christian perfection and at the same time do their best to stimulate others to gain the same goal,—all this the Spirit from above does not wish to bring about, unless men contribute their daily share of zealous activity. “For not on those who sleep but on the diligent,” says St. Ambrose, “divine favors arc conferred. 168 In our mortal body the members arc strengthened and grow through continued exercise; much more so is this true in the social body of Jesus Christ, in which each member retains his own personal freedom, responsibility and principles of conduct. For that reason he who sai ■ 166 See Eph 5:22-23. 167 168 Expos. Evang. sec. Luc. IV, 49: PL 15, 1626. 83·12· THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 93 I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me,”169 did not at the same time hesitate to aver: “His [God’s] grace in me has not been void, but I have labored more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”170 It is perfectly clear, therefore, that these false doctrines distort the mystery which we arc considering and make it contribute not to the spiritual advancement of the faithful but to their tragic ruin. 86. The same result would follow the opinions of those who assert that little importance should be given to the frequent confession of venial sins. Of far greater importance, they say, is that general con­ fession which the spouse of Christ surrounded by her children in the Lord makes each day by the mouth of the priest as he approaches the altar. It is true indeed, venerable brothers, that venial sins may be expiated in many ways which are to be highly commended. But to hasten daily progress along the path of virtue we wish the pious prac­ tice of frequent confession to be earnesly advocated. Not without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was this practice introduced into the Church. By it genuine self-knowledge is increased, Christian humility is developed, bad habits are corrected, spiritual neglect and tepidity are countered, the conscience is purified, the will is strengthened, salutary self-control is obtained, and an increase of grace is secured by the very fact that the sacrament is received. Let those, therefore, among the younger clergy who make light of or weaken esteem for frequent confession realize that what they are doing is foreign to the Spirit of Christ, and disastrous for the mystical body of our Savior. 87. There are others who deny any impetratory power to our prayers, and would spread abroad the idea that prayers offered to God in private should not be considered worth very much. Public prayers, they say, prayers that are made in the name of the Church, are those which really count, as they come from the mystical body of Jesus Christ. Such an opinion is false; for the divine Redeemer maintains closest union not only with his Church, which is his beloved spouse, but also with each and every faithful soul in it, and he longs to speak with them heart to heart, especially after holy Conununion. It is true that public prayers, prayers, that is, that are offered by Mother Church, because of the dignity of the spouse of Christ, excel any other kind of prayer; but no prayer, even the most private, lacks its own dignity and power, and all prayer is immensely helpful to the mystical body. In that body, thanks to the conununion of saints, no good can be done, no virtue practiced by individual members without its con­ tributing something also to the salvation of all. Similarly, just because a man is a member of this body, he is not forbidden to ask for himself particular favors even for this life, provided he is always resigned to the divine will. The members do not lose their own personality, and 169 Gal 2:20. 170 I Cor 15:10. 94 THE NEW LITURGY remain subject to their own individual needs.171 Moreover, the com­ mon practice of the saints as well as ecclesiastical documents demon­ strates how highly everyone should esteem mental prayer. 88. Finally some would have it that our prayers should not be directed to the person of Jesus Christ, but rather to God, or to the eternal Father through Christ, since our Savior, as Head of his mystical body, is only “mediator of God and men.”172 But that, too, not only is opposed to the mind of the Church and to Christian usage, but is false. For to speak exactly, Christ is Head of the universal Church, as he exists at once in both his natures.173 Moreover, he himself has solemnly stated: “If you shall ask me anything in my name, that I will do.”174 Though it is true especially in the eucharistie sacrifice— in which Christ, at once priest and victim, exercises in an extraordinary way the office of conciliator—that prayers are very often directed to the eternal Father through the only-begotten Son, nevertheless it oc­ curs not seldom even in this sacrifice that prayers to the divine Re­ deemer also arc used. For, after all, every Christian must know full well that the man Christ Jesus is also the Son of God and God him­ self. And so when the Church militant is offering its adoration and prayers to the unspotted Lamb and the sacred Victim, her voice comes to us as an echo of the triumphant Church’s singing without end: “To him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb, benediction and honor and glory and power for ever and ever.”175 89. Venerable brothers, in explaining this mystery that surrounds the hidden union of us all with Christ, we have thus far as teacher of the universal Church illumined the mind with the light of truth. Our pastoral office now demands that we add a stimulus for the heart to love this mystical body with a burning love that will enkindle not only thoughts and words but also deeds. Followers of the old law sang of their earthly homeland: “If I shall forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten; let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee, if I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy.”176 How much greater then is the sense of glory and exultant joy that should fill our hearts, who dwell in a City built on the holy mountain of living and chosen stones, “Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.”177 For nothing more glorious, nothing nobler, nothing surely more ennobling can be imagined than to belong to the holy, catholic, apostolic and Roman Church. In that Church we become members of one body that deserves all veneration, arc guided by one supremely eminent Head; in it we arc filled with one divine 171 172 173 174 176 See St. Thos., II—II, q. 83, a. 5 ct 6. i Tim 2:5. Sec St. Thos., De Veritate, q. 29, a. 4, c. Jn 14:14. 175 Ap 5:13· Ps 136; 5-6. 177 Eph 2:20; i Pt 2:4-5· THF. MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST 95 Spirit, in it wc arc nourished during our earthly exile with one doc­ trine and one bread of angels, until at last wc enter into the one, un­ ending blessedness of heaven. 90. But one may be deceived by the angel of darkness who assumes the appearance of an angel of light.178 Lest this happen, let this be the supreme law of our love: to love the spouse of Christ as Christ wished her to be loved and as he purchased her with his blood. Hence not only should wc cherish the sacraments with which holy Mother Church sustains our life, the solemn ceremonies she offers for our solace and our joy, the sacred chant and liturgy by which she lifts our souls up to heaven, but the sacramcntals too and all those exercises of piety which she uses to console the hearts of the faithful and gently to imbue them with the Spirit of Christ. It behooves us as sons to recompense her for her motherly goodness to us; but it is also our duty to respect the authority which she has received from Christ, and with which she brings unto captivity our understanding unto the obedience of Christ.179 Thus wc arc commanded to obey her laws and her moral precepts, often hard enough for our fallen nature; through self imposed mortification to bling this rebellious body to submission; at times wc are warned to abstain even from harmless pleasures. Nor is it enough to love this mystical body for the glory of its divine Head and its ce­ lestial dowry. Our zealous love must follow it even as it appears in this mortal flesh of ours, made up, that is, of weak, human elements, although at times they are little fitted to the place of dignity which they occupy in this venerable body. 91. That such a love, solidly grounded and undivided, may abide and increase in our souls, wc must accustom our lives to see Christ, in the Church. It is Christ who lives in the Church, who teaches governs and sanctifies through her. It is Christ, too, who manifests himself differently in different members of his society. Once the faithful try to live in this spirit of conscious faith, they will not only pay due honor and reverence to the superior members of this mystical body, especially those who according to Christ’s mandate will have to render an account of our souls,180 but they will take to their hearts those mem­ bers who arc the object of our Savior’s special love: the weak, we mean, the wounded and the sick, who are in need of natural or super­ natural assistance; children whose innocence is so easily exposed to danger these days and whose little hearts are as wax to be molded; and finally the poor, in helping whom we touch, as it were, through his supreme mercy, the very person of Jesus Christ. 92. For as the apostle with good reason admonishes us: “Much more those that seem the more feeble members of the body arc more necessary, and those that we think the less honorable members of the body, we surround with more abundant honor.”181 Conscious of 178 Sec 2 Cor 11:14. 180 See Heb 13:17. 179 Sec 2 Cor I0;5> 181 j cor 12:22-23. THE NEW LITURGY the obligations of our high office, we deem it necessary to reiterate this grave statement today, when to our profound grief we see the bodilydeformed, the insane and those suffering from hereditary disease at times deprived of their lives, as though they were a useless burden to society. And this procedure is hailed by some as a new discovery of human progress, and as something that is altogether justified by the common good. Yet what sane man does not recognize that this not only violates the natural and divine law182 written in the heart of every man, but flies in the face of every sensibility of civilized hu­ manity? The blood of these victims, all the dearer to our Redeemer because deserving of greater pity, “cries to God from the earth.”183 93. If we would forestall the gradual weakening of that sincere love which makes us sec our Savior in the Church and its members, then we should look to Jesus himself as the perfect model of love for the Church. 94. And first of all let us imitate the breadth of his love. One only is the spouse of Christ, the Church; but the love of the divine spouse is so vast that it embraces in his spouse the whole human race without exception. Men may be separated by nationality and race, but our Savior poured out his blood to reconcile all men to God through the cross, and to bid them all unite in one body. Genuine love of the Church, therefore, is not satisfied with our being within this body members one of another, mutually careful one for another,184 rejoicing with him who glories, suffering with him who suffers;185 we must also recognize as brothers of Christ, according to the flesh, destined together with us to eternal salvation those others who have not yet joined us in the body of the Church. There are some unfortunately, today especially, who proudly boast of enmity, of hate and spite as some­ thing that elevates and honors the dignity of man and his power. Let us, however, follow on after our King of peace, the while we gaze with sorrow on the pernicious consequences of that teaching. He has taught us not only to have love for those of a different nation and a different race,186 but to love even our enemies.187 While our heart overflows with the sweetness of the apostle’s teaching we chant with him the length, the width, the height, the depth of the charity of Christ,188 which neither diversity of race or culture, nor the wasteless tracts of ocean, nor wars, be their cause just or unjust, can ever weaken or destroy. 95. In this gravest of hours, venerable brothers, when bodies are wracked with pain and souls with grief, every man must rise to this supernatural charity, so that by the combined efforts of all good men— 182 183 185 187 188 See Decree of Holy Office, December 2, 1940: /MS 1940, 553. See Gn 4:10. 184 Sec Rom 12:5; 1 Cor 12:2$. Sec I Cor 12:26. «6 Sce Lk IO:33-37. See Lk 6:27-35; Mt 5:44-48. Sce Eph 3:18. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST ‘ 97 wc have in mind especially those who arc active in any kind of relief organization—the gigantic needs of mankind, spiritual and corporal, may be alleviated. Let pity and mercy try to outdo themselves. Thus the devoted generosity, the inexhaustible resourcefulness of the mys­ tical body of Jesus Christ are seen in the beauty of their perfection in every quarter of the world. 96. The vastness of Christ s love for the Church is equalled by its constant activity. With the same charity let us show our devoted, active love for Christ’s mystical body. Now from the moment of his incarnation, when he laid the first foundations of the Church, down to his last mortal breath, our Redeemer never ceased for an instant, though he was the Son of God, to labor unto weariness for the establishing and strengthening of the Church, whether in giving us the bright example of his holiness, or preaching, or conversing, or gathering and instructing disciples. And so we desire that all who claim the Church as their mother should seriously consider that not only the sacred ministers and those who have consecrated themselves to God in religious life, but the other members as well of the mystical body of Jesus Christ, have the obligation of working hard and con­ stantly for the upbuilding and increase of this body. We wish this to be remembered especially by members of Catholic Action who assist the bishops and priests in their apostolic labors—and to their praise be it said they do remember—and also by those associates of pious unions who contribute their work to the same end. Everyone is witness to the high seriousness and extraordinary importance of their energetic zeal, especially in present circumstances. 97. In this connection we cannot pass over in silence the fathers and mothers of families, to whom our Savior has entrusted the most delicate members of his mystical body. Wc plead with them for the love of Christ and the Church to give the greatest possible care to the children confided to them, and to look to protecting them from the multiplicity of snares into which they can fall so easily today. 98. Our Redeemer showed his burning love for the Church par­ ticularly by praying for her to the heavenly Father. To recall but a few instances: everyone knows, venerable brothers, that just before the crucifixion he prayed repeatedly for Peter,189 for the other apostles,190 for all who through the preaching of the divine gospel would believe in him.191 Imitating this example of Christ let us pray each day to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest.192 Let our united prayer rise daily to heaven for all the members of the mystical body of Jesus Christ, first for the bishops, who are responsible in a particular way for their respective dioceses, then for the priests and religious men and women, who have been called to the service of God and who are protecting, increasing, advancing the kingdom of 189 See Lk 22:32. 191 Sec Jn 17:20-23. 190 See Jn 17:9-19. 192 See Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2. 98 THE NEW LITURGY the divine Redeemer at home and in the foreign missions. Let no member of this revered body be forgotten in this common prayer; let there be a special memento for those who arc burdened with the sorrows and afflictions of this earthly habitation and for the departed souls in purgatory. They, too, will be included who arc being in­ structed in Christian doctrine, so that they may be able to receive baptism without delay. 99. And oh how earnestly we desire that the immense charity of these common prayers embrace those also who not yet perceiving the light of the gospel’s truth arc still without the Church’s safe foie, or for the regrettable conflict of faith and unity arc separated from us, who though unworthy bears the person of Jesus Christ on earth. Let us then re-echo that divine prayer of our Savior to the heavenly Father: “That they all may be one, as thou Father in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou has Ï »1CH sent me. 100. As you know, venerable brothers, from the very beginnig of our pontificate we have committed to the protection and guidance of heaven those who do not belong to the visible organization of the Catholic Church, solemnly declaring that after the example of the Good Shepherd we desire nothing more ardently than that they may have life and have it more abundantly.193 194 Calling on the prayers of the whole Church we wish to repeat this solemn declaration in this encyclical letter in which we have retold the praises of the “great and glorious Body of Christ.”195 From a heart overflowing with love we ask each and everyone of them to be quick and ready to follow the interior movements of grace, and to look to withdrawing from that state in which they cannot be sure of their salvation.196 For even though unsuspectingly they arc related to the mystical body of the Redeemer in desire and resolution, they still remain deprived of so many precious gifts and helps from heaven, which one can only enjoy in the Catholic Church. May they then enter into Catholic unity, and united with us in the organic oneness of the body of Jesus Christ may they hasten to the one Head in the society of glorious love.197 With persevering prayer to the Spirit of love and truth we wait for them with open arms to return not to a stranger’s house, but to their own, their Father’s house. 101. While we want this unceasing prayer to rise to God from the whole mystical body in common, that all the straying sheep may hasten to enter the one fold of Jesus Christ, yet we recognize that this step 193 194 195 196 7,io. 197 Jn 17:21. See Summi Pontifeatus: AAS 1939, 419. Iren., Adv. Haer., 4, 33, 7: PG 7, 1076. See Pius IX, lam Vos Omnes, September 13, 1868: Act. Cone. Vat., C.L. See Gelas. I, Epist. XIV; PL 59, 89. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST ,· 99 must come of their own free will; for no one believes unless he wills to believe.198 Hence they arc most certainly not genuine Christians199 who against their belief are forced to go into a church, to approach the altar and to receive the sacraments. The “faith without which it is impossible to please God’’200 is a wholly free “submission of in­ tellect and will.”201 Therefore, whenever it happens, despite the invariable teaching of this Apostolic See,202 that anyone against his will is compelled to embrace the Catholic faith, our sense of duty demands that we condemn the act. Men must be effectively drawn to the truth by the Father of light through the Spirit of his beloved Son, because endowed as they arc with a free will they can misuse their freedom under the impulse of mental doubts and base desires. Unfortunately, many arc still walking far from the Catholic truth not willing to follow the suggestion of divine grace; and the reason is that not only they203 but the faithful, too, fail to intensify their prayers to God for this intention. Again and again we beg all who really love the Church, after the example of the divine Redeemer, to have constant recourse to that prayer. 102. And it is something more than commendable, in the present crisis above all, it is imperative that fervent prayers rise to God for kings and princes and for all those who govern nations and are thus in a position by their protecting power to help the Church, so that, the conflict ended, wearied man may see “peace, the work ofjustice,”204 emerge under the gentle breeze of divine charity from out these dread, tempestuous seas, and that Holy Mother Church, “may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all piety and chastity.”205 We must plead with God to grant that the rulers of peoples may love wisdom,206 so that this severe judgment of the Holy Spirit may never fall on them: “Be­ cause being ministers of his kingdom you have not judged rightly nor kept the law of justice, nor walked according to the will of God; horribly and speedily will he appear to you; for most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule. For to him that is little, mercy is granted, but the mighty shall be mightily tormented. For God will not except any man’s person, neither will he stand in awe of any man’s greatness; for he made the little and the great, and he hath equally care of all. But a greater punishment is ready for the more mighty. To you, therefore, O kings, are these my words, that you may learn wisdom and not fall from it.”207 198 199 201 202 203 205 207 Sec August., In Ioann. Ev. tract. XXl7!, 2: PL 30, 1607. Sec August., Ibid. 200 Heb. 11:6. Vat. Council, Const, de fide Cath., ch. 3. SecLcoXIII, Immortale Dei: ASS 18, 174-175; Cod. lur. Can., canon 1351. See August., Ibid. 204 Is 32:17. Sec I Tim. 2:2. 206 See Wis 6:23. Ibid. 6:4-10. 100 THE NEW LITURGY 103. Christ proved his love for his spotless bride not only by his tireless labors and constant prayers, but by his sorrows and his sufferings, gladly, lovingly endured for her sake. “Having loved his own ... he loved them unto the end.”208 It was only with his blood that he purchased the Church.209 Let us then not be unwilling to follow in the blood-stained footsteps of our King. The security of our salvation demands it: “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection,”210 and “if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.”211 Our zealous love for the Church demands it, and our brotherly love for the souls she brings forth to Christ. For although our Savior’s cruel passion and death merited for his Church an infinite treasure of graces, God’s inscrutable providence has decreed that these abundant graces should not be granted us all at once; and the amount of grace to be given depends in no small part also on our good deeds. They draw to the souls of men this ready flow of heavenly gifts granted by God. These heavenly gifts will surely flow more abundantly if we not only pray fervently to God, especially by participating devoutly every day if possible in the eucharistie sacrifice, if we not only try to relieve the distress of the needy by works of Christian charity, but if we also set our hearts on eternal treasures rather than the passing things of this world, restrain this mortal body by voluntary mortification, denying it what is forbidden, forcing it to do what is hard and distaste­ ful, and finally, humbly accept as from God’s hands the burdens and sorrows of this present life. Thus, according to the apostle, “we shall fill up those things that arc wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in our flesh, for his body, which is the Church.”212 104. As we write these words, there passes before our eyes, alas, an almost endless throng of unfortunates for whom we mourn and weep; sick, poor, mutilated, widows, orphans, and many not infre­ quently languishing even unto death for their own bitter afflictions or those of their dear ones. From a father’s heart we appeal to all who from whatever cause are plunged into grief to lift their sorrows to him who will one day reward them abundantly. Let them all remember that their sufferings are not in vain, but will be to their great gain and that of the Church, if for this purpose they but take courage and bear them with patience. To make this intention more efficacious the daily use of the offering made by the members of the Apostleship of Prayer will contribute very, very much; and we welcome this oc­ casion to recommend that association highly, as one which is most pleasing to God. 105. There never was a time, venerable brothers, when the salva­ tion of souls did not impose on all the duty of associating their sufferings 208 Jn 13:1. 210 Rom 6:5. 212 Sec Col 1:24. 209 Sec Acts 20:28. 211 2 Tim 2:11. THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST IOI with the torments of our divine Redeemer. But today that duty is clearer than ever, today when a gigantic conflict has set almost the whole world on fire, and leaves in its wake so much death, so much misery, so much sorrow. Today imposes with particular stress on everyone the duty to flee the vices and blandishments of the world, and to renounce the unrestrained pleasures of the body and that worldly frivolity and vanity which contribute nothing to the Christian forma­ tion of the soul, nothing toward gaining heaven. Rather, let those words of our immortal predecessor, Leo the Great, be deeply engraved in our minds, that baptism has made us flesh of the Crucified One;213 and that beautiful prayer of St. Ambrose: “Carry me, Christ, on the cross, which is salvation to the wanderers, sole rest for the wearied, wherein alone is life for those who die.”214 106. Before concluding, venerable brothers, we cannot but plead with all to love holy Mother Church with a devoted and active love. Let us pray every day to the eternal Father for her safety and for her happy and large increase. For this intention let us offer to him our worKS and our sufferings, if the salvation of the whole human family, bought by divine blood, is really dear to our hearts. And while the skies are heavy with storm clouds and untold dangers menace all hu­ man society and the Church herself, let us commit ourselves and all that we have to the Father of mercies with the prayer: “Look down, we beseech thee, Lord, on this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ did not hesitate to be betrayed into the hands of evil men and to undergo the torture of the cross.”215 107. Venerable brothers, may the Virgin Mother of God grant the prayers of our paternal heart—and they are yours too—and obtain for all a true love of the Church. Her sinless soul was filled with the divine Spirit of Jesus Christ more than all other created souls; and “in the name of the whole human race,” she gave her consent for a “spiritual marriage between the Son of God and human nature.”216 Within her virginal womb Christ our Lord already bore the exalted title of Head of the Church; in a marvelous birth she brought him forth as source of all supernatural life, and presented him, new-born, as Prophet, King and Priest to those who were the first come of Jews and Gentiles to adore him. Her only Son, yielding to a mother’s prayer in “Cana of Galilee,” performed the miracle by which “his disciplies believed in him.”217 Free from all sin, original and personal, always most intimately united with her Son, as another Eve she offered him on Golgotha to the eternal Father for all the children of Adam sinstained by his fall, and her mother’s rights and mother’s love were 213 See Serin. LXIII, 6: LXVI, 3: PL 54, 357 and 366. 214 In Ps. 118, XXII, 30: PL 15, 1521. 215 Office for Holy Week. 2,6 St. Thomas, III, q. 30, a. 1, c. 217 Jn 2:11. 102 THE NEW LITURGY included in the holocaust. Thus she who corporally was the mother of our Head, through the added title of pain and glory became spirit­ ually the mother of all his members. She it was who through her powerful prayers obtained the grace that the Spirit of our divine Re­ deemer, already given to the Church on the cross, should be bestowed through miraculous gifts on the newly founded hierarchy on Pentecost. Bearing with courage and confidence the tremendous burden of her sorrows and desolation, truly the Queen of Martyrs, she more than all the faithful “filled up these things that are wanting of the suffering of Christ... for his Body, which is the Church”;218 and she continued to show for the mystical body of Christ, born from the pierced Heart of the Savior,219 the same mother’s care and ardent love with which she clasped the infant Jesus to her warm and nourishing breast. 108. May she, then, most holy mother of all Christ’s members,220 to whose immaculate Heart wc have trustingly consecrated all men, her body and soul refulgent with the glory of heaven where she reigns with her Son—may she never cease to beg from him that a continuous, copious flow of graces may pass from its glorious Head into all the members of the mystical body. May she throw about the Church today, as in times gone by, the mantle of her protection and obtain from God that now at last the Church and all mankind may enjoy more peaceful days. 109. With full confidence in this hope, from an overflowing heart we impart to you all, venerable brothers, and to the flocks confided to your care, as a promise of heavenly graces and a token of our special affection, the apostolic benediction. Given at Rome, at St. Peter’s, June 29, the feast of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, 1943, the fifth year of our pontificate. Pius XII, Pope THE PROMOTION OF BIBLICAL STUDIES Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XII September 30, 1943 {Divino afflante Spiritu, A AS 35, 1943, 297-325) 24. The commentators of the sacred letters, mindful of the fact that here there is question of a divinely inspired text, the care and inter­ pretation of which have been confided to the Church by God himself, should no less diligently take into account the explanations and de­ 218 Col 1:24. 219 See Vesper hymn of Office oj the Sacred Heart. 220 See Pius X, Ad Diem Ilium: ASS 36, 453. THE PROMOTION OF BIBLICAL STUDIES 103 clarations of the teaching authority of the Church, as likewise the interpretation given by the holy fathers, and even “the analogy of faith,” as Leo XIII most wisely observed in the encyclical letter Providentissinius DchsP With special zeal should they apply themselves, not only to expounding exclusively these matters which belong to the historical, archeological, philological and other auxiliary sciences— as, to our regret, is done in certain commentaries—but, having duly referred to t hese, insofar as they may aid the exegesis, they should set forth in particular the theological doctrine on faith and morals of the individual books or texts so that their exposition may not only aid the professors of theology in their explanations and proofs of the dogmas of faith, but may also be of assistance to priests in their pre­ sentation of Christian doctrine to the people, and, in fine, may help all the faithful to lead a life that is holy and worthy of a Christian. 