ZENIT, Daily dispatch
The World Seen From Rome
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VATICAN DOSSIER
* Pope Urges Portuguese Bishops to Change Mentality
* Benedict XVI to Join Celebrations at Lourdes
WORLD FEATURES
* Iraq Withdrawal Needs Responsibility, Says Prelate
* Church Leaders Back "One Laptop Per Child"
* Touting YouTube's Catholic Potential
NEWS BRIEFS
* Chicago Prelate to Lead Bishops' Conference
INTERVIEW
* A Richer Liturgical Translation: Interview With Bishop Roche
LITURGY
* Using the Chalice Pall
DOCUMENTS
* Cardinal Poupard on "Populorum Progressio"
* U.S. Bishops' Statement on War in Iraq
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VATICAN DOSSIER
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Pope Urges Portuguese Bishops to Change Mentality
Says Members Need to Be in Tune With Vatican II
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- With an ever-growing number of non-practicing Catholics in Portugal, Benedict XVI has asked the Church in that country for a change of mentality that is more in tune with the Second Vatican Council.
The Pope's appeal was made last Saturday when he received in audience the Portuguese bishops, in Rome for their five-yearly visit.
The Church, the Holy Father said, "should not, above all, speak of itself, but of God. With this, I don't mean to say that we don't have to discuss the best organization of the Church and the distribution of responsibilities: There are always imbalances that need corrections."
But these issues, he clarified "should not distract us from the authentic mission of the Church."
The Pontiff continued, alluding to his encyclical, "Deus Caritas Est": "One doesn't begin to be a Christian because of an ethical decision or a great idea, but rather because of an encounter with an event, with a Person, who gives new horizons to life, and with that, a decisive orientation.
"The evangelization of the person and of human communities depends totally on this encounter with Jesus Christ."
The Bishop of Rome added, "Given the growing wave of Christians that are not practicing in your dioceses, perhaps it is worthwhile to verify the efficiency of the current processes of initiation, to better help Christians to mature with the educative activities of our communities, and to take on in their lives an authentically Eucharistic stamp that makes them capable of giving reason for their hope in an adequate way for our times."
According to Benedict XVI, in these years, "the most frequent confession on the lips of Christians has been the lack of participation in community life."
"It is necessary," he said, "to change the organizational style of the Portuguese Church community and the mentality of its members, to have a Church in tune with Vatican II, in which the function of clergy and laypeople is well-defined, taking into account the fact that we are all one, since we were baptized and integrated into the family of the children of God, and all of us have a common responsibility for the growth of the Church."
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Benedict XVI to Join Celebrations at Lourdes
Jubilee Year Marks 150th Anniversary of Apparitions
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI plans to travel to Lourdes as part of the celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the Virgin Mary's apparitions there. The date of the papal visit has not been confirmed.
Today at the Vatican, the program for the anniversary celebrations was announced at a press conference with Bishop Jacques Perrier of Tarbes and Lourdes. The celebrations are planned for this Dec. 8 through Dec. 8, 2008, feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Bishop Perrier confirmed that the Pope would visit "though we still do not know the exact date.""Shrines and pilgrimages," the prelate went on, "today occupy an important place in religious life, especially among people who do not habitually follow religious practices. Shrines are places of silent evangelization."
Celebrations
Bishop Perrier revealed some of the events to be held during the anniversary year.
This Dec. 8, in homage to Pope John Paul II, the inauguration will take place of mosaics representing the luminous mysteries of the rosary on the facade of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. The mosaics were created by Father Marko Ivan Rupnik.
On Feb. 11, feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and World Day of the Sick, the first of the 18 apparitions of the Virgin to Bernadette will be commemorated.
A week later, on Feb. 18, feast of St. Bernadette, the first of the apparitions that went on for 15 straight days will be remembered. "Our Lady asked Bernadette to come to the grotto every day, and she kept her promise despite the difficulties," the bishop explained.
March 25 will mark the anniversary of the 16th apparition of the Virgin. "On that day, feast of the Annunciation, the Lady finally pronounced her name: I am the Immaculate Conception," Bishop Perrier added.
From July 15 to 20, coinciding with World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, various groups of young Christian artists will perform in Lourdes.
A Mariological-Marian congress in Lourdes, Sept. 4-8, on the theme of "The Apparitions of the Virgin Mary: History, Faith and Theology," will consider the call to conversion exercised by shrines in general and by Marian shrines in particular.
A path
Pilgrims will be invited to follow a "path of the Jubilee," which symbolically leads from baptism to the Eucharist. It includes four stages, the bishop explained: the parish baptistery where Bernadette was baptized; the hut where her family lived that, "with its poverty and darkness, is a cause for reflection on the paradoxical nature of divine preferences"; the road to the grotto; and the chapel of the hospice where Bernadette received first Communion on June 3, 1858.
The anniversary will also be celebrated with a Jubilee Mass composed by Brother Jean-Paul Lecot, musical director of the Shrine of Lourdes.
Some 8 million pilgrims are expected to visit Lourdes for the anniversary year.
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WORLD FEATURES
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Iraq Withdrawal Needs Responsibility, Says Prelate
Cautions Against Moving Out Too Rapidly or Too Slowly
BALTIMORE, Maryland, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The president of the U.S. bishops' conference is calling for what he dubbed a "responsible transition" to resolve the problem of Iraq.
In an address today to bishops gathered at the conference's fall general assembly in Baltimore, Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, Washington, said, "As pastors and teachers, we are convinced that the current situation in Iraq remains unacceptable and unsustainable. Our conference offers once again the goal of a 'responsible transition' as an overall ethical framework for national decisions."
