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- 1. CONTEMPORARY SACRAMENTAL PRACTICES The Official Sacraments
- 2. Sources: Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines. Manila: Paulines, 1992. Bevans, Stephen B. and Schroeder, Roger P. PROPHETIC DIALOGUE: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Manila: Logos Publications, 2012. Martimort, A.G., et.al. THE CHURCH AT PRAYER An Introduction to the Liturgy, Volume 1 PRINCIPLES OF LITURGY. Translated by Matthew J. O’Connell. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1987. Martos, Joseph. Doors to the Sacred: A Historical Introduction to Sacraments in the Catholic Church. Revised and Updated Edition. Liguori, Missouri: Liguori Publications, 2001. Pecklers, Keith F. THE GENIUS OF THE ROMAN RITE On the Reception and Implementation of the New Missal. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2009. Pennington, M. Basil. The Eucharist Yesterday and Today. New York, N.Y.: Crossroad, 1985. Power, David N. THE SACRIFICE WE OFFER The Tridentine Dogma and its Reinterpretation. New York, N.Y.: Crossroad, 1987.
- 3. Outline: A. Contemporary Sacramental Practices B. The Official Sacraments
- 4. Context Vatican II onward… Vatican II “…its clarion call was for renewal in the Church. The call was for change – an up-dating (aggiornamento) of ourselves. - ¶ 5, Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines
- 5. Since the mid-1960s the Catholic Church has been visibly changing
- 6. Sacramental CHANGES Features on the Catholic Landscape Rituals Attitudes & Behaviors Experience of sacramental rituals
- 7. • Enthusiastic • Reluctant CHANGES
- 8. Cultural Pluralism Theological Pluralism
- 9. Aggiornamento – VAT II New Trent -Like Uniformity
- 10. Revision of the rites which was done under Vatican supervision
- 11. 3 Fundamental Bases • Historical Consciousness • Recovery of Liturgical Theology and Spirituality • Promotion of Full and Active Participation - p.29, THE GENIUS OF THE ROMAN RITE On the Reception and Implementation of the New Missal, Keith F. Pecklers, SJ, Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota, 2009.
- 12. Rites 1970s * Religious Profession; Consecration of Virgins… *Confirmation; Christian Initiation of Adults… *Eucharist outside of Mass; Penance - pp. 82-83, THE CHURCH AT PRAYER An Introduction to the Liturgy, Volume 1 PRINCIPLES OF LITURGY, A.G. Martimort et. al.
- 13. Catholic bishops and liturgists in non-western countries expressed dissatisfaction Revision of the rites which was done under Vatican supervision
- 14. Catholic bishops and liturgists in non-western countries expressed dissatisfaction
- 15. Arguments Accommodation Early Christianity Native cultures
- 16. Coptic Rite Mozarabic Rite Ambrosian Rite Early Christianity…. Native Cultures
- 17. More Moderate (Acculturation) More Radical (Inculturation)
- 18. Different Texts More Moderate (Acculturation) Gestures, Vestments Culturally Appropriate Liturgy
- 19. Married , Female, Group Leadership in the Church Native Foods instead of bread & wine…laying on of hands… Indigenous wedding practices… More Radical (Inculturation)
- 20. Non- Western Liturgists Straining toward l CULTURAL DIVERSITY
- 21. Catholic Theologians Show no sign task of understanding the sacraments in the future difficulty to speak about Catholic sacraments Catholic explanation of the sacraments
- 22. Resemble one another around the world All resemble sacramental rituals of the modern world
- 23. Text Rituals Theories Catholic Theology
- 26. UNDERSTANDING Contemporary Language Modern Dress Drastically revised and simplified rites o Eliminated prayers and gestures
- 27. Sense of Mystery Latin Mass Music Incense & Pageantry Confessional area Baptismal font Weddings & Ordinations
- 28. Observations/Reactions – loss of a sense of mystery? some observers of contemporary culture – it is not the change in the liturgy that has reduced the sense of mystery but the secularization of the whole society those who have understood the reasons for the new liturgy and who do participate in it with energy and attention – the sense of mystery has not been entirely lost; it has rather shifted from a sense of magic to a sense of wonder.
