Vatican Press Office: No ‘institutional proposals’ for liturgical reform

August 25, 2009

Father Ciro Benedettini, CP, assistant director of the Holy See Press Office, has denied reports that the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments presented proposals to Pope Benedict for changes in the Mass that would touch off a liturgical “reform of the reform.” However, his statement leaves room for the possibility that future reforms may be under discussion.

“For the time being there are no institutional proposals for a modification of the liturgical books used at present,” Father Benedettini said. That statement does not directly contradict a report by Andrea Tornielli of Il Giornale, who reported that the Congregation for Divine Worship had presented the Pontiff with a list of proposals for further discussion. Some of the suggested mentioned in Tornielli's column-- such as the possible return to celebrating Mass ad orientem or the abolition of Communion in the hand-- would not require any "modification of the liturgical books," since they could be done on the authority of individual pastors, bishops, or episcopal conferences, without requiring Vatican action.

 

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Further information:

• La Sala Stampa Vaticana su presunte voci di riforma liturgica: non esistono attualmente proposte istituzionali di modifica dei libri in uso (Vatican Radio)
• Vatican Denies Rumors of Coming Liturgical Reform (Zenit)
• Vatican reportedly weighing liturgical proposals for 'reform of the reform' (CWN, Aug 24)