Bishop Skylstad lamented the political stalemate in Iraq, which he said finds a parallel in Washington.
"Some policy makers seem to fail to recognize sufficiently the reality and failures in Iraq and the imperative for new directions," he said. "Others seem to fail to recognize sufficiently the potential human consequences of very rapid withdrawal. These two forms of denial have helped contribute to partisan paralysis.
"Our conference encourages our national leaders to focus on the morally and politically demanding, but carefully limited goal of fostering a 'responsible transition' and withdrawal at the earliest opportunity consistent with that goal. The moral demands of this path begin with addressing the humanitarian crisis in Iraq and minimizing further loss of human life."
The Washington prelate said the nation "must now focus more on the ethics of exit than on the ethics of intervention."
He explained, "In the current situation the traditional principles of 'noncombatant immunity' and 'probability of success' suggest these questions: How can we minimize the further loss of human lives? What actions will do the most good and least harm? What elements of a responsible transition are attainable? How can they be achieved? What actions should be avoided?
"How can decision makers take into account both the realities and setbacks in Iraq and the likely human consequences of rapid withdrawal? What are the financial costs and global consequences of continued war and occupation? And, how can our nation effectively counter the perversion of religion and ideologies that support terrorism, which in all cases merits condemnation?"
Teamwork
Bishop Skylstad encouraged the United States to work with other nations to bring a lasting solution: "This effort begins in Iraq, but it does not end there. For this reason, we believe sustained U.S. efforts to collaborate with the other nations, including Syria and Iran, are critically important for bringing some measure of stability to Iraq."
He also noted the need to support the millions of refugees and displaced people in and around Iraq.
"Given the extensive devastation in Iraq, the U.S. has a unique and inescapable obligation to continue to offer major and continuing support for economic development and reconstruction. Respect for Iraqi self-determination suggests that our nation should reiterate our pledge not to seek permanent military bases in Iraq, nor control over Iraqi oil resources," he said.
Echoing the pleas of Church leaders, including the Pope, on behalf of the situation of Christians in Iraq, Bishop Skylstad noted, "The suffering of the Christian community has a particular claim on our hearts and consciences." But, he added, "We recognize that Christians are not alone in their plight and we reiterate our concern for the whole of the Iraqi people."
The 73-year-old prelate further affirmed that the stability of Iraq is related to the stability of the whole Middle East.
"This is why U.S. leadership to advance a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians is critical," he stated. "The continuing failure to achieve the vision of two states living side by side in peace and justice contributes to regional instability."
Conscience
Bishop Skylstad also turned his attention to U.S. military personnel. "We support those who risk their lives in the service of our nation and recognize their generous commitment. U.S. policy must take into account the growing costs and consequences of a continued occupation on military personnel, their families and our nation. There is a moral obligation to deal with the human, medical, mental health and social costs of military action."
And he defended the right to conscientious objection: "Our nation must also make provisions for those who in conscience exercise their right to conscientious objection or selective conscientious objection."
Bishop Skylstad said that each course of action in Iraq "should be weighed in light of the traditional moral principle of 'probability of success.'"
"In other words," he said, "will the action contribute to a "responsible transition" and withdrawal as soon as appropriate and possible? This principle requires our nation's leaders to be more realistic about the difficult situation in Iraq and more concerned about the likely consequences of a withdrawal that is too rapid or not rapid enough."
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Church Leaders Back "One Laptop Per Child"
U.S. and Canada Have 14 Days Left to "Give 1, Get 1"
ROME, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Residents of the United States and Canada have the chance to give a laptop to a child from an underdeveloped nation, and get one for themselves in the process, all for $399.
But there is a deadline for the "Give 1, Get 1" project, and the clock started ticking Monday.
"Give 1, Get 1" is the initiative launched by One Laptop per Child, a nonprofit project launched in 2005 by the director of the media lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nicholas Negroponte.
Negroponte's plan has attracted plenty of attention, most recently in Rome at the Patristic Augustinianum Institute on Oct. 29, at a presentation of the project featuring Cardinal Paul Poupard, retired president of the Pontifical Councils of Culture and Interreligious Dialogue.
The event was organized by the Society of Jesus' Commission for Social Communications, and also brought Cardinal George Cottier, retired theologian of the pontifical household.
A mission
"Give 1, Get 1" works like this: Until Nov. 26, XO laptops are available to the public in the United States and Canada. Residents can purchase two laptops for $399; one will be sent to a child in a developing nation (organizers say they'll do their best to get it there before Christmas), and one will be sent to the purchaser, who can make a tax deduction for the $200 that the donated laptop cost.
The XO laptops are durable computers designed for education and connecting kids in developing nations who have never worked with information technology.
David Pogue reviewed the machines Oct. 4 in the New York Times, noting "The truth is, the XO laptop, now in final testing, is absolutely amazing, and in my limited tests, a total kid magnet. Both the hardware and the software exhibit breakthrough after breakthrough."
Negroponte insisted that the initiative is not ultimately about giving laptops to Third World kids. Rather, he said in Rome, it aims to enable these children to receive high-quality education, and thus foresees formation for teachers as well.
"Negroponte's mission is something extraordinary -- truly a mission. This is a work of justice, peace and equality," Antonio Battro, a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, told ZENIT. "We know that the Catholic Church, Mater et Magistra, has at least 50 million students around the planet, in different schools, Catholic schools -- we must reach them."
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Touting YouTube's Catholic Potential
New Medium Offers Pro-Life Sound Bites
FRONT ROYAL, Virginia, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- YouTube has been a great boon to the nonprofit community because with it, a video can be instantly available anywhere in the world, says media producer Colin Mason.
