Wednesday Liturgy: Episcopalian Eucharist

ROME, MAY 30, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

Q: My cousin will be ordained this summer as a priest in the Episcopal Church (High Church). At her first mass, may I receive communion from her? -- J.L., Silver Spring, Maryland

A: Pope John Paul II answered this question in his encyclical "Ecclesia de Eucharistia," No. 30:

"The Catholic Church's teaching on the relationship between priestly ministry and the Eucharist and her teaching on the Eucharistic Sacrifice have both been the subject in recent decades of a fruitful dialogue in the area of ecumenism. We must give thanks to the Blessed Trinity for the significant progress and convergence achieved in this regard, which lead us to hope one day for a full sharing of faith. Nonetheless, the observations of the Council concerning the Ecclesial Communities which arose in the West from the sixteenth century onwards and are separated from the Catholic Church remain fully pertinent: 'The Ecclesial Communities separated from us lack that fullness of unity with us which should flow from Baptism, and we believe that especially because of the lack of the sacrament of Orders they have not preserved the genuine and total reality of the Eucharistic mystery. Nevertheless, when they commemorate the Lord's death and resurrection in the Holy Supper, they profess that it signifies life in communion with Christ and they await his coming in glory' (Vatican II, 'Unitatis Redintegratio,' No. 22).

"The Catholic faithful, therefore, while respecting the religious convictions of these separated brethren, must refrain from receiving the communion distributed in their celebrations, so as not to condone an ambiguity about the nature of the Eucharist and, consequently, to fail in their duty to bear clear witness to the truth. This would result in slowing the progress being made towards full visible unity. Similarly, it is unthinkable to substitute for Sunday Mass ecumenical celebrations of the word or services of common prayer with Christians from the aforementioned Ecclesial Communities, or even participation in their own liturgical services. Such celebrations and services, however praiseworthy in certain situations, prepare for the goal of full communion, including Eucharistic communion, but they cannot replace it.

"The fact that the power of consecrating the Eucharist has been entrusted only to bishops and priests does not represent any kind of belittlement of the rest of the People of God, for in the communion of the one body of Christ which is the Church this gift redounds to the benefit of all."

From this it is clear that while one may attend a relative's ordination as an Episcopal minister, a Catholic should refrain from receiving communion. If this ceremony were to take place on a Sunday, it would not substitute for Sunday Mass.

For a Catholic, participating at Mass and receiving Communion should be the zenith of life in the Church toward which all other activities are ordained and from which they receive their strength.

Receiving Communion expresses the Catholic's union of heart, mind and soul to Christ and his Church.

Our "Amen" before receiving Christ's Body affirms our belief in all that the Church teaches with respect to this sublime mystery. It also affirms our belief in Christ's incarnation, passion, death and resurrection which is the Eucharist's foundation. Christ's Church makes the Eucharist.

Because it is such a strong statement of faith, we could say that a Catholic is never more Catholic than when receiving the Lord. And this is why we can never partake of the Eucharist in another ecclesial community which does not have the fullness of the Eucharist and the priesthood.

Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Deacon's Duties and Gestures

ROME, MAY 30, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

After our column on the duties of deacons (May 16) a reader gently upbraided me saying: "I don't mean to be picky, but I believe it is important to point out that the deacon is not an ordinary minister of 'the Eucharist.' Instead, he is an ordinary minister of 'Holy Communion.'"

He then quotes "Redemptionis Sacramentum," No. 154:

"As has already been recalled, 'the only minister who can confect the Sacrament of the Eucharist "in persona Christi" is a validly ordained Priest.' Hence the name 'minister of the Eucharist' belongs properly to the Priest alone. Moreover, also by reason of their sacred Ordination, the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion are the Bishop, the Priest and the Deacon, to whom it belongs therefore to administer Holy Communion to the lay members of Christ's faithful during the celebration of Mass. In this way their ministerial Office in the Church is fully and accurately brought to light, and the sign value of the Sacrament is made complete."

Sometimes "being picky" is the best way of keeping us on our toes. Our reader is correct as to this terminological imprecision.

All the same, it does not appear that the expression "ordinary minister of Communion" sufficiently expresses the full range of diaconal ministry which goes well beyond distributing Communion to the faithful and includes several acts of Eucharistic worship reserved to the ordained.

Perhaps we need to coin a new expression such as "ordinary minister of communion and Eucharistic worship" to cover these distinct roles.

