The Holy Father's "Reform of the Reform": An Excerpt from Cardinal Burke's Homily at Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving

Among other things, in his homily at the Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving on the Occasion of the Ordinary Public Consistory celebrated at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, Raymond Cardinal Burke had this to say about the Holy Father's "reform of the reform":

"I think also of the tireless work of our Holy Father to carry out a reform of the post-Conciliar liturgical reform[11], conforming the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy to the perennial teaching of the Church as it was presented anew at the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, so that in every liturgical action we may see more clearly the action of Christ Himself who unites heaven and earth, even now, in preparation for His Final Coming, when He will inaugurate "news heaven and a new earth," when we will all celebrate the fullness of life and love in the liturgy in the heavenly Jerusalem. The Cardinal today is called, in a special way, to assist the Successor of Saint Peter, in handing on, in an unbroken organic line, what Christ Himself has given us in the Church, His Eucharistic Sacrifice, "the font and highest expression of the whole Christian life." The right order of Sacred Worship in the Church is the condition of the possibility of the right order of her teaching and the right order of her conduct."

Read the whole text here.

Singing the Mass

In light of the liturgical changes coming the first Sunday of Advent, 2011, this recent address by Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth, Executive Director of the ICEL Secretariat, at the Southeastern Liturgical Music Symposium bears some thoughtful meditation and serious thought by the clergy:

Towards the Future: Singing the Mass by Msgr. Andrew Wadsworth

To Understand Liturgical Changes, Study Meaning of Liturgy

One of the topics of major interest to us here in Rome on sabbatical has been and continues to be the upcoming changes to the English translation of the Missale Romanum. We had a wonderful presentation (3 full days worth) by Msgr. James Moroney, former director of the USCCB Secretariat for Divine Worship. Monsignor has been integrally involved in the new translations.

While a date has yet to be established for the implementation and use of the new translations, they are a comin'! Bishop Robert Vasa of the Baker, Oregon diocese wrote a wonderful column recently talking about the changes. It is well worth the read and I highly recommend it!