25. By making such an exposition, which is, as wc have said, above all theological, they will efficaciously reduce to silence those who, affirming that they scarcely ever finding anything in biblical commen­ taries to raise their hearts to God, to nourish their souls or promote their interior life, repeatedly urge that we should have recourse to a certain spiritual and, as they say, mystical interpretation. With what little reason they thus speak is shown by the experience of many who, assiduously considering and meditating the word of God, advanced in perfection and were moved to an intense love for God; and this same truth is clearly proved by the constant tradition of the Church and the precepts of the greatest doctors. Doubtless all spiritual sense is not excluded from the sacred Scripture. 26. For what was said and done in the Old Testament was ordained and disposed by God with such consummate wisdom that things past prefigured in a spiritual way those that were to come under the new dispensation of grace. Wherefore the exegete, just as he must search out and expound the literal meaning of the words intended and ex­ pressed by the sacred writer, so also must he do likewise for the spiritual sense, provided it is clearly intended by God. For God alone could have known this spiritual meaning and have revealed it to us. Now our divine Savior himself points out to us and teaches us this same sense in the holy Gospel; the apostles also, following the example of the Master, profess it in their spoken and written words; the un­ changing tradition of the Church approves it; finally the most an­ cient usage of the liturgy proclaims it, wherever may be rightly applied the well-known principle: “The rule of prayer is the rule of faith. ’ 27. Let Catholic exegetes, then, disclose and expound this spiritual significance, intended and ordained by God, with that care which the dignity of the divine word demands; but let them scrupulously refrain from proposing as the genuine meaning of sacred Scripture other figurative senses. It may indeed be useful, especially in preaching, 1 Leo XIII, AAS 13, 345-346; Ench. Bibl. nos. 94-96. 104 THE NEW LITURGY to illustrate and present the matters of faith and morals by a broader use of the sacred text in the figurative sense, provided this be done with moderation and restraint; it should, however, never be forgotten that this use of the sacred Scripture is, as it were, extrinsic to it and accidental, and that, especially in these days, it is not free from danger, since the faithful, in particular those who arc well-informed in the sciences sacred and profane, wish to know what God has told us in the sacred letters rather than what an ingenious orator or writer may suggest by a clever use of the words of Scripture. Nor docs “the word of God, living and effectual and more piercing than any two-edged sword and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,”2 need artificial devices and human adaptation to move and impress souls; for the sacred pages, written under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, are of themselves rich in original meaning; endowed with a divine power, they have their own value adorned with heavenly beauty, they radiate of themselves light and splendor, provided they arc so fully and accurately explained by the interpreter, that all the treasures of wisdom and prudence, therein contained, arc brought to light. THE USE OF THE NEW LATIN VERSION OF THE PSALMS IN THE DIVINE OFFICE Motu proprio of Pope Pius XII March 24, 1945 (In cotidianis precibus, AAS 37, 1945, 65-67) Among the daily prayers by which priests do honor to the majesty and goodness of the Most High God and take care of their own ne­ cessities, as well as those of the whole Church and the entire world, surely a special place belongs to those exalted poems which the holy prophet David and other sacred writers composed under divine in­ spiration, and which the Church following the example of the divine Redeemer and his apostles, has constantly used in divine services from the earliest times. The Latin Church received these psalms from the faithful of the Greek tongue; that is, they were translated from Greek into Latin almost word for word, and in the course of time were in­ dustriously corrected and revised again and again, especially by St. Jerome, the greatest of the doctors in explaining the sacred Scriptures. But those acknowledged mistakes of the Greek version itself, by which 2 Heb 4:12. THE USE OF THE NEW LATIN VERSION OF THE PSALMS 105 the sense and force of the primitive text arc considerably obscured, have not been so completely removed by these corrections that the sacred psalms can be easily understood by every one and in all their parts; it is well known that St. Jerome himself did not consider it enough to have given to those of his own tongue that ancient Latin “transla­ tion most carefully revised,” but that, at the cost of even greater effort, he made a translation of the psalms into Latin from the very “truth of the Hebrew.”1 This new translation by the holy doctor did not come into use in the Church; but gradually that revised edition of the old Latin translation, which is called the Gallican Psalter, gained such currency that our predecessor St. Pius V deemed it proper to adopt it for the Roman breviary and thus prescribe it for almost uni­ versal use. The obscurities and mistakes of this Latin version, by no means corrected by St. Jerome—since his sole purpose was to revise the Latin text according to the more correct Greek codices—have in recent times become more and more conspicuous for a number of reasons: in the first place the knowledge of the ancient languages, especially of Hebrew, has made great progress; also the art of translating has been perfected; finally the rules of meter and rhythm in the Oriental languages have been more profoundly studied, and the laws of the so-called “textual criticisin ' are better understood. Moreover, the many translations of the psalms from the primitive texts into modem languages, which have been made in various countries with the ap­ proval of the Church, have shown more and more clearly how won­ derfully those poems, as they were in their native diction, excelled in crystal clearness, poetic beauty and breadth of doctrine. It is no wonder then that not a few priests, who wish to recite the prayers of the canonical hours not only with the greatest devotion but also with a fuller understanding of their meaning, have felt the need of having for their daily reading of the psalms, a Latin transla­ tion which would more clearly reveal the sense intended by the Holy Spirit who inspired them, which would express more perfectly the devout affections of the psalmist, and would more clearly manifest the beauty of the language and the meaning of the words. This same desire and wish has not only been expressed repeatedly in books written by learned and approved authors and in the commentaries which are issued from time to time, but has also been signified to us by not a few sacred ministers and bishops, and even by some cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. We, for our part, in view of our profound reverence for the sacred Scriptures, judge that every effort should be made to the end that the sense of the sacred Scriptures, as given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and expressed by the pen of the sacred writer, may be ever more fully opened to the faithful, as we 1 St. Jerome, Praefatio in Librum Psalmorum iuxta hebraicam veritatem; PL 28, 1185 seq· ιού THE NEW LITURGY not long ago explained in the encyclical Divino afflante Spiritu. Ac­ cordingly, though we are far from underestimating the difficulties of the task, and arc aware that the translation called the Vulgate is intimately connected with the writings of the holy fathers and with the explanations of the doctors of the Church, and that it has attained the highest authority in the Church through the usage of centuries, we have decided to favor these pious desires; and so have ordered that a new Latin translation of the psalms be prepared, which shall on the one hand closely and faithfully follow the primitive texts, and on the other take account as well as possible of the ancient and venera­ ble Vulgate and other old versions, and weigh their various expressions according to critical standards. For we know full well that not even the Hebrew text has come down to us without any mistakes or ob­ scurities; and that it is therefore ncccssarty to compare it with other texts which have come down to us from antiquity, in order to arrive at a more careful and genuine expression of the sense; nay, that it may sometimes happen that even after all the devices of the art of criticism and the science of languages have been employed, the sense of the words may not be altogether clearly exposed, and it may have to be left to future researches to study the matter as thoroughly as possible and thus throw further light on it. We have no doubt, however, that today, by the assiduous use of all the resources of modern scholarship, a translation can be made which shall express the sense and meaning of the psalms with sufficient clearness that priests in performing the divine office may easily grasp what the Holy Spirit wished to express through the mouth of the psalmist, and so be effectively stirred and moved by these divine words to a true and genuine devotion. Now that the new translation which was desired has been made with due care and diligence by the professors of our Pontifical Biblical Institute, we offer it with paternal affection to all those who arc bound to the daily recitation of the canonical hours; and, upon full considera­ tion, of our own motion and with mature deliberation, we permit that, after it shall have been adapted to the psalter of the Roman bre­ viary and published by the Vatican press, they may, if they wish, use it in the public or private recitation of the office. In our pastoral solicitude and paternal affection for the men and women who arc devoted to God, we trust that henceforth all may derive from the performance of the divine office ever greater light, grace and consolation, and that thus enlightened and encouraged they may, even in these most trying times of the Church, be more and more disposed to imitate the examples of sanctity which appear so resplen­ dency in the psalms, and may be moved to cultivate and cherish those sentiments of divine love, strenuous courage and loving contrition to which, in the reading of the psalms, the Holy Spirit invites us. i Let what we have decreed and established by these letters, given of our own motion, be valid and firm, all things to the contrary, even such as arc worthy of most special mention notwithstanding. , THE SACRED LITURGY IO7 Given at Rome, from St. Peter’s, the twenty-fourth Jay of March, in the year 1945, the seventh of our pontificate. THE SACRED LITURGY Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XII November 20, 1947 (Mediator Dei, AAS 39, 1947, 521-595) Venerable brethren, health and apostolic benediction: 1. Mediator between God and men1 and High Priest who has gone before us into heaven, Jesus the Son of God2 quite clearly had one aim in view when he undertook the mission of mere}' which was to endow mankind with the rich blessings of supernatural grace. Sin had disturbed the right relationship between man and his Creator; the Son of God would restore it. The children of Adam were wretched heirs to the infection of original sin; he would bring them back to their heavenly Father, the primal source and final destiny of all things. For this reason he was not content, while he dwelt with us on earth, merely to give notice that redemption had begun, and to proclaim the long-awaited kingdom of God, but gave himself besides in prayer and sacrifice to the task of saving souls, even to the pomt of offering himself, as he hung from the cross, a Victim unspotted unto God, to purify our conscience of dead works, to serve the living God? Thus happily were all men summoned back from the byways leading them down to ruin and disaster, to be set squarely once again upon the path that leads to God. Thanks to the shedding of the blood of the immaculate Lamb, now each might set about the personal task of achieving his own sanctification, so rendering to God the glory due to him. 2. But what is more, the divine Redeemer has so willed it that the priestly life begun with the supplication and sacrifice of his mortal body should continue without intermission down the ages in his mys­ tical body which is the Church. That is why he established a visible priesthood to offer everywhere the clean oblation4 which would enable men from East to West, freed from the shackles of sin, to offer God that unconstrained and voluntary homage which their conscience dictates. 3. In obedience, therefore, to her Founder’s behest, the Church prolongs the priestly mission of Jesus mainly by means of the sacred 1 i Tim 2:5. 3 See Heb 9:14. 2 See Heb 4:14. 4 Sec Mai 1:11. ιο8 THE NEW LITURGY liturgy. She docs this in the first place at the altar, where constantly the sacrifice of the cross is represented5 and, with a single difference in the manner of its offering, renewed.6 She docs it next by means of the sacraments, those special channels through which men arc made partakers in the supernatural life. She docs it, finally, by offering to God, all Good and Great, the daily tribute of her prayer of praise. “What a spectacle for heaven and earth,” observes our predecessor of happy memory, Pius XI, “is not the Church at prayer ! For centuries without interruption, from midnight to midnight, the divine psalmody that inspired canticles is repeated on earth; there is no hour of the day that is not hallowed by its special liturgy; there is no stage of human life that has not its part in the thanksgiving, praise, supplication and reparation of this common prayer of the mystical body of Christ which is his Church !”7 4. You are of course familiar with the fact, venerable brethren, that a remarkably widespread revival of scholarly interest in the sa­ cred liturgy took place toward the end of the last century and has continued through the early years of this one. The movement owed its rise to commendable private initiative and more particularly to the zealous and persistent labor of several monasteries within the dis­ tinguished Order of St. Benedict. Thus there developed in this field among many European nations, and in lands beyond the seas as well, a rivalry as welcome as it was productive of results. Indeed, the salu­ tary fruits of this rivalry among the scholars were plain for all to see, both in the sphere of the sacred sciences, where the liturgical rites of the western and eastern churches were made the object of extensive research and profound study, and in the spiritual life of considerable numbers of individual Christians. 5. The majestic ceremonies of the sacrifice of the altar became better known, understood and appreciated. With more widespread and more frequent reception of the sacraments, the worship of the Eucharist came to be regarded for what it really is: the fountainhead of genuine Christian devotion. Bolder relief was given likewise to the fact that all the faithful make up a single and very compact body with Christ for its Head, and that the Christian community is in duty bound to participate in the liturgical rites according to their station. 6. You are surely well aware that this Apostolic Sec has always made careful provision for the schooling of the people committed to its charge in the correct spirit and practice of the liturgy; and that it has been no less careful to insist that the sacred rites should be per­ formed with due external dignity. In this connection we ourselves, in the course of our traditional address to the Lenten preachers of this gracious city of Rome in 1943, urged them warmly to exhort their 5 See Council of Trent, Scss. 22, ch. 1. 6 See Ibid. ch. 2. 7 Caritate Christi, May 3, 1932. THE SACRED LITURGY IO9 respective hearers to more faithful participation in the Eucharistic sacrifice. Only a short while previously, with the design of rendering the prayers of the liturgy more correctly understandable and their truth and unction more easily perceptible, we arranged to have the Book of Psalms, which forms such an important part of these prayers in the Catholic Church, translated once more into Latin from their original text.8 7. But while we derive no little satisfaction from the wholesome results of the movement just described, duty obliges us to give serious attention to this “revival” as it is advocated in some quarters, and to take proper steps to preserve it at the outset from excess or outright perversion. 8. Indeed, though we arc sorely grieved to note, on the one hand that there arc places where the spirit, understanding or practice of the sacred liturgy is defective, or all but inexistent, we observe with con­ siderable anxiety and some misgiving that elsewhere certain enthu­ siasts, over-eager in their search for novelty, are straying beyond the path of sound doctrine and prudence. Not seldom, in fact, they in­ terlard their plans and hopes for a revival of the sacred liturgy with principles which compromise this holiest of causes in theory or prac­ tice, and sometimes even taint it with errors touching Catholic faith and ascctical doctrine. 9. Yet the integrity of faith and morals ought to be the special criterion of this sacred science, which must conform exactly to what the Church out of the abundance of her wisdom teaches and prescribes. It is, consequently, our prerogative to commend and approve what­ ever is done properly, and to check or censure any aberration from the path of truth and rectitude. 10. Let not the apathetic or half-hearted imagine, however, that we agree with them when we reprove the erring and restrain the over­ bold. No more must the imprudent think that we are conunending them when we correct the faults of those who are negligent and slug­ gish. 11. If in this encyclical letter we treat chiefly of the Latin liturgy, it is not because we esteem less highly the venerable liturgies of the Eastern Church, whose ancient and honorable ritual traditions are just as dear to us. The reason lies rather in a special situation prevailing in the Western Church, of sufficient importance, it would seem, to require this exercise of our authority. 12. With docile hearts, then, let all Christians hearken to the voice of their common Father, who would have them, each and every one, intimately united with him as they approach the altar of God, pro­ fessing the same faith, obedient to the same law, sharing in the same Sacrifice with a single intention and one, sole desire. This is a duty miposed, of course, by the honor due to God. But the needs of our 8 See Motu proprio In cotidianis precibus, March 24, 1945. » « ? a no THE NEW LITURGY day and age demand it as well. After a long and cruel war which has rent peoples asunder with its rivalry and slaughter, men of good will are spending themselves in the effort to find the best possible way to restore peace to the world. It is, notwithstanding, our belief that no plan or initiative can offer better prospect of success than that fer­ vent religious spirit and zeal by which Christians must be formed and guided; in this way their common and whole-hearted acceptance of the same truth, along with their common obedience and loyalty to their appointed pastors while rendering to God the worship due to him, makes of them one brotherhood: “for we, being many, arc one body: all that partake of one bread.”9 I 13. It is unquestionably the fundamental duty of man to orientate his person and his life toward God. "For he it is to whom we must first be bound, as to an unfailing principle; to whom even our free choice must be directed as to an ultimate objective. It is he, too, whom we lose when carelessly we sin. It is he whom we must recover by our faith and trust.”10 But man turns properly to God when he acknowl­ edges his supreme majesty and supreme authority; when he accepts divinely revealed truths with a submissive mind; when he scrupu­ lously obeys divine law, centering in God his every act and aspira­ tion; when he accords, in short, due worship to the One True God by practicing the virtue of religion. 14. This duty is incumbent, first of all, on men as individuals. But it also binds the whole community of human beings, grouped together by mutual social tics: mankind, too, depends on the sovereign authority of God. 15. It should be noted, moreover, that men arc bound by this obli­ gation in a special way in virtue of the fact that God has raised them to the supernatural order. 16. Thus we observe that when God institutes the old law, he makes provision besides for sacred rites, and determines in exact detail the rules to be observed by his people in rendering him the worship he ordains. To this end he established various kinds of sacrifice and de­ signated the ceremonies with which they were to be offered to him. His enactments on all matters relating to the ark of the covenant, the temple and the holy days arc minute and clear. He established a sa­ cerdotal tribe with its high priest, selected and described the vestments with which the sacred ministers were to be clothed, and every func­ tion in any way pertaining to divine worship.11 Yet this was nothing 9 i Cor 10:17. 10 St. Thomas, Summa Theologica, Ila Ilæ, q. I., art. 1. 11 See Book of Leviticus. THE SACRED LITURGY III more than a faint foreshadowing12 of the worship which the High Priest of the New Testament was to render to the Father in heaven. 17. No sooner, in fact, is “the Word made flesh”13 than he shows himself to the world vested with a priestly office, making to the eternal Father an act of submission which will continue uninterruptedly as long as he lives: “When he cometh into the world he saith ... ‘be­ hold I come ... to do thy will’.”14 This act he was to consummate admirably in the bloody Sacrifice of the cross: “In which will we are sanctified by the oblation of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.”15 He plans his active life among men with no other purpose in view. As a child he is presented to the Lord in the temple. To the temple he returns as a grown boy, and often afterwards to instruct the people and to pray. He fasts for forty days before beginning his public min­ istry. His counsel and example summon all to prayer, daily and at night as well. As Teacher of the truth he “cnlightcneth every man”16 to the end that mortals may duly acknowledge the immortal God, “not withdrawing unto perdition, but faithful to the saving of the soul.”17 As Shepherd he watches over his flock, leads it to life-giving pasture, lays down a law that none shall wander from his side, off the straight path he has pointed out, and that all shall lead holy lives imbued with his spirit and moved by his active aid. At the Last Supper he celebrates a new Pasch with solemn rite and ceremonial, and pro­ vides for its continuance through the divine institution of the Eucharist. On the morrow, lifted up between heaven and earth, he offers the saving sacrifice of his life, and pours forth, as it were, from his pierced Heart the sacraments destined to impart the treasures of redemption to the souls of men. All this he docs with but a single aim: the glory of his Father and man’s ever greater sanctification. 18. But it is his will, besides, that the worship he instituted and practiced during his life on earth shall continue ever afterwards with­ out any intermission. For he has not left mankind an orphan. He still offers us the support of his powerful, unfailing intercession, acting as our “advocate with the Father. 18 He aids us likewise through his Church, where he is present indefectibly as the ages run their course: through the Church which he constituted “the pillar of truth”19 and dispenser of grace, and which he founded, consecrated and confirmed forever by his sacrifice on the cross.20 19. The Church has, therefore, in common with the Word incar­ nate the aim, the obligation and the function of teaching all men the 12 See Heb 10:1. 13 Jn 1:14. 14 Heb 10:5-7. 15 Ibid. Ι0:Ιθ· 16 Jn 1:9. 17 Heb 10:39. 18 Sec I Jn 2:1. 19 See 1 Tim 3:15. 20 Sec Boniface IX, Ab origine mundi, October 7, 1391; Callistus III, Summus Pontifex, January 1, 1456; Pius II, Triumphans Pastor, April 22, 1459; Inno­ cent XI, Triumphans Pastor, October 3, 1678. 112 THE NEW LITURGY truth, of governing and directing them aright, of offering to God the pleasing and acceptable sacrifice; in this way the Church re-establishes between the Creator and his creatures that unity and harmony to which the apostle of the Gentiles alludes in these words: “Now, there­ fore, you are no more strangers and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints and domestics of God, built upon the founda­ tion of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, being framed together, groweth up into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are built toget icr into a habitation of God in the Spirit.”21 Thus the society founded by the divine Redeemer, whether in her doctrine and government, or in the sacrifice and sacraments instituted by him, or finally, in the ministry, which he has confided to her charge with the outpouring of his prayer and the shedding of his blood, has no other goal or purpose than ever to increase in strength and unity. 20. This result is, in fact, achieved when Christ lives and thrives, as it were, in the hearts of men. and when men’s hearts in turn are fashioned and expanded as though by Christ. This makes it possible for the sacred temple, where the divine Majesty receives the accep­ table worship which his law prescribes, to increase and prosper day by day in this land of exile on earth. Along with the Church, there­ fore, her divine Founder is present at every liturgical function: Christ is present at the august sacrifice of the altar both in the person of His minister and above all under the Eucharistic species. He is present in the sacraments, in fusing into them the power which makes them ready instruments of sanctification. He is present, finally, in the prayer of praise and petition we direct to God, as it is written: “Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”22 The sacred liturgy is, consequently, the public worship which our Redeemer as Head of the Church renders to the Father, as well as the worship which the community of the faithful renders to its Founder, and through him to the heavenly Father. It is, in short, the worship rendered by the mystical body of Christ in the entirety of its Head and members. 21. Liturgical practice begins with the very founding of the Church. The first Christians, in fact, “were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles and in the communication of the breaking of bread and in prayers.”23 Whenever their pastors can summon a little group of the faithful together, they set up an altar on which they proceeded to offer the sacrifice, and around which arc ranged all the other rites appropriate for the saving of souls and for the honor due to God. Among these latter rites, the first place is reserved for the sacraments, namely the seven principal founts of salvation. There follows the cele­ bration of the divine praises in which the faithful also join, obeying 21 Eph 2:19-22. 23 Acts 2:42. 22 Mt 18:20. THE SACRED LITURGY Π3 the behest of the apostle Paul: “In all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles, singing in grace in your hearts to God.”24 Next comes the reading of the law, the irophcts, the gospel and the apostolic epistles; and last of all the homiy or sermon in which the official head of the congregation recalls and explains the practical bearing of the commandments of the divine Master and the chief events of his life, combining instruction with appropriate exhortation and illustration for the benefit of all his listeners. 22. As circumstances and the needs of Christians warrant, public worship is organized, developed and enriched by new rites, ceremo­ nies and regulations, always with the single end in view, “that we may use these external signs to keep us alert, learn from them what distance we have come along the road, and by them be heartened to go on further with more eager steps; for the effect will be more pre­ cious the warmer the affection which precedes it.”25 Here then is a better, more suitable way to raise the heart to God. Thenceforth the priesthood of Jesus Christ is a living and continuous reality through all the ages to the end of time, since the liturgy is nothing more or less than the exercise of this priestly function. Like her divine Head, the Church is forever present in the midst of her children. She aids and exhorts them to holiness, so that they may one day return to the Father in heaven clothed in that beauteous raiment of the supernatural. To all who arc born to life on earth she gives a second, supernatural kind of birth. She arms them with the Holy Spirit for the struggle against the implacable enemy. She gathers all Christians about her altars, inviting and urging them repeatedly to take part in the celebration of the Mass, feeding them with the bread of angels to make them ever stronger. She purifies and consoles the hearts that sin has wounded and soiled. Solemnly she consecrates those whom God had called to the priestly ministry. She fortifies with new gifts of grace the chaste nuptials of those who are destined to found and bring up a Christian family. When at last she has soothed and refreshed the closing hours of this earthly life by holy viaticum and extreme unction, with the utmost affection she accompanies the mortal remains of her children to the grave, lays them reverently to rest, and confides them to the protection of the cross, against the day when they will triumph over death and rise again. She has a further solemn blessing and invoca­ tion for those of her children who dedicate themselves to the service of God in the life of religious perfection. Finally, she extends to the souls in purgatory, who implore her intercession and her prayers the helping hand which may cad them happily at last to eternal bles­ sedness in heaven. 23. The worship rendered by the Church to God must be, in its entirety, interior as well as exterior. It is exterior because the nature 24 Col 3:16. 25 St. Augustine, Epist. 