Mason, director of media production for the Population Research Institute (PRI) in Front Royal, spoke to ZENIT about the success the organization has had using the medium to spread its Catholic message.
PRI launched its first YouTube video in June as an introduction to its work and research. Its effectiveness led to a new effort called the "Viral Video Campaign."
The first video of the campaign, a 51-second pro-life video called "The Human Race" asks the question: "Humanity is rushing toward the future. But where are we headed?"
Mason said: "We've been having a good deal of success with YouTube and it has been responsible for a big chunk of the traffic on our Web site. People have expressed a lot of support for the videos -- their quality, message, etc.
"We believe that these short, punchy videos are crucial in raising the YouTube generation's awareness of life issues."
Width and breadth
Inside Catholic, formerly Crisis Magazine, has also just released a 57-second spot on YouTube with a pro-life message, "The Baby in the Box."
Brian Saint-Paul, editor of Inside Catholic, told ZENIT: "YouTube provides both a stable video format that anyone can watch, and a means of getting your video out to a huge audience.
"We've had a great response. I watch the viewer count tick up each day [...] and it will continue to do so as long as YouTube exists."
"Thirty years from now," Saint-Paul explained, "people could still be watching -- and benefiting from -- our videos. That's a wonderful thought."
Cardinal's message
Cardinal Justin Rigali, archbishop of Philadelphia, is the first prelate to use the new media to reach his flock. During Lent 2007, a series of reflections on the Gospel given by the cardinal were posted on YouTube.
"The first video the cardinal posted was one of the most watched on YouTube," Donna Farrell, communications director at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, told ZENIT. "The reaction to the cardinal's reflections was amazing. We heard from people all over the world, Australia, the Philippines, Italy, and many in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, including one self-described '15-year-old skateboarder.'"
Since that initial success, more homilies, statements for the archdiocese, and even Cardinal Rigali's appearance at Theology on Tap have been posted.
"YouTube is a place where people communicate a multiplicity of things, and certainly, from the viewpoint of the Church, we have a desire to communicate Christ." Cardinal Rigali said. "We have the message in the Gospel -- the uplifting message of Jesus, a wonderful message of hope, of love, and of faith."
Versatile resource
As with any public media, YouTube is a mixed bag, but many great resources can be found among its hundreds of thousands of videos.
Among them are the tributes to the life of Pope John Paul II after his death, while footage of the historic announcement of the election of Benedict XVI is also available.
"When it comes down to it, people like media," concluded Mason. "They like sound bites and video clips that entertain them during breaks or off-hours. So, if we can harness that power, the power of the short, pithy video clip, we can use it to raise awareness of our cause."
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NEWS BRIEFS
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Chicago Prelate to Lead Bishops' Conference
WASHINGTON, D.C., NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal Francis George of Chicago was elected as president of the U.S. bishops' conference for a three-year term beginning in 2008.
Cardinal George received 85% of the votes today at the bishops' fall general assembly, under way in Maryland.
Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona, was elected vice president, with 55% of the votes.
Cardinal George succeeds Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, Washington. Prior to his election, Cardinal George was vice president of the bishops' conference, a position he held since 2004.
He has served on many committees of the U.S. bishops, chief among them Liturgy, Doctrine, Pro-Life Activities and the Subcommittee on Lay Ministry.
He was born in Chicago in 1937 and ordained a priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1963.
He was elected vicar general of the oblates in 1974, and worked in Rome until 1986.
In 1990, he was appointed bishop of Yakima, Washington, where he served until he was named archbishop of Portland in 1997. One year later he was named archbishop of Chicago, following the death of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin.
In 1998, he was elevated to the College of Cardinals.
Bishop Kicanas, 66, is a native of Chicago. He was ordained a priest for that diocese in 1967, and named auxiliary bishop of Chicago in 1995. He has named coadjutor bishop of Tucson in 2001, and succeeded as bishop in 2003.
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INTERVIEW
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A Richer Liturgical Translation: Interview With Bishop Roche
LEEDS, England, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The English translation of the 2002 Roman Missal in Latin will be an opportunity for the faithful to discover the great theological richness of the text, according to the bishop in charge of the translation process.
Bishop Arthur Roche of Leeds, chairman of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), announced Nov. 1 that the draft phase of the process to translate the 2002 Roman Missal from Latin to English has been completed.
He reported that the last installment -- the appendices -- of the draft version of the English translation was sent to the bishops of the commission's 11 member conferences.
In this interview with ZENIT, the bishop comments on the five-year process of translating the sacred liturgy, and how he thinks this translation will serve as an opportunity for catechesis.
Q: Can you describe the process of translation from the original text in Latin? How many editors and translators have worked on the text sent out now to the bishops?
Bishop Roche: It is quite a long process and very thorough as it involves a wide number of people. For example, each text is translated initially by a base translator, who has the "nihil obstat" of the Holy See. This version is seen by three or four revisors, who send their comments to the secretariat of ICEL, where a revised version is prepared that takes these comments into account.
This revised version then goes before an editorial committee composed of six people, the majority of whom are bishops. They further revise the text and propose a version for submission to the 11 bishops of the commission. When the commission meets it discusses the text, amends it if necessary, and then sends it out as a draft version in a Green Book to all the bishops of ICEL's member conferences.
These bishops consult whom they wish, and send their comments to the secretariat; local liturgical commissions often assist in this process by making a provisional collation of the comments.
By this time the text has been seen by a great number of people. The commission then reviews the text once again in the light of comments received, and either sends out another Green Book for further consultation, or issues a Gray Book, which contains its final version.
It is at this point that the bishops take a canonical vote on the text and forward it to Rome for the "recognitio" by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.