Another reader, a permanent deacon from Florida, asked: "Nearly 30 years ago when I was ordained a permanent deacon, the deacon either said or sang the instruction 'Let us proclaim the mystery of faith' during Mass after the elevation of the cup. This action by the deacon continued for many years but it was then changed to the priest-presider proclaiming the instruction -- with the reason given that it was considered a presbyteral function. Yet, it is said that deacons in some countries are still the ones giving the instruction.

"Could you please give some background as to why the proclamation was allowed for deacons in the first place, why it was changed, and why it is still be done by some deacons in some countries?"

As far as I can ascertain there was never any official permission for deacons to sing or say this instruction. The rubric in the missal, following the second genuflection of the consecration, simply indicates that the priest sings or says, "Mysterium fidei." The deacon is never mentioned at all.

I presume that the earlier practice was an error stemming from unfamiliarity with both the new rite and the relative novelty of having a deacon present at every Mass. It is possible that the error persists in some countries.

It is also probable that the present English translation compounded the mistake. Saying "Let us proclaim the mystery of faith" triggered a parallelism with the diaconal invitation "Let us offer each other the sign of peace" and probably led some to assume that both formulas belonged to the deacon.

More accurate translations in other languages have avoided this parallelism. Spanish, for example, has the priest say, "This is the sacrament of our Faith," while Italian translates literally "The mystery of Faith." In both cases it is logical for the priest to proclaim this text as it refers to the action he has just performed in the consecration.

The words "Mysterium fidei," although not found in the New Testament institution narratives, formed part of the formula of consecration in the earlier rite. It is probable that they were inserted by Pope St. Leo the Great (440-461) to combat the Manicheans who denied the goodness of material things.

After the Second Vatican Council, with the introduction of new Eucharistic Prayers, Pope Paul VI decided to remove the words from the formula of consecration and gave them their present function as an introduction to an acclamation of the faithful. This practice was traditional in some Eastern Churches but constituted a novelty in the Roman rite.

Father Cantalamessa on Our True Heaven

ROME, MAY 26, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of a commentary by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher to the Pontifical Household, on this Sunday's Gospel reading on the solemnity of the Ascension.

* * *

The Lord's Ascension
(Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1:17-23; Mark 16:15-20)

The solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus "to heaven" is an occasion to clarify once and for all our ideas on what we understand by "heaven." Among almost all peoples, heaven is identified with the dwelling of the divinity. The Bible also uses this spatial language. "Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to men."

With the advent of the scientific age, this religious meaning of the word "heaven" entered into crisis. For modern man, heaven is the space in which our planet moves and the whole solar system, and no more. We know the quip attributed to a Soviet astronaut, on his return from his trip through the cosmos: "I have traveled much through space and I haven't found God anywhere!"

So it is important that we try to clarify what we, Christians, understand when we say "Our Father, who art in heaven," or when we say that someone has "gone to heaven." On such things, the Bible adapts itself to popular speech: But it well knows and teaches that God "is in heaven, on earth and everywhere," that it is he who "has created the heavens," and if he has created them, he cannot be "closed" in them.

That God is "in the heavens" means that he "dwells in inaccessible light": that he is as far from us "as heaven rises over earth." In other words, that he is infinitely different from us. Heaven, in the religious sense, is more a state than a place. God is outside of space and time and so is his paradise.

In the light of what we have said, what does it mean to proclaim that Jesus "went up to heaven"? We find the answer in the Creed. "He went up to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father." That Christ went up to heaven means that "he is seated at the right hand of the Father, that is, that also as man he has entered God's world, who has been constituted, as St. Paul says in the second reading, Lord and head of everything. Jesus went up to heaven, but without leaving the earth. He has only gone out of our visual world. He himself assures us: "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:16-20).

The words of the angel -- "Galileans, why are your looking up to heaven?" -- therefore contain a warning, if not a veiled reproach. We must not stay looking up to heaven to discover where Christ is, but rather live awaiting his return, continuing his mission, taking his Gospel to the ends of the earth, improving the quality of life on earth.

As for us, "to go to heaven" or "to paradise" means to be "with Christ" (Philippians 1:20). "I am going to prepare a place for you ... so that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2-3).