130, ad Probam, 18. THE NEW LITURGY of man as a composite of body and soul requires it to be so; likewise because divine Providence has disposed that “while we recognize God visibly, we may be drawn by him to love of things unseen.’’26 Every impulse of the human heart, besides, expresses itself naturally through the senses; and the worship of God, being the concern not merely of individuals but of the whole community of mankind, must therefore be social as well. This obviously it cannot be unless religious activity is also organized and manifested outwardly. Exterior worship, finally, reveals and emphasizes the unity of the mystical body, feeds new fuel to its holy zeal, fortifies its energy, intensifies its action day by day; “for although the ceremonies themselves can claim no perfection or sanctity in their own right, they arc, nevertheless, the outward acts of religion, designed to rouse the heart, like signals of a sort, to veneration of the sacred realities, and to raise the mind to meditation on the supernatural. They serve to foster piety, to kindle the flame of charity, to increase our faith and deepen our devotion. They provide instruction for simple folk, decoration for divine worship, continuity for religious practice. They make it possible to tell genuine Christians from their false or heretical counterparts.”27 24. But the chief element of divine worship must be interior. For we must always live in Christ and give ourselves to him completely so that in him, with him and through him the heavenly Father may be duly glorified. The sacred liturgy requires, however, that both of these elements be intimately linked with each other. This recom­ mendation the liturgy itself is careful to repeat, as often as it prescribes an exterior act of worship. Thus we arc urged, when there is Question of fasting, for example, “to give interior effect to our outward obser­ vance.”28 Otherwise, religion clearly amounts to mere formalism, without meaning and without content. You recall, venerable brethren, how the divine Master expels from the sacred temple, as unworthy to worship there, people who pretend to honor God with nothing but neat and well-turned phrases, like actors in a theatre, and think themselves perfectly capable of working out their eternal salvation without plucking their inveterate vices from their hearts.29 It is, there­ fore, the keen desire of the Church that all of the faithful kneel at the feet of the Redeemer to tell him how much they venerate and love him. She wants them present in crowds—like the children whose joyous cries accompanied his entry into Jerusalem—to sing their hymns and chant their song of praise and thanksgiving to him who is King of Kings and source of every blessing. She would have them move their lips in prayer, sometimes in petition, sometimes in joy and grati­ tude, and in this way experience his merciful aid and power like the 26 Roman Missal, Preface for Christmas. 27 Giovanni Cardinal Bona, De divina psalmodia, ch. 19, § 3» I· 28 Roman Missal, Secret for Thursday after the Second Sunday of Lent. 29 See Mk 7:6 and Is 29:13. THE SACRED LITURGY apostles at the lakeside of Tiberias, or abandon themselves totally, like Peter on Mount Tabor, to mystic union with the eternal God in contemplation. 25. It is an error, consequently, and a mistake to think of the sacred liturgy as merely the outward or visible part of divine worship or as an ornamental ceremonial. No less erroneous is the notion that it consists solely in a list of laws and prescriptions according to which the ecclesiastical hcirarchy orders the sacred rites to be performed. 26. It should be clear to all, then, that God cannot be honored worthily unless the mind and heart turn to him in quest of the perfect life, and that the worship rendered to God by the Church in union with her divine Head is the most efficacious means of achieving sanc­ tity. 27. This efficacy, where there is question of the eucharistie sacrifice and the sacraments, derives first of all and principally from the act itself (ex opere operato). But if one considers the part which the imma­ culate spouse of Jesus Christ takes in the action, embellishing the sa­ crifice and sacraments with prayer and sacred ceremonies, or if one refers to the “sacramentals” and the other rites instituted by the hier­ archy of the Church, then its effectiveness is due rather to the action of the Church (ex opere operantis Ecclesiae), inasmuch as she is holy and acts always in closest union with her Head. 28. In this connection, venerable brethren, we desire to direct your attention to certain recent theories touching a so-called “objective” piety. While these theories attempt, it is true, to throw light on the mystery of the Mystical Body, on the effective reality of sactifying grace, on the action of God in the sacraments and in the Mass, it is nonetheless apparent that they tend to belittle, or pass over in silence what they cal “subjective, or “personal” piety. 29. It is an unquestionable fact that the work of our redemption is continued, and that its fruits are imparted to us, during the celebra­ tion of the liturgy, notably in the august sacrifice of the altar. Christ acts each day to save us, in the sacraments and in his holy sanctifice. By means of them he is constantly atoning for the sins of mankind, constantly consecrating it to God. Sacraments and sacrifice do, then, possess that “objective” power to make us really and personally sharers in the divine life of Jesus Christ. Not, then, from any ability of our own, but by the power of God, arc they endowed with the capacity to unite the piety of members with that of the Head, and to make this, in a sense, the action of the whole community. From these pro­ found considerations some are led to conclude that all Christian piety must be centered in the mystery of the mystical body of Christ, with no regard for what is “personal” or “subjective,” as they would have it. As a result they feel that all other religious exercises not directly con­ nected with the sacred liturgy, and performed outside public worship, should be omitted. I ιό THE NEW LITURGY 30. But though the principles set forth above arc excellent, it must be plain to everyone that the conclusions drawn from them respecting two sorts of piety are false, insidious and quite pernicious. 31. Very truly, the sacraments and the sacrifice of the altar, being Christ’s own actions, must be held to be capable in themselves of con­ veying and dispensing grace from the divine Head to the members of the mystical body. But if they are to produce their proper effect, it is absolutely necessary that our hearts be properly disposed to re­ ceive them. Hence the warning of Paul the apostle with reference to holy communion: “But let a man first prove himself; and then let him cat of this bread and drink of the chalice.”30 This explains why the Church in a brief and significant phrase calls the various acts of mortification, especially those practiced during the season of Lent, “the Christian army’s defenses.”31 They represent, in fact, the personal effort and activity of members who desire, as grace urges and aids them, to join forces with their Captain—“that wc may discover... in our Captain,” to borrow St. Augustine’s words, “the fountain of grace itself.”32 But observe that these members are alive, endowed and equipped with an intelligence and will of their own. It follows that they arc strictly required to put their own lips to the fountain, imbibe and absorb for themselves the life-giving water, and rid them­ selves personally of anything that might hinder its nutritive effect in their souls. Emphatically, therefore, the work of redemption, which in itself is independent of our will, requires a serious interior effort on our part if wc are to achieve eternal salvation. 32. If the private and interior devotion of individuals were to neg­ lect the august sacrifice of the altar and the sacraments, and to with­ draw them from the stream of vital energy that flows from Head to members, it would indeed be sterile, and deserve to be condemned. But when devotional exercises, and pious practices in general, not strictly connected with the sacred liturgy, confine themselves to merely human acts, with the express purpose of directing these latter to the Father in heaven, or rousing people to repentance and holy fear of God, of weaning them from the seductions of the world and its vice, and leading them back to the difficult path of perfection, then cer­ tainly such practices are not only highly praiseworthy but absolutely indispensable, because they expose the dangers threatening the spiritual life; because they promote the acquisition of virtue; and because they increase the fervor and generosity with which wc arc bound to dedi­ cate all that wc arc and all that wc have to the service of Jesus Christ. Genuine, real piety, which the Angelic Doctor calls “devotion,” and which is the principal act of the virtue of religion—the act which correctly relates and fitly directs men to God; the act by which they 30 i Cor 11:28. 31 Roman Missal, Ash Wednesday; prayer after the imposition of ashes. 32 De praedestinatione sanctorum, 31. THE SACRED LITURGY II? freely and spontaneously give themselves to the worship of God in its fullest sense33—piety of this authentic sort needs meditation on the supernatural realities and spiritual exercises, if it is to be nurtured, stimulated and sustained, and prompt us to lead a more perfect life. For the Christian religion, practiced as it should be, demands that the will especially be consecrated to God and exert its influence on all the other spiritual faculties. But every act of the will presupposes an act of the intelligence, and before one can express the desire and the intention of offering oneself in sacrifice to the eternal Godhead, a knowledge of the facts and truths which make religion a duty is altogether necessary. One must first know, for instance, man’s last end and the supremacy of the divine Majesty; after that, our common duty of submission to our Creator; and, finally, the inexhaustible treasures of love with which God yearns to enrich us, as well as the necessity of supernatural grace for us by divine providence in virtue of the fact that we have been united one and all, like members of a body, to Jesus Christ the Head. But further, since our hearts, disturbed as they are at times by the lower appetites, do not always respond to motives of love, it is also extremely helpful to let consideration and contemplation of the justice of God provoke us on occasion to salutary fear, and guide us thence to Christian humility, repentance and amendment. 33. But it will not do to possess these facts and truths after the fash­ ion of an abstract memory lesson or lifeless commentaries. They must lead to practical results. They must impel us to subject our senses and their faculties to reason, as illuminated by the Catholic faith. They must help to cleanse and purify the heart, uniting it to Christ more intimately every day, growing ever more to his likeness, and drawing from him the divine inspiration and strength of which it stands in need. They must serve as increasingly effective incentives to action: urging men to produce good fruit, to perform their individual duties faith­ fully, to give themselves eagerly to the regular practice of their reli­ gion and the energetic exercise of virtue. “You arc Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”34 Let everything, therefore, have its proper place and ar­ rangement; let everything be “theocentric,” so to speak, if wc really wish to direct everything to the glory of God through the life and power which flow from the divine Head into our hearts: “Having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ, a new and living way which he both dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and as a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in fullness of faith, having our hearts cleansed of an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean water; let us hold fast the confession of our hope without 33 See St. Thomas, Summa Theologica, IP IIie, q. 82, art. 1. 34 I Cor 3:23. n8 THE NEW LITURGY wavering . . . and let us consider one another, to provoke unto charity and to good works.”35 34. Here is the source of the harmony and equilibrium which pre­ vails among the members of the mystical body of Jesus Christ. When the Church teaches us our Catholic faith and exhorts us to obey the commandments of Christ, she is paving an open way for her priestly, sanctifying action in its highest sense; she disposes us likewise for more serious meditation on the life of the divine Redeemer and guides us to a more profound knowledge of the mysteries of faith where wc may draw the supernatural sustenance, strength and vitality that enable us to progress safely, through Christ, toward a more perfect life. Not only through her ministers but with the help of the faithful individual­ ly, who have imbibed in this fashion the spirit of Christ, the Church endeavors to permeate with this same spirit the life and labors of men— their private and family life, their social, even economic and political life—that all who are called God’s children may reach more readily the end he has proposed for them. 35. Such action on the part of individual Christians, then, along with the ascetic effort prompting them to purify their hearts, actually stimulates in the faithful those energies which enable them to partici­ pate in the august sacrifice of the altar with better dispositions. They now can receive the sacraments with more abundant fruit, and conic from the celebration of the sacred rites more eager, more firmly resolved to pray and deny themselves like Christians, to answer the inspirations and invitation of divine grace and daily to imitate more closely the virtues of our Redeemer. And all of this not simply for their own advantage, but for that of the whole Church, where whatever good is accomplished proceeds from the power of her Head and redounds to the advancement of all her members. 36. In the spiritual life, consequently, there can be no opposition between the action of God, who pours forth his grace into men’s hearts so that the work of the redemption may always abide, and the tireless collaboration of man, who must not render vain the gift of God.36 No more can the efficacy of the external administration of the sacra­ ments, which comes from the rite itself (ex opere operato), be opposed to the meritorious action of their ministers or recipients, which wc call the agent’s action {opus operands). Similarly, no conflict exists between public prayer and prayers in private, between morality and contemplation, between the ascetical life and devotion to the liturgy. Finally, there is no opposition between the jurisdiction and teaching office of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, and the specifically priestly power exercised in the sacred ministry. 37. Considering their special designation to perform the liturgical functions of the holy sacrifice and divine office, the Church has serious reason for prescribing that the ministers she assigns to the service ot 35 Heb 10:19-24. 36 See 2 Cor 6:1. THE SACRED LITURGY lip the sanctuary and members of religious institutes betake themselves at stated times to mental prayer, to examination of conscience, and to various other spiritual exercises.37 Unquestionably, liturgical prayer, being the public supplication of the illustrious spouse of Jesus Christ, is superior in excellence to private prayers. But this superior worth does not at all imply contrast or incompatibility between these two kinds of prayer. For both emerge harmoniously in the single spirit which animates them “Christ is all and in all.’’38 Both tend to the same objective: until Christ be formed in us.39 38. For a better and more accurate understanding of the sacred liturgy another of its characteristic features, no less important, needs to be considered. 39. The Church is a society, and as such requires an authority and hierarchy of her own. Though it is true that all the members of the Mystical Body partake of the same blessings and pursue the same ob­ jective, they do not all enjoy the same powers, nor are they all qualified to perform the same acts. The divine Redeemer has willed, as a mat­ ter of fact, that his kingdom should be built and solidly supported, as it were, on a holy order, which resembles in some sort the heavenly hierarchy. 40. Only to the apostles, and thenceforth to those on whom their successors have imposed hands, is granted the power of the priesthood, in virtue of which they represent the person of Jesus Christ before their people, acting at the same time as representatives of their people before God. This priesthood is not transmitted by heredity or human descent. It does not emanate from the Christian community. It is not a delegation from the people. Prior to acting as representative of the community before the throne of God, the priest is the ambas­ sador of the divine Redeemer. He is God’s vicegerent in the midst of his flock precisely because Jesus Christ is Head of that body of which Christians are the members. The power entrusted to him, therefore, bears no natural resemblance to anything human. It is entirely super­ natural. It comes from God. “As the Father hath sent me, I also send you40... he that heareth you heareth me41 ... go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature; he that belicveth and is baptized shall be saved.”42 41. That is why the visible, external priesthood of Jesus Christ is not handed down indiscriminately to all members of the Church in general, but is conferred on designated men, through what may be called the spiritual generation of holy orders. 42. This latter, one of the seven sacraments, not only imparts the grace appropriate to the clerical function and state of life, but imparts 37 38 40 42 Sec Code of Canon Law, canons 125, 126, 565, 571, 595, 1367. Col 3:11. 39 See Gal 4:19. Jn. 20:21. 41 Lk 10:16. Mk 16:15-16 ■jf 120 THE NEW LITURGY an indelible “character” besides, indicating the sacred ministers’ con­ formity to Jesus Christ the Priest and qualifying them to perform those official acts of religion by which men are sanctified and God is duly glorified in keeping with the divine laws and regulations. 43. In the same way, actually, that baptism is the distinctive mark of all Christians, and serves to differentiate them from those who have not been cleansed in this purifying stream and consequently arc not members of Christ, the sacrament of holy orders sets the priest apart from the rest of the faithful who have not received this consecration. For they alone, in answer to an inward supernatural call, have the august ministry, where they are assigned to service in the sanctuary and become, as it were, the instruments God uses to communicate supernatural life from on high to the mystical body of Jesus Christ. Add to this, as we have noted above, the fact that they alone have been marked with the indelible sign “conforming” them to Christ the Priest, and that their hands alone have been consecrated “in order that whatever they bless may be blessed, whatever they consecrate may become sacred and holy, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”43 Let all, then, who would live in Christ flock to their priests. By them they will be supplied with the comforts and food of the spiritual life. From them they will procure the medicine of salvation assuring their cure and happy recovery from the fatal sickness of their sins. The priest, finally, will bless their homes, consecrate their families and help them, as they breathe their last, across the threshold of eternal happiness. 44. Since, therefore, it is the priest chiefly who performs the sacred liturgy in the name of the Church, its organization, regulation and de­ tails cannot but be subject to Church authority. This conclusion, based on the nature of Christian worship itself, is further confirmed by the testimony of history. 45. Additional proof of this indefeasible right of the ecclesiastical hierarchy lies in the circumstances that the sacred liturgy is intimately bound up with doctrinal propositions which the Church proposes to be perfectly true and certain, and must as a consequence conform to the decrees respecting Catholic faith issued by the supreme teaching authority of the Church with a view to safeguarding the integrity of the religion revealed by God. 46. On this subject we judge it our duty to rectify an attitude with which you are doubtless familiar, venerable brethren. We refer to the error and fallacious reasoning of those who have claimed that the sacred liturgy is a kind of proving ground for the truths to be held of faith, meaning by this that the Church is obliged to declare such a doctrine sound when it is found to have produced fruits of piety and sanctity through the sacred rites of the liturgy, and to reject it otherwise. Hence the epigram: “Lex orandi, lex credendi”— the law for prayer is the law for faith. 43 Roman Pontifical, ordination of a priest: anointing of hands. THE SACRED LITURGY 121 47. But this is not what the Church teaches and enjoins. The wor­ ship she offers to God, all good and great, is a continuous profession of Catholic faith and a continuous exercise of hope and charity, as Augustine tersely puts it. “God is to be worshiped,” he says, “by faith, hope and charity.”44 In the sacred liturgy we profess the Catholic faith explicitly and openly, not only by the celebration of the mys­ teries, and by offering the holy sacrifice and administering the sacra­ ments, but also by saying or singing the credo or symbol of the faith— it is indeed the sign and badge, as it were, of the Christian—along with other texts, and likewise by reading of holy Scripture, written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. The entire liturgy, there­ fore, has the Catholic faith for its content, inasmuch as it bears public witness to the faith of the Church. 48. For this reason, whenever there was question of defining a truth revealed by God, the sovereign pontiff and the councils in their recourse to the “theological sources, ’ as they are called, have not seldom drawn many an argument from this sacred science of the liturgy. For an example in point, our predecessor of immortal memory, Pius IX, so argued when he proclaimed the immaculate conception of the Vir­ gin Mary. Similarly, during the discussion of a doubtful or contro­ versial truth, the Church and the holy fathers have not failed to look to the age-old and age-honored sacred rites for enlightenment. Hence the well-known and venerable maxim: “Legem credendi lex statuat sup­ plicandi”—let the rule for prayer determine the rule of belief.45 The sacred liturgy, consequently, docs not decide or determine independ­ ently and of itself what is of Catholic faith. More properly, since the liturgy is also a profession of eternal truths, and subject, as such, to the supreme teaching authority of the Church, it can supply proofs and testimony, quite clearly of no little value, toward the determination of a particular point of Christian doctrine. But if one desires to differ­ entiate and describe the relationship between faith and the sacred liturgy in absolute and general terms, it is perfectly correct to say: “Li’.v credendi legem statuat supplicandi"—let the rule of belief establish the rule of prayer. The same holds true for the other theological vir­ tues also: “In . . .fide, spe, caritate continuato desiderio semper oramus” —we pray always, with constant yearning in faith, hope and charity.46 49. From time immemorial the ecclesiastical hierarchy has exercised this right in matters liturgical. It has organized and regulated divine worship, enriching it constantly with new splendor and beauty, to the glory of God and the spiritual profit of Christians. What is more, it has not been slow in keeping the substance of the Mass and sacra­ ments carefully intact—to modify what it deemed not altogether fit­ ting, and to add what appeared more likely to increase the honor 44 Enchiridion, ch. 3. 45 De gratia Dei “Indiculus.” 46 St. Augustine, Epist. 130, ad Probam, 18. 1 ? 122 THE NEW LITURGY paid to Jesus Christ and the august Trinity, and to instruct and stimu­ late the Christian people to greater advantage.47 50. The sacred liturgy does, in fact, include divine as well as human elements. The former, instituted as they have been by God, cannot be changed in any way by men. But the human components admit of various modifications, as the needs of the age, circumstance and the good of souls may require, and as the ecclesiastical hierarchy, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may have authorized. This will ex­ plain the marvelous variety of eastern and western rites. Here is the reason for the gradual addition, through successive development, of particular religious customs and practices of piety only faintly dis­ cernible in early times. Hence it likewise happens from time to time that certain devotions long since forgotten arc revived and practiced anew. All these developments attest the abiding life of the immacu­ late spouse of Jesus Christ through these many centuries. They are the sacred language she uses, as the ages run their course, to profess to her divine spouse her own faith along with that of the nations commit­ ted to her charge, and her own unfailing love. They furnish proof, besides, of the wisdom of the teaching method she employs to arouse and nourish constantly the “Christian instinct.” 51. Several causes, really, have been instrumental in the progress and development of the sacred liturgy during the long and glorious life of the Church. 52. Thus, for example, as Catholic doctrine on the incarnate Word of God, the eucharistie sacrament and sacrifice and Mary the Virgin Mother of God came to be determined with greater certitude and clarity, new ritual forms were introduced through which the acts of the lit­ urgy proceeded to reproduce this brighter light issuing from the de­ crees of the teaching authority of the Church, and to reflect it, in a sense, so that it might reach the minds and hearts of Christ’s people more readily. 53. The subsequent advances in ecclesiastical discipline for the administering of the sacraments, that of penance for example; the institution and later suppression of the catcchumenate; and again, the practice of eucharistie communion under a single species, adopted in the Latin Church: these developments were assuredly responsible in no little measure for the modification of the ancient ritual in the course of time, and for the gradual introduction of new rites considered more in accord with prevailing discipline in these matters. 54. Just as notable a contribution to this progressive transforma­ tion was made by devotional trends and practices not directly related to the sacred liturgy, which began to appear, by God’s wonderful design, in later periods, and grew to be so popular. We may instance the spread and ever mounting ardor of devotion to the Blessed Eu­ charist, devotion to the most bitter passion of our Redeemer, devotion 47 See Divini cultus, December 20, 1928. THE SACRED LITURGY I23 to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, to the Virgin Mother of God and to her most chaste spouse. 55. Other manifestations of piety have also played their circum­ stantial part in this same liturgical development. Among them may be cited the public pilgrimages to the tombs of the martyrs prompted by motives of devotion, the special periods of fasting instituted for the same reason, and lastly, in this gracious city of Rome, the peni­ tential recitation of the litanies during the “station” processions, in which even the sovereign pontiff frequently joined. 56. It is likewise easy to understand that the progress of the fine arts, those of architecture, painting and music above all, has exerted considerable influence on the choice and disposition of the various external features of the sacred liturgy. 57. The Church has further used her right of control over liturgical observance to protect the purity of divine worship against abuse from dangerous and imprudent innovations introduced by private individuals and particular churches. And so it came about—during the 16th cen­ tury, when usages and customs of this sort had become increasingly irevalent and exaggerated, and when private initiative in matters iturgical threatened to compromise the integrity of faith and devo­ tion, to the great advantage of heretics and further spread of their errors—that in the year 1588 our predecessor Sixtus V of immortal memory established the Sacred Congregation of Rites, charged with the defense of the legitimate rites of the Church and with the prohibi­ tion of any spurious innovation.48 This body fulfills even today the official function of supervision and legislation with regard to all mat­ ters touching the sacred liturgy.49 58. It follows from this that the sovereign pontiff alone enjoys the right to recognize and establish any practice touching the worship of God, to introduce and approve new rites, as also to modify those he judges to require modification.50 Bishops, for their part, have the right and duty carefully to watch over the exact observance of the prescriptions of the sacred canons respecting divine worship.51 Private individuals, therefore, even though they be clerics, may not be left to decide for themselves in these holy and venerable matters, involving as they do the religious life of Christian society along with the exer­ cise of the priesthood of Jesus Christ and worship of God; concerned as they arc with the honor due to the Blessed Trinity, the Word in­ carnate and his august Mother and the other saints, and with the salva­ tion of souls as well. For the same reason no private persons has any authority to regulate external practices of this kind, which arc inti­ mately bound up with Church disciplme and with the order, unity 48 49 50 51 Constitution Immensa, January 22, 1958. Code of Canon Law, canon 253. Sec Code of Canon Law, canon 1257. Sec Code of Canon Law, canon 1261. 124 THE NEW LITURGY and concord of the mystical body and frequently even with the inte­ grity of Catholic faith itself. 59. The Church is without question a living organism, and as an organism, in respect to the sacred liturgy also, she grows, matures, develops, adapts, accommodates herself to temporal needs and cir­ cumstances, provided only that the integrity of her doctrine be safe­ guarded. This notwithstanding, the temerity and daring of those who introduce novel liturgical practices, or call for the revival of obsolete rites out of harmony with prevailing laws and rubrics, deserve severe reproof. It has pained us grievously to note, venerable brethren, that such innovations arc actually being introduced not merely in minor details, but in matters of major importance as well. We instance, in point of fact, those who make use of the vernacular in the celebration of the august eucharistie sacrifice; those who transfer certain feastdays —which have been appointed and established after mature delibera­ tion—to other dates; those, finally, who delete from the prayerbooks approved for public use the sacred texts of the Old Testament, deeming them little suited and inopportune for modern times. 