Letters: Richness of our faith

Sydney
27 July 2003

Centre of it all ...

Two new bishops for Sydney

New bishops at cutting edge of Church

From sailor to bishop

Neocatechumenate priest for Redfern

Pokie tax threatens club aid to Church

Honours to chapel couple

Origin star, author, surf champ lend hand to Youth Off Streets

Four-day visit to Slovakia

Sydney group breaks Holy Land ‘drought’

Pope gives $10m aid

Unusable gifts cost Vinnies $½m a year

Specs to aid St Lucy’s

Finnish choir at St Francis

Editorial: Themes of ministry

Letters: Richness of our faith

Conversation: Jim Grainger, director of Centacare Broken Bay - ‘Following Christ’s ideals’ of caring

Three years on, Gershom pulls out all the stops ...

Father of four ‘honoured’ by L’Arche appointment

Checking to see if Mr Right’s in site

Mary MacKillop focus of digital learning aid

Franciscan’s journey in a new era of pilgrimage

World Youth Day on web

Blessing at the centre of it all

Letters: Richness of our faith

Thank you, Fr Paul Glynn, for reminding us of the richness of our faith which, in spite of all the gloom and doom, can help us to bring hope and healing “to the members of the wounded People of God” through prayer (Danger for a priest without prayer, CW 8/6).

(Mrs) G Broudou
Campsie, NSW

CLASSICAL LATIN?

Debates on Latin in the Mass seem to elicit many curious ideas and enthusiasms, so may I add mine?

There has never been any objection to the use of Latin in the liturgy, just to its monopoly status in the Western Church.

The use of the Tridentine rite is entirely a different matter. If older rites are worthy of resuscitating, there are many more deserving than Trent’s, now-eliminated rites such as the Dominican and Ambrosian are in some cases older and more significant.

More importantly, the language of the Tridentine rite is scarcely recognisable as Latin at all - more an un-attractive kind of proto-Italian, mostly due to its use of Jerome’s dreadful translation of the Psalms.

If we can have the Mass in any language now, why not a version in decent, grammatical classical Latin?

RJ Ryan
Hawthorn, SA

JOINT VENTURE

It was most pleasing to read (Bishops’ project to help the young, CW 6/7) about the joint venture between the Catholic and Anglican Churches in the Hunter Region drawing on the skills of unoccupied tradespeople to help youth with behavioural problems.

The federal grant mentioned of $70,000 is justly deserved.

Patrick Flanigan
Doonside, NSW

HOME AGAIN

Fr Laurence Gresser is so right about the young people at the Latin Mass (Does Rome Mass point to Latin rite revival? CW 15/6).

They are so devout; even small children would never sit before first genuflecting. They also kneel at Our Lady’s altar after Mass.

The music and singing are top class, with all traditional Church music.

We do understand Latin; the English is always next to the Latin, as it was in pre-Vatican II days.

Fifty years ago I, a young Anglican, went to a Latin Mass and that Mass brought me into the Catholic Church.

I first attended Lewisham seven years ago. I felt I had been away for a long time and now was home again.

We, the community, travel long distances from all directions, some by public transport, and it is growing.

Anyone who travels to Europe, as so many do now, knows how hard it is to find a Mass in their language; it would be so wonderful in Latin, in so many beautiful old churches.

Hazel Bakewell
Gymea, NSW

MY PREFERENCE

I am a convert and have been worshipping at the Lewisham chapel for four years, finding in the beautifully and reverently celebrated high Masses with Gregorian chant a liturgy which constantly seeks to give the best to God and a real nourishment for my faith.

There are more than 20 rites of Holy Mass which are permitted in the Church today throughout the world.

The Roman rite according to the 1962 missal in Latin is one of them.

I am drawn to this liturgy.

It is my preference and it seems to be fully within the mind of the Church.

Simon Morris
Rockdale, NSW

A GIFT OF GOD

If I have correctly read the writings of recent theologians, at different times over the centuries different emphases have been put on the Eucharist: the real presence, sacrifice as an act of worship by and with Jesus, communion with Jesus and among ourselves. All these it certainly is.

For the early Christians the Eucharist was a thanksgiving for what God/ Jesus has done for us.

In fact, the preface and the central part of the canon are a “memorial” or recalling and re-enactment of that including the death on the cross.

While the scripture tells us that our salvation involved the death of Jesus, it does not state that it was accomplished “by” it.

Redemption and salvation are primarily a gift of God. Jesus redeemed us through his teaching, by showing us the way back to God, by telling us that God in his infinite goodness not only offers us in the first place his friendship and a share in his eternal life, but forgives our sins if we are repentant. For this we thank him.

The instructional part of the Mass is meant to remind us of that and to show us the way back to God.

For some theologians, the interpretation of the Mass as sacrifice may have been an adoption of customary pagan (and Old Testament) form of worship and attitudes rather than a novel Christian recalling and re-enactment of Jesus’ supreme act of love.

According to St Paul, the real sacrifice of Jesus was his obedience to the will of the Father to carry out his salvific mission even when that involved the giving of his life on the cross.

To criticise (incorrectly) the “New Mass” for omitting a reference to sacrifice and the real presence is at best to over-emphasise two aspects of the Eucharist and at worst a distorted view of the Eucharist itself

Remo Dellagiacoma
Epping, NSW

REVERSE ORDER

How I would have liked to reverse the cover format of The Catholic Weekly (CW 13/7).

The back page story Schools rally to call for Winter Appeal and the lovely picture of the school community of St Brigid’s, Marrickville, would have been moved to the front page.

The front page story - Outrage at ‘bishop’ ad on TV - would then have been relegated to the back where it belonged.

Some things are better left unsaid; indicating the contents of the offensive advertising in a lead article only gave the radio station more publicity.

Enough people would have been offended by the ugly, insulting advertisement for you merely to mention it and give the Advertising Standards Board contacts.

Susan Macleod
Newcastle, NSW

DANGEROUS PRECEDENT?

A decision to allow over-the-counter sales without prescription of Postinor2, a so-called “morning after” pill, not only poses a threat to women who use it (Pill sale ‘will help predators’, CW 6/7).

It might also set a precedent for the sale of many dangerous drugs without a prescription.

If you oppose this, as I do, write your submission, by August 20, to:

The Secretary
National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee
PO Box 100
Woden, ACT 2602.
Leslie Clarke
Mt Druitt, NSW