"Heaven," understood as a place of rest, of eternal recompense of the good, was formed the moment Christ resurrected and went up to heaven. Our true heaven is the Risen Christ, whom we will go to meet and with him, be one "body" after our resurrection, and in a provisional and imperfect way immediately after death. Therefore, Jesus did not ascend to an already existing heaven that awaited him, but he went to form and inaugurate heaven for us.

There are those who ask: But what will we do "in heaven" with Christ for all eternity? Won't we be bored? I answer: Is it boring to be well and with excellent health? Ask those who are in love if they are bored being together. When one experiences a moment of very intense and pure joy, does not the desire arise that it last forever, that it never end? Down here such states do not last forever, because there is no object that can satisfy indefinitely.

It is different with God. Our minds will find the Truth in him and the Beauty that we will never cease to contemplate; and our hearts will find the Good that we will never tire to enjoy.

[Translation by ZENIT]

Wednesday Liturgy: Enthronement of Gospel

ROME, MAY 23, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

Q: Our new priest has made many, many changes. One is the "enthronement of the Gospel" where after the Gospel reading, the Book of the Gospels is placed open on a podium in front of the lectern, which has been draped with material and a sash of liturgical color. The book remains there through the conclusion of the Mass and seems to have more honor than the Lord present in the tabernacle after Communion. Why is the Gospel to be enthroned? -- R.J., College Station, Texas

A: The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) describes the following honors toward the Book of the Gospels:

"172. [At the entrance procession] Carrying the Book of the Gospels slightly elevated, the deacon precedes the priest as he approaches the altar or else walks at the priest's side.

"173. When he reaches the altar, if he is carrying the Book of the Gospels, he omits the sign of reverence and goes up to the altar. It is particularly appropriate that he should place the Book of the Gospels on the altar, after which, together with the priest, he venerates the altar with a kiss.

"175. [At the Liturgy of the Word] If incense is used, the deacon assists the priest when he puts incense in the thurible during the singing of the Alleluia or other chant. … Having bowed to the altar, he then takes up the Book of the Gospels which was placed upon it. He proceeds to the ambo, carrying the book slightly elevated. He is preceded by a thurifer, carrying a thurible with smoking incense, and by servers with lighted candles. There the deacon, with hands joined, greets the people, saying, 'Dominus vobiscum' (The Lord be with you). Then, at the words 'Lectio sancti Evangelii' (A reading from the holy gospel), he signs the book with his thumb and, afterwards, himself on his forehead, mouth, and breast. He incenses the book and proclaims the Gospel reading. When the reading is concluded, he says the acclamation 'Verbum Domini' (The gospel of the Lord), and all respond, 'Laus tibi, Christe' (Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ). He then venerates the book with a kiss, saying privately, 'Per evangelica dicta' (May the words of the gospel), and returns to the priest's side.

"When the deacon is assisting the Bishop, he carries the book to him to be kissed, or else kisses it himself, saying quietly, 'Per evangelica dicta' (May the words of the gospel). In more solemn celebrations, as the occasion suggests, a Bishop may impart a blessing to the people with the Book of the Gospels.

"Lastly, the deacon may carry the Book of the Gospels to the credence table or to another appropriate and dignified place."

Later, in describing norms for all Masses, the document adds:

"273. According to traditional practice, the altar and the Book of the Gospels are venerated by means of a kiss. Where, however, a sign of this kind is not in harmony with the traditions or the culture of some region, it is for the Conference of Bishops to establish some other sign in its place, with the consent of the Apostolic See."

Thus, while the Gospel is often enthroned at ecumenical meetings, during special celebrations of the Word, and during the great Church Councils such as Trent and Vatican II, this rite is not foreseen during Mass.

While the indication of GIRM No. 175 -- that the Book of the Gospels be carried to "the credence table or to another appropriate and dignified place" -- could be generously interpreted as allowing the practice described, the fact that the credence table is mentioned suggests that the mind of the legislator does not foresee any solemn enthronement but merely that the book be treated with due respect after use.

The Book of the Gospels is treated with great honor during the Liturgy of the Word with rites and gestures analogous to those offered toward the altar and the Blessed Sacrament.

By doing so the Church shows its veneration toward God's Word and its belief that Christ is present and speaking in a special way during the liturgical proclamation of the sacred texts. However, as Pope Paul VI taught, while Christ's presence in the Word is real, it ceases when the readings are concluded. The Eucharistic presence alone is substantial and real "in the fullest sense."