- 29. FAVORS MEDIEVAL CEREMONIES For many the medieval ceremonies were more palpably doors to the sacred, excommunicated Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre established a schismatic church which retained the Tridentine mass and sacraments.
- 30. FAVORS CULTURAL ADAPTATION excommunicated Rev. George Stallings, led his black congregation in Washington, D.C., to break from the Catholic Church over liturgical and ministerial restrictions
- 31. More Moderate American Liturgists DIVERS CULTURE - distinctively American form of liturgy and worship. HIGH-TECH GADGETS FOR LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS
- 32. Critics of American Materialism and Individualism Some aspects of contemporary culture are so incompatible with the spiritual and communal ideals of the Christian gospel that there could never be a form of worship that is both fully Catholic and fully American.
- 33. Silent Spectators (Majority of American Catholics) Pay little attention to liturgical pressures from the right and the left In spite of massive effort to educate them through Sunday pulpit, many of them comprehend neither the scholastic nor the contemporary explanations of sacraments .
- 34. Silent Spectators (Majority of American Catholics) Their understanding of the sacraments is neither metaphysical nor experiential but based on the religious training they received as children. Although they are invited to participate fully in the liturgy, many still attend as silent spectators.
- 35. Sacramental CHANGES Features on the Catholic Landscape Rituals Attitudes & Behaviors Experience of sacramental rituals
- 36. Freed from the belief that this sacrament does nothing except wash away original sin Some Catholic parents have been less concerned to have their children baptized within days after birth; some priests have begun to question the custom of baptizing children of parents who show little interest in raising their children as Catholics. Sacrament of Baptism
- 37. In some dioceses it is administered by pastors as well as bishops The age for celebrating the sacrament varies from seven to eighteen Sacrament of Confirmation
- 38. Changes in the rites Changes in the Catholic understanding of sin Sacrament s of the Holy Eucharist and Penance
- 39. Catholics are now less legalistic about weekly attendance in mass They go to confession much less frequently than they used to Those who do attend the liturgy regularly tend to receive communion more often and with less doubt about their worthiness to do so. Sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Penance
- 40. Before: once considered a sign that death was at the door, and being administered only to the dying, Today: It is becoming more regarded as the sacrament of healing; it is being received more frequently by the elderly and the less seriously ill. Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick
- 41. Baptized Catholics who have little intention of being active members of the church today feel less need to be married before a priest. Some pastors are beginning to question the value of church weddings for such persons even if they request one. Sacrament of Marriage
- 42. Divorce and remarriage – once unthinkable for Roman Catholics Has come under discussion by canon lawyers and theologians Relaxing of restrictions for annulments It is becoming more common Sacrament of Marriage
- 43. The Catholic priesthood seems to have regained some of the stability lost during the turbulent 60s Priests are no longer leaving the ministry so frequently, and vocations are no longer …. Sacrament of Holy Orders
- 44. In the developing world, seminaries (and convents, too) are full…… Sacrament of Holy Orders
- 45. Issues still remain - The question of allowing priest Sacrament of Holy Orders to marry - Allowing women to be ordained
- 46. Both marriage and priesthood are being looked in a more human and a less divine light This makes it possible for Catholics to be less dogmatic in their thinking despite Rome’s inflexibility in these areas. Sacrament of Holy Orders Sacrament of Marriage
- 47. Ecumenism or Interfaith Cooperation Decreasing dogmatism with – sacraments & worship in general
- 48. Vat II Opening to the world Christian Unity Interactions b/w Protestants & Christians Working together Ecumenical worship services Interfaith Marriages Reforms
- 49. CONCLUSION: The official Catholic sacraments have changed, and they are likely to do so again, for the forces of change are still at work.
- 50. CONCLUSION: Nevertheless, the Roman church organization is large and its hierarchy is very tradition-minded, ….
