Cardinal Martini says of the Latin Mass: 'I love it but I will never celebrate it'

In a effort to make this blog a friendly place for all people, I shall now move(for today) from the controversial world of politics to the non controversial world of Catholicism :).

The influential Cardinal Martini , God Bless him, always it seems to have a habit of saying "non controversal things".

It appears he has decided to comment on the Latin Mass/Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum developments. I find this on page 12o of the News about Benedict section of the Ratiznger forum. This is from apparently today's Sunday supplement of the Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore. Here is a summary as reported bya person on the forum. As of now I have not been able to find the online version . I have put the poster's personal thoughts and interactions with the piece in italics as they are at the forum.

Cardinal Martini says of the Latin Mass: 'I love it but I will never celebrate it'

VATICAN CITY - "I feel very much linked to the pre-Conciliar Mass and to the Latin of my First Communion and the first 35 years of my faith, but I will not celebrate it."

This, in summary, is what Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini writes in the Sunday supplement of Il Sole 24 Ore on the subject of the traditional Mass granted new explicit recognition as a valid rite of the Church through Pope Benedict XVI's recent Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum.

The emeritus Archbishop of Milan, after describing at length his love of Latin liturgy and his experiences with it, lists three reasons for choosing not to say the traditional Mass ever again:

1) Because "I believe that with Vatican-II, a very good step was taken forward towards the understanding of the liturgy and its ability to nourish in us the Word of God, which it offers in much more abundant measure than the old rite." And if there have been abuses, "I don't think this has happened among us' [Italians?], although 'abusus non tollit usum' and "one must acknowledge that for many people the reformed liturgy has been a source of internal rejuvenation and spiritual nourishment."

2) "I cannot help feel the sense of 'being closed in' that emanated from the ensemble of that type of Christian life as it was lived then [pre-Conciliarly], in which it was an effort for the faithful to find an atmosphere of freedom and responsibility... to experience first-hand the faith that St. Paul spoke about". "I am very grateful to the Council because it opened doors and windows to a Christian life that is happier and humanly more livable." [How? By allowing open liturgical license?]

3) "While I admire the immense benevolence of the Pope who wants to allow everyone to worship God in both the old and new forms, I have seen as a bishop the importance of communion in the form of liturgical prayer which expresses in one language only the adherence of everyone to the highest mysteries."

"I trust in the good sense of our people, who will understand how each bishop already finds it difficult enough to provide the Eucharist to everyone and cannot easily multiple celebrations nor conjure out of nowhere ordained ministers capable of meeting individual demands.' [Hold it, Your Eminence! The bishop, starting September 14, has nothing to do with these 'individual demands'. It's between the 'individuals' and their priests, and I am sure, yes, both 'individuals' and priests will use their common sense.]

Cardinal Martini says that 'a valid contribution' of the Motu Proprio is "the ecumenical willingness to confront everyone, which makes us hope for a future of dialog among those who search for God sincerely."

I shall try to find a online version of this. Warning I don't speak Italian so don't expect me to translate it if I find it.

I am awaiting too see if Father Z becomes aware of it and comments on this at his blog. That should be fun. I would check in there too.