60. The use of the Latin language, customary in a considerable portion of the Church, is a manifest and beautiful sign of unity, as well as an effective antidote for any corruption of doctrinal truth. Despite this, the use of the mother tongue in connection with several of thé rites may be of much advantage to the people. But the Apos­ tolic Sec alone is empowered to grant this permission. It is forbidden, therefore, to take any action whatever of this nature without having requested and obtained such consent, since the sacred liturgy, as we have said, is entirely subject to the discretion and approval of the Holy See. 61. The same reasoning holds in the ease of some persons who arc bent on the restoration of all the ancient rites and ceremonies in­ discriminately. The liturgy of the early ages is most certainly worthy of all veneration. But ancient usage must not be esteemed more suitable and proper, either in its own right or in its significance for later times and new situations, on the simple ground that it carries the savor and aroma of antiquity. The more recent liturgical rites likewise deserve reverence and respect. They, too, owe their inspiration to the Holy Spirit, who assists the Church in every age even to the consumma­ tion of the world.52 They arc equally the resources used by the ma­ jestic spouse of Jesus Christ to promote and procure the sanctity of man. 62. Assuredly, it is a wise and most laudable thing to return in spirit and affection to the sources of the sacred liturgy. For research in this field of study, by tracing it back to its origins, contributes val­ uable assistance toward a more thorough and careful investigation of the significance of feast days, and of the meaning of the texts and 52 See Mt 28:20. THE SACRED LITURGY 125 sacred ceremonies employed on their occasion. But it is neither wise nor laudable to reduce everything to antiquity by every possible device. Thus, to cite some instances, one would be straying from the straight path were he to wish the altar restored to its primitive table form; were he to want black excluded as a color for the liturgical vestments; were he to forbid the use of sacred images and statues in churches; were he to order the crucifix so designed that the divine Redeemer’s body bear no trace of his cruel sufferings; and lastly, were he to dis­ dain and reject polyphonic music or singing in parts, even where it conforms to regulations issued by the Holy See. 63. Clearly, no sincere Catholic can refuse to accept the formula­ tion of Christian doctrine more recently elaborated and proclaimed as dogmas by the Church, under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit with abundant fruit for souls, because it pleases him to hark to the old formulas. No more can any Catholic in his right senses repudiate existing legislation of the Church in order to revert to perscriptions based on the earliest sources of canon law. Just as obviously unwise and mistaken is the zeal of one who in matters liturgical would go back to the rites and usages of antiquity, discarding the new pat­ terns introduced by disposition of divine Providence to meet the change of circumstances and situation. 64. This way of acting bids fair to revive the exaggerated and sense­ less antiquarianism to which the illegal Council of Pistoia gave rise. It likewise attempts to reinstate a series of errors which were responsible for the calling of that meeting as well as for those resulting from it, with grievous harm to souls, and which the Church, the ever watch­ ful guardian of the “deposit of faith” committed to her charge by her divine Founder, had every right and reason to condemn.53 For perverse designs and ventures of this sort tend to paralyze and weaken that process of sanctification by which the sacred liturgy directs the sons of adoption to their heavenly Father for their souls’ salvation. 65. In every measure taken, then, let proper contact with the eccle­ siastical hierarchy be maintained. Let no one arrogate to himself the right to make regulations and impose them on others at will. Only the sovereign pontiff, as the successor of St. Peter, charged by the divine Redeemer with the feeding of his entire flock,54 and with him, in obedience to the Apostolic See, the bishops “whom the Holy Ghost has placed ... to rule the Church of God,”55 have the right and the duty to govern the Christian people. Consequently, venerable brethren, whenever you assert your authority—even on occasion with whole­ some severity—you arc not merely acquitting yourselves of your duty; you arc defending the very' will of the Founder of the Church. 53 Sec Pius VI, Auctorem fidei, August 28, 1793, nos. 31-34, 39, 62, 66, 69-74. 54 See Jn 21:15-17? 55 Acts 2O;,8> » r % 126 THE NEW LITURGY 2 66. The mystery of the most holy Eucharist which Christ the High Priest instituted, and which he commands to be continually renewed in the Church by his ministers, is the culmination and center, as it were, of the Christian religion. Wc consider it opportune in speaking about the crowning act of the sacred liturgy to delay for a little while and call your attention, venerable brethren, to this most important subject. 67. Christ the Lord, “eternal Priest according to the order of Melchisedech,”36 “loving his own who were of the world,”56 57 “at the last supper, on the night he was betrayed, wishing to leave his beloved spouse, the Church, a visible sacrifice such as the nature of men re­ quires, that would represent the bloody sacrifice offered once on the cross, and perpetuate its memory to the end of time, and whose salu­ tary virtue might be applied in remitting those sins which wc daily commit, . . . offered his body and blood under the species of bread and wine to God the Father, and under the same species allowed the apostles, whom he at that time constituted the priests of the New Tes­ tament, to partake thereof; commanding them and their successors in the priesthood to make the same offering.”58 68. The august sacrifice of the altar, then, is no mere empty com­ memoration of the passion and death of Jesus Christ, but a true and proper act of sacrifice, whereby the High Priest by an unbloody im­ molation offers himself a most acceptable victim to the eternal Father, as he did upon the cross. “It is one and the same victim; the same person now offers it by the ministry of his priests, who then offered himself on the cross, the manner of offering alone being different.”59 69. The priest is the same, Jesus Christ, whose sacred Person his minister represents. Now the minister, by reason of the sacerdotal consecration which he has received, is made like to the High Priest and possesses the power of performing actions in virtue of Christ’s very person.60 Wherefore in his priestly activity he in a certain man­ ner “lends his tongue, and gives his hand” to Christ.61 70. Likewise, the victim is the same, namely our divine Redeemer in his human nature with his true body and blood. The manner, how­ ever, in which Christ is offered is different. On the cross he completely offered himself and all his sufferings to God, and the immolation of 56 Ps 109:4. 57 jn I3:I> 58 Council of Trent, Sess. 22, ch. 1 59 Ibid. ch. 2. 60 See St. Thomas, Summa Theologica, IIP, q. 22, art. 4. 61 St. John Chrysostom, In Joann. Hom., 86:4. THE SACRED LITURGY 127 the victim was brought about by the bloody death, which he under­ went of his own free will. But on the altar, by reason of the glorified state of his human nature, “death shall have no more dominion over him,”62 and so the shedding of his blood is impossible; still, according to the plan of divine wisdom, the sacrifice of our Redeemer is shown forth in an admirable manner by external signs which arc the symbols of his death. For by the “transubstantiation” of bread into the body of Christ and of wine into his blood, his body and blood are both really present; now the eucharistie species under which he is present symbolize the actual separation of his body and blood. Thus the com­ memorative representation of his death, which actually took place on Calvary, is repeated in every sacrifice of the altar, seeing that Jesus Christ is symbolically shown by separate symbols to be in a state of victimhood. 71. Moreover, the appointed ends are the same. The first of these is to give glory to the heavenly Father. From his birth to his death Jesus Christ burned with zeal for the divine glory’; and the offering of his blood upon the cross rose to heaven in an odor of sweetness. To perpetuate this praise, the members of the mystical body are united with their divine Head in the eucharistie sacrifice, and with him, to­ gether with the angels and archangels, they sing immortal praise to God63 and give all honor and glory to the Father almighty.64 72. The second end is duly to give thanks to God. Only the divine Redeemer, as the eternal Father’s most beloved Son whose immense love he knew, could offer him a worthy return of gratitude. This was his intention and desire at the Last Supper when he “gave thanks.”65 He did not cease to do so when hanging upon the cross, nor does he fail to do so in the august sacrifice of the altar, which is an act of thanks­ giving or a “eucharistie” act; since this “is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation.”66 73. The third end proposed is that of expiation, propitiation and reconciliation. Certainly, no one was better fitted to make satisfac­ tion to almighty God for all the sins of men than was Christ. There­ fore, he desired to be immolated upon the cross “as a propitiation for our sins, not for ours only but also for those of the whole world.”67 Likewise, he daily offers himself upon our altars for our redemption that wc may be rescued from eternal damnation and admitted into the company of the elect. This he does, not for us only who arc in this mortal life, but also “for all who rest in Christ, who have gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace”;68 62 Rom 6:9. 63 Sec Roman Missal, Preface. 64 See ibid. Canon. 65 Mk 14:23. 66 Roman Missal, Preface. 67 i Jn 2:2. 68 Roman Missal, Canon of the Mass. 128 THE NEW LITURGY for whether we live, or whether we die, “still we arc not separated from the one and only Christ.”69 74. The fourth end, finally, is that of impétration. Man, being the prodigal son, has made bad use of and dissipated the good which he received from his heavenly Father. Accordingly, he has been reduced to the utmost poverty and to extreme degradation. However, Christ on the cross “offering prayers and supplications with a loud cry and tears, has been heard for his reverence.”70 Likewise, upon the altar he is our mediator with God in the same efficacious manner, so that we may be filled with every blessing and grace. 75. It is easy, therefore, to understand why the holy Council of Trent lays down that by means of the eucharistie sacrifice the saving virtue of the cross is imparted to us for the remission of the sins we daily commit.71 76. Now the apostle of the Gentiles proclaims the copious plenitude and the perfection of the sacrifice of the cross when he says that Christ by one oblation has perfected forever them that arc sanctified.72 The merits of this sacrifice, since they arc altogether boundless and im­ measurable, know no limits; for they arc meant for all men of every time and place. This follows from the fact that in this sacrifice the God-man is the priest and victim; that his immolation was entirely perfect, as was his obedience to the will of his eternal Father; and also that he suffered death as the Head of the human race: “Sec how we were bought: Christ hangs upon the cross, sec at what a price he makes his purchase. ... He sheds his blood, he buys with his blood, he buys with the blood of the spotless Lamb, he buys with the blood of God’s only Son. He who buys is Christ; the price is his blood; the possession bought is the world.”73 77. This purchase, however, docs not immediately have its full effect, since Christ, after redeeming the world at the lavish cost of his own blood, still must come into complete possession of the souls of men. Wherefore, that the redemption and salvation of each person and of future generations unto the end of time may be effectively accomplished, and be acceptable to God, it is necessary that men should individually come into vital contact with the sacrifice of the cross, so that the merits which flow from it should be imparted to them. In a certain sense it can be said that on Calvary Christ built a font of purification and salvation which he filled with the blood he shed; but if men do not bathe in it and there wash away the stains of their iniquities, they can never be purified and saved. 78. The cooperation of the faithful is required so that sinners may be individually purified in the blood of the Lamb. For though, speak­ 69 70 72 73 St. Augustine, De Trinit. 13, ch. 19. Heb 5:7. 71 See Sess. 22, ch. 1. Sec Heb 10:14. St. Augustine, Enarr. in Ps. 147, no. 16. THE SACRED LITURGY I29 ing generally, Christ reconciled by his painful death the whole human race with the Father, he wished that all should approach and be drawn to his cross, especially by means of the sacraments and the eucharistie sacrifice, to obtain the salutary fruits produced by him upon it. Through this active and individual participation, the members of the mystical body not only become daily more like their divine Head, but the life flowing from the Head is imparted to the members, so that we can each repeat the words of St. Paul: “With Christ I am nailed to the cross: I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me.”74 We have already explained sufficiently and of set purpose on another occasion that Jesus Christ, “when dying on the cross, bestowed upon his Church, as a completely gratuitous gift, the immense treasure of the redemp­ tion. But when it is a question of distributing his treasure, he not only commits the work of sanctification to his immaculate Spouse, but also wishes that, to a certain extent, sanctity should derive from her activity.”75 79. The august sacrifice of the altar is, as it were, the supreme in­ strument whereby the merits won by the divine Redeemer upon the cross arc distributed to the faithful: “As often as this commemorative sacrifice is offered, there is wrought the work of our Redemption.”76 This, however, so far from lessening the dignity of the actual sacrifice on Calvary, rather proclaims and renders more manifest its greatness and its necessity, as the Council of Trent declares.77 By its daily im­ molation it reminds us that there is no other means of salvation except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’8 and that God himself wishes that there should be a continuation of this sacrifice '‘from the rising of the sun till the going down thereof.”79 so that there may be no ces­ sation of the hymn of praise and thanksgiving which man owes to God, seeing that he requires his help continually and has need of the blood of the Redeemer to remit sin which challenges God’s justice. 80. It is, therefore, desirable, venerable brethren, that all the faith­ ful should be aware that to participate in the eucharistie sacrifice is their chief duty and supreme dignity, and that not in an inert and negligent fashion, giving way to distractions and day-dreaming, but with such earnestness and concentration that they may be united as closely as possible with the High Priest, according to the apostle: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”80 And together with him and through him let them make their oblation, and in union with him let them offer up themselves. 74 Gal 2:19-20. 75 Mystici Corporis, June 29, 1943. 76 Roman Missal, Secret of the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost. 77 See Sess. 22, ch. 2, and canon 4. 78 See Gal 6:14. ™ Mai 1:11. 80 Phil 2:5. 130 THE NEW LITURGY 81. It is quite true that Christ is a priest; but he is a priest not for himself but for us, when in the name of the whole human race he offers our prayers and religious homage to the eternal Father; he is also a victim since he substitutes himself for sinful man. Now the exhorta­ tion of the apostle: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” requires that all Christians should possess, as far as is humanly possible, the same dispositions as those which the divine Redeemer had when he offered himself in sacrifice: that is to say, they should, in a humble attitude of mind, pay adoration, honor, praise and thanks­ giving to the supreme majesty of God. Moreover, it means that they must assume to some extent the chara· ter of a victim, that they deny themselves as the Gospel commands, that freely and of their own ac­ cord they do penance and that each detests and satisfies for his sins. It means, in a word, that we must all undergo with Christ a mystical death on the cross so that we can apply to ourselves the words of St. Paul: “With Christ I am nailed to the cross.”81 82. The fact, however, that the faithful participate in the eucharistie sacrifice does not mean that they also are endowed with priestly power. It is very necessary that you make this quite clear to your flocks. 83. For there arc today, venerable brethren, those who, approxi­ mating to errors long since condemned,82 teach that in the New Testa­ ment by the word “priesthood” is meant only that priesthood which applies to all who have been baptized; and hold that the command by which Christ gave power to his apostles at the Last Supper to do what he himself had done applies directly to the entire Christian Church, and that thence, and thence only, arises the hierarchical priesthood. Hence, they assert that the people arc possessed of true priestly power, while the priest only acts in virtue of an office committed to him by the community. Wherefore, they look on the eucharistie sacrifice as a “concélébration,” in the literal meaning of that term, and consider it more fitting that priests should “concelebrate” with the people pre­ sent than that they should offer the sacrifice privately when the people are absent. 84. It is superfluous to explain how captious errors of this sort completely contradict the truths which we have just stated above, when treating of the place of the priest in the mystical body of Je­ sus Christ. But we must not forget that the priest acts for the people only because he represents Jesus Christ, who is Head of all his members and offers himself in their stead. Hence, he goes to the altar as the minister of Christ, inferior to Christ but superior to the people.83 The people, on the other hand, since they in no sense represent the divine Redeemer and are not mediator between themselves and God, can in no way possess the sacerdotal power. 81 Gal 2:19. 82 See Council of Trent, Sess. 23, ch. 4. 83 See St. Robert Bcllarminc, De Missa 2, ch. 4. THE SACRED LITURGY ISI 85. All this has the certitude of faith. However, it must also be added that the faithful offer the divine Victim, though in a different sense. 86. This has already been stated in the clearest terms by some of our predecessors and some doctors of the Church. “Not only,” says Innocent III of immortal memory, “do the priests offer the sacrifice, but also all the faithful: for what the priest docs personally by virtue of his ministry, the faithful do collectively by virtue of their inten­ tion.”84 We arc happy to recall one of St. Robert Bellarmine’s many statements on this subject. “The sacrifice,” he says, “is principally offered in the person of Christ. Thus the oblation that follows the consecration is a sort of attestation that the whole Church consents in the oblation made by Christ, and offers it along with him.”85 87. Moreover, the rites and prayers of the eucharistie sacrifice sig­ nify and show no less clearly that the oblation of the Victim is made by the priests in company with the people. For not only does the sacred minister, after the oblation of the bread and wine when he turns to the people, say the significant prayer: “Pray brethren, that my sacri­ fice and yours may be acceptable to God the Father almighty”;86 but also the prayers by which the divine Victim is offered to God are generally expressed in the plural number: and in these it is indicated more than once that the people also participate in this august sacrifice inasmuch as they offer the same. The following words, for example, are used: “For whom we offer, or who offer up to thee.... We there­ fore beseech thee, O Lord, to be appeased and to receive this offering of our bounden duty, as also of thy whole household.... We thy servants, as also thy whole people ... do offer unto thy most excellent majesty, of thine own gifts bestowed upon us, a pure victim, a holy victim, a spotless victim.”87 88. Nor is it to be wondered at that the faithful should be raised to this dignity. By the waters of baptism, as by common right, Chris­ tians arc made members of the mystical body of Christ "the Priest, and by the character’ which is imprinted on their souls they are ap­ pointed to give worship to God; thus they participate, according to their condition, in the priesthood of Christ. 89. In every age of the Church’s history, the mind of man, enlightened by faith, has aimed at the greatest possible knowledge of things divine. It is fitting, then, that the Christian people should also desire to know in what sense they are said in the canon of the Mass to offer up the sacrifice. To satisfy such a pious desire, then, we shall here explain the matter briefly and concisely. 84 De Sacro Altaris Mysterio 3 ;($, 85 De Missa 1, ch. 27. 86 Roman Missal, Ordinary of the Mass. 87 Ibid. Canon of the Mass. 132 THE NEW LITURGY 90. First of all the more extrinsic explanations arc these: it fre­ quently happens that the faithful assisting at Mass join their prayers alternately with those of the priest, and sometimes—a more frequent occurrence in ancient times—they offer to the minister at the altar bread and wine to be changed into the body and blood of Christ, and finally, by their alms they get the priest to offer the divine Victim for their intentions. 91. But there is also a more profound reason why all Christians, especially those who arc present at Mass, arc said to offer the sacrifice. 92. In this most important subject it is necessary, in order to avoid giving rise to a dangerous error, that we define the exact meaning of the word “offer.” The unbloody immolation at the words of con­ secration, when Christ is made present upon the altar in the state of a victim, is performed by the priest and by him alone, as the represen­ tative of Christ and not as the representative of the faithful. It is be­ cause the priest places the divine Victim upon the altar that he offers it to God the Father as an oblation for the glory of the Blessed Trinity and for the good of the whole Church. Now the faithful participate in the oblation, understood in this limited sense, after their own fashion and in a twofold manner, namely because they not only offer the sacri­ fice by the hands of the priest, but also, to a certain extent, in union with him. It is by reason of this participation that the offering made by the people is also included in liturgical worship. 93. Now it is clear that the faithful offer the sacrifice by the hands of the priest from the fact that the minister at the altar, in offering a sacrifice in the name of all his members, represents Christ, the Head of the mystical body; hence, the whole church can rightly be said to offer up the Victim through Christ. But the conclusion that the people offer the sacrifice with the priest himself is not based on the fact that, being members of the Church no less than the priest himself, they perform a visible liturgical rite; for this is the privilege only of the minister who has been divinely appointed to this office: rather it is based on the fact that the people unite their hearts in praise, impétra­ tion, expiation and thanksgiving with the prayers or intention of the priest, even of the High Priest himself, so that in the one an.', same offering of the Victim and according to a visible sacerdotal rite, they may be presented to God the Father. It is obviously necessary that the external rite of sacrifice should, of its very nature, signify the in­ ternal worship of the heart. Now the sacrifice of the new law signi­ fies that supreme worship by which the principal Offerer himself, who is Christ, and, in union with him and through him, all the mem­ bers of the mystical body pay God the honor and reverence that are due to him. 94. We arc very pleased to learn that this teaching, thanks to a more intense study of the liturgy on the part of many, especially in recent years, has been given full recognition. We must, however, THE SACRED LITURGY I33 deeply deplore certain exaggerations and over-statements which are not in agreement with the true teaching of the Church. 95. Some, in fact, disapprove altogether of those Masses which are offered privately and without any congregation, on the ground that they arc a departure from the ancient way of offering the sacrifice; moreover, there arc some who assert that priests cannot offer Mass at different altars at the same time because, by doing so, they break up the community of the faithful and imperil its unity; while some go so far as to hold that the people must confirm and ratify the sacrifice if it is to have its proper force and value. 96. They arc mistaken in appealing in this matter to the social char­ acter of the eucharistie sacrifice, for as often as a priest repeats what the divine Redeemer did at the Last Supper the sacrifice is really com­ peted. Moreover, this sacrifice, necessarily and of its very nature, las always and everywhere the character of a public and social act, inasmuch as he who offers it acts in the name of Christ and of the faith­ ful, whose Head is the divine Redeemer, while he offers it to God for the holy Catholic Church, and for the living and the dead.88 This is undoubtedly so, whether the faithful are present—as we desire and commend them to be in great numbers and with devotion—or are not present, since it is in no wise required that the people ratify what the sacred minister has done. 97. Still, though it is clear from what we have said that the Mass is offered in the name of Christ and of the Church and that it is not robbed of its social effects though it be celebrated by a priest without a server, nonetheless, on account of the dignity of such an august mys­ tery, it is our earnest desire—as Mother Church has always commanded —that no priest should say Mass unless a server is at hand to answer the prayers, as canon 813 prescribes. 98. In order that the oblation by which the faithful offer the divine Victim in this sacrifice to the heavenly Father may have its full effect, it is necessary that the people add something else, namely the offering of themselves as a victim. 99. This offering, in fact, is not confined merely to the liturgical sacrifice. For the prince of the apostles wishes us, as living stones built upon the cornerstone Christ, to be able, as “a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”89 St. Paul the apostle addresses the following words of exhortation to Chris­ tians, without distinction of time: “Γ beseech you therefore, . . . that you present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service. ’90 But at that time especially when the faith­ ful take part in the liturgical service with such piety and recollection that it can truly be said of them: “whose faith and devotion is known 88 Roman Missal, Canon of the Mass. 891 Pt 2:5. 90 Rom I2:I. THE NEW LITURGY 134 to thee,”91 it is then, with the High Priest and through him, that they offer themselves as a spiritual sacrifice, that each one’s faith ought to become more ready to work through charity, his piety more real and fervent, and each one should consecrate himself to furthering the divine glory, desiring to become as like as possible to Christ in his most grievous sufferings. loo. This we are also taught by those exhortations which the bishop, in the Church’s name, addresses to priests on the day of their ordina­ tion: “Understand what you do, imitate what you handle, and since you celebrate the mystery of the Lord’s death, take good care to mor­ tify your members with their vices and concupiscences.”92 In almost the same manner the sacred books of the liturgy advise Christians who come to Mass to participate in the sacrifice: “At this. .. altar let innocence be in honor, let pride be sacrificed, anger slain, impurity and every evil desire laid low, let the sacrifice of chastity be offered in place of doves and instead of the young pigeons the sacrifice of innocence.”93 While we stand before the altar, then, it is our duty so to transform our hearts, that whatever sin there is may be completely blotted out, while whatever promotes supernatural life through Christ may be zealously fostered and strengthened even to the extent that, in union with the immaculate Victim, we become a victim acceptable to the eternal Father. ιοί. The prescriptions, in fact, of the sacred liturgy aim, by every means at their disposal, at helping the Church to bring about this most holy purpose in the most suitable manner possible. This is the object not only of readings, homilies and other sermons given by priests, as also the whole cycle of mysteries which are proposed for our comme­ moration in the course of the year, but it is also the purpose of vestments, of sacred rites and their external splendor. All these things aim at “enhancing the majesty of this great sacrifice, and raising the minds of the faithful, by means of these visible signs of religion and piety, to the contemplation of the sublime truths contained in this sacrifice.’94 102. All the elements of rhe liturgy, then, would have us reproduce in our hearts the likeness of the divine Redeemer through the mystery of the cross, according to the words of the apostle of the Gentiles: “With Christ I am nailed to the cross. I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me. 95 Thus we become a victim, as it were, along with Christ to increase the glory of the eternal Father. 103. Let this, then, be the intention and aspiration of the faithful, when they offer up the divine Victim in the Mass. For if, as St. Au­ gustine writes, our mystery is enacted on the Lord’s table, that is, 91 92 93 94 95 Roman Missal, Canon of the Mass. Roman Pontifical, Ordination of a Priest. Ibid. Consecration of an Altar, Preface. See Council of Trent, Sess. 22, ch. 5. Gal 2:19-20. THE SACRED LITURGY 135 Christ our Lord himself,96 who is the Head and symbol of that union through which we arc the body of Christ97 and members of his body;98 if St. Robert Bcllarminc teaches, according to the mind of the doctor of Hippo, that in the sacrifice of the altar is signified the general sa­ crifice by which the whole mystical body of Christ, that is, all the city of the redeemed, is offered up to God through Christ, the High Priest:99 nothing can be conceived more just or fitting than that all of us in union with our Head, who suffered for our sake, should also sacrifice ourselves to the eternal Father. For in the sacrament of the altar, as the same St. Augustine has it, the Church is made to see that in what she offers she herself is offered.100 104. Let the faithful, therefore, consider to what a high dignity they arc raised by the sacrament of baptism. They should not think it enough to participate in the eucharistie sacrifice with that general intention which befits members of Christ and children of the Church, but let them further, in keeping with the spirit of the sacred liturgy, be most closely united with the High Priest and his earthly minister, at the time the consecration of the divine Victim is enacted, and at that time especially when those solemn words are pronounced: “By him and with him and in him, is to thee, God the Father almighty, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, all honor and glory for ever and ever”;101 to these words, in fact, the people answer: “Amen.” Nor should Chris­ tians forget to offer themselves, their cares, their sorrows, their distress and their necessities in union with their divine Savior upon the cross. 