- 51. CONCLUSION: It is good to know that we are well-rooted and closely bonded people, enlivened by a consistent flow of life through centuries…. - p.47, The Eucharist Yesterday and Today, M. Basil Pennington, Crossroad, New York, N.Y.,1985
- 52. CONCLUSION: In the dialogue between churches, agreement on an appropriate and commonly observed Eucharistic practice, within reasonable diversity…- p. 186, THE SACRIFICE WE OFFER The Tridentine Dogma and its Reinterpretation, David N. Power, Crossroad, New York, N.Y, 1987
- 53. CONCLUSION: “ …the worthy and vital celebration of the liturgy in Eucharist, baptism, marriages or funerals can be moments when the gospel proclaimed and celebrated ….” – p. 66, PROPHETIC DIALOGUE: Reflections on Christian Mission Today, Stephen B. Bevans and Roger P. Schroeder, Logos Publications, Inc., Manila, 2012
- 54. CONTEMPORARY SACRAMENTAL PRACTICES The Official Sacraments DIOS MABALOS PO… THANK YOU…
Notas del editor
- CONTEMPORARY SACRAMENTAL PRACTICES THE OFFICIAL SACRAMENTS
- Sources: Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines. Manila: Paulines, 1992. Bevans, Stephen B. and Schroeder, Roger P. PROPHETIC DIALOGUE: Reflections on Christian Mission Today. Manila: Logos Publications, 2012. Martimort, A.G., et.al. THE CHURCH AT PRAYER An Introduction to the Liturgy, Volume 1 PRINCIPLES OF LITURGY. Translated by Matthew J. O’Connell. Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1987. Martos, Joseph. Doors to the Sacred: A Historical Introduction to Sacraments in the Catholic Church. Revised and Updated Edition. Liguori, Missouri: Liguori Publications, 2001. Pecklers, Keith F. THE GENIUS OF THE ROMAN RITE On the Reception and Implementation of the New Missal. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2009. Pennington, M. Basil. The Eucharist Yesterday and Today. New York, N.Y.: Crossroad, 1985. Power, David N. THE SACRIFICE WE OFFER The Tridentine Dogma and its Reinterpretation. New York, N.Y.: Crossroad, 1987.
- Outline: A. Contemporary Sacramental Practices in General B. The Official Sacraments
- A. Contemporary Sacramental Practices in General Context – Vatican II onward…Vatican II “that Spirit-filled event, took place in the interval and its clarion call was for renewal in the Church. In pastors and flocks, in thinking and acting, in worship and life, in the understanding of ourselves as Church and of our mission. The call was for change – an up-dating (aggiornamento) of ourselves. The call was for growth – the full flowering of our life of faith in Christ. (¶ 5, Acts and Decrees of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines)
- – Since the mid-1960s the Catholic Church has been visibly changing.
- Reactions/Responses to Changes – Some have welcomed the changes enthusiastically – Others have accepted them reluctantly
- – THE COUNCIL and THE POST-CONCILIAR CHURCH have accepted pluralism in ways that the Tridentine church did not: CULTURAL PLURALISM – allows sacramental practices to differ in different regions of the globe, and THEOLOGICAL PLURALISM – allows a variety of sacramental theologies to exist at the same time.
- Observations toward the Changes – The changes are not complete – Conservative church leaders today realize that the aggiornamento, or updating, that Pope John XXIII called for cannot be accomplished by a new Trent-like uniformity if Catholicism wants to remain a vibrant force in a culturally diverse and socially evolving world.
