This from a past interview with Cardinal Ratzinger. Although this was a number of years ago, I think the pointed statements he makes here shows some underlying critiques of the litury that are not likely to go away. The emphasis here seems to be on liturgical "form" and the need to have universal norms which are understood to be a part of the tradition of the church. Notice how the words "created" and "creative" are used in a critical sense when referring to the liturgy:
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Cardinal Ratzinger: It happened that initially this liturgical reform was assessed as a parting from the tradition and this reform then ever more strongly developed into the idea that the liturgy actually had to be created anew in every community [or parish]. Of course there also quite positive implementations of the reform of the liturgy. Today, here at St. Ottilien, I was able to experience the festive high Mass. There you can see how the renewed theology can truly be a gift. But the notion that the liturgy is based on creativity and that each community creates a liturgy for itself, in many places that has nevertheless proven to be a kind of brushfire.
One shouldn’t generalize but, anyway, these notions have proven to be something that brings along some danger. Because if the liturgy is that which the community creates on its own and in which she reflects herself, then she doesn’t actually come out of herself. And then she actually does not experience what it’s all about. The liturgy is not the place where you display your own creative talents; there are other possibilities for that inside and outside the Church.The liturgy is truly the meeting with that which we have not made and thus it is also the entrance into the great prior gift of history, that should not be mummified, that should not become rigidified, but rather must live on as something that is alive.
This feeling that liturgical reform does not mean that now we do everything differently, and everyone does as he pleases, instead it means that we live in it in a living way, form ourselves into its greatness – and by our living in it, it also continues to develop – this knowledge of what reform actually means, must, I believe, be announced again in parts of the Church.
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I think it will not be long before he announces this to certain "Parts of the Church".
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"I think it will not be long before he announces this to certain 'Parts of the Church'"
As I've said in every Yiddish play I've ever been in, "From your mouth to God's ear."
The quote looks familiar, did you take it from "Spirit of the Liturgy"?
(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
It was actually from an interview with an Italian newspaper in 1999... this was, I believe, in response to a question regarding a Papal Mass and Cardinal Ratzingers disagreements with John Paul II over the public image presented by those Masses.
Sorta-Kinda related:
You may wish to jump into the discussion, Chironimo
http://dad29.blogspot.com/2007/06/critique-of-catholic-pops-music.html
There are better points than the ones I've made--and mine could be better phrased, I'm sure.
Thanks Dad29... I left a post there but am not sure if it was received. I have to admit... "Here I Am" is both loathsome as music AND as Liturgical Music.
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