105. Therefore, they are to be praised who, with the idea of getting the Christian people to take part more easily and more fruitfully in the Mass, strive to make them familiar with the Roman missal, so that the faithful, united with the priest, may pray together in the very words and sentiments of the Church. They also are to be commended who strive to make the liturgy even in an external way a sacred act in which all who arc present may share. This can be done in more than one way, when, for instance, the whole congregation, in accordance with the rules of the liturgy, cither answer the priest in an orderly and fitting manner, or sing hymns suitable to the different parts of the Mass, or do both, or finally in solemn Masses when they answer the prayers of the minister of Jesus Christ and also sing the liturgical chant, approved and commended when they arc in complete agreement with the precepts of the Church and the rubrics of the liturgy. Their chief aim is to foster and promote the people’s piety and intimate union with Christ and his visible minister and to arouse those internal sen­ timents and dispositions which should make our hearts become like 96 98 99 100 101 See Serrn. 272. 97 See 1 Cor. 12:27. See Eph 5:30. See St. Robert Bellarmine, De Missa 2, ch. 8. Sec De Civitate Dei 10, ch. 6. Roman Missal, Canon of the Mass. I36 THE NEW LITURGY to that of the High Priest of the New Testament. However, though they show also in an outward manner that the very nature of the sa· crifice, as offered by the Mediator between God and men,*02 must be regarded as the act of the whole mystical body of Christ, still they arc by no means necessarily to constitute it a public act or to give it a social character. And besides, a dialogue Mass of this kind cannot replace the solemn Mass which, as a matter of fact, though it should be offered with only the sacred ministers present, possesses its own special dignity due to the impressive character of its ritual and the magnificence of its ceremonies. The splendor and grandeur of a solemn Mass, however, arc very much increased if, as the Church desires, the people arc present in great numbers and with devotion. 107. It is to be observed, also, that they have strayed from the path of truth and right reason who, led away by false opinions, make so much of these accidentals as to presume to assert that without them the Mass cannot fulfill its appointed end. 108. Many of the faithful arc unable to use the Roman missal even though it is written in the vernacular; nor arc all capable of under­ standing correctly the liturgical rites and formulas. So varied and diverse arc men’s talents and characters that it is impossible for all to be moved and attracted to the same extent by community prayers, hymns and liturgical services. Moreover, the needs and inclinations of all are not the same, nor arc they always constant in the same individ­ ual. Who, then, would say, on account of such a prejudice, that all these Christians cannot participate in the Mass nor share its fruits? On the contrary, they can adopt some other method which proves easier for certain people; for instance, they can lovingly meditate on the mysteries of Jesus Christ or perform other exercises of piety or recite prayers which, though they differ from the sacred rites, arc still essentially in harmony with them. 109. Wherefore, we exhort you, venerable brethren, that each in his diocese or ecclesiastical jurisdiction supervise and regulate the manner and method in which the people take part in the liturgy, ac­ cording to the rubrics of the missal and in keeping with the injunctions which the Sacred Congregation of Rites and the code of canon law have published. Let everything be done with due order and dignity, and let no one, not even a priest, make use of the sacred edifices ac­ cording to his whim to try out experiments. It is also our wish that in each diocese an advisory committee to promote the liturgical apostolate should be established, similar to that which cares for sacred music and art, so that with your watchful guidance everything may be care­ fully carried out in accordance with the prescriptions of the Apostolic See. no. In religious communities let all those regulations be accurately observed which are laid down in their respective constitutions, nor 102 See i Tim 2:5. THE SACRED LITURGY I I B7 let any innovations be made which the superiors of these communi­ ties have not previously approved. in. But however much variety and disparity there may be in the exterior manner and circumstances in which the Christian laity participate in the Mass and other liturgical functions, constant and earnest effort must be made to unite the congregation in spirit as much as possible with the divine Redeemer, so that their lives may be daily enriched with more abundant sanctity, and greater glory be given to the heavenly Father. 112. The august sacrifice of the altar is concluded with communion or the partaking of the divine feast. But, as all know, the integrity of the sacrifice only requires that the priest partake of the heavenly food. Although it is most desirable that the people should also approach the holy table, this is not required for the integrity of the sacrifice. 113. We wish in this matter to repeat the remarks which our prede­ cessor Benedict XIV makes with regard to the definitions of the Coun­ cil of Trent: “First we must state that none of the faithful can hold that private Masses, in which the priest alone receives holy communion, are therefore unlawful and do not fulfill the idea of the true, perfect and complete unbloody sacrifice instituted by Christ our Lord. For the faithful know quite well, or at least can easily be taught, that the Council of Trent, supported by the doctrine which the uninterrupted tradition of the Church has preserved, condemned the new and false opinion of Luther as opposed to this tradition.”103 “If anyone shall say that Masses in which the priest only receives communion, are unlawful, and therefore should be abolished, let him be anathema.”104 114. They, therefore, err from the path of truth who do not want to have Masses celebrated unless the faithful communicate; and those are still more in error who, in holding that it is altogether necessary for the faithful to receive holy communion as well as the priest, put forward the captious argument that here there is question not of a sacrifice merely, but of a sacrifice and a supper of brotherly union, and consider the general communion of all present as the culminating point of the whole celebration. 115. Now it cannot be over-emphasized that the eucharistie sacrifice of its very nature is the unbloody immolation of the divine Victim, which is made manifest in a mystical manner by the separation of the sacred species and by their oblation to the eternal Father. Holy com­ munion pertains to the integrity of the Mass and to the partaking of the august sacrament; but while it is obligatory for the priest who says the Mass, it is only something earnestly recommended to the faithful. 116. The Church, as the teacher of truth, strives by every means in her power to safeguard the integrity of the Catholic faith and, like 103 Encyclical Letter Certiores effecti, November 13, 1742, J 1. IW Council of Trent, scss. 22, canon 8. 138 THE NEW LITURGY a mother solicitous for the welfare of her children, she exhorts them most earnestly to partake fervently and frequently of the richest treas­ ure of our religion. 117. She wishes in the first place that Christians—especially when they cannot easily receive holy communion—should do so at least by desire, so that with renewed faith, reverence, humility and com­ plete trust in the goodness of the divine Redeemer, they may be united to him in the spirit of the most ardent charity. 118. But the desire of Mother Church docs not stop here. For since by feasting upon the bread of angels wc can by a “sacramental” communion, as wc have already said, also become partakers of the sacrifice, she repeats the invitation to all her children individually: “Take and cat. . . . Do this in memory of me”105 so that “wc may continually experience within us the fruit of our redemption”106 in a more efficacious manner. For this reason the Council of Trent, re­ echoing, as it were, the invitation of Christ and his immaculate spouse, has earnestly exhorted “the faithful when they attend Mass to com­ municate not only by a spiritual communion but also by a sacramental one, so that they may obtain more abundant fruit from this most holy sacrifice.”107 Moreover, our predecessor of immortal memory, Benedict XIV, wishing to emphasize and throw fuller light upon the truth that the faithful by receiving the holy Eucharist become partakers of the divine sacrifice itself, praises the devotion of those who, when attending Mass, not only elicit a desire to receive holy communion but also want to be nourished by hosts consecrated during the Mass, even though, as he himself states, they really and truly take part in the sacrifice should they receive a host which has been duly consecrated at a pre­ vious Mass. He writes as follows: “And although in addition to those to whom the celebrant gives a portion of the Victim he himself has offered in the Mass, they also participate in the same sacrifice to whom a priest distributes the Blessed Sacrament that has been reserved; how­ ever, the Church has not for this reason ever forbidden, nor docs she now forbid, a celebrant to satisfy the piety and just request of those who, when present at Mass, want to become partakers of the same sacrifice, because they likewise offer it after their own manner, nay more, she approves of it and desires that it should not be omitted and would reprehend those priests through whose fault and negligence this participation would be denied to the faithful.”108 119. May God grant that all accept these invitations of the Church freely and with spontaneity. May he grant that they participate even every day, if possible, in the divine sacrifice, not only in a spiritual manner, but also by reception of the august sacrament, receiving the body of Jesus Christ which has been offered for all to the eternal Fa­ 105 i Cor 11:24. 106 Roman Missal, Collect for Feast of Corpus Christi. 107 Sess. 22, ch. 6. 108 Certiores effecti, § 3. THE SACRED LITURGY I39 ther. Arouse, venerable brethren, in the hearts of those committed to your care, a great and insatiable hunger for Jesus Christ. Under your guidance let the children and youth crowd to the altar rails to offer themselves, their innocence and their works of zeal to the divine Redeemer. Let husbands and wives approach the holy table so that nourished on this food they may learn to make the children entrusted to them conformed to the mind and heart of Jesus Christ. 120. Let the workers be invited to partake of this sustaining and never failing nourishment that it may renew their strength and ob­ tain for their labors an everlasting recompense in heaven; in a word, invite all men of whatever class and compel them to come in;109 since this is the bread of life which all require. The Church of Jesus Christ needs no other bread than this to satisfy fully our souls’ wants and desires, and to unite us in the most intimate union with Jesus Christ, to make us “one body,”110 to get us to live together as brothers who, breaking the same bread, sit down to the same heavenly table, to par­ take of the elixir of immortality.111 121. Now it is very fitting, as the liturgy otherwise lays down, that the people receive holy communion after the priest has partaken of the divine repast upon the altar; and, as we have written above, they should be commended who, when present at Mass, receive hosts consecrated at the same Mass, so that it is actually verified, “that as many of us as, at this altar, shall partake of and receive the most holy body and blood of thy Son, may be filled with every heavenly bles­ sing and grace.”112 122. Still, sometimes there may be a reason, and that not unfrequently, why holy communion should be distributed before or after Mass and even immediately after the priest receives the sacred species —and even though hosts consecrated at a previous Mass should be used. In these circumstances—as we have stated above—the people duly take part in the eucharistie sacrifice and not seldom they can in this way more conveniently receive holy communion. Still, though the Church, with the kind heart of a mother, strives to meet the spiritual needs of her children, they, for their part, should not readily neglect the directions of the liturgy and, as often as there is no reasonable difficulty, should aim that all their actions at the altar manifest more clearly the living unity of the Mystical Body. 123. When the Mass, which is subject to special rules of the liturgy, is over, the person who has received holy communion is not thereby freed from his duty of thanksgiving; rather, it is most becoming that, when the Mass is finished, the person who has received the Eucharist should recollect himself, and in intimate union with the divine Master hold loving and fruitful converse with him. Hence, they have dc109 See Lk. 14:23. no 1 Cor 10:17. 111 See St. Ignatius, Martyr, Ad Eph. 20. 112 Roman Missal, Canon of the Mass. 140 THE NEW LITURGY parted from the straight way of truth who, adhering to the letter rather than the sense, assert and teach that, when Mass has ended, no such thanksgiving should be added, not only because the Mass is itself a thanksgiving, but also because this pertains to a private and personal act of piety and not to the good of the community. 124. But, on the contrary, the very nature of the sacrament de­ mands that its reception should produce rich fruits of Christian sanctity. Admittedly, the congregation has been officially dismissed, but each individual, since he is united with Christ, should not interrupt the hymn of praise in his own soul, “always returning thanks for all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”113 The sacred liturgy of the Mass also exhorts us to do this when it bids us pray in these words: “Grant, we beseech thee, that we may always continue to offer thanks114 . . . and may never cease from praising thee.”115 Wherefore, if there is no time when wc must not offer God thanks, and if wc must never cease from praising him, who would dare to reprehend or find fault with the Church, because she advises her priests116 and faithful to converse with the divine Redeemer for at least a short while after holy communion, and inserts in her liturgical books fitting prayers, enriched with indulgences, by which the sacred ministers may make suitable preparation before Mass and holy communion or may return thanks afterwards? So far is the sacred liturgy from re­ stricting the interior devotion of individual Christians that it actually fosters and promotes it so that they may be rendered like to Jesus Christ and through him be brought to the heavenly Father; wherefore, this same discipline of the liturgy demands that whoever has partaken of the sacrifice of the altar should return fitting thanks to God. For it is the good pleasure of the divine Redeemer to hearken to us when wc pray, to converse with us intimately and to offer us a refuge in his loving Heart. 125. Moreover, such personal colloquies arc very necessary that wc may all enjoy more fully the supernatural treasures that arc in the Eucharist and, according to our means, share them with others, so that Christ our Lord may exert the greatest possible influence on the souls 126. Why then, venerable brethren, should we not approve of those who, when they receive holy communion, remain on in closest familiarity with their divine Redeemer even after the congregation has been officially dismissed, and that not only for the consolation of conversing with him, but also to render him due thanks and praise and especially to ask help to defend their souls against anything that 113 114 115 116 Eph 5:20. Roman Missal, Postcommunion for Sunday with the Octave of Ascension. Ibid. Postcommunion for First Sunday after Pentecost. Code of Canon Law, canon 810. THE SACRED LITURGY I4I may lessen the efficacy of the sacrament and to do everything in their power to cooperate with the action of Christ who is so intimately present. Wc exhort them to do so in a special manner by carrying out their resolutions, by exercising the Christian virtues, as also by applying to their own necessities the riches they have received with royal liberality. I he author of that golden book The Imitation of Christ certainly speaks in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the liturgy when he gives the following advice to the person who approaches the altar: “Remain on in secret and take delight in your God; for he is yours whom the whole world cannot take away from you. »117 11 ' 127. Therefore, let us all enter into closest union with Christ and strive to lose ourselves, as it were,in his most holy love and so be united to him, that we may have a share in those acts with which he adores the Blessed Trinity with a homage that is most acceptable, and with which he offers to the eternal father supreme praise and thanks which find an harmonious echo throughout the heavens and the earth, ac­ cording to the words of the prophet: “All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord.”llh Finally, in union with these sentiments of Christ, let us ask for heavenly aid at that moment in which it is supremely fitting to pray for and obtain help in his name.117 *119 For it is especially in virtue of these sentiments that we offer and immolate ourselves as a victim, saying: “make of us thy eternal offering.’’120 128. The divine Redeemer is ever repeating his pressing invita­ tion: “Abide in me.’ 121 Now, by the sacrament of the Eucharist, Christ remains in us and wc in him, and just as Christ, remaining in us, lives and works, so should we remain in Christ and live and work through him. 129. The eucharistie Food contains, as all arc aware, “truly, really and substantially the body and blood together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ.' 122 It is no wonder, then, that the Church, even from the beginning, adored the body of Christ under the ap­ pearance of bread; this is evident from the very rites of the august sacrifice, which prescribe that the sacred ministers should adore the most holy sacrament by genuflecting or by profoundly bowing their heads. 130. The sacred councils teach that it is the Church’s tradition, right from the beginning, to worship “with the same adoration the Word Incarnate as well as his own flesh,"123 and St. Augustine asserts 117 Book 4, c. 12. ,1S Dn 3:57. 119 See Jn 16:23. 120 Roman Missal, Secret for Mass of the Most Blessed Trinity. 121 Jn 15:4. 122 Council of Trent, sess. 13, c 1. 123 Second Council of Constantinople, Anath, de trib. Capit., canon 9; cp. Council of Ephesus, Anath. Cyrill. canon 8. Sec Council of Trent, sess. 13, canon 6; Pius VI, Constitution Auctorem fidei, no. 61. 142 THE NEW LITURGY that “no one eats that flesh, without first adoring it,” while he adds that ‘ not only do we not commit a sin by adoring it, but wc do sin by not adoring it.”124 131· It is on this doctrinal basis that the cult of adoring the Eucha­ rist was founded and gradually developed as something distinct from the sacrifice of the Mass. The reservation of the sacred species for the sick and those in danger of death introduced the praiseworthy custom of adoring the Blessed Sacrament which is reserved in our churches. This practice of adoration, in fact, is based on strong and solid reasons. For the Eucharist is at once a sacrifice and a sacrament; but it differs from the other sacraments in this, that it not only pro­ duces grace, but contains in a permanent manner the Author of grace himself. When, therefore, the Church bids us adore Christ hidden behind the eucharistie veils and pray to him for spiritual and temporal favors, of which wc ever stand in need, she manifests living faith in her divine spouse who is present beneath these veils, she professes her gratitude to him and she enjoys the intimacy of his friendship. 132. Now, the Church in the course of centuries has introduced various forms of this worship which are ever increasing in beauty and helpfulness: as, for example, frequent visits of devotion to the tabernacle, even every day; benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; solemn processions, especially at the time of eucharistie congresses, which pass through cities and villages; and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament publicly exposed. Sometimes these public acts of adora­ tion are of short duration. Sometimes they last for one, several and even for forty hours, and in some places they continue in turn in different churches throughout the year, while elsewhere adoration is perpetual day and night, under the care of religious communities, and the faith­ ful quite often take part in them. 133. These exercises of piety have brought a wonderful increase in faith and supernatural life to the Church militant upon earth and they are re-echoed to a certain extent by the Church triumphant in heaven, which sings continually a hymn of praise to God and to the Lamb “who was slain.”125 Wherefore, the Church not merely ap­ proves these pious practices, which in the course of centuries have spread everywhere throughout the world, but makes them her own, as it were, and by her authority commends them.126 They spring from the inspiration of the liturgy and, if they arc performed with due propriety and with faith and piety, as the liturgical rules of the Church require, they arc undoubtedly of the very greatest assistance in living the life of the liturgy. 134. Nor is it to be admitted that by this eucharistie cult men falsely confound the historical Christ, as they say, who once lived on earth, 124 Sec Enarr. in Ps. 98:9. 125 Ap 5:12, cp. 7:10. 126 See Council of Trent, sess. 13, ch. 5 and canon 6. THE SACRED LITURGY 143 with the Christ who is present in the august sacrament of the altar, and who reigns glorious and triumphant in heaven and bestows super­ natural favors. On the contrary, it can be claimed that by this devo­ tion the faithful bear witness to and solemnly avow the faith of the Church that the Word of God is identical with the Son of the Virgin Mary, who suffered on the cross, who is present in a hidden manner in the Eucharist and who reigns upon his heavenly throne. Thus St. John Chrysostom states: “When you see it [the Body of Christ) exposed, say to yourself: Thanks to this body, I am no longer dust and ashes, I am no more a captive but a free man: hence I hope to obtain heaven and the good things that arc there in store for me, eternal life, the heritage of the angels, companionship with Christ; death has not destroyed this body which was pierced by nails and scourged, .. . this is that body which was once covered with blood, pierced by a lance, from which issued saving fountains upon the world, one of blood the other of water. . . . This body he gave to us to keep and eat, as a mark of his intense love.”127 135. That practice in a special manner is to be highly praised ac­ cording to which many exercises of piety, customary among the faith­ ful, end with benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. For excellent and of great benefit is that custom which makes the priest raise aloft the bread of angels before congregations with heads bowed down in adoration and, forming with it the sign of the cross, implores the heavenly Father to deign to look upon his Son who for love of us was nailed to the cross, and for his sake and through him who willed to be our Redeemer and our brother, be pleased to shower down heavenly favors upon those whom the immaculate blood of the Lamb has redeemed.128 136. Strive then, venerable brethren, with your customary devoted care so that the churches, which the faith and piety of Christian peoples have built in the course of centuries for the purpose of singing a perpet­ ual hymn of glory to God almighty and of providing a worthy abode for our Redeemer concealed beneath the eucharistie species, may be entirely at the disposal of greater numbers of the faithful who, called to the feet of their Savior, hearken to his most consoling invitation: ‘Come to me all ye who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will refresh you. 129 Let your churches be the house of God where all who enter to implore blessings rejoice in obtaining whatever they ask130 and find there heavenly consolation. 137. Only thus can it be brought about that the whole human family settling their differences may find peace, and united in nimd and heart may sing this song of hope and charity: “Good Pastor, truly 127 In I ad Cor. 24:4. 128 See 1 Pt 1:19. 129 Mt 11:28. 130 Sec Roman Missal, Collect for Mass for the Dedication of a Church. 144 THE NEW LITURGY bread—Jesus have mercy on us—feed us, protect us—bestow on us the vision of all good things—in the land of the living.”131 138. The ideal of Christian life is that each one be united to God in the closest and most intimate manner. For this reason, the worship that the Church renders to God, and which is based especially on the eucharistie sacrifice and the use of the sacraments, is directed and ar­ ranged in such a way that it embraces, by means of the divine office, the hours of the day, the weeks and the whole cycle of the year, and reaches all the aspects and phases of human life. 139. Since the divine Master commanded “that we ought always to pray and not to faint,”132 the Church faithfully fulfills this injunc­ tion and never ceases to pray: she urges us in the words of the apostle of the Gentiles: “by him [Jesus] let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God.”133 140. Public and common prayer offered to God by all at the same time was customary in antiquity only on certain days and at certain times. Indeed, people prayed to God not only in groups but in private houses and occasionally with neighbors and friends. But soon in different parts of the Christian world the practice arose of setting aside special times for praying as, for example, the last hour of the day when evening set in and the lamps were lighted; or the first, heralded, when the night was coming to an end, by the crowing of the cock and the rising of the morning star. Other times of the day, as being more suitable for prayer, arc indicated in sacred Scripture, in Hebrew cus­ toms or in keeping with the practice of everyday life. According to the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples of Jesus Christ all came together to pray at the third hour, when they were all filled with the Holy Ghost;134 and before eating, the prince of the apostles went up to the higher parts of the house to pray, about the sixth hour;135 Peter and John “went up into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer;”136 and “at midnight Paul and Silas praying . . . praised God.”137 141. Thanks to the work of the monks and to those who practice asceticism, these various prayers in the course of time became ever more perfected and by the authority of the Church were gradually incorporated into the sacred liturgy. 142. The divine office is the prayer of the mystical body of Jesus Christ, offered to God in the name and on behalf of all Christians, 131 132 134 136 Roman Missal,Sequence Lauda Sion in Mass for Feast of Corpus Christi. Lk 18:1. 133 Heb 13:15. See Acts2:1-15. 135 Ibid. 10:9. Ibid. 3:1 137 Ibid. 16:25. THE SACRED LITURGY 145 when recited by priests and other ministers of the Church and by religious who arc deputed by the Church for this. 143. The character and value of the divine office may be gathered from the words recommended by the Church to be said before starting the prayers of the office, namely that they be said “worthily, with attention and devotion.” 144. By assuming human nature, the divine Word introduced into this earthly exile a hymn which is sung in heaven for all eternity. He united to himself the whole human race and with it sings this hymn to the praise of God. As we must humbly recognize that “we know not what we should pray for, as we ought, the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings.”138 Moreover, through his Spirit in us, Christ entreats the Father: “God could not give a greater gift to men . . . [Jesus] prays for us, as our Priest; he prays in us as our Priest; he prays in us as our Head; we pray to him as our God ... we recognize in him our voice and his voice in us.. . he is prayed to as God, he prayed under the appearance of a servant; in heaven he is Creator; here, created though not changed, he assumes a created nature which is to be changed and makes us with him one complete man, head and body.”139 145. To this lofty dignity of the Church’s prayer, there should correspond earnest devotion in our souls. For when in prayer the voice repeats those hymns written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and extols God’s infinite perfections, it is necessary that the interior sentiment of our soul should accompany the voice so as to make those sentiments our own in which we are elevated to heaven, adoring and giving due praise and thanks to the Blessed Trinity; “so let us chant in choir that mind and voice may accord together.”140 It is not merely a question of recitation or of singing which, however perfect according to norms of music and the sacred rites, only reaches the ear, but it is especially a question of the ascent of the mind and heart to God so that, united with Christ, we may completely dedicate ourselves and all our actions to him. 146. On this depends in no small way the efficacy of our prayers. These prayers, in fact, when they are nor addressed directly to the Word made man, conclude with the phrase “through Jesus Christ our Lord.” As our Mediator with God, he shows to the heavenly Father his glorified wounds, “always living to make intercession for us.”141 147. The psalms, as all know, form the chief part of the divine office. They encompass the full round of the day and sanctify it. Cas- 138 139 140 141 Rom 8:26. St. Augustine, Enarr. in Ps. 85. no. I. St. Benedict, Regula Monachorum, ch. 19. Heb 7:25. 