It is therefore quite logical that all liturgical honors paid toward the Book of the Gospels cease once the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins.

A different case is the permanent or habitual setting up of a Book of the Gospels in the sanctuary or some other suitable place. The primary aim of setting up the book in this way is to foment respect and devotion toward sacred Scripture. For this reason the role of the permanent display of Scripture is analogous to that of a statue or icon and does not immediately affect the liturgical action.

Indeed, during the mission for Rome ordered by Pope John Paul II in preparation for the Jubilee Year 2000, every parish in Rome was ordered to set up the Book of the Gospels for public veneration during the two years or so that the mission lasted.

Likewise, this practice is recommended, outside the liturgy, in the guidelines for church construction published by the U.S. bishops:

"§ 62 Our reverence for the word of God is expressed not only in an attentive listening to and reflection upon the Scripture, but also by the way we handle and treat the Book of the Gospels. The ambo can be designed not only for reading and preaching, but also for displaying the open Book of the Gospels or a copy of the Scriptures before and after the liturgical celebration."

Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Singing the Consecration

ROME, MAY 23, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

After our comments on sung consecrations (May 9), a reader from Marquette, Michigan, asked: "May the organ be played under the celebrant's voice as an aid to his own musical presentation? Where I have seen this done the instrument did not detract from the prayer in any way. I have been told that it was improper, but I thought it contributed to the effect."

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 32, has very clear indications with respect to this: "The nature of the 'presidential' texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen with attention. Thus, while the priest is speaking these texts, there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent."

When these "presidential" texts are sung, the "loud and clear" aspect of their proclamation is reinforced. The prohibition of all other words or music at this time is to help everybody to listen with attention to the actual words being proclaimed.

For some, perhaps, low background organ music might enhance the sense of the sacred, but not everybody is equally endowed with musical sensibility. People who are both sensitive and musically literate could easily be distracted in assessing the quality of the playing, or recalling other works of the composer. People who are less attuned might find the music a trifle annoying. In either case concentration on the words and sacred action is diminished.

A priest asked: "What is meant by the requirement that the words of consecration be spoken 'clearly and distinctly'?"

The word "distinctly" indicates distinction (difference) rather then simply with good diction, which is catered for by the word "clearly."

This is probably a case where the message needs to be emphasized in order to get it across. In almost every language there are phrases which pair two words of similar meaning to produce a concept that is stronger than either word taken separately: neat and tidy, loud and clear, right and proper, etc.

The "clear and distinct" of the rubric probably stems from the Italian "chiara e distinta" which was transformed into the Latin rubric "distincte et aperte." Although the entire Eucharistic Prayer should be said or sung intelligibly and fervently, the rubric does indicate that the consecration be distinguished from the rest of the prayer.

Rather than a precise technical meaning, however, the "clear and distinct" of the rubric embraces a range of concepts that stress the overall requirement that the words be proffered with good diction, be easily audible, and that they be pronounced with due pause and reverence.

Father Cantalamessa on the Duty to Love

ROME, MAY 19, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of a commentary by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa on this Sunday's Gospel reading. He is the preacher to the Pontifical Household.

* * *

To "Have" to Love

"This is my commandment: That you love one another as I have loved you. ... What I command you is that you love one another."

Love is a commandment? Can love be made a commandment without destroying it? What relationship can there be between love and duty, given that one represents spontaneity and the other obligation?

We must know that two types of commandments exist. There is a commandment or obligation that comes from outside, from a will other than my own, and a commandment or obligation that comes from within, which is born from the thing itself. The stone thrown into the air or the apple that falls from the tree is "obliged" to fall, it cannot do anything else, not because it is imposed on it, but because there is an inner force of gravity that attracts it to the center of the earth.

In the same way, there are two great ways according to which man can be induced to do or not do something: by constriction or by attraction. The law and ordinary commandments induce him the first way: by constriction, with the threat of punishment. Love induces him the second way: by attraction, by an interior impulse.

Each one, in fact, is attracted by what he loves, without suffering any constriction from outside. Show a child a toy and you will see him try to take it. Who pushes him? No one, he is attracted by the object of his desire. Show a good to a soul thirsting for truth and it will go out to it. Who pushes it? No one; it is attracted by its desire.

