Vatican:In a long anticipated apostolic letter, released on Saturday, Pope Benedict XVI issued a "Motu Proprio Data" in which he eased restrictions on the use of the Latin or Tridentine Mass.
Sidelined by not being abrogated by the liturgical reforms of Vatican Council II, the Latin mass was replaced by a local language liturgy, introduced in 1970.
Even though the Tridentine Mass has remained in use, it has done so only in circumstances and situations where it has been approved by the local bishop. In essence, however, Pope Benedict's decree removes those restrictions.
Some Jewish leaders have sharply criticised the decree, which revives a passage from the old Latin prayer book for Good Friday calling for Jews to be converted. Others, however, took a more measured tone and called for clarification.
"I think there are those who have interpreted it in an extremely alarmist fashion," said Rabbi David Rosen of the American Jewish Committee (AJC). "That doesn't mean that there aren't things that need clarification but there is no question of Pope Benedict's commitment to respectful relations with the Jewish people."
The AJC's Rome representative, Lisa Palmieri-Billig, said the text of the decree was ambiguous on the issue. Church officials, however, had no doubt the prayer could now be said in certain circumstances, even if its use would probably be rare. "I find it difficult to believe that the pope would permit the Good Friday prayer, it could be a communication mistake," Ms Palmieri-Billig said.
"Conversion is a very sensitive issue for Jews and if the prayer is allowed, it would be a step backwards for dialogue."
French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard said on Saturday the prayer could be changed if it caused difficulties for Jews.
Writing in a conciliatory tone, the pope points out that media speculation about the easing of restrictions on the Latin Mass, "made without sufficient information" has created no small amount of confusion. In a document that is "the fruit of much reflection, numerous consultations and prayer", Pope Benedict is keen to reassure the faithful that the new norm does not contradict the teachings of the Second Vatican Council nor will it lead to "disarray" among church communities:
"The last version of the Missale Romanum [Latin Mass] prior to the council, which was published with the authority of Pope John XXIII in 1962 and used during the council will now be able to be used as a Forma Extraordinaria of the liturgical celebration. It is not appropriate to speak of these two versions of the Roman Missal as if they were two "Rites". Rather it is a matter of a twofold use of one and the same rite.
"In the second place, the fear was expressed that the possibility of a wider use of the 1962 Missal would lead to disarray or even divisions within parish communities. This fear also strikes me as quite unfounded. The use of the old Missal presupposes a certain degree of liturgical formation and some knowledge of the Latin language, neither of these is found very often. Already from these concrete presuppositions, it is clearly seen that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary form of the Roman rite, not only on account of the juridical norms but also because of the actual situation of the communities of the faithful."
The Pope acknowledges that "fidelity to the old Missal" became an "external mark of identity" for traditionalists, including the Society of Saint Pius X, founded by the late French archbishop, Marcel Lefebvre. He adds, however, that the reasons for the break between Archbishop Lefebvre and Rome "were at a deeper level".
The pope indicates his own sympathy for the Latin Mass when he writes about a post-Second Vatican Council marked sometimes by "deformations of the liturgy that were hard to bear".
He claims that younger Catholics may be attracted to the Latin Mass because it represents a "form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them". Finally, he calls on the bishops to monitor the effect of the new norms and report back to the Vatican in three years time if there are problems.
Many Church commentators argue that perhaps the biggest problem could be the lack of priests familiar and comfortable with the Latin rite.
- (additional reporting Reuters)