146 THE NEW LITURGY siodorus speaks beautifully about the psalms as distributed in his day throughout the divine ofhcc: “With the celebration of matins they bring a blessing on the coming day, they set aside for us the first hour and consecrate the third hour of the day, they gladden the sixth hour with the breaking of bread, at the ninth they terminate our fast, they bring the evening to a close and at nightfall they shield our minds from darkness.”142 148. The psalms recall to mind the truths revealed by God to the chosen people, which were at one time frightening and at another filled with wonderful tenderness; they keep repeating and fostering the hope of the promised Liberator which in ancient times was kept alive with song, either around the hearth or in the stately temple; they show forth in splendid light the prophesied glory of Jesus Christ: first, his supreme and eternal power, then his lowly coming to this terrestrial exile, his kingly dignity and priestly power and, finally, his beneficent labors, and the shedding of his blood for our redemption. In a similar way they express the joy, the bitterness, the hope and fear of our hearts and our desire of loving God and hoping in him alone, and our mystic ascent to divine tabernacles. 149. “The psalm is ... a blessing for the people, it is the praise of God, the tribute of the nation, the common language and acclama­ tion of all, it is the voice of the Church, the harmonious confession of faith, signifying deep attachment to authority; it is the joy of freedom, the expression of happiness, an echo of bliss.”143 150. In an earlier age, these canonical prayers were attended by many of the faithful. But this gradually ceased and, as we have al­ ready said, their recitation at present is the duty of the clergy and of religious. The laity have no obligation in this matter. Still, it is greatly to be desired that they participate in reciting or chanting vespers sung in their own parish on feast days. Wc earnestly exhort you, venerable brethren, to see that this pious practice is kept up, and that wherever it has ceased you restore it if possible. This, without doubt, will pro­ duce salutary results when vespers arc conducted in a worthy and fitting manner and with such helps as foster the piety of the faithful. Let the public and private observance of the feasts of the Church, which are in a special way dedicated and consecrated to God, be kept inviolable; and especially the Lord’s day which the apostles, under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, substituted for the Sabbath. Now, if the order was given to the Jews: “Six days shall you do work; in the seventh day is the Sabbath, the rest holy to the Lord. Every one that shall do any work on this day, shall die;”144 how will those Chris142 Explicatio in Psalterium, Preface. Text as found in PL 70:10. But some are of the opinion that part of this passage should not be attributed to Cassiodorus. 143 St. Ambrose, Enarr. in Ps. 1, no. 9. 144 Ex 31:15. THE SACRED LITURGY 147 tians not fear spiritual death who perform servile work on feastdays, and whose rest on these days is not devoted to religion and piety but given over to the allurements of the world? Sundays and holydays, then, must be made holy by divine worship, which gives homage to God and heavenly food to the soul. Although the Church only commands the faithful to abstain from servile work and attend Mass and docs not make it obligatory to attend evening devotions, still she desires it and recommends it repeatedly. Moreover, the needs of each one demand this, seeing that all arc bound to win the favor of God if they arc to obtain his benefits. Our soul is filled with the greatest grief when wc see how the Christian people of today profane the afternoon of feast days; public places of amusement and public games arc frequented in great numbers w'hile the churches arc not as full as they should be. All should come to our churches and there be taught the truth of the Catholic faith, sing the praises of Ged, be enriched with benediction of the Blessed Sacrament given by the priest and be strengthened with help from heaven against the adversities of this life. Let all try to learn those prayers which arc recited at vespers and fill their souls with their meaning. When deeply penetrated by these prayers, they will experience what St. Augustine said about himself: “How much did I weep during hymns and verses, greatly moved at the sweet singing of thy Church. Their sound would pene­ trate my ears and their truth melt my heart, sentiments of piety* would well up, tears would flow and that was good for me. 145 151. Throughout the entire year, the Mass and the divine office center especially around the person of Jesus Christ. This arrangement is so suitably disposed that our Savior dominates the scene in the mys­ teries of his humiliation, of his redemption and triumph. 152. While the sacred liturgy calls to mind the mysteries of Jesus Christ, iF strives to make all believers take their part in them so that the divine Head of the mystical body may live in all the members with the fullness of his "holiness. Let the souls of Christians be like altars on each one of which a different phase of the sacrifice, offered by the High Priest, comes to life again, as it were: pain and tears which wipe away and expiate sin; supplication to God which pierces heaven; dedication and even immolation of oneself made promptly, generously and earnestly; and finally, that intimate union by which we commit ourselves and all wc have to God, in whom we find our rest. “The perfection of religion is to imitate whom you adore. 146 153. By these suitable ways and methods in which the liturgy at stated times proposes the life of Jesus Christ for our meditation, the Church gives us examples to imitate, points out treasures of sanctity for us to make our own, since it is fitting that the mind believes what 145 Confessions 9, ch. 6. 146 St. Augustine, De Civitate Dei 8, ch. 17. 148 THE NEW LITURGY the lips sing, and that what the mind believes should be practiced in public and private life. 154· hi the period of Advent, for instance, _tbe Church. arouscsin, the consciousness the sins we have had the misfortune to commit, and urges us, by restraining our desires and practicing voluntary morT tification of the body, to recollect ourselves in meditation, ana expe­ rience a longing desire to return to God, who alone can free us by his grace from theTstain of sin and from its evil conscqucnccsT 155· With the coming of the birthday of the Redeemer, she would bring us to the eave of Bethlehem and there teach that we must be born again and undergo a complete reformation; that will only happen when we arc intimately and vitally united to the Word of God made man and participate in his divine nature, to which we have been elevated. 156. At the solemnity of the Epiphany, in putting before us the call of the Gentiles to the Christian faith, she wishes us daily to give thanks to the Lord for such a blessing; she wishes us to seek with lively faith the living and true God, to penetrate deeply and religiously the things of heaven, to love silence and meditation in order to perceive and grasp more easily heavenly gifts. 157. During the days of Septuagesima and Lent, our Holy Mother the Church over and over again strives to make each of us seriously consider our misery, so that we may be urged to a practical cmandation of our lives, detest our sins heartily and expiate them by prayer and penance. For constant prayer and penance done for past sins obtain for us divine help, without which every work of ours is useless and unavailing. 158. In Holy Week, when the most bitter sufferings of Jesus Christ arc put before us by the liturgy, the Church invites us to come to Calvary and follow in the blood-stained footsteps of the divine Re­ deemer, to carry the cross willingly with him, to reproduce in our own hearts his spirit of expiation and atonement, and to die together with him. 159. At the paschal season, which commemorates the triumph of Christ, our souls arc filled with deep interior joy: we, accordingly, should also consider that we must rise, in union with the Redeemer, from our cold and slothful life to one of greater fervor and holiness by giving ourselves completely and generously to God, and by for­ getting this wretched world in order to aspire only to the things of heaven. “If you be risen with Christ, seek the things that arc above... mind the things that arc above.”147 160. Finally, during the time of Pentecost, the Church by her pre­ cept and practice urges us to be more docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, who wishes us to be on fire with divine love so that we may daily strive to advance more in virtue and thus become holy as Christ our Lord and his Father are holy. 147 Col 3:1-2. THE SACRED LITURGY I49 161. _ us, the liturgical year should ______ be considered a splendid hymn of praise offered to the heavenly Father by the Christian family through Jesus Christ, tbçir perpetual Mediator. Nevertheless, it requires a diligent and well ordered study on our part to be able to know and praise our Redeemer ever more and more. It requires a serious effort and constant practice to imitate his mysteries, to enter willingly upon his patkpf sorrow and thus finally share his glory and eternal happiness, 162. From what we have already explained, venerable brethren, it is perfectly clear how much modern writers arc wanting in the gen­ uine and true liturgical spirit who, deceived by the illusion of a higher mysticism, dare to assert that attention should be paid not to the his­ toric Christ but to a “pneumatic” or glorified Christ. They do not hesitate to assert that a change has taken place in the piety of the faithfoTTy dethroning, as it-were, Christ fromliis position; since they say^ that the glorified Christ, who liveth and reigneth forever and sitteth gt the right hand pf the Father, has been overshadowed and in his place has been substituted that Christ who lived on earth. For this reason, some have gone so far as to want to remove from the church images of the divine Redeemer suffering on the cross. 163. But these false statements arc completely opposed to the solid doctrine handed down by tradition. ’You believe in Christ bom in the flesh,” jays St. Augustine, “and you will come to Christ be­ gotten of God, God of God.”148149 150In the sacred liturgy, the whole M Christ is proposed to us in all the circumstances of his life, as thcWorcf of the eternal Father, as born of the Virgin Mother of God, as he who teaches us truth, heals the sick, consoles the afflicted, who endures suffering and, who dies; finally" as he who rose triumphantly from the and today, and the same forever,”1^ Besides, the liturgy shows us Christ not only as a model to be imitated but as a Master to whom we should listen readily, a Shepherd whom we should follow, Author of our salvation, the Source of our holiness and the Head of the mystical body whose members we are, living by his very life. 164. Since his bitter sufferings constitute the principal mystery of our redemption, it is only fitting that the Catholic faith should give it the greatest prominence, This mystery is the very center of 16$. Hence, the liturgical year, devotedly fostered and accompanied by the CKiirch, is not a cold and lifeless representation of the events qF the past, or a simple and bare record of a former age. It is rather Christ himself who is ever living in his Church. Herec he continues 148 St. Augustine, Enarr. in Ps. 123, no. 2. 149 Hcb 13:8. 150 St. Thomas, Summa Theologica, IIP, q. 9 and 2. 62, art. 5. 150 THE NEW LITURGY that journey of immense mercy which he lovingly began in his mortal nfei going about doing good,151 with the design of brm “ Know his mysteries and, in a way, live by them. These*mysteries arc ever present and active not in a vague and uncertain way, as some modern writers hold, but in the way that Catholic doctrine teaches ns. According to the doctors of the Church, they are shining examples of Christian perfection, as well as sources of divine grace, due to tfie merit and prayers of Ôhrist; they still influence u$ bççausç each mystery brings its own special grace for our salvation. Moreover, our holy Mother the Church, while proposing for ouiTcontemplation the mys­ teries of our Redeemer, asks in her prayers for those gifts which would give her children the greatest possible share in the spirit of these mys­ teries through the merits of Christ. By means of his inspiration and help and through the cooperation or our wills" we çan receive from him living vitality as branches dn frnrn rhe tree and members from the head; thus slowly and laboriously we can transform ourselves “unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ/152 166. In the course of the liturgical year, besides the mysteries of Jesus Christ, the feasts of the saints arc celebrated. Even though these feasts arc of a lower and subordinate order, the Church always strives to put before the faithful examples of sanctity in order to move them to cultivate in themselves the virtues of the divine Redeemer. 167. We should imitate the virtues of the saints just as they imi­ tated Christ, tor in their virtues there shines forth undor different aspects the splendor of Jesus ChrisL Among some of these saints the zeal of the apostolate stood out; in others courage prevailed even to the shedding of blood; constant vigilance marked others out as they kept watch for the divine Redeemer; while in others virginal pu­ rity of soul was resplendent and their modesty revealed the beauty of Christian humility; there burned in all them the fire of charity toward God and their neighbor. The sacred liturgy puts all these gems of sanctity before us so that we may consider them for our salvation and, “rejoicing at their merits, we may be inflamed by their example.”153 It is necessary, then, to practice “in simplicity innocence, in charity concord, in humility modesty, diligence in government, readiness in helping those who labor, mercy in serving the poor, in defending truth constancy, in the strict maintenance of discipline justice, so that nothing may be wanting in us of the virtues which have been proposed for our imitation. These are the footprints left by the saints in their journey homeward, that guided by them we might follow them into glory.”154 In order that 151 See Acts 10:38. 152 Eph 4:13. 153 Roman Missal, Collect for Third Mass of Several Martyrs outside Paschaltide. 154 St. Bede the Venerable, Hom. subd. 70 for Feast of All Saints. THE SACRED LITURGY I5I wc may be helped by our senses also, the Church wishes that images of the saints be displayed in our churches, always, however, with the same intention “that wc imitate the virtues of those whose images we venerate. 133 168. But there is another reason why the Christian people should honor the saints in heaven, namely to implore their help and “that wc be aided by the pleadings of those whose praise is our delight.”155 156 Hence, it is easy to understand why the sacred liturgy provides us with many different prayers to invoke the intercession of the saints. 169. Among the saints in heaven the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, is venerated in a special way. Because of the mission she received from Goa, her lite is most ~c ^scly linked with the mysteries of Jesus Christ, and there is no one ho has followed in the footsteps of the incarnate Word more closely andwith more merit than she: and no one has more grace and power over the most Sacred acre Heart of the Son of (jod and through him with the heavenly Father. Holier than the cherubim and seraphim, she enjoys unquestionably greater glory than all the other saints, for she is “full of grace,”157 she is the Mother of God, who happily gave birth to the Redeemer for us. Since she is, therefore, “Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope,” let us all, “mourning and weeping in this vale of tears, ’158 cry to her and confidently place ourselves and all we have under her patronage. She became our Mother also when the divine Redeemer offered the sacrifice of himself; and hence by this title also we are her children. She teaches us all the virtues; she gives us her Son and with him all the help we need, for God “wished us to have everything through Mary.”159 170. Throughout this liturgical journey which begins anew for us each year under the sanctifying action of the Church, and strengthened by the help and example Qi the saints, especially of the immaculate~~ Virgin Mary, “let us draw near with a true heart, in fullness of faith, naving our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with clean water,”160 let us draw near to the “High Priest''161 that xvith him we "m ay share his life and sentiments and by him pene­ trate “even within the veil?*162 and there honor the heavenly Father for ever and even 171. Such is the nature and the object of the sacred liturgy: it treats of the Mass, the sacraments, the divine office; it aims at uniting our jouis with Christ and sanctifying them through the divine Redeemer in order that Christ be honored and, through him and in him, themost 1 cc 155 156 157 159 161 Roman Missal, Collect for Mass of St John Damascene. St. Bernard, Sermon 2 for Feast of All Saints. Lk 1:28. 158 “Salve Regina.” St. Bernard, In Nativ., B.M.V. Ί. 160 Heb 10:22. Ibid. 10:21. 162 Ibid. 6:19. 152 THE NEW LITURGY Holy Trinity, Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy GIiosl 172. In order that the errors and inaccuracies mentioned above may be more easily removed from the Church, and that the faithful following safer norms may be able to use more fruitfully the liturgical apostolate we have deemed it opportune, venerable brethren, to add some prac­ tical applications of the doctrine which wc have explained. 173. When dealing with genuine and solid piety we stated that there could be no real opposition between the sacred liturgy and other religious practices, provided they be kept within legitimate bonds and performed for a legitimate purpose. In fact, there are certain exercises of piety which the Church recommends very much to clergy and religious. 174. It is also our wish that the faithful as well should take part in these practices. The chief of these are: meditation on spiritual things, diligent examination of conscience, closed retreats, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and those special prayers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary among which the rosary, as all know, has pride of place.163 175. From these multiple forms of piety, the inspiration and ac­ tion of the Holy Spirit cannot be absent. Their purpose, in various ways, is to attract and direct our souls to God, purifying them from their sins, encouraging them to practice virtue and, finally, stimulating them to advance along the path of sincere piety by accustoming them to meditate on the eternal truths and disposing them better to contem­ plate the mysteries of the human and divine natures of Christ. More­ over, by nourishing the spiritual life of the faithful, they prepare them to take part in sacred public functions with greater fruit, and they lessen the danger of liturgical prayers becoming an empty ritualism. 176. In keeping with your pastoral solicitude, venerable brethren, do not cease to recommend and encourage these exercises of piety from which the faithful, entrusted to your care, cannot but derive salutary fruit. Above all, do not allow—as some do, who are de­ ceived under the pretext of restoring the liturgy or who idly claim that only liturgical rites are of any real value and dignity—that churches be closed during the hours not appointed for public functions, as has already happened in some places: where the adoration of the august sacrament and visits to our Lord in the tabernacles are neglected; where confession of devotion is discouraged; and devotion to the Virgin Mother of God, a sign of “predestination” according to the opinion of holy men, is so neglected, especially among the young, as to fade away and gradually vanish. Such conduct most harmful to Christian Sec Code of Canon Law, canon 125, THE SACRED LITURGY Ii] )icty is like poisonous fruit, growing on the infected branches of a wealthy tree, which must be cut off so that the life-giving sap of the tree may bring forth only the best fruit. 177. Since the opinions expressed by some about frequent confes­ sions arc completely foreign to the spirit of Christ and his immaculate Spouse and arc also most dangerous to the spiritual life, let us call to mind what with sorrow we wrote about this point in the encyclical on the mystical body. We urgently insist once more that what we expounded in very serious words be proposed by you for the serious consideration and dutiful obedience of your flock, especially to students for the priesthood and young clergy. 178. Take special care that as many as possible, not only of the clergy but of the laity and especially those in religious organizations and in the ranks of Catholic Action, take part in monthly days of recollection and in retreats of longer duration made with a view to growing in virtue. As we have previously stated, such spiritual exer­ cises arc most useful and even necessary to instill into souls solid virtue, and to strengthen them in sanctity so as to be able to derive from the sacred liturgy more efficacious and abundant benefits. 179. As regards the different methods employed in these exercises, it is perfectly clear to all that in the Church on earth, no less in the Church in heaven, there are many mansions,164 and that asceticism cannot be the monopoly of anyone. It is the same Spirit who breatheth where he will,165 and who with differing gifts and in different ways enlightens and guides souls to sanctity. Let their freedom and the supernatural action of the Holy Spirit be so sacrosanct that no one presume to disturb or stifle them for any reason whatsoever. 180. However, it is well known that the spiritual exercises according to the method and norms of St. Ignatius have been fully approved and earnestly recommended by our predecessors on account of their admirable efficacy. We, too, for the same reason have approved and commended them and willingly do we repeat this now. 181. Any inspiration to follow and practice extraordinary exercises of piety must most certainly come from the Father of Light, from whom every good and perfect gift descends;166 and, of course, the criterion of this will be the effectiveness of these exercises in making the divine cult loved and spread daily ever more widely, and in making the faithful approach the sacraments with more longing desire, and in obtaining for all things holy due respect and honor. If, on the con­ trary, they arc an obstacle to the principles and norms of divine wor­ ship, or if they oppose or hinder them, one must surely conclude that they are not in keeping with prudence and enlightened zeal. 182. There arc, besides, other exercises of piety which, although not strictly belonging to the sacred liturgy, arc nevertheless of special 164 See Jn 14:2. 166 Sec Jas 1:17. *65 jn 3:8. 154 THE NEW LITURGY import and dignity, and may be considered in a certain way an addition to the liturgical cult; these have been approved and praised over and over again by the Apostolic See and by the bishops. Among these arc the prayers usually said during the month of May in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, or during the month of June to the most Sacred Heart of Jesus: also novenas and triduums, stations of the cross and other similar practices. 183. These devotions make us partakers in a salutary manner of the liturgical cult, because they urge the faithful to go frequently to the sacrament of penance, to attend Mass and receive communion with devotion and, as well, encourage them to meditate on the mys­ teries of our redemption and imitate the example of the saints. 184. Hence, he would do something very wrong and dangerous who would dare to take on himself to reform all these exercises of piety and reduce them completely to the methods and norms of litur­ gical rites. However, it is necessary that the spirit of the sacred liturgy and its directives should exercise such a salutary influence on them that nothing improper be introduced nor anything unworthy of the dignity of the house of God or detrimental to the sacred functions or opposed to solid piety. 185. Take care, then, venerable brethren, that this true and solid piety increase daily and more under your guidance and bear more abundant fruit. Above all, do not cease to inculcate into the minds of all that progress in the Christian life docs not consist in the multipli­ city and variety of prayers and exercises of piety, but rather in their helpfulness toward spiritual progress of the faithful and constant growth of the Church universal. For the eternal Father “chose us in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and un­ spotted in his sight.”167 All our prayers, then, and all our religious practices should aim at directing our spiritual energies toward at­ taining this most noble and lofty end. 186. We earnestly exhort you, venerable brethren, that after errors and falsehoods have been removed, and anything that is contrary to truth or moderation has been condemned, you promote a deeper knowledge among the people of the sacred liturgy so that they will more readily and easily follow the sacred rites and take part in them with true Christian dispositions. 187. First of all, you must strive that with due reverence and faith all obey the decrees of the Council of Trent, of the Roman pontiffs and of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, and what the liturgical books ordain concerning external public worship. 188. Three characteristics of which our predecessor Pius X spoke should adorn all liturgical services: sacredness, which abhors any pro­ fane influence; nobility, which true and genuine arts should serve 167 Eph 1:4. THE SACRED LITURGY I55 and foster; and universality, which, while safeguarding local and legitimate custom, reveals the Catholic unity of the Church.168 189. We desire to commend and urge the adornment of churches and altars. Let each one feel moved by the inspired word: “the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up”;169 and strive as much as in him lies that everything in the church, including vestments and liturgical fur­ nishings, even though not rich nor lavish, be perfectly clean and ap­ propriate, since all is consecrated to the divine Majesty. If we have previously disapproved of the error of those who would wish to outlaw images from churches on the plea of reviving an ancient tradition, we now deem it our duty to censure the inconsiderate zeal of those who propose for veneration in the churches and on the altars, without any just reason, a multitude of sacred images and statues, and also those who display unauthorized relics, those who emphasize special and insignificant practices, neglecting essential and necessary things. They thus bring religion into derision and lessen the dignity of worship. 190. Let us recall, as well, the decree about "not introducing new forms of worship and devotion.”170 We commend the exact observance of this decree to your vigilance. 191. As regards music, let the clear and guiding norms of the Apos­ tolic Sec be scrupulously observed. Gregorian chant, which the Roman Church considers her own as handed down from antiquity and kept under her dose tutelage, is proposed to the faithful as belonging to them also. In certain parts of the liturgy the Church definitely pre­ scribes it;171 it makes the celebration of the sacred mysteries not only more dignified and solemn but helps very much to increase the faith and devotion of the congregation. For this reason, our predecessors of immortal memory, Pius X and Pius XI, decreed—and we are happy to confirm with our authority the norms laid down by them—that in seminaries and religious institutes, Gregorian chant be diligently and zealously promoted, and moreover that the old scholae cantorum be restored, at least in the principal churches. This has already been done with happy results in not a few places.172 192. Besides, "so that the faithful take a more active part in divine worship, let Gregorian chant be restored to popular use in the parts proper to the people. Indeed, it is very necessary that the faithful attend the sacred ceremonies not as if they were outsiders or mute onlookers, but let them fully appreciate the beauty of the liturgy and take part in the sacred ceremonies, alternating their voices with the priest and the choir, according to the prescribed norms. If, please God, this is done, it will not happen that the congregation hardly 168 See Motu proprio Tra le sollecitudini, November 22, 1903. 169 Ps 68:10; Jn 2:17. 170 Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office, decree of May 26,1937. 171 See Pius X, Motu proprio Tra le sollecitudini. 172 See Pius X, loc. cit.; Pius XI, Divini cultus 2, 5. 156 THE NEW LITURGY ever or only in a low murmur answer the prayers in Latin or in the vernacular.”173 A congregation that is devoutly present at the sacrifice, in which our Savior together with his children redeemed with his sacred blood sings the nuptial hymn of his immense love, cannot keep silent, for “song befits the lover”174 and, as the ancient saying has it, “he who sings well prays twice.” Thus the Church militant, faithful as well as clergy, joins in the hymns of the Church triumphant and with the choirs of angels, and all together sing a wondrous and eternal hymn of praise to the Most Holy Trinity in keeping with words of the preface: “with whom our voices, too, thou wouldst bid to be admitted.”175 193. It cannot be said that modern music and singing should be entirely excluded from Catholic worship. For if they are not profane or unbecoming to the sacrcdncss of the place and function, and do not spring from a desire of achieving extraordinary and unusual effects, then our churches must admit them since they can contribute in no small way to the splendor of the sacred ceremonies, can lift the mind to higher things and foster true devotion of soul. 194. We also exhort you, venerable brethren, to promote with care congregational singing, and to sec to its accurate execution with all due dignity, since it easily stirs up and arouses the faith and piety of large gatherings of the faithful. Let the full harmonious singing of our people rise to heaven like the bursting of a thunderous sea176 and let them testify by the melody of their song to the unity of their hearts and minds,177 as become brothers and the children of the same Father. 