- The revised rites which was done under Vatican supervision during the 1970s - 3 Fundamental Basis - The Rites •The Liturgical Constitution revealed 3 fundamental bases in his reform of the Roman Rite: 1. A historical consciousness and desire to return to the source 2. A recovery of liturgical theology and spirituality – that the heart of Christian liturgy is always the paschal mystery of Christ. 3. A strong pastoral desire to promote ‘full and active participation,’ drawing the faithful out of their passivity into the action of celebrating the Roman Rite. (p.29, THE GENIUS OF THE ROMAN RITE On the Reception and Implementation of the New Missal,Keith F. Pecklers, SJ, Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota, 2009)
- •What rites? In 1970–promulgation of the rite for religious profession. The Roman Missal, and the rites for the consecration of virgins, the blessing of an abbot and an abbess, and the blessing of oils and the consecration of chrism; 1971 –The rite of confirmation was also promulgated; 1972 – the rite for the Christian initiation of adults was published…; 1973 – the rites having to do with the worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass, and the rite of penance… - pp. 82-83, THE CHURCH AT PRAYER An Introduction to the Liturgy, Volume 1 PRINCIPLES OF LITURGY, A.G. Martimort et. al., trans. Matthew J. O’Connell, (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1987)
- Church bishops and liturgists in non-western countries: o Expressed dissatisfaction
- o They would like greater autonomy in designing sacramental rites that express the meaning of Christianity in their own cultural symbols.
- Arguments: (1) The revised rites which was done under Vatican supervision during the 1970s, and which are still (with few exceptions) the only officially approved texts allow for little more than accommodating the European rites to particular circumstances. (2) Early Christianity developed distinctive rites in the culturally different regions of the Roman Empire, and some of these rites still exists not only among the Orthodox churches but also among the so-called uniate (The term Uniat or Uniate is applied to those Eastern Catholic churches which were previously Eastern Orthodox churches, primarily by Eastern Orthodox) churches in Africa, the Near East, and Asia Minor. [Example: * ALEXANDRIAN GROUP – The Coptic Rite; The Ethiopian Rite (pp. 28-43, THE CHURCH AT PRAYER An Introduction to the Liturgy, Volume 1 PRINCIPLES OF LITURGY, A.G. Martimort et. al.) (3) When the Roman church spread through Western Europe, native cultures invariably altered the ancient Roman rites and sometimes even introduced entirely new sacramental practices. The Ambrosian Rite – Of the various liturgies the one that has remained in use down to our time is the Ambrosian, which is used in Milan (and was used formerly in neighboring Churches as well). St. Ambrose declared that he followed the Roman Liturgy but also retained a degree of freedom in regard to it. For example, he took from the East the antiphonal singing of the psalms, and he himself composed a new kind of hymn…. The Hispanic or Mozarabic Rite - Pyrenees in the Visigothic period; in the Spanish rite, as in the Gallican, all parts of the Eucharistic Prayer were variable. Generally speaking, the presidential prayers (often addressed to Christ) are lengthier than at Rome and display a very mannered literary form. (pp. 47-53, THE CHURCH AT PRAYER An Introduction to the Liturgy, Volume 1 PRINCIPLES OF LITURGY, A.G. Martimort et. al.)
- Arguments: (1) The revised rites which was done under Vatican supervision during the 1970s, and which are still (with few exceptions) the only officially approved texts allow for little more than accommodating the European rites to particular circumstances. (2) Early Christianity developed distinctive rites in the culturally different regions of the Roman Empire, and some of these rites still exists not only among the Orthodox churches but also among the so-called uniate (The term Uniat or Uniate is applied to those Eastern Catholic churches which were previously Eastern Orthodox churches, primarily by Eastern Orthodox) churches in Africa, the Near East, and Asia Minor. [Example: * ALEXANDRIAN GROUP – The Coptic Rite; The Ethiopian Rite (pp. 28-43, THE CHURCH AT PRAYER An Introduction to the Liturgy, Volume 1 PRINCIPLES OF LITURGY, A.G. Martimort et. al.) (3) When the Roman church spread through Western Europe, native cultures invariably altered the ancient Roman rites and sometimes even introduced entirely new sacramental practices. The Ambrosian Rite – Of the various liturgies the one that has remained in use down to our time is the Ambrosian, which is used in Milan (and was used formerly in neighboring Churches as well). St. Ambrose declared that he followed the Roman Liturgy but also retained a degree of freedom in regard to it. For example, he took from the East the antiphonal singing of the psalms, and he himself composed a new kind of hymn…. The Hispanic or Mozarabic Rite - Pyrenees in the Visigothic period; in the Spanish rite, as in the Gallican, all parts of the Eucharistic Prayer were variable. Generally speaking, the presidential prayers (often addressed to Christ) are lengthier than at Rome and display a very mannered literary form. (pp. 47-53, THE CHURCH AT PRAYER An Introduction to the Liturgy, Volume 1 PRINCIPLES OF LITURGY, A.G. Martimort et. al.)
