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Bad liturgy weakens faith, two Vatican cardinals agree

CWN - March 03, 2011

Two top Vatican officials have endorsed an Italian author’s book that argues “liturgical abuses lead to serious damage to the faith of Catholics.” Cardinal Raymond Burke, the head of the Apostolic Signatura, joined with Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, at a press conference introducing a new work on the liturgy by Father Nicola Bux, a consultant to several Vatican offices. The book, entitled Come Andare a Mess e Non Perdere La Fede (“How to Go to Mass without Losing Your Faith”), makes the case for proper adherence to liturgical norms. Father Bux emphasizes that the Eucharistic liturgy must be understood as the action of Christ, not that of the priest or the congregation.

Both Cardinals Burke and Cañizares strongly endorsed the idea that tampering with liturgical norms can cause harm to the understanding of the faithful, and undermine their relationship with the Church. “Participating in the Eucharist can make us weaken or lose our faith if we do not enter into it properly,” said Cardinal Cañizares.

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  • Posted by: Gil125 - Mar. 03, 2011 4:42 PM ET USA

    They're right, of course, but where have they been these past 40 years?

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