195. What we have said about music applies to the other fine arts, especially to architecture, sculpture and painting. Recent works of art which lend themselves to the materials of modern composition should not be universally despised and rejected through prejudice. Modern art should be given free scope in the due and reverent service of the Church and the sacred rites, provided that they preserve a cor­ rect balance between styles, tending neither to extreme realism nor to excessive “symbolism,” and that the needs of the Christian commu­ nity are taken into consideration rather than the particular taste or talent of the individual artist. Thus modern art will be able to join its voice to that wonderful choir of praise to which have contributed, in honor of the Catholic faith, the greatest artists throughout the cen­ turies. Nevertheless, in keeping with the duty of our office, we can­ not help deploring and condemning those works of art, recently in­ troduced by some, which seem to be a distortion and perversion of 173 174 175 176 177 Pius XI, Divini cultus 9. St. Augustine, Sertn. 336, no. 1. Roman Missal, Preface. St. Ambrose, Hexatneron 3:5, 23. See Acts 4:32. THE SACRED LITURGY 157 true art and which at times openly shock Christian taste, modesty and devotion, and shamefully offend the true religious sense. These must be entirely excluded and banished from our churches, like “any­ thing else that is not in keeping with the sanctity of the place.”178 196. Keeping in mind, venerable brethren, pontifical norms and decrees, take great care to enlighten and direct the minds and hearts of the artists to whom is given the task today of restoring or rebuilding the many churches which have been ruined or completely destroyed by war. Let them be capable and willing to draw their inspiration from religion to express what is suitable and more in keeping with the requirements of worship. Thus the human arts will shine forth with a wondrous heavenly splendor, and contribute greatly to human civilization, to the salvation of souls and the glory of God. The fine arts arc really in conformity with religion when “as noblest handmaids they are at the service of divine worship.”179 197. But there is something else of even greater importance, venerable brethren, which we commend to your apostolic zeal, m a very special manner. Whatever pertains to the external worship has assuredly its importance; however, the most pressing duty of Christians is to live the liturgical life, and increase and cherish its supernatural spirit. 198. Readily provide the young clerical student with facilities to understand the sacred ceremonies, to appreciate their majesty’ and beauty and to learn the rubrics with care, just as you do when he is trained in ascetics, in dogma and in canon law and pastoral theology. This should not be done merely for cultural reasons and to fit the stu­ dent to perform religious rites in the future, correctly and with due dignity, but especially to lead him into closest union with Christ, the Priest, so that he may become a holy minister of sanctity. 199. Try in every way, with the means and helps that your pru­ dence deems best, that the clergy and people become one in mind and heart, and that the Christian people take such an active part in the liturgy that it becomes a truly sacred action of due worship to the eternal Lord in which the priest, chiefly responsible for the souls of his parish, and the ordinary faithful are united together. 200. To attain this purpose it will greatly help to select carefully good and upright young boys from all classes of citizens who will come generously and spontaneously to serve at the altar with carelul zeal and exactness. Parents of higher social standing and culture should greatly esteem this office for their children. If these youths, under the watchful guidance of the priests, are properly trained and encouraged to fulfill the task committed to them punctually, reverently and con­ stantly, then from their number will readily come fresh candidates for the priesthood. The clergy will not then complain—as, alas, some­ 178 Code of Canon Law, canon 1178. 179 Pius XI, Divini cultus. 158 THE NEW LITURGY times happens even in Catholic places—that in the celebration of the august sacrifice they find no one to answer or serve them. 201. Above all, try with your constant zeal to have all the faithful attend the eucharistie sacrifice from which they may obtain abundant and salutary fruit; and carefully instruct them in all the legitimate ways we have described above so that they may devoutly participate in it. The Mass is the chief act of divine worship; it should also be the source and center of Christian piety. Never think that you have satisfied your apostolic zeal until you sec your faithful approach in great numbers the celestial banquet, which is a sacrament of devotion, a sign of unity and a bond of love.180 202. By means of suitable sermons and particularly by periodic conferences and lectures, by special study weeks and the like, teach the Christian people carefully about the treasures of piety contained in the sacred liturgy so that they may be able to profit more abundantly by these supernatural gifts. In this matter, those who are active in the ranks of Catholic Action will certainly be a help to you, since they are ever at the service of the hierarchy in the work of promoting the kingdom of Jesus Christ. 203. But in all these matters, it is essential that you watch vigilantly lest the enemy come into the field of the Lord and sow cockle among the wheat;181 in other words, do not let your flocks be deceived by the subtle and dangerous errors of false mysticism or quietism—as you know, we have already condemned these errors;182 also, do not let a certain dangerous “humanism” lead them astray, nor let there be introduced a false doctrine destroying the notion of Catholic faith, nor finally an exaggerated zeal for antiquity in matters liturgical. Watch with like diligence lest the false teaching of those be propagated who wrongly think and teach that the glorified human nature of Christ really and continually dwells in the “just” by his presence and that one and numerically the same grace, as they say, unites Christ with the members of his mystical body. 204. Never be discouraged by the difficulties that arise, and never let your pastoral zeal grow cold. “Blow the trumpet in Sion ... call an assembly, gather together the people, sanctify the Church, assemble the ancients, gather together the little ones, and them that suck at the breasts,”183 and use every help to get the faithful everywhere to fill the churches and crowd around the altars so that they may be restored by the graces of the sacraments and joined as living members to their divine Head, and with him and through him celebrate together the august sacrifice that gives due tribute of praise to the eternal Father. 205. These, venerable brethren, are the subjects we desired to write to you about. We are moved to write that your children, who arc 180 Sec St. Augustine, Tract. 26 in John 13. 181 See Mt 13:24-25. 182 Mystici Corporis. 183 Joel 2:15-16. THE SACRED LITURGY 159 also ours, may more fully understand and appreciate the most precious treasures which arc contained in thcsacred iturgy: namely the eucha­ ristie sacrifice representing and renewing the sacrifice of the cross; the sacraments, which are the streams of divine grace and of divine life; and the hymn of praise which heaven and earth daily offer to God. 206. We cherish the hope that these our exhortations will not only arouse the sluggish and recalcitrant to a deeper and more correct study of the liturgy, but also instil into their daily lives its supernatural spirit according to the words of the apostle: “Extinguish not the spirit.”184 207. To those whom an excessive zeal occasionally led to say and do certain things which saddened us and which we could not approve, we repeat the warning of St. Paul: “But prove all things, hold fast that which is good.”1*·’’ Let us paternally warn them to imitate in their thoughts and actions the Christian doctrine which is in harmony with the precepts of the immaculate spouse of Jesus Christ, the mother of saints. 208. Let us remind all that they must generously and faithfully obey their holy pastors who possess the right and duty of regulating the whole life, especially the spiritual life, of the Church. ‘Obey your prelates and be subject to them. For they keep watch as having to render an account of your souls; so that they may do this with joy, and not with grief.”186 209. May God, whom we worship, and who is “not the God of dissension but of peace, 18 z graciously grant to us all that during our earthly exile we may with one mind and one heart participate in the sacred liturgy, which is, as it were, a preparation and a token of that heavenly liturgy in which we hope one day to sing together with the most glorious Mother of God and our most loving Mother: “To him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, benediction and honor, and glory and power for ever and ever. 188 210. In this joyous hope, we most lovingly impart to each and every one of you, venerable brethren, and to the flocks confided to your care, as a pledge of divine gifts and as a witness of our special love, the apostolic benediction. 211. Given at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, on the 20th day of November in the year 1947, the 9th of our pontificate. Pius XII, Pope 184 I Thcs 5:19 186 Hcb 13:17. 188 Ap 5:13. 185 Ibid. 5:21. 187 i Cor 14:33. ιόο THE NEW LITURGY THE CONFIRMATION OF CHILDREN IN DANGER OF DEATH Rescript of the Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments November 18, 1948 (The Jurist 9, 1949, 261-262) A rescript of the S. C. of the Sacraments (no. 5869/48): The archbishops and bishops of the United States of North America, prostrate at the feet of Your Holiness, humbly ask a derogation from the decree Spiritus Sancti tnunera, issued by the S. C. of the Sacraments on the 14th day of September, 1946,1 so that, in the so-called maternity hospitals for parturient women and in the orphanages of their dioceses, the sacrament of confirmation may be validly and licitly administered by the chaplains of those institutions to the children who arc received there and who are in the circumstances mentioned in the said decree. In the audience of October 25, 1948, His Holiness Pius XII, upon receiving a report on this matter from the undersigned Pro-prefect of this sacred congregation, graciously deigned to grant the petition, on condition, however, that the sacrament of confirmation, in the circumstances mentioned in the said decree, be administered to the children in question by the chaplain who is regularly assigned to the institutions mentioned, and in case more than one chaplain is so as­ signed to the same institution, that it be done by the first chaplain, to the complete exclusion of the others. The chaplain, however, may use this faculty only if the bishop of the diocese cannot be had or is prevented from administering con­ firmation himself, and if there is no other bishop, even a merely titular one, in communion with the Apostolic See, who could without grave inconvenience take his place. Likewise, if the pastor of the place, in the same circumstances, cannot be had or is prevented from ad­ ministering this sacrament himself. In the absence of the chaplain, or in case it is impossible for him to confirm personally, no one else, other than the bishop or local pastor, can validly administer this sacra­ ment. Observing, for the rest, the terms and clauses of the said decree. All things to the contrary notwithstanding. The present grant to be in effect for one year from the date of this rescript. 1 AAS 38, 349. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOLINESS IN THE PRIESTLY LIFE l6l THE USE OF CHINESE IN THE MASS Decree of the Holy Office April 12, 1949 [Canon Law Digest 5, 429) The following decree cf the Holy Office [April 12, 1949; Prot. no. 3/49), published by Cardinal Constantini in Ultime Foglic, 376-377, has remained relatively unknown and entirely unused because of the tardy translation of the texts and the supervening disturbances in China : In the plenary session of Wednesday, March 9, 1959, the eminent fathers of this Supreme Sacred Congregation examined the question of granting a broader permission to use the Chinese language in the sacred liturgy, in view of the benefits which may be hoped for from it for the evan­ gelization of the infidels in that vast country. ... As for the celebra­ tion of holy Mass, a missal may be composed for the Chinese people, in which are printed in literal Chinese all those parts which occur from the beginning of the Mass up to the beginning of the canon, and from the postcommunion to the end of the Mass. As for the canon, it should remain in Latin, except those parts which are recited aloud (Pater noster, Pax Domini and Agnus Dei). The Holy Father, in the audience of Thursday, March 10, 1949, deigned to approve this resolution, and ordained that the Sacred Con­ gregation for the Propagation of the Faith shall, through its proper departments, provide an exact translation of those texts of the Mass which arc to be said in the Chinese language. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOLINESS IN THE PRIESTLY LIFE Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Pius XII September 23, 1950 [Menti nostrae, AAS 42, 1950, 657-702) Venerable brethren and beloved sons, greetings and apostolic benedic­ tion: I. The words of the divine Redeemer to Peter keep coming to our mind: Simon, son of John, dost thou love me more than these 162 THE NEW LITURGY do? . . . feed my lambs, feed my sheep”;1 and also those words spoken by the same prince of the apostles exhorting the bishops and priests of his time: “Tend the flock of God which is among you . . . becoming from the heart a pattern to the flock.”2 2. Carefully pondering over these words, wc deem it the chief duty of our supreme ministry to do our utmost to help to make the work of pastors and priests daily more efficacious in encouraging the faithful to avoid evil, to overcome dangers and to acquire perfection. This is all the more necessary in our days when people and nations, as a result of the recent terrible war, arc not only harrassed by serious material difficulties but arc suffering in the depths of their souls while the enemies of Catholicism, becoming bolder, owing to the state of civil society, arc striving with deadly hate and subtle snares to separate men from God and Jesus Christ. 3. The necessity for this Christian renewal, which all men of good will appreciate, urges us to turn our thoughts and affections in a special way to the priests of the whole world because wc know that their humble, vigilant and painstaking work among the people, whose difficulties, sufferings and bodily as well as spiritual needs they realize, is capable of restoring morals through the practice of the precepts of establishing firmly on earth the kingdom of Christ, “a kingdom of justice, love and peace.”3 4. But the priesthood cannot in any way procure the full effects which arc demanded by the needs of the present time unless the priests shine forth among the people with the marks of sanctity, as worthy “ministers of Christ,” faithful “dispensers of the mysteries of God,"4 “God’s helpers,”5 and ready for every noble work.6 5. Wc think there is no more fitting way in which wc can show our gratitude to the clergy of the world who, on the occasion of our golden jubilee as a priest, showed their filial affection for us by offering jrayers to God on our behalf, than by exhorting all the clergy in fathery manner to attain that sanctity of life without which their ministry cannot be fruitful. Wc desire that the first fruit of the Holy Year, which wc proclaimed for the renewal of morals in keeping with the teachings of the Gospel, should be that the leaders of the faithful strive to acquire greater perfection so that, thus inspired and thus prepared, they may renew in their flock the spirit of Jesus Christ. 6. It must be recalled that, even though the increasing needs of Christian society today more urgently demand personal holiness in priests, they arc already obliged by the very nature of the high ministry confided to them by God to work unceasingly for their own sanctifica­ tion always and everywhere. 1 3 4 6 See Jn 21, 15 ct 17. Preface, Feast of Christ the King. Sec i Cor 4:1. Sce 2 Tim 3:17. 2 1 Pt 5:2-3. 5 See 1 Cor 3:9. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOLINESS IN THE PRIESTLY LIFE 163 7. As our predecessors taught, especially Pius X7 and Pius XI,8 and as wc referred to in the encyclicals Mystici Corporis9 and Mediator Dei,10 the priesthood is a great gift of the divine Redeemer who, in order to perpetuate the work of redemption of the human race which he completed on the cross, confided his powers to the Church which he wished to be a participator in his unique and everlasting priesthood. The priest is like “another Christ” because he is marked with an indelible character making him, as it were, a living image of our Savior. The priest represents Christ, who said: “As the Father has sent me, I also send you”;11 “he who hears you, hears me.”12 Admitted to this most sublime ministry by a call from heaven, “he is appointed for men in the things pertaining to God, that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”13 To him must come anyone who wishes to live the life of the divine Redeemer and who desires to receive strength, comfort and nourishment for his soul; from him the salutary medicine must be sought by anyone who wishes to rise from sin and lead a good life. Hence, all priests may apply to themselves with full right the words of the apostle of the Gentiles: “We are God’s helpers.”14 8. This lofty dignity demands from priests that they react to their exalted office with the strictest fidelity. Since they arc destined to promote the glory of God on earth and to cherish and increase the mystical body of Christ, they must be outstanding by the sanctity of their lives in order that through them the “fragrance of Christ” may be spread everywhere.15 9. Beloved sons, on the very day that you were raised to the sacer­ dotal dignity, the bishop, in the name of God, solemnly pointed out to you your fundamental dutv in the following words: “Understand what you do, imitate the things you deal with; and celebrating the mystery of the death of the Lord, strive to mortify’ in your members all vice and concupiscence. May7 your doctrine be the spiritual medicine for the people of God; let the fragrance of your life of virtue be an ornament of the Church of Christ; and by your preaching and example may you build the house, that is, the family of God/16 Your life, which should be completely immune from sin, should be even more hidden with Christ in God1 than the lives of Christian laymen. Ad­ vance, then, thus adorned with that high virtue which your dignity demands, to the work of completing the redemption of man for which your priestly ordination has destined you. 7 8 9 11 13 15 18 17 Haerent animo; Acta PU X 4, 237ff. Ad catholici sacerdotii, AAS 28, 1936, 5#. AAS 35* 1943, i93ff. 10 Æ4S 39, 1947, 52iff. Jn 30:21. 12 Lk 10:16. Hcb 5:1. 14 I Cor 3:9. 2 Cor 2:15. Pontificale Rom., De ord. presbyt. Sce Col 3:3. 104 THE NEW LITURGY io. This is the undertaking which you have freely and spontaneously assumed; be holy because, as you know, your ministry is holy. 27. Everyone knows, beloved brethren, that it is impossible for a Christian and, in a special way, a priest to imitate the admirable example of the divine Master in daily life without the help of grace, and without the use of those instruments of grace which he himself has placed at our disposal: a use which is as much more necessary as the grade of perfection to which wc arc bound to attain is higher, and as the difficul­ ties which arise from our natural inclination to evil are greater. For this reason, wc judge it opportune to pass on to the consideration of certain other truths, as sublime as they arc consoling, from which should appear still more clearly how deep should be the sanctity of the priest, and how efficacious arc the helps given to us by the Lord to enable us to fulfill in ourselves the designs of his divine mercy. 28. As the whole life of the Savior was directed toward the sacrifice of himself, so the life of the priest, which should reproduce in itself the image of Christ, ought also to be with him, and through him, and in him, a pleasing sacrifice. 29. Indeed, the sacrifice which the Lord made upon Calvary, hanging on the cross, was not only the immolation of his own body; for he offered himself, a Victim of expiation, as the Head of the human race and, therefore, “while commending his Spirit into the hands of the Father, he commends himself to God as man, in order to commend to the eternal Father all mankind.”37 30. The very same thing occurs in the sacrifice of the Eucharist, which is the unbloody renewal of the sacrifice of the cross: Christ offers himself to the eternal Father for his glory and for our salvation. And insofar as he, the Priest and Victim, acts in his capacity as Head of the Church, he offers and immolates not only himself but all Chris­ tians, and, in a certain manner, all mankind.38 31. Now, if this holds true for all Christians, much more docs it hold for priests, who arc the ministers of Christ, principally in order to celebrate the eucharistie sacrifice. And precisely in the eucharistie sacrifice, when “in the person of Christ” he consecrates bread and wine which become the body and blood of Christ, the priest can draw from that same fountain of the supernatural life the inexhaustible treas­ ures of salvation and all those helps which he needs for himself per­ sonally and for the fulfillment of his mission. 32. Being in such close contact with the divine mysteries, the priest cannot but hunger and thirst after justice,39 or not feel inspired to assimilate his life to his exalted dignity, and orient his life toward that sacrifice in which he must needs offer and immolate himself with 37 St. Athanasius, De incarnatione, no. 12: PG 26, 1003s. 38 See St. Augustine, De civitate Dei 10, ch. 6: PL 41, 284. 39 See Mt 5:6. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOLINESS IN THE PRIESTLY LIFE 165 Christ. Consequently, he will not merely celebrate holy Mass, but will live it out intimately in his daily life; in no other way can he obtain that supernatural vigor which will transform him and make him a sharer in the life of sacrifice of the Redeemer. 33. St Paul sets down as the basic principle of Christian perfection the precept: ‘‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”40 Again, if this precept applies to all Christians, it applies in a particular way to priests. But putting on Jesus Christ docs not mean merely adapting one’s mind to his doctrine; it means that a person enters upon a new life which, in order to shine with the splendor of Thabor, must first be conformed to the sufferings and trials of our Redeemer suffering on Calvary. This involves long and arduous labor, by which the soul is transformed to the state of victim, in order that it may participate intimately in the sacrifice of Christ. However, this arduous and assiduous labor is not to be accomplished through empty velleity, nor achieved through mere desires and promises; it must be an indefatigable and continuous exercise which aims at a fruitful renovation of spirit: it must be an exercise of piety which refers all things to the glory of God; it must be an exercise of penance which tempers and checks the immoderate movements of the soul; it must be an act of charity which inflames the soul with love of God and neighbor, and which effectuates works of mercy; it must, in fine, be that active and ready willingness by which we strive and struggle to accomplish whatsoever is most perfect. 34. The priest should, therefore, study to reproduce in his own soul the things that are effected upon the altar. As Jesus Christ immo­ lates himself, so his minister should be immolated with him; as Jesus expiates the sins of men, so he, by following the hard road of Christian asceticism, should labor at the purification of himself and of others. Hence, the admonition of St. Peter Chrysologus: ‘‘Be you the priest and the sacrifice of God; do not lose that which has been given to you by the authority of God. Clothe yourself with the garment of sanctity, gird yourself with the cincture of chastity; let Christ be the covering for your head; let the cross of Christ be the protection before your face; instill in your breast the sacrament of divine wisdom; con­ stantly burn the incense of prayer; grasp the sword of the Spirit; let your heart be, as it were, an altar, on which you may safely offer your body as a victim to God . . . Offer him your faith, for the chastisement of perfidy; offer him your fasting, that gluttony may cease; offer your chastity as a sacrifice, that passion may die; place on the altar your liety, that impiety be put away; call upon mercy, that avarice may >e overcome; and that folly may disappear, the immolation of sanctity is called for. In this way shall your body be also your victim, if it has not been wounded by any dart of sin.”41 40 Rom 13:14. 41 Sermo CVIII: PL 52, 500, 501 ΐόό THE NEW LITURGY 35. We wish to repeat here in a special manner for priests what we have already proposed to the meditation of all the faithful in the encyclical Mediator Dei: “It is quite true that Christ is a priest; but he is a priest not for himself but for us, when in the name of the whole human race he offers our prayers and religious homage to the eternal Father; he is also a victim since he substitutes himself for sinful man. How the exhortation of the apostle: ‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,’ requires that all Christians should possess, as far as is humanly possible, the same dispositions as those which the divine Redeemer had when he offered himself in sacrifice: that is to say, they should, in a humble attitude of mind, pay adoration, honor, praise and thanksgiving to the supreme majesty of God. Moreover, it means that they must assume to some extent the character of a victim, that they deny themselves as the Gospel commands, that freely and of their own accord they do penance and that each detests and satisfies for his sins. It means, in a word, that we must all undergo with Christ a mystical death on the cross so that we can apply to ourselves the words of St. Paul: ‘With Christ I am nailed to the cross’.”42 36. Priests and beloved sons, we hold in our hands a great treasure, a precious pearl, the inexhaustible riches of the blood of Jesus Christ; let us use them even to prodigality so that, by the complete sacrifice of ourselves offered with Christ to the eternal Father, we may become, in truth, mediators of justice “in the things which appertain to God,”43 and that we may deserve to have our prayers accepted and obtain a super-abundance of graces which may refresh and make more fruitful the Church and the souls of all men. Only when we have become one with Christ through his oblation and ours and when we have raised our voice with the choir of the inhabitants of the heavenly Jeru­ salem, as we read: “We join ourselves in song with them, our hopes in holy Sion,”44 only then, strengthened by the virtue of our Savior, shall we be able to descend in safety from the heights of sanctity to which we have attained, to bring to all men the life and the light of God by means of our priestly ministry. 37. Perfect sanctity also demands a continual communication with God; and because this intimate contact which the priestly soul should enjoy with God ought never be interrupted in the succession of days and hours, the Church obliges the priest to recite the divine office. In this manner, she has been faithfully obedient to the injunction of the Lord: “That they must always pray and not lose heart.”45 38. Just as the Church herself never ceases praying, so she ardently desires that her children should do the same, repeating the words of the apostle: “Through him [Jesus], therefore, let us offer up a sacrifice 42 43 44 45 AAS 39 1947, 552, 553. Heb 5:1. Brev. Rom., Hymn. pro. off. Dcdic. Eccl. Lk 18:1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOLINESS IN THE PRIESTLY LIFE 167 of praise always to God, that is, fruit of lips praising his name.”46 To priests she has committed the special duty of consecrating to God, praying also in the name of the people, every period of the day and every cir­ cumstance of life. 39. Obedient to this duty, the priest continues to do down the course of the ages that which Christ himself had done, who “in the days of his earthly life, with a loud cry and tears, offered up prayers and supplications . . . and was heard because of his reverent submis­ sion.”47 This prayer has, without doubt, a singular efficacy because it is done in the name of Christ, “through our Lord Jesus Christ,” who is our Mediator with the Father, presenting to him incessantly his own satisfaction, his merits, and the infinite price of his blood. It is truly “the voice of Christ,” who “prays for us as our Priest, prays among us as our Head.”48 By the same token, it is always “the voice of the Church” which takes up the sentiments and desires of all the faithful who unite their voices to the prayers and faith of the priest in praising Jesus Christ and, through him, render thanks to the eter­ nal Father, obtaining from him the assistance which they need in their lives every day and everv hour. In this wise there is repeated daily, by means of the priests, what Moses once did on the mountain top when, with his arms lifted up to heaven, he spoke to God and ear­ nestly begged of him mercy and favor for his people, who were suf­ fering trials in the valley below. 40. Moreover, the divine office is a most efficacious means of sanc­ tification. Certainly it is not a mere recitation of formularies or of artistically executed chants; it is not just a question of respect for cer­ tain norms, called rubrics, or for external ceremonies of worship; it is above all a matter of elevating the mind and heart to God, in uni­ son with the blessed spirits,49 who eternally sing praises to God. There­ fore, the canonical hours should be recited “worthily, attentively and with devotion,” as we are reminded at the beginning of the of­ fice. 41. Consequently, the priest ought to pray with the same inten­ tion as the Redeemer, so that his voice is, as it were, the voice of the Lord who, by means of the priest, continues to implore from the most merciful Father the benefits of the Redemption; it is the very voice of the Lord with which arc associated the armies of the angels and saints in heaven and of all the faithful on earth, to render due glory to God; it is the voice of Christ our Advocate, by which we receive the immense treasure of his merits. 