- A. More Moderate Proponents “acculturation” – translating the essential meaning of the Roman rites into equivalent forms around the world: Adaptation (1) would allow for different texts, gestures, and vestments that the ones presently prescribed (2) would permit culturally appropriate additions to the liturgy (Such as Asian custom of honoring ancestors as well as the church’s saints)
- B. More Radical Proponents “Inculturation” – creating new rites such as those which might have developed in their lands had Christianity had been brought to them before the European rites became the norm. Adaptation (1) would include elements of acculturation but go beyond that to allow for married, female, and group leadership of the church and liturgy where these are culturally appropriate (2) would substitute other practices for the laying on of hands and using of oil where these are culturally abnormal (3) would use of native foods instead of bread and wine for the Eucharist (4) would Christianize indigenous wedding practices and marriage customs by allowing, for example, polygamy in African societies where this is a normal and respected practice.
- Besides this straining toward cultural diversity on the part of liturgists in non-western countries
- Catholic theologians in all parts of the world - show no sign that they consider the task of understanding the sacraments as done - continue to develop new ways to talk about and explain the rituals of the church just in their present form Implication: In the future it will be difficult to speak about the Catholic sacraments or about the Catholic explanation of the sacraments.
- For the time being, Catholicism’s official sacraments still resemble one another around the world, and they all resemble more or less the sacramental rituals of the modern period.
- In what way: (1) The revised rites have been translated into many languages but they are still translations of an official Latin text. [Much of the consternation around the liturgical reforms has been regarding liturgical language – Latin or the vernacular – and around the translation of liturgical texts. (p. 43, THE GENIUS OF THE ROMAN RITE On the Reception and Implementation of the New Missal,Keith F. Pecklers, SJ, Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota, 2009)] (2) The rubrics allow some variations in the rituals but they also put limits on the amount of variations that is permissible. [“Today tensions remain within the Church precisely around what is actually meant by the ‘substantial unity of the Roman Rite’ and just how much room there is for its contextualization or ‘liturgical creativity.’ (p.41, THE GENIUS OF THE ROMAN RITE On the Reception and Implementation of the New Missal,Keith F. Pecklers, SJ, Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota, 2009)] (3) There is still a resemblance among the theories of the major sacramental theologians who were all initially trained in the scholastic tradition even though they are now stretching beyond it. (4) Even though the 1994 Catechism of the Catholic Church drew from a variety of theological sources in its presentation of the sacraments, the official dogma of Trent and other councils still define the hard edges of Catholic theology.
- Therefore, It is still possible to discuss general trends in Catholic theology and to speak about Catholic sacramental practices in general.
- B. The Official Sacraments Consequences: recent revision of the official rites (1) Something has been gained – Understanding (2) Something has been lost – A sense of mystery
- (1) The principal gain has been understanding: Catholics can now more easily understand the meaning of rituals designed with an eye toward their being signs as well as causes of grace. Why? (a) The sacraments are now celebrated in more contemporary language and in more modern dress. (b) Most of the rites have been simplified, eliminating prayers and gestures that had been added to the rituals in the Roman rite over the centuries. (c) Some of the rites have been drastically revised, reflecting the work of historical researches in recovering earlier forms of the rituals.
- (2) The principal loss has been a sense of mystery: an awareness that something supernatural was occurring in the liturgy Examples: • The Latin mass whispered in a mysterious language by a priest over hidden object on a high altar • The music from a different age and seemingly from a different world • The incense and pageantry of the more festive celebrations • The confessional was a fearsome place • At the baptismal font one had the sense of a soul’s being rescued from eternal sorrow • The serious solemnity of weddings and ordinations heightened one’s awareness of marriage bonds and priestly powers as invisible realities conferred by visible rites.
