Cardinals Arinze, Schönborn in the news

Francis Cardinal Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments, recently traveled to Kenya and offered encouragement in the aftermath of post-election violence. He also, of course, had a few things to say about liturgical matters:

“In preaching the liturgy, avoid theological acrobatics or showing that you have learnt theology, deliver the message. Liturgical celebration is not for entertainment. Those seeking entertainment can visit the church’s social hall after mass,” he said.

According to him, the priest should vet, discern and decide which kind of dances go with the liturgy unless it is a special celebration like Christmas and Easter.

He believes that the faithful should enjoy the liturgy and not the dance saying, “we celebrate Christ and not individuals”.

Meanwhile, in Austria:

Vienna Archbishop Christian Cardinal Schönborn has said that he supports the decision of the judge in the Vienna trial of a terrorism suspect to exclude her from court for refusing to appear without a burka.

Schönborn, however, added that he disapproved of the judge's comment that the garment had been in tatters.

He also expressed support of the right of Muslims to build mosques in Austria and called for more dialogue between Roman Catholicism and Islam.

Read the entire story.

• The Cardinal From Nigeria | Introduction to God's Invisible Hand: The Life and Work of Francis Cardinal Arinze | Gerard O'Connell
• Liturgical Roles In the Eucharistic Celebration | Francis Cardinal Arinze | From Celebrating the Holy Eucharist
• Ignatius Insight author page for Cardinal Schönborn
• The Church Is the Goal of All Things | From Loving the Church | Cardinal Schönborn
• Encountering Christ in the Gospel | From My Jesus | Cardinal Schönborn
• Reincarnation: The Answer of Faith | From Death to Life: The Christian Journey | Cardinal Schönborn
• A Shepherd Like No Other | From Behold, God's Son! | Cardinal Schönborn

Comments

[Jackson]

I'm reading Peter Kreeft's The Snakebite Letters, published by Ignatius Press. In the chapter called "What Has the Lowerarchy Done to the Liturgy?" he writes:

"Why do you suppose we've succeeded so totally in turning all the humanly invented words and music that surround the Enemy-invented fact called the Mass into such a feeble, flaccid thing? It's simple: The limp-wristed liturgies were designed by limp-wristed liturgists.

"No one wants to admit it, but all the clergy know it. The laity would be amazed and scandalized if they knew how many of them were gay, at least in orientation. And the establishments, the administrations, the organizations, the middle management powers that be - why do you think they're so desperately afraid of 'confrontation,' so obsessed with being nice and well-liked, so confined to 'compassion'? Why do you suppose so few of them dare to act like men? Because so few of them are.

"The proportion of gays, active or dormant, is even larger, much larger, among liturgists than among the clergy as a whole. That's why the new liturgy is so tepid and timid and tedious."

Kreeft's focus in this book is on America, and there's obviously more to it than homosexuality, but the limp-wrist appears to be a big factor in Kenya as well. I won't accept the explanation that the dancing nonsense is simply a part of African tribal culture.

[BillyHW]

Is this what the good Cardinal means by "dialogue?"

Canon Michael Ainsworth, 57, was kicked and punched in the head as one of the attackers screamed "f***ing priest".
He was left lying on the ground with deep cuts, bruising and two black eyes.

The attack took place in the early evening after Canon Ainsworth politely asked three Asian youths who had gathered in the churchyard to quieten down.

Another group of youths intervened to protect him and they helped him into the rectory as the attackers fled.

The incident happened outside St George-in-the-East Church in Wapping, East London.

It has regularly had windows smashed by youths - who on one occasion shouted: "This should not be a church, this should be a mosque."

I think we need some of that old-time St. Olaf type "dialogue," frankly.