42. Meditate with care and attention on these fertile truths which the Holy Spirit has disclosed to us in the sacred Scriptures and upon which the writings of the fathers and doctors are commentary ex46 Heb 13:15. 47 Ibid' 5.7< 48 St. Augustine, Ennar. in Ps. LXXXV, no. 1: PL 38, 1081. 49 See Mediator Dei: AAS 39, 1947, 574. —* ι68 THE NEW LITURGY planations. As your lips repeat the words dictated by the Holy Spir­ it, try not to lose anything of this great treasure and, that your souls may be responsive to the voice of "God, put away from your minds with all effort and zeal whatever might distract you, and recollect your thoughts, that you may thus more easily and with greater fruit attend to the contemplation of the eternal truths. 43. In the encyclical Mediator Dei, wc have explained at great length why the Church, through the course of the liturgical year, recalls to mind and represents before our eyes, in orderly fashion, all the mysteries of Jesus Christ and bids us celebrate the feasts of the Virgin Mary and of the saints. Those lessons, which wc there imparted to all Christians because they are eminently useful for all, should be es­ pecially meditated on by you priests, you who through the sacrifice of the Eucharist and the divine office play such an important role in the development of the liturgical cycle. 44. In order that we may progress all the more speedily day by day along the road of sanctity, the Church heartily recommends to us, besides the celebration of Mass and the recitation of the divine office, also other exercises of piety. Regarding these, it is in place here to propose certain points for your consideration. 45. Above all else, the Church exhorts us to the practice of medi­ tation, which raises the mind to the contemplation of heavenly things, which influences the heart with love of God and guides it on the straight path to him. This meditation on sacred things offers the best means of preparation before and of thanksgiving after the celebration of the eucharistie sacrifice. Meditation also disposes the soul to savor and to comprehend the beauties of the liturgy, and leads us to the contemplation of the eternal verities, and of the marvelous examples and teachings of the Gospel. 46. It behooves the sacred ministers, therefore, to strive to repro­ duce in themselves the examples of the Gospel and the virtues of the divine Redeemer. However, just as the food of the body docs not nourish, sustain or develop our life unless, after being digested and assimilated, it be changed into our own substance, so the priest can not acquire dominion over himself and his senses, cannot purify his spirit, cannot strive for virtue as he should, cannot, in brief, fulfill faithfully, generously or fruitfully the duties of his sacred ministry, unless his life becomes one with the life of the Lord through assidu­ ous and unceasing meditation on the mysteries of the divine Redeemer, the supreme model of perfection and the inexhaustible source of sanc­ tity. 47. We therefore consider it our grave duty to exhort you in a special manner to the practice of daily meditation, a practice recom­ mended to all the clergy also by canon law.50 For just as the desire for priestly perfection is nourished and strengthened by daily medita­ 50 Sec canon 125, 20. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HOLINESS IN THE PRIESTLY LIFE I69 tion, so its neglect is the source of distaste for spiritual things, through which piety is lessened and grows languid, and the impulse toward personal sanctification is not only weakened or ceases altogether, but the entire priestly ministry suffers great harm. It must therefore be stated without reservation that no other means has the unique effi­ cacy of meditation, and that, as a consequence, its daily practice can in no wise be substituted for. 48. Mental prayer cannot be separated from vocal prayer, and those other forms of private prayer which, according to each one’s peculiar needs, help in uniting the soul with God. Let this be remem­ bered, however: more than a mere multiplicity of prayers is to be valued piety and the true and ardent spirit of prayer. If ever before, in our days especially is this ardent spirit of prayer necessary, when so-called “naturalism” has invaded men’s minds and hearts, and when virtue is exposed to every kind of danger, dangers which not infre­ quently meet one in the very exercise of one’s ministry. Is there any­ thing which can more securely protect you against these snares, any­ thing which can more surely elevate your souls to heavenly things and keep them united with God, than assiduous prayer and suppli­ cation for divine help? 49. Inasmuch as priests can be called by a very special title, sons of the Virgin Mary, they will never cease to love her with an ardent )iety, invoke her with perfect confidence, and frequently implore 1er strong protection, so that even· day, as the Church herself recom­ mends,51 they will recite the holy rosary which, by proposing for our meditation the mysteries of the Redeemer, leads us “to Jesus through Mary.” 50. Also, before closing his day’s work, the priest will betake him­ self to the tabernacle, and spend at least a litt e time there to adore Jesus in the sacrament of his love, to make reparation for the ingrat­ itude of so many men, to enkindle in himself ever more the love of God, and to remain, in some sense, even during the time of repose at night, which recalls to our minds the silence of death, present in his Most Sacred Heart. 51. Let him also not omit his daily examination of conscience, which is undoubtedly the most efficacious means we have for taking account of the conduct of our spiritual life during the day, for re­ moving the obstacles which hinder or retard one’s progress in virtue and, finally determining the most suitable means to assure for our sacred ministry greater fruitfulness and to implore from the heavenly Father indulgence upon so many of our deeds wretchedly done. 52. This indulgence and the remission of our sins are given to us m a special manner in the sacrament of penance, the masterpiece of God s goodness, by which our weakness is fortified. Let it never hap­ pen that the very minister of this sacrament of reconciliation himself 51 See CIC, canon 125, 2. J7° THE NEW LITURGY docs not use it. The Church, as you know, declares as follows in this respect: “Let the ordinaries be vigilant to sec all their clergy frequently cleanse the stains of their conscience in the sacrament of penance.”52 Though we arc the ministers of Christ, we arc, nevertheless, wretched and weak; how, then, can we ascend to the altar and handle the sacred mysteries unless we make a frequent effort to expiate our sins and cleanse ourselves? By means of frequent confession," genuine selfknowledge is increased, Christian humility is developed, bad habits are corrected, spiritual neglect and tepidity are countered, the con­ science is purified, the will is strengthened, salutary self-control is obtained, and an increase of grace is secured by the very fact that the sacrament is received.”53 53. Still another recommendation, we feel, is in place here: that, in undertaking and advancing in the spiritual life, you do not trust too much to yourselves, but with docile simplicity seek and accept the help of someone who, which wise moderation, can guide your soul, point out to you the dangers, suggest suitable remedies, and in every internal and external difficulty can guide you in the right way toward an ever greater perfection, according to the example of the saints and the teachings of Christian asceticism. Without these pru­ dent guides for one’s conscience, it is often very difficult to be duly responsive to the impulses of the Holy Spirit and of the grace of God. 54. Finally, we wish to recommend heartily to all the practice of retreats. When we seclude ourselves for some days from our accus­ tomed occupations and habitual environment, and retire into solitude and silence, we are then more attentive to give ear to the voice of God, which consequently penetrates more deeply into our soul. Retreats, while they call us to a more holy fulfillment of the duties of our min­ istry, and to the contemplation of the mysteries of the Redeemer, give new strength to our will, that we may ‘‘serve him without fear, in holiness and justice before him all our days.”54 THE DOGMATIC DEFINITION OF THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII November 1, 1950 ÇMunijîcentissimus Deus, AAS 42, 1950, 753-771) 15. The innumerable temples which have been dedicated to the Vir­ gin Mary assumed into heaven clearly attest this faith [in her bodily 52 CIC, canon 125, i°. 53 Mystici Corporis Christi: AAS 35, 1943, 235. 54 Lk H74-75· THE DOGMATIC DEFIHITION I7I Assumption]. So do those sacred images, exposed therein for the veneration of the faithful, which bring this unique triumph of the Blessed Virgin before the eyes of all men. Moreover, cities, dioceses and individual regions have been placed under the special patronage and guardianship of the Virgin Mother of God assumed into heaven. In the same way, religious institutes, with the approval of the Church, have been founded and have taken their name from this privilege. Nor can we pass over in silence the fact that in the rosary of Mary, the recitation of which this Apostolic See so urgently recommends, there is one mystery proposed for pious meditation which, as all know, deals with the Blessed Virgin’s Assumption into heaven. 16. This belief of the sacred pastors and of Christ’s faithful is uni­ versally manifested still more splendidly by the fact that, since an­ cient times, there have been both in the East and in the West solemn liturgical offices commemorating this privilege. The holy fathers and doctors of the Church have never failed to draw enlightenment from this fact since, as everyone knows, the sacred liturgy, “because it is the profession, subject to the supreme teaching authority within the Church, of heavenly truths, can supply proofs and testimonies of no small value for deciding a particular point of Christian doctrine.”10 17. In the liturgical books which deal with the feast either of the Dormition or of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin there are ex­ pressions that agree in testifying that, when the Virgin Mother of God passed from this earthly exile to heaven, what happened to her sacred body was, by the decree of divine Providence, in keeping with the dignity of the Mother of the Word Incarnate, and with the other privileges she had been accorded. Thus, to cite an illustrious example, this is set forth in that sacranientary which Adrian I, our predecessor of immortal memory, sent to the Emperor Charlemagne. These words arc found in this volume: “Venerable to us, O Lord, is the festivity of this day on which the holy Mother of God suffered temporal death, but still could not be kept down by the bonds of death, who has be­ gotten thy Son our Lord incarnate from herself.”11 18. What is here indicated in that sobriety characteristic of the Roman liturgy is presented more clearly and completely in other ancient liturgical books. To take one as an example, the Gallican sacramentary designates this privilege of Mary as “an ineffable mysstery all the more worthy of praise as the Virgin’s Assumption is some­ thing unique among men.” And, in the Byzantine liturgy, not only is the Virgin Mary’s bodily Assumption connected, time and time again, with the dignity of the Mother of God, but also with her other privi­ leges, and in particular with the virginal motherhood granted her by a singular decree of God’s providence. “God, the King of the universe, has granted thee favors that surpass nature. As he kept thee 10 Mediator Dei: AAS 39, 541. 11 Sacramentarium Gregor ianimi. *7^ THE NEW LITURGY a virgin in childbirth, thus he has kept thy body incorrupt in the tomb and has glorified it by his divine act of transferring it from the tomb.”12 19. The fact that the Apostolic See, which has inherited the func­ tion entrusted to the prince of the apostles, the function of confirming the brethren in the faith,13 has by its own authority made the cele­ bration of this feast ever more solemn, has certainly and effectively moved the attentive minds of the faithful to appreciate always more completely the magnitude of the mystery it commemorates. So it was that the feast of the Assumption was elevated from that rank which it had occupied from the beginning among the other Marian feasts to be classed among the more solemn celebrations of the entire litur­ gical cycle. And, when our predecessor St. Sergius I prescribed what is known as the litany, or the stational procession, to be held on four Marian feasts, he specified, together, the feasts of the Nativity, the Annunciation, the Purification, and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.14 Again, St. Leo IV saw to it that the feast, which was already being celebrated under the title of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother of God, should be observed in even a more solemn way when he or­ dered a vigil to be held on the day before it and prescribed prayers to be recited after it until the octave day. When this had been done, he decided to take part himself in the celebration, in the midst of a great multitude of the faithful.15 Moreover, the fact that a holy fast had been ordered from ancient times for the day prior to the feast is made very evident by what our predecessor St. Nicholas I testifies in treating of the principal fasts which “the holy Roman Church has observed for a long time, and still observes.”16 20. However, since the liturgy of the Church docs not engender the Catholic faith, but rather springs from it, in such a way that the practices of the sacred worship proceed from the faith as the fruit comes from the tree, it fallows that the holy fathers and the great doctors, in the homilies and sermons they gave the people on this feast day, did not draw their teaching from the feast itself as from a primary source, but rather they spoke of this doctrine as something already known and accepted by Christ’s faithful. They presented it more clearly. They offered more profound explanations of its mean­ ing and nature, bringing out into sharper light the fact that this feast shows not only that the dead body of the Blessed Virgin Mary remained incorrupt, but that she gained a triumph out of death: her heavenly glorification after the example of her only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ —truths that the liturgical books had frequently touched upon con­ cisely and briefly. 21. Thus St. John Damascene, an outstanding herald of this tra­ ditional truth, spoke out with powerful eloquence when he compared 12 Menaei totius anni. 13 Sec Lk 22:32. 14 Liber Pontificalis. 15 Ibid. 16 Responsa Nicolai Papae I ad consulta Bulgarorum. THE DOGMATIC DEFINITION 173 the bodily Assumption of the loving Mother of God with her oth­ er prerogatives and privileges. “It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had car­ ried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse, whom the Father had taken to himself, should live in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son upon the cross and who had thereby re­ ceived into her heart the sword of sorrow which she had escaped in the act of giving birth to him, should look upon him as he sits with the Father. It was fitting that God’s Mother should possess what be­ longs to her Son, and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and as the handmaid of God.”17 22. These words of St. John Damascene agree perfectly with what others have taught on this same subject. Statements no less clear and accurate are to be found in sermons delivered by fathers of an ear­ lier time or of the same period, particularly on the occasion of this feast. And so, to cite some other examples, St. Germanus of Con­ stantinople considered the fact that the body of Mary, the Virgin Moth­ er of God, was incorrupt and had been taken up into heaven to be in keeping not only with her divine motherhood, but also with the special holiness of her virginal body. “Thou art she who, as it is writ­ ten, appearcst in beauty, and thy virginal body is all holy, all chaste, entirely the dwelling of God, so that it is henceforth completely exempt from dissolution into dust. Though still human, it is changed into the heavenly life of incorruptibility, truly living and glorious, un­ damaged and sharing in perfect life.”18 And another ancient writer asserts: “As the most glorious Mother of Christ, our Savior and God and the giver of life and immortality, has been endowed with life by him, she has received an eternal incorruptibility of the body to­ gether with him who has raised her up from the tomb and has taken her up to himself in a way known only to him.”19 23. When this liturgical feast was being celebrated ever more widely and with ever increasing devotion and piety, the bishops of the Church and its preachers in continually greater numbers considered it their duty openly and clearly to explain the mystery that the feast comme­ morates. and to explain how it is intimately connected with the oth­ er revealed truths. 41. Since the universal Church, within which dwells the Spirit of Truth who infallibly directs it toward an ever more perfect knowl17 St. John Damascene, Encomium in dormitionem Dei Genetricis semperque Virginis Mariae, Hom. II, no. 14; see also ibid. no. 3. 18 St. Germanus of Constantinople, In Sanctae Dei Genetricis Dormitionem, sermo I. 19 The Encomium in Dormitionem Sanctissimae Dominae Nostrate Deiparae semperque Virginis Mariae, attributed to St. Modestus of Jerusalem, no. 14. J74 THE NEW LITURGY edge of the revealed truths, has expressed its own belief many times over the course of the centuries, and since the bishops of the entire world are almost unanimously petitioning that the truth of the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven should be defined as a dogma of divine and Catholic faith—this truth which is based on the sacred writings, which is thoroughly rooted in the minds of the faithful, which has been approved in ecclesiastical worship from the most remote times, which is completely in harmony with the oth­ er revealed truths, and which has been expounded and explained magni­ ficently in the work, the science and the wisdom of the theologians —we believe that the moment appointed in the plan of divine prov­ idence for the solemn proclamation of this outstanding privilege of the Virgin Mary has already arrived. 44. For which reason, after we have poured forth prayers of sup­ plication again and again to God, and have invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, for the glory of almighty God who has lavished his special affection upon the Virgin Mary, for the honor of her Son, the immortal King of the ages and the Victor over sin and death, for the increase of the glory of that same august Mother, and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church; by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare and define it to be a divinely rev­ ealed dogma: that the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory. SACRED ART Instruction of the Holy Office June 30, 1952 (De arte sacra, AAS 44, 1952, 542-546) An instruction of the Holy Office addressed to the ordinaries of places is as follows: The function and duty of sacred art, as its very name implies, is to enhance the beauty of the house of God and to foster the faith and piety of those who gather in the church to assist at divine services and implore heavenly favors. Hence, sacred art has always been cul­ tivated by the Church with assiduous care and vigilant interest, in order that it may be thoroughly true to its own proper laws, which stem from supernatural doctrine and true asceticism, and so give it a perfect right to call itself “sacred.” Hence, the words which the Supreme Pontiff Blessed Pius X spoke when promulgating the wise norms concerning sacred music arc quite SACRED ART 175 appropriate here: ‘Nothing, therefore, should have place in the church V 11 f · J or even merely diminishes the piety and devotion of the faithful, nothing above all which ... is unworthy of the house of prayer and the majesty of God.1 Already therefore in the earliest times of the Church, the Second Council of Nicca, by condemning the heresy of the Iconoclasts, con­ firmed the cult of sacred images and threatened with severe penalties those who dared “wickedly to invent anything contrary to eccle­ siastical institution.”2 The Council of Trent in its 25th session issued prudent laws on Chris­ tian iconography, and concluded its grave exhortation to bishops with these words: “Finally, let bishops exercise such diligence and care in these matters that nothing which is out of place mav meet the eye, nothing which is distorted and confused in execution, nothing profane or unbecoming, since holiness befits the house of God.”3 In order that the prescription of the Council of Trent concerning sacred images should be faithfully observed, Urban VIII enacted spe­ cial norms, decreeing: “Let those objects which fall under the eyes of the faithful not appear out of place or unusual, but let them en­ gender devotion and piety.”4 Finally, the code of canon law gathers all the legislation of the Church on sacred art under summary headings (canons 485, 1161, 1162, 1164, 1178, 12Ô1, 1268, 1269, § I, 1279, 1-80, 1385, 1399). Especially noteworthy arc the provisions of canon 1261, according to which ordinaries arc bound to see to it that "nothing be admitted which is foreign to the faith or out of harmony with ecclesiastical tradition”; and of canon 1399, 120, which declares to be "ipso iure forbidden . . . pictures, no matter how printed . . . which are for­ eign to the mind and decrees of the Church. ’ Recently also the Holy See reprobated corrupt and errant forms of sacred art. The objection raised by some, that sacred art must be adapted to the needs and circumstances of changing times, is of no weight. For sacred art, which originated with Christian society, has its own ends from which it can never diverge, and its proper func­ tion which it can never abandon. Accordingly, Pius XI of venerable memory, when he inaugurated the new Vatican gallery with a dis­ course on sacred art, after mentioning a so-called new art, added these momentous words: “In union with masters of art and with the holy pontiffs, we have already many times stated that our hope, our ar­ dent desire, our will can only be that the law of the Church, so clearly formulated and sanctioned in the code of canon law, be obeyed: that 1 Tra le sollecitudini, November 22, 1903; Τιϊα Pii X 1, 75. 2 Actio 71 et ultima definitio Synodi 2ae, Mansi, Sacr. Cone. 12, col. 730. 3 Scss. 25, De invocatione, vener. et Reliquiis Sanet, et sacris Imagniibus. 4 Sacrosancta Tridentina, § 1, dic XV mensis Martii, anno MDCXLII, Bullarium Romanum, Taurinen. editio, XV°, 171. 176 THE NEW LITURGY is, that such art be not admitted into our churches, and especially that it be not called upon to construct, to remodel, or to clecoratc them. Rather, open wide the portals and give the most cordial wel­ come to every good and progressive development of the approved and venerable traditions, which in so many centuries of Christian life, in such diversity of circumstances and of social and ethnic con­ ditions, have given such proof of their inexhaustible capacity to in­ spire new and beautiful forms, whenever they have been called upon or studied and cultivated by the twofold light of genius of faith.”5 Recently Pius XII, now happily reigning, in the encyclical letter On the Sacred Liturgy of November 20, 1947, concisely and clearly formulated the duties of Christian art: “It is eminently fitting that the art of our times have a free opportunity to serve the sacred edifices and sacred rites with due reverence and with due honor; so that it too may add its voice to the magnificent hymn of glory which men of high talent have sung throughout the passing centuries of the Catho­ lic faith. Nevertheless, in consciousness of our office wc cannot but deplore and reprove those images and forms recently introduced by some, which seem to be deformations and debasements of sane art, and which at times are even in open contradiction to Christian grace, modesty and piety, and miserably offend true religious sentiment; these indeed are to be totally excluded and expelled from our churches, as ‘in general whatever is out of harmony with the holiness of the place’ (c. 1178).”6 After carefully considering all these matters, this Supreme Sacred Congregation, earnestly solicitous for the preservation of the faith and piety of the Christian people through sacred art, has decided to recall to the mind of all the ordinaries of the world the following norms, to the end that the forms and methods of sacred art may fully correspond to the beauty and holiness of the house of God: Concerning Architecture. Sacred architecture, although it may adopt new styles, can by no means be similar to that of profane buildings, but must always perform its own function, which properly concerns the house of God and the house of prayer. In building churches, it is right that care should be taken also for the convenience of the faith­ ful, so that they may be able to take part in the divine services with a better view and better attention; let the new church be notable also for the beautiful simplicity of its lines, rejecting all false ornamenta­ tion; but everything which betrays a neglect of art or carelessness of workmanship should be avoided. In canon 1162, § 1, it is provided that: “No church shall be built without the express consent in writing of the ordinary of the place, which cannot be given by the vicar general without a special man­ date.” 5 Address of October 27, 1932; AAS 24, 356. 6 AAS 39, 590. SACRED ART 177 In canon 1164, § 1: “Ordinaries shall see to it, taking counsel of ex­ perts if need be, that in the construction and remodeling of churches traditional Christian forms of architecture and true standards of sacred art be observed.” This Supreme Sacred Congregation strictly enjoins that the pre­ scriptions of canons 1268, § 2, and 1269, § 1, be religiously observed: “The Most Blessed Sacrament shall be kept in the most distinguished and honorable place in the church, and hence, as a rule, at the main altar, unless some other be considered more convenient and suitable for the veneration and worship due to so great a sacrament. The Most Blessed Sacrament must be kept in an immovable tabernacle set in the middle of the altar.” Concerning Descriptive Art. 1. According to the prescription of canon 1279: “No one may place or cause to be placed in churches, even though they he exempt, or in other sacred places, any unusual image, unless it has been approved by the ordinary of the place” (§ 1). 2. “The ordinary shall not approve of images to be exposed public­ ly for the veneration of the faithful, if they are not in conformity with the approved usage of the Church” (§ 2). 3. “The ordinary shall never permit to be shown in churches, or other sacred places, images which represent a false dogma, or which arc not sufficiently decent and moral, or which would be an occasion of dangerous error to the unlearned” (§ 3). 4. If experts are lacking on the diocesan commissions, or if doubts or controversies arise, let the local ordinaries consult the metropolitan commissions or the Roman Commission on Sacred An. 5. In accordance with canons 485 and 1178, the ordinaries should see to it that whatever is in any way contrary to the holiness of the place and the reverence due to the house of God be removed from sacred buildings; and they should strictly forbid that a hoard of stat­ ues and images of little worth, mostly of a stereotyped form, be inanely and awkwardly presented for the veneration of the faithful on the altars themselves or against the adjoining walls of the chapels. 6. Bishops and religious superiors should refuse their permission for the publication of books, papers or periodicals in which are printed pictures which arc foreign to the mind and decrees of the Church.7 In order that local ordinaries may more safely ask and receive of the diocesan commission for sacred art advice which is in perfect ac­ cord with the demands of the Holy See and of sacred art itself, let them see to it that the aforesaid commission be provided with mem­ bers who arc not only competent in the field of art, but also firm in their allegiance to the Christian faith, brought up in piety, and ready to follow the definite norms which arc prescribed by ecclesiastical authority. See canons 1385 and 1399, 120. — 178 THE NEW LITURGY And works of painting, sculpture and architecture should be en­ trusted only to men who arc outstanding for their artistic taste and skill and who can express in their work that sincere faith and piety which is the purpose of all sacred art. Finally, care must be taken that the aspirants to sacred orders in schools of philosophy and theology receive some instruction in sacred art and be trained to appreciate it, in a way suited to each one’s capacity and age, by teachers who revere the ways and traditions of our an­ cestors and obey the prescriptions of the Holy See. Given at Rome, from the Holy Office, June 30, 1952. NEW DISCIPLINE FOR THE EUCHARISTIC FAST Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII January 6, 1953 (Christus Dominus, AAS 45, 1953, 15-24) The apostolic constitution Christus Dominus dated January 6, 1953, and entitled “On the Discipline To Be Observed Regarding the Eu­ charistic Fast,” is as follows: Christ the Lord, “on the night in which he was betrayed,”1 when for the last time he celebrated the Pasch of the old law, after supper was finished,2 took bread and, giving thanks, broke and gave to his disciples, saying: “This is my body, which shall be given up for you” ”.3 ;3 and in like manner he handed them the chalice, saying: “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is being shed for many”;4 “do this in remembrance of me.”5 From these passages of holy Scripture it is clearly evident that the divine Redeemer wished to substitute for this final paschal celebration, in which a lamb was eaten according to the Hebrew rites, a new Pasch to endure to the end of the world, that is, the eating of the immaculate Lamb, who was to be immolated for the life of the world, so that new Pasch of the new law should bring the ancient Passover to an end, and the shadow be dispelled by the reality.6 However, since this conjunction of the two suppers was designed to signify the transition from the old Pasch to the new, it is easy to see why the Church, in renewing the eucharistie sacrifice by command of the