- Observations/Reactions – loss of a sense of mystery? Some observers of contemporary culture – it is not the change in the liturgy that has reduced the sense of mystery but the secularization of the whole society - As the distinction between everyday reality and sacred reality becomes less and less obvious, people develop what might be termed a form of religious dysfunctionalism: • They can no longer move easily from ordinary space and time into sacred space and time. • There are no longer any rituals or symbols that can move people smoothly and together from their isolated personal experience to a communal experience in which their thoughts and feelings are joined with one another and with God. Those who have understood the reasons for the new liturgy and who do participate in it with energy and attention – the sense of mystery has not been entirely lost; it has rather shifted from a sense of magic to a sense of wonder. Sense of wonder: • They have a deeper awareness that they must consciously enter into the liturgy if they are to discover the mystery behind its symbolism. When they do encounter it, it is strangely familiar and still mysterious • Although the Latin mass, celebrated in exactly the same way in every country of the globe, was once regarded as the most visible sign of Catholic unity, today many Catholics feel an even greater sense of community both with their immediate neighbors and with people who may be far away. Reasons: (a) Informal structure of the modern-language liturgy – allow for greater interaction among participants and for prayers to be offered for those in need (b) Greater social awareness – comes not only through news media but also from the pulpit in a more socially involved parishes. THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL DIMENSIONS OF LITURGY – whereas once the primary concern of Catholic at mass was for their own salvation, the new liturgy creates space for them to be concerned about the welfare of others.
- Extremes: A. Favors Medieval Ceremonies: For many the medieval ceremonies were more palpably doors to the sacred, so much so that the excommunicated Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and his followers rejected the new rites as mistaken compromises with modernity and established a schismatic church which retained the Tridentine mass and sacraments.
- B. Favors Cultural Adaptation: Those who, like the excommunicated Rev. George Stallings, insist on cultural adaptation for distinct groups such as African Americans and native Americans within the pluralistic society of the United States. Stallings led his black congregation in Washington, D.C., to break from the Catholic Church over liturgical and ministerial restrictions which he felt hampered their ability to express their faith and form a community that met their needs.
- More Moderate American Liturgists: Arguments: (1) Since the culture of the United States has grown noticeably beyond its European roots, there ought to be a distinctively American form of liturgy and worship. (2) The relatively low impact of the present liturgy cannot compete with high-tech stage shows, high-impact movies, and mass appeal TV, so trying to celebrate Christian beliefs using obsolete rituals can lead only to failure and decline.
- Critics of American Materialism and Individualism: Opinion: Some aspects of contemporary culture are so incompatible with the spiritual and communal ideals of the Christian gospel that there could never be a form of worship that is both fully Catholic and fully American.
- Silent Spectators (Majority of American Catholics): Observations: Pay little attention to liturgical pressures from the right and the left In spite of massive effort to educate them through Sunday pulpit, many of them comprehend neither the scholastic nor the contemporary explanations of sacraments
- Their understanding of the sacraments is neither metaphysical nor experiential but based on the religious training they received as children. Although they are invited to participate fully in the liturgy, many still attend as silent spectators.
- Changes in Sacramental rituals and experiences in them; in attitudes, and in behavior
- On the Sacrament of Baptism • Freed from the belief that this sacrament does nothing except wash away original sin Some Catholic parents have been less concerned to have their children baptized within days after birth; some priests have begun to question the custom of baptizing children of parents who show little interest in raising their children as Catholics.