Q: In translations, a decision often has to be made between translating exact words and translating concepts (formal equivalence versus dynamic equivalence). In translating the liturgy, how is that decision made, and what are the implications for bad liturgical translations?
Bishop Roche: The terms "formal equivalence" and "dynamic equivalence" are outmoded these days. They have been abandoned by their originator, Eugene Nida, who considered that his theories had been misunderstood and abused. Translation theory has moved on since the 1960s.
Language conveys not only facts and concepts but also images and feelings. We use words not only to say things but also to do things. These considerations are clearly important for the translation of the liturgy.
Just a quick example. There are various ways in which one can ask a person to close a door: "Shut the door"; "Shut the door, please"; "Would you mind closing the door, please?" Which, if any, of the courteous forms is appropriate for the liturgy?
The prayers of the Roman rite do not order God around, they respectfully request and plead. Nor do they tell God who he is, they acknowledge his greatness and his power, his love and his compassion and generosity.
Q: Other than the problem of literal-versus-conceptual translation, what is the main difficulty in translating Latin texts into the vernacular?
Bishop Roche: Latin shows the function of a word by means of its ending, English by its place in the sentence. In Latin, word order often expresses emphasis. English has to try to convey this, but has fewer means for doing so.
In some cases, Latin has many words for a concept for which English has few -- for example, "love." Sometimes, the reverse is true.
Q: Can you comment on some of the principal differences between the translation of the 2002 Roman Missal, and that of the one translated more than 30 years ago?
Bishop Roche: When the present English missal was published back in the 1970s, it was readily accepted by the bishops of the day that the translation would need to be revisited, because the translation had been done speedily in order to supply an English text, as quickly as possible, for the revised liturgy.
The new English translation of the now third edition of the Latin "Missale Romanum" will be a fuller and therefore a more faithful translation. We have endeavored to ensure a nobility of language as well as faithfulness to the Latin words and to the origins of the prayers themselves. A great deal more time and expertise, from a very wide range of scholars as well as bishops, has been employed producing the new translation.
So, for example, the new English texts will show more clearly the relationship between the liturgical texts and their scriptural origins. Let me give you an example in order to demonstrate this as well as the painstaking scholarship that goes into the translation of a text.
Sometimes at Mass we hear the priest greet us with these words: "The grace and peace of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all." ICEL is proposing this: "Grace to you and peace from God, Our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Some will wonder "why make such a trivial change, what difference does it make?" Well, that greeting, "Grace to you and peace from God, Our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ," comes eight times in those exact words, in the letters of St. Paul. Outside the writings of St. Paul in the New Testament, the phrase, "Grace to you and peace," occurs in the First and Second letters of St. Peter and in the Book of Revelation. It is a slightly odd form, "Grace to you and peace from God," with the two nouns, "grace" and "peace," and the "to you" between them.
Wouldn't it be more natural to say, "Grace and peace to you?" I think it probably would be. But the fact that it occurs so often in the New Testament, no less than 11 times, suggests that that distinctive form of words has been a greeting among the Christian people from the very earliest times.
And you know the way it is sometimes, when you greet somebody or somebody greets you, the way they greet you tells you what sort of person they are, where they come from, from where they belong. Sometimes it's a secret sign, maybe a handshake or a wink. Or it might be a particular way of speaking, like "G'day sport." If you hear someone speak to you that way you would assume that the person came from Australia.
Well that slightly quirky form of words, "Grace to you and peace" seems to be an indication from the earliest times of the way Christians have greeted each other. The Greek, as well as the Latin, translation keeps that same word order: "Grace to you and peace."
Even Martin Luther, one of the first translators of the Bible into the vernacular in modern times, kept that order of words, "Grace to you and peace." And in the King James Version, produced for the Church of England, your find the same: "Grace to you and peace." It's the same in the Douay Bible, the Catholic version that was made in the 16th century: "Grace to you and peace." Then if you come up to more recent times, the Revised Standard Version, the New Revised Standard Version, those two also have that form of the words, "Grace to you and peace."
So across 2,000 years, translators have thought it wise to preserve that distinctive pattern, the distinctive word order, that distinctively Christian greeting, "Grace to you and peace." ICEL is proposing that this word order continue to be used in the Christian assembly, 2,000 years on. It puts us in touch with a very early stratum of Christian tradition.
There are lots of other examples, too: e.g., "The Lord be with you. And with your spirit" (Galatians 6:18; 2 Timothy 4:22); "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1:29); and "Blessed are those called to the banquet of the Lamb" (Revelation 19:9).
Q: How will the eventual changes be introduced? What consequences will this have for the Catholic in the pews? Will the new translation be problematic or helpful for the faithful?
Bishop Roche: The introduction of new texts is a matter for local bishops' conferences. With good catechesis, on which work is already in progress, the new translation will help deepen the understanding and spirituality of everyone in the Church.
I believe that Catholics will welcome these next texts -- they are fuller and very beautiful. Of course, anything new always takes a little getting used to, but Catholics are generous and I believe that the Catholic instinct for truth, depth, accuracy and nobility of language will dispose them to the beauty of these new texts.
It has not been uncommon for me to hear from those with whom I have shared the new texts, comments like: "But I had no idea that this is what the text was trying to say!" There is a great theological richness being uncovered in these translations which itself will be highly catechetical.
We have a saying: "lex orandi lex credendi." In other words, the way we pray is formative of our faith. The Roman Missal conveys the faith of the Church, carefully handed down to us century by century since earliest times. This is a treasure from which we shall be fed and nurtured each day and one that needs to be carefully handed on.
Q: It has been stated that the post-conciliar Roman breviary also has many translation problems. How did these problems arise? Will a new version of the breviary be issued?
