Each month Bishop Manning writes a Letter to the Catholic Community of Parramatta Diocese, which is published in 'Catholic Outlook', the official diocesan newspaper. Click here to view a pdf of the latest issue.
To review previous letters from the Bishop visit the archive.
October 2004
The Bishop's Letter
From Bishop Kevin Manning
My Dear People,
The National Liturgical Commission met in Parramatta in September 2004 for its biannual meeting. Some discussion centred on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, the publication of the Roman Missal and the proposed new Lectionary for English-speaking countries. Attention was given to ways of introducing changes related to these.
The changes are not momentous and you would already have a fair understanding of them from articles I have written in previous issues of Catholic Outlook on the new General Instruction, from the Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia and from the Holy Father's Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum.
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These documents help us to understand and live the faith that continually nourishes and strengthens the Church.
I read a commentary on the recent Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, a repeat of traditional Church teaching on the Eucharist by Archbishop Angelo Amato SDB published in the L'Osservatore Romano, which was entitled "A matter of helping, not hindering, the faith".
I found his comments helpful because, despite clear Instructions from the Holy See in liturgical matters, abuses still occur. His comments were along the following lines:
The Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum makes the point that arbitrary treatment of the liturgy not only distorts the celebration of the Eucharist, but also undermines doctrine, and gives rise to perplexity and scandal.
Misguided objections to, and abuses in, the liturgy rather than being expressions of freedom, reveal ignorance of the great biblical and ecclesial traditions concerning the Eucharist.
In the Papal Instruction the Church seeks to foster true freedom, the freedom to do what is worthy and right in the celebration of the Eucharist. The arbitrary use of texts and rites in the celebration of the liturgy that have not been approved inevitably leads to the weakening and subsequent loss of the necessary connection between praying and believing.
Because of the intrinsic bond between praying and believing, the faithful have the right to demand that the Holy Sacrifice be celebrated for them according to the entire doctrine of the Church's Magisterium.
In his Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia the Holy Father states: "Liturgy is never anyone's private property, be it the celebrant, or the community in which the Mysteries are celebrated … no one is permitted to undervalue the Mystery entrusted to our hands: it is too great for anyone to feel free to treat it lightly and with disregard for its sacredness and its universality." (n. 52)
Reception of Instruction
I list four things that seem to impede ready acceptance of Papal documents:
language, number, length and mass media.
As regards language, the Holy See would say its documents need to be technically correct and that Bishops and scholars must interpret them for their people in an idiom that is easily understood, rather than reducing official teaching to banal wording that obscures Church tradition and doctrine.
As to length, Instructions are long because the norms to be reasserted and the abuses to be avoided are truly numerous.
Even the Pope worries about the reception of some of his documents. When he spoke to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith last February, he said: "another theme that has been dealt with on various occasions is the reception of Magisterial documents by Catholic faithful who are often bewildered rather than informed by the immediate reactions and interpretations put on them by the social communications media".
"In fact, the reception of a Document must be regarded, apart from the media, above all as an ecclesial event that involves acceptance of the Magisterium in the most cordial communion and sharing of the Church's doctrine.
"Indeed, it is a matter of authoritative words that shed light on a truth of faith or on certain aspects of Catholic doctrine that may be contested or distorted by certain currents of thought and actions.
"Moreover, it is precisely in its doctrinal effectiveness that we discover the profoundly pastoral character of the Document whose acceptance thus becomes a favourable opportunity for formation, catechesis and evangelisation."
Obviously, acceptance, or rejection, of the Holy See Instructions must not be up to media interpretation but must become an ecclesial event of communion and formation in our parishes.
The Bishops, Priests and lay faithful should not, therefore, accept the immediate opinion on documents made by the media. They must be patient and take the time to read, assimilate and properly digest the content of Instructions.
In short, Instructions should give rise to healthy curiosity and generous acceptance by the Church so that we may contemplate with renewed wonder the great mystery of our faith and foster the appropriate Eucharistic behaviour and attitudes.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Bishop Kevin Manning
Bishop of Parramatta
