New Zealand will now have a voice when the liturgy is discussed in Rome. Cardinal John Dew, the Archbishop of Wellington, has been appointed to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. The congregation deals with liturgical questions and the celebration of the sacraments. Dew is one of 27 new appointees named by the Read more
From the moment Pope Francis was elected on March 13, 2013 it was clear that a huge gap separated him from the so-called Catholic traditionalists – on liturgy, ecclesiology, ecumenism, moral theology and the Church’s social doctrine. Despite their constant attacks against him, the pope showed a remarkable restraint towards the traditionalists – and not Read more
Pope Francis has expressly told the Vatican’s liturgy chief that the extraordinary form of the Mass should not be the norm. Francis met with Cardinal Robert Sarah, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, on July 10. This followed comments by the cardinal at a liturgy conference in London last week. Cardinal Sarah invited Read more
The New Zealand Youth Choir which sang at Wellington’s Sacred Heart Cathedral last Sunday will soon be singing at a high mass in Paris’s famous Notre-Dame Cathedral. The Mass they will sing is one specially composed for them by New Zealander Andrew Baldwin. Notre-Dame de Paris is an historic Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of Read more
A married couple from Australia have set out points of concern about the liturgies in their respective Catholic and Greek Orthodox traditions. Writing in Italy’s L’Espresso, Aniello Iannuzzi (Catholic) and Paraskevi Tsironis (Orthodox) say it is impossible for them to receive communion together. “With many families like our own, we cannot wait for unification,” the Read more
The Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship has criticised “long and loud” offertory processions in some countries. Writing in L’Osservatore Romano, Cardinal Robert Sarah took aim at offertory processions in some African countries that include “endless dances”. “One has the impression of being present at a folklore exhibition,” the cardinal wrote. Cardinal Sarah comes Read more
When the noise is more painful than joyful, when the noise is an ear-splitting worship band and the decibels are raising the roof rather than the spirit, sensitive Christians are hurting and complaining. “People are asking if this is going to make us all deaf?” says Tauranga Hearing Association’s resource co-ordinator Jo Sykes told SunLive. Read more
A priest has been dubbed the ‘Ladyfather’ after prancing and dancing his way around the pulpit. The unnamed religious figure has gained a huge social media following after a video of him showing off his moves was circulated online. The footage was shot as he conducted a congregation at his church in Monterrey, the capital Read more
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A liturgical commission in a Philippines diocese has tried to discourage people clapping during and after Mass in recognition of individual achievements. The liturgy commission of Parañaque diocese recently put out a circular to discourage the practice. The circular noted that there is no place in the liturgy for a gesture that glorifies people rather Read more