Bishop Roche: Like the missal, the breviary was translated in a hurry for the same understandable reasons. From what I can gather, there seems to have been little overall editorial control on the translations we have and therefore, there is an unevenness in the translation of the texts. A new version is most certainly needed, but until the Roman Missal is completed, it would be impossible to embark on such a project. It will be for the member conferences of ICEL and for the Holy See to consider what should then follow.
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LITURGY
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Using the Chalice Pall
And More on Old Testament Figures
ROME, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
Q: Though I was raised with the Latin Mass as a child, I have since become accustomed to not seeing the pall used. Then, I was assigned for many years in foreign countries where the pall was available, thankfully so, in churches where flies are a problem. Circumstances thus taught me from where the chalice-pall tradition was born. Therefore, except for when I hold the chalice during the consecration, or when I place the small piece of the Host in the chalice, I usually have it covered until reception of the Precious Blood. However, I have had times when a visiting priest will reach over and remove it when the bread and wine are being blessed. I, however, when alone, leave it on until the last possible moment before taking it in hand, especially on a fly-some day. Is there any guide (except common sense) to know when to leave the pall on or take it off? -- J.E., Houston, Texas
A: The chalice pall is a square of linen stiffened with starch, cardboard or plastic set upon the sacred vessel. In some cases the square of white linen is attached to the underside of palls that reflect the seasonal color or even of highly elaborate palls made of different materials including gold, silver and wood. They are also often decorated with sacred images or fine embroidery.
As our reader points out, the primary use of the chalice pall is to prevent dust and insects from falling into the chalice during the celebration.
In places where insecticides and air conditioning have greatly reduced the presence of insects during Mass, the use of the pall has greatly diminished.
Even in such cases, however, quite a number of priests still prefer to use the pall, or at least have one available on the altar if necessary. After all, no prevention system is foolproof, and a priest can hardly interrupt the Mass to look for insecticide should a fly start buzzing around the chalice.
In all cases where there is a real danger of flies or dust falling into the chalice, the pall should be used.
While the rule of thumb is common sense, the most common practice appears to have the pall cover the chalice at the credence table from the beginning of Mass until the preparation of the chalice at the presentation of gifts.
After the presentation of the chalice the pall is placed upon the chalice until the epiclesis, when it is removed by the deacon or priest. It is replaced after the showing of the chalice and remains for the rest of the Eucharistic Prayer until the doxology ("Through him, with him "). It is again replaced from the Our Father until the "Haec Commixtio," when a fragment of the Host is placed in the chalice.
Since Communion follows shortly after, and the priest is usually attentive to the chalice, it is not normally replaced after the "Haec Commixtio." After the priest's Communion, the pall may be placed on the chalice again.
When the danger of flies is particularly grave, such as happens in tropical areas, the use of the pall may be extended further.
Special care must also be taken when several chalices are consecrated. If palls are necessary, then they should be used on every chalice. The general custom is to remove all palls during the time of the consecration, but even this removal would not be essential in cases of genuine danger.
In some cases the objective difficulty of protecting the sacred species from flies may be considered sufficient motivation for not offering the option of Communion under both species.
Although it is a secondary motivation, the pall may also be used along with the chalice veil (the use of which is still recommended by the General Instruction for the Roman Missal). Placing the stiff pall under the veil allows it be draped over the chalice in a most elegant manner.
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Follow-up: Invoking Old Testament Figures
After our reply on invoking Old Testament saints (Oct. 30) several readers suggested that I had given insufficient consideration to the fact that almost all the Eastern Catholic Churches do have specific feast days for Old Testament figures.
The objection is valid, although some such oversights are almost inevitable, as a result of the relatively brief extension of our replies as well as of our incomplete knowledge of the Eastern liturgies. This goes to show that we often learn more from our readers than we manage to impart.
Among the celebrations readers mentioned were some saints of the Melkite (Greek or Byzantine Catholic) calendar. A reader cites "Malachi, Jan. 3; Zechariah, Feb. 8; Job, May 6; Amos, June 15; Ezekiel, July 23; Eleazar, the Seven Holy Maccabees, their mother Salome, Aug. 1; Joshua and Moses, Sept. 1 and 4; Hosea, Oct. 17; Daniel and the Three Holy Youths, Dec. 17."
Many of the other holy ones celebrated are grouped toward the last four months of the year. Also, the reader notes: "The Sunday between Dec. 11 and 17 commemorates the holy ancestors of Christ, and the Sunday between Dec. 18 and 24 commemorates all the Old Testament saints from Abraham to Joseph, the husband of Mary."
Besides St. Joseph, both the Latin and Eastern calendars celebrate some saints who are on the frontier between the Old and New Testaments. These include Joachim and Anna, Simeon and the prophetess Anna, Zechariah and Elizabeth, and St. John the Baptist.
Finally, the calendar of the extraordinary form of the Roman rite (1962 missal) celebrates, with proper texts, the feast of the Holy Maccabees on Aug. 1.
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Readers may send questions to liturgy@zenit.org. Please put the word "Liturgy" in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.
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Cardinal Poupard on "Populorum Progressio"
"Lack of Education Is As Serious As Lack of Food"
ROME, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the text of a speech delivered by Cardinal Paul Poupard, retired president of the Pontifical Councils of Culture and Interreligious Dialogue, titled "'Populorum Progressio': Education for Development."
The speech was given Oct. 29 at the Patristic Augustinianum Institute during an event organized by the Society of Jesus' Commission for Social Communications, which presented the "Give 1, Get 1" initiative of the One Laptop per Child Project.
