Cardinal Arinze Decries Liturgical Abuses

Oct. 27 (CWNews.com) - The prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship spoke out sharply against liturgical abuses during an October 26 presentation in Paris.

Speaking at the Catholic Institute of Paris, Cardinal Francis Arinze (bio - news) decried the "banalization, desacralization, and secularization of the liturgy." He rebuked priests who take an "overtly egocentric" approach to the liturgy, violating the norms of the Church. And he also criticized priests whose "false humility" leads them to "share their role with the laity."
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In a separate address to the conference, Archbishop André Vingt-Trois of Paris-- who is the chancellor of the Catholic Institute-- observed that in France, debates about liturgical practice have been "exploited in a debate of a different order." He explained that some radical Catholics had moved toward "a new model of the Church," through "a celebration of the assembly itself, substituting for a celebration of the work of God."

Perhaps, someday, disciplinary action will be taken against those who persist in offending God and abusing the faithful with their disrepect for the Holy Mass. One cannot help but feel sorrow for those who must endure illicit Masses or worse. Some suffer unnecessarily at the whims of some priests and liturgists and others may not even know what's right from what's wrong.

May God continue to guide our Holy Father, Cardinal Arinze, and others who are doing the Lord's work for His Church and His people.