- On the Sacrament of Confirmation • In some dioceses it is administered by pastors as well as bishops • The age for celebrating the sacrament varies from seven to eighteen
- On the Sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Penance • Due partly to changes in the rites (some find them less meaningful than before) and to the changes in the Catholic understanding of sin (missing Sunday mass and committing certain other offenses used to be considered grounds for eternal damnation)
- On the Sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Penance • Due partly to changes in the rites (some find them less meaningful than before) and to the changes in the Catholic understanding of sin (missing Sunday mass and committing certain other offenses used to be considered grounds for eternal damnation) Catholics are now less legalistic about weekly attendance in mass They go to confession mush less frequently than they used to Those who do attend the liturgy regularly tend to receive communion more often and with less doubt about their worthiness to do so.
- On the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick • Before: once considered a sign that death was at the door, and being administered only to the dying, • Today: It is becoming more regarded as the sacrament of healing; it is being received more frequently by the elderly and the less seriously ill.
- Marriage • Baptized Catholics who have little intention of being active members of the church today feel less need to be married before a priest. Some pastors are beginning to question the value of church weddings for such persons even if they request one. • Divorce and remarriage – once unthinkable for Roman Catholics Has come under discussion by canon lawyers and theologians • Relaxing of restrictions for annulments It is becoming more common
- Marriage • Divorce and remarriage – once unthinkable for Roman Catholics Has come under discussion by canon lawyers and theologians • Relaxing of restrictions for annulments It is becoming more common
- Holy Orders • The Catholic priesthood seems to have regained some of the stability lost during the turbulent 60s Priests are no longer leaving the ministry so frequently, and vocations are no longer dwindling even though the ratio of lay people to avail priests is continuously increasing.
- In the developing world, seminaries (and convents, too) are full, though this is perhaps less due to religious fervor that it is a function of opportunity for education and social status.
- [Issues still remain] - The question of allowing priest to marry - Allowing women to be ordained
- • Both marriage and priesthood are being looked in a more human and a less divine light. This makes it possible for Catholics to be less dogmatic in their thinking despite Rome’s inflexibility in these areas.
- Changes: There is decreasing dogmatism with regard to the sacraments as well as with regard to worship in general because of ECUMENISM or interfaith cooperation.
- Ecumenism Spurred by the church’s “opening to the world” in Vatican II Movement toward unity among Christians Promoted unprecedented interaction between Protestants and Catholics in the following decades Scholars from many denominations worked together to produce similarly worded prayers such as the Creed and the Gloria used in Sunday worship, and they also cooperated in a new translation of the Bible Ecumenical worship services are held in many communities during the annual week of prayer for CHRISTIAN UNITY, THANKSGIVING DAY, AND DURING LENT Ecumenism at the local level is still going strong, despite the fact that the Vatican is less keen on ecumenical dialogue that it was immediately after the council
- The official Catholic sacraments have changed, and they are likely to do so again, for the forces of change are still at work.
- Nevertheless, the Roman church organization is large and its hierarchy is very tradition-minded, so official changes tend to occur only slowly and after much deliberation.
- It is good to know that we are well-rooted and closely bonded people, enlivened by a consistent flow of life through centuries, a flow that has been received, enriched, and passed on by countless of saints….ex. EP I – has a power to put us in touch with the tradition; EP II & IV bring to us even older elements of the Christian Eucharistic tradition, and EP II reminds us that this rich and varied tradition can ever be expressed in new ways. - p.47, The Eucharist Yesterday and Today, M. Basil Pennington, Crossroad, New York, N.Y., 1985.
- In the dialogue between churches, agreement on an appropriate and commonly observed Eucharistic practice, within reasonable diversity, is integral to the quest for fuller ecclesial communion. - p. 186, THE SACRIFICE WE OFFER The Tridentine Dogma and its Reinterpretation, David N. Power, OMI, Crossroad, New York, N.Y, 1987
- The worthy and vital celebration of the liturgy in Eucharist, baptism, marriages or funerals can be moments when the gospel proclaimed and celebrated may find particular resonance in those who are seeking more depth in life or may even be able to break through indifference or resistance. – p. 66, PROPHETIC DIALOGUE: Reflections on Christian Mission Today, Stephen B. Bevans and Roger P. Schroeder, Logos Publications, Inc., Manila, 2012.