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1. At the invitation of the Secretary of the Commission for Social Communications of the Society of Jesus, Father Thomas Rochford, I am pleased to be here to speak about the encyclical letter "Populorum Progressio," whose fortieth anniversary we are celebrating this year. Previously Father Rochford has approached me regarding the Nexus Mundi Foundation, which I know some of you are familiar with. Today, instead, we are here to hear about another project: Nicholas Negroponte's project One Child One Laptop. To all of you my cordial salutations.
Paul VI's encyclical on the development of peoples contained two great affirmations, one in the introduction, "the social question ties all men together", and the other in the conclusion "Development is the New Name for Peace". Between them Papa Montini articulated a solemn call to "urge all men to pool their ideas and their activities for man's complete development and the development of all mankind" (§ 5). Our reflection on this encyclical -- taken largely from my recent publication "Populorum progressio tra ricordi e speranze" -- aims to continue its message within today's conference, resurrecting the spirit of hope and confidence for the integral development of each individual in an atmosphere of fraternal concern, the central thrust of the encyclical.
2. I was a young collaborator in the Secretariat of State of Pope Paul VI when he himself asked me to present his encyclical letter "Populorum Progressio" at the Press Room of the Holy See. It was my first press conference, and so you can imagine what an emotional occasion it was for me! And not only for me, there was great expectation among the bishops, the clergy, religious men and women, and lay people, and also further afield among men and women of goodwill who saw this occasion as the next great moment in the pastoral care of the Catholic Church for the contemporary world. Indeed, some journalists measured the arc of time in terms of the Second Vatican Council document "Gaudium et Spes," John XXIII's "Pacem in Terris" and now this new encyclical of Paul VI, whose publication date was adjusted to Tuesday of Easter Week, due to the great amount of interest. In fact, the document did have other precursors in Leo XIII's encyclical "Rerum Novarum," Pius XI's encyclical "Quadragesimo
Anno," Pius XII's radio messages to the world, and John XXIII's "Mater et Magistra." And let us not forget too that since then we have had "Laborem Exercens," and "Sollicitudo Rei Socialis." But by far the most dramatic document, for its timing, insight, and sense of occasion, was Paul VI's "Populorum Progressio."
3. When the encyclical was conceived, we were living through times of great ferment. The third world had made its voice heard through their bishops at the Second Vatican Council, right at the heart of the Church, which had opened itself to the world, wishing to be as leaven in the bread, to nourish and sustain the world in transformation, a world which was increasingly multicultural and multiracial, a world inebriated by its technological progress and facing the nuclear threat, a world in which east and west, north and south were in ever closer contact. A world that had become socialised.
The 1960s would see Kennedy and Khrushcev, Chairman Mao and President Johnson, and then that cultural, social and political movement in the Springtime of Prague and the student revolutions across the world, notably in California, Paris and Turin. A cultural revolution which expelled age-old institutions and educational models, opening the door to new challenges and opportunities; an ambience in which customs, mindsets, and ways of life would change, the very fabric of culture transformed as people sought a society less authoritarian and free. Religious, political and civil authority changed its nature, and the bizarre slogan became the new gospel "interdit d'interdire", "no banning allowed". While the intentions of the student movement were to replace the old institutions with a more humane society, what actually happened was the creation of a void which would be filled by economic promoters eager to make material gain; publicity and marketing became the new truth, particularly with
the rise of television, and man became closed in on himself, or as my friend the poet Pierre Emmanuel put it, we became "ontologically distracted." It was a world living for the here and now. The Second World War had been forgotten, economic prosperity had brought great distractions; Europeans had forgotten the meaning of hunger, fear, and, what is worse, had closed their eyes, minds and hearts to the downtrodden, the poor and the weak.
4. It was with courage that Paul VI spoke to men and women ensnared in this endless series of distractions -- "divertissements" as Pascal put it. The Pope spoke not out of opportunity, but out of necessity. The populations of the world had become in one way nearer, but at the same time less familiar with each other. He sought to recover the meaning and duty of fraternity. He appealed not just for economic progress, but for a fraternal progress. And he did so with an urgency, for it was no longer the case of just the poor man, Lazarus holding out his hand not to receive any crumbs. Now it is was not just Lazarus, but entire multitudes of peoples who were hungry, illiterate, and on the verge of war. And the response needed was to be built not on the basis of an ideal, but in the concrete reality of what it means to be truly human, underlining what it means to recognise the poor as brothers, to be solidaritous, to seek development for the poor for the sake of all.
5. Historians will have an easy task in examining the preparations of the encyclical, for there are volumes of notes and dossiers in the Vatican archives[1]. But the spirit of love that drove the preparations, an essential characteristic of Pope Paul VI himself, is already clear for all to see. When I presented the document I had this to say...
"It is a letter, not a tract, nor a course, nor an erudite article; but a letter, and so it is inspired by Christian love. So it aims to resolve and energise, bringing the attention of the Church and the world's public opinion to the issues discussed therein, to offer human and scientific solutions, able to define the thought of the Church in this field and to help the world think along these lines of thought."
As with our current Pontiff, Benedict, love was a theme of the Pope from Brescia. In his first message to the human family, titled "Qui fausto Die", no sooner had he announced the continuation of the Council than he signalled another principal aim of his PontifIcate, and I quote,
"The unequivocal order of love of neighbour, the proof of the love of God, demands from all men a more equitable solution of the social problems; it demands provisions and cures for developing countries, where often the standard of life is not worthy of the human person; it imposes a global study to improve the conditions of life. This new era, which has been opened to humanity through the conquests of space, will be blessed by the Lord if men learn how to recognise each other as brothers not competitors, to build a world order in holy reverence of God, respecting his Law, in the sweet light of charity and mutual collaboration."