But if it is so -- that is, that we are spontaneously attracted by goodness and truth which is God, what need is there, one might ask, to make this love a commandment and a duty? The fact is that we are surrounded by other goods and run the risk of missing the target, of tending to false goods and thus losing the supreme good.

As a spaceship going to the sun must follow certain rules so as not to fall into the sphere of gravity of an intermediary planet or satellite, the same is true for us in our tending to God. The Commandments, beginning with "the first and greatest of all," which is to love God, serves this purpose.

All this has a direct impact on human life and also on human love. There are increasingly numerous young people who reject the institution of marriage and choose so-called free love, or simply living together. Marriage is an institution; once contracted, it obliges one to be faithful and to love one's partner for life. But, what need is there to transform love, which is instinct, spontaneity, vital impulse, into a duty?

The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard gives a convincing answer: "Only when there is a duty to love, is love guaranteed forever against any alteration; eternally liberated in happy independence; assured in eternal bliss against all despair."

He means: The man who truly loves, wants to love forever. Love needs to have eternity as its horizon; otherwise it is no more than a game, a "kind misunderstanding" or a "dangerous pastime."

That is why, the more intensely we love, the more we perceive with anguish the danger in loving, a danger that does not come from others, but from ourselves. We know that love is variable, and that tomorrow, alas, we might get tired and not love any more. And, now that we are in love, we see with clarity the irreparable loss that that would imply, and here we take the precaution of "binding" ourselves to love forever.

Duty removes love from variability and anchors it in eternity. One who loves is happy to "have" to love; it seems to him to be the most beautiful and liberating commandment in the world.

[Translation by ZENIT]

Wednesday Liturgy: Deacon's Duties and Gestures

ROME, MAY 16, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

Q: I train deacons in the pastoral administration of the sacraments and laity in participating in the liturgy. Recently a deacon had some queries for me: a) Does the deacon also raise the chalice or paten together with the celebrant at the doxology at the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer? b) After the celebrant gives the blessing at the end of the Eucharist, when the deacon is sending forth the people, "Go you are sent forth ...," does he pronounce the words by spreading out his hands like the priest does at the "Lord be with you"? Or does he pronounce the words with joined hands? c) Is a deacon allowed to give the blessing with the Eucharist at the Benediction? -- F.P., Kolkata, India

A: The first question is clearly answered by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), No. 180:

"At the final doxology of the Eucharistic Prayer, the deacon stands next to the priest, holding the chalice elevated while the priest elevates the paten with the host, until the people have responded with the acclamation, Amen."

Note that the deacon holds up the chalice in silence and does not join in singing or saying the doxology.

Regarding the second query, the GIRM, in Nos. 184-185, on the concluding rites specifically states that the deacon dismisses the people with hands joined:

"184. Once the prayer after Communion has been said, the deacon makes brief announcements to the people, if indeed any need to be made, unless the priest prefers to do this himself.

"185. If a prayer over the people or a solemn formula for the blessing is used, the deacon says, 'Inclinate vos ad benedictionem' (Bow your heads and pray for God's blessing). After the priest's blessing, the deacon, with hands joined and facing the people, dismisses them, saying, 'Ite, missa est' (The Mass is ended, go in peace)."

The deacon also keeps his hands joined for the greeting "The Lord be with you" before reading the Gospel, and while saying "Let us offer each other the sign of peace."

The basic reasons for this is that the gesture of opening and closing the hands while greeting the assembly in Mass is considered as a presidential act and is thus reserved to the celebrant.

Also, the invitation to the sign of peace and the dismissal are not greetings but monitions to the assembly.

The "Lord be with you" before the Gospel is a special case as it is a greeting but, perhaps because reading of the Gospel has not traditionally been a presidential act in the Latin rite, the greeting is said with hands closed.

Note that even when a priest celebrates without a deacon he does not open his hands at the aforesaid moments.

All the same, whenever a deacon presides an assembly -- for example, for the Divine Office or for a Communion service -- he greets the assembly by opening and closing his hands in the same manner as a priest.

With respect to the deacon's imparting Eucharistic Benediction: A deacon is an ordinary minister of the Eucharist and as such, in the absence of the priest, may perform practically all of the rites foreseen in the ritual for worship of the Eucharist outside of Mass.

Thus he may give Benediction providing no priest is present or available. In doing so he wears the same vestments as the priest (cope and humeral veil along with alb/surplice and deacon's stole).

If a priest is available, the