From its beginning to its end, "Populorum Progressio" is aimed at action inspired by love. There is also an adoption of the threefold method dear to Catholic Action: "voir -- juger -- agir." Having noticed the "immediate misery" (n.9), the "growing unbalance" (n.8), "the scandal of clamourous inequality" (n.9), Paul VI offered a new standard for growth: the transcendent humanism which the person achieves by being inserted into Christ is the ultimate goal of development, and the "integral development of the individual necessarily entails a joint effort for the development of the human race as a whole" (n. 43). Hence the call for action, to mutual solidarity, to work for social justice, a promotion of universal charity, dialogue between nations, equity in trade relations, the creation of a fund for relief of impoverished peoples, and a renewed sense of hope for the future.
6. In "Sollicitudo Rei Socialis," John Paul II underlined some nodes of our encyclical, especially its theme, development, which needs to be seen not only as a term of social and economic sciences, but primarily in its ethical, cultural and spiritual dimensions; and he noted how it opened the "social question" to a wider scale, not just geographically or globally, but in its human dimension as a moral question, with the duty of solidarity -- dutiful today as it was 40 years ago tying development to universal interdependence. This meant there was a reappraisal of the meaning of development, which is now seen in its fraternal and universal dimension for the whole of each and every person; it cannot be built on National or individual egoisms or restricted to mere material gain. Economic issues can no longer be considered without the full dimension of the human person, for the economy exists for man, through man and in man. No one, no people, no culture, no aspect of the human person
can be excluded from it. In speaking with such realism and offering a message of hope founded on Revelation -- Paul VI's was a call for a programme of economic stability, moral dignity, education, and universal collaboration between nations, reminding the men and women of the world of the serious and urgent duty of promoting an international social justice.
7. While Paul VI's words were prophetic, it is sad to see how little the situation changed. Despite industrial and economic growth, humanity still suffers. War, poverty, both material and spiritual, and misery remain. Yet Paul VI's views on development as the pathway to peace, have become recognised as a valid and fundamental therapy. His is a form of development worthy of the name, bringing it to each and every person, and in every aspect of their humanity.
Within this new vision of development -- and here I conclude for today's conference -- Pope Paul VI gave priority of place to education. Let us hear his words as I quote from number 35:
"We can even say that economic growth is dependent on social progress, the goal to which it aspires; and that basic education is the first objective for any nation seeking to develop itself. Lack of education is as serious as lack of food; the illiterate is a starved spirit. When someone learns how to read and write, he is equipped to do a job and to shoulder a profession, to develop self confidence and realize that he can progress along with others" ("Populorum Progressio," 35).
And again at number 76, under the magisterial title Development is the new name for peace he warns of the urgency of this need:
"Extreme disparity between nations in economic, social and educational levels provokes jealousy and discord, often putting peace in jeopardy." ("Populorum Progressio," 76).
To that prophetic voice of Paul VI we still have a duty to listen and to respond. Let us do so with urgency and with care, lest we be accused with the words I heard drastically at the time of the publication of "Populorum Progressio" from the mouth of someone from the developing world. I remember his piercing accusation only too well. He said, "You have kept Christ for yourself, and left us only with the cross".
Thank you for your time.
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[1] The document itself mentions the Holy Father's collaborators in reading the signs of the times and, with the pastoral gaze of a shepherd, expert in humanity thanks to the perspective of Revelation, setting out priorities for a strategic response. They were Jacques Maritain, Colin Clark, Von N ell-Breuning, Mons Larrain, Fr De Lubac, and Maurice Zundel. I will never forget Fr Lebret Indeed, Earlier this month I was able to give a talk in the distinctive Abbaye Saint Jacut de la Mer which was the home of Pere Lebret It was his work that helped to shape the future encyclical, particularly his 1963 dossier titled: "Sur Ie developpement economique, social, moral- Materiel d'etude pour une encyclique sur les principes moraux du developpement humain." For justice's sake I might also mention Francois Perroux, a regular visitor to Papa Montini. His thought and work notably influenced the encyclical. Indeed he was so upset at not being mentioned in the footnotes that he came to
remonstrate with me: a fact which caused some consternation up in the Third Loggia due to his deafness and tendency to speak very, very loudly.
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U.S. Bishops' Statement on War in Iraq
"Our Nation and Its Leaders Face Important Decisions"
BALTIMORE, Maryland, NOV. 13, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is the statement of Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, president of the U.S. episcopal conference, on the war in Iraq. The statement was affirmed today by the fall meeting of the U.S. bishops, under way in Baltimore.
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Our nation and its leaders face important decisions about the difficult challenges and terrible dilemmas in Iraq. As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops gathers in Baltimore, our thoughts and prayers are with our military personnel in Iraq, their families, and all the suffering people of Iraq. In this statement we seek to draw on our moral teaching to continue raising some ethical questions regarding the road ahead for our nation in Iraq.
Our Church both ministers among our troops and shares deep spiritual ties to the Church and people in Iraq. Pope Benedict XVI in his Urbi et Orbi Easter message of 2007 focused the world's attention on Iraq, a nation "torn apart by continual slaughter." As pastors and teachers, we are convinced that the current situation in Iraq remains unacceptable and unsustainable. Our Conference offers once again the goal of a "responsible transition" as an overall ethical framework for national decisions.
The dangerous political stalemate in Iraq that blocks national reconciliation finds a parallel in our own nation. We are alarmed by the political and partisan stalemate in Washington. Some policy makers seem to fail to recognize sufficiently the reality and failures in Iraq and the imperative for new directions. Others seem to fail to recognize sufficiently the potential human consequences of very rapid withdrawal. These two forms of denial have helped contribute to partisan paralysis.
As pastors, we have called for bipartisan action for almost two years. Our country needs a new direction to reduce the war's deadly toll and to bring our people together to deal with the conflict's moral and human dimensions. Our nation needs a new bipartisan approach to Iraq policy based on honest and civil dialogue. Our Conference encourages our national leaders to focus on the morally and politically demanding, but carefully limited goal of fostering a "responsible transition" and withdrawal at the earliest opportunity consistent with that goal. The moral demands of this path begin with addressing the humanitarian crisis in Iraq and minimizing further loss of human life.
We do not have specific competence in political, economic and military strategies and do not assess particular tactics, but we can, as teachers, share a moral tradition to help inform policy choices. Our Catholic teaching on war and peace offers hard questions, not easy answers. Our nation must now focus more on the ethics of exit than on the ethics of intervention. The grave moral concerns we and others raised prior to the war now give way to new moral questions. In the current situation the traditional principles of "noncombatant immunity" and "probability of success" suggest these questions: How can we minimize the further loss of human lives? What actions will do the most good and least harm? What elements of a responsible transition are attainable? How can they be achieved? What actions should be avoided? How can decision makers take into account both the realities and setbacks in Iraq and the likely human consequences of rapid withdrawal? What are the financial costs and
global consequences of continued war and occupation? And, how can our nation effectively counter the perversion of religion and ideologies that support terrorism, which in all cases merits condemnation?
Catholic teaching has long held that peace is more than the absence of war; it is built on the foundation of justice. This moral insight means that building a just peace in Iraq requires far more than military action; it demands a comprehensive political, diplomatic and economic effort.
This effort begins in Iraq, but it does not end there. For this reason, we believe sustained U.S. efforts to collaborate with the other nations, including Syria and Iran, are critically important for bringing some measure of stability to Iraq.
The responsibility for stabilizing and rebuilding Iraq rests primarily with Iraqis, but the United States as well as other nations have a practical and moral obligation to act. Given the extensive devastation in Iraq, the U.S. has a unique and inescapable obligation to continue to offer major and continuing support for economic development and reconstruction. Respect for Iraqi selfdetermination suggests that our nation should reiterate our pledge not to seek permanent military bases in Iraq, nor control over Iraqi oil resources.
A neglected policy priority is the dire situation of refugees outside the country, internally displaced persons within Iraq, Christians and other vulnerable minorities. The suffering of the Christian community has a particular claim on our hearts and consciences. We remain in solidarity with the suffering Catholic Church in Iraq and welcome with joy the naming of Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel-Karim Delly of Baghdad to the College of Cardinals by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.
We recognize that Christians are not alone in their plight and we reiterate our concern for the whole of the Iraqi people. A staggering two million refugees have fled Iraq; another two million Iraqis are internally displaced. The U.S. should immediately make more substantial commitments to Iraqi refugees by expanding admissions, eliminating roadblocks to resettlement, and supporting countries in the region burdened with war-related refugee populations. Extensive aid should be provided to internally displaced persons. The protection and promotion of human rights, especially religious freedom, in Iraq remain critically important.
Iraq's future stability is related to the stability of the region. This is why U.S. leadership to advance a just peace for Israelis and Palestinians is critical. The continuing failure to achieve the vision of two states living side by side in peace and justice contributes to regional instability.
Real progress toward a fair and just Israeli-Palestinian agreement would help the region and deprive extremists of a cause they exploit to promote hate and violence. In a recent letter to Secretary of State Rice our Conference has also expressed deep concern regarding the difficult situation involving our nation, the international community and Iran, and has urged caution, determination, and restraint in the use of force. The volatile situations in Pakistan and Afghanistan also raise significant moral questions and require urgent attention if regional stability is to be enhanced.
In all military actions, ethical norms require protecting civilians, using proportionate and discriminate force, rejecting torture, and fighting terrorism with nonmilitary means and the legitimate use of force when necessary. This is morally essential and also necessary for winning hearts and minds, especially in the struggle against terrorism.
Our concern for human life and dignity extends to the members of our own military. We support those who risk their lives in the service of our nation and recognize their generous commitment. U.S. policy must take into account the growing costs and consequences of a continued occupation on military personnel, their families and our nation. There is a moral obligation to deal with the human, medical, mental health and social costs of military action. Our nation must also make provisions for those who in conscience exercise their right to conscientious objection or selective conscientious objection.
Each course of action in Iraq should be weighed in light of the traditional moral principle of "probability of success." In other words, will the action contribute to a "responsible transition" and withdrawal as soon as appropriate and possible? This principle requires our nation's leaders to be more realistic about the difficult situation in Iraq and more concerned about the likely consequences of a withdrawal that is too rapid or not rapid enough.
The morally and politically demanding, but carefully limited goal of responsible transition should aim to reduce further loss of life and to address the humanitarian crisis in Iraq, the refugee crisis in the region, the need to help rebuild the country, and human rights, especially religious freedom.
We call on Catholics and others to persist in praying for peace and those most effected by the war and to engage these moral questions. To help our people reflect on the war, Bishop Thomas G. Wenski, the Chairman of our Committee on International Policy, has prepared a summary of our Conference's perspectives on the war in question-and-answer format.
All of us must struggle with these moral questions, but in a particular way, our Conference and individual bishops will continue to engage policy makers on the moral and human dimensions of this conflict. We pray and hope that policy makers begin to work together on a bipartisan basis to bring an end to this war and occupation at the earliest opportunity consistent with the limited goal of a responsible transition and the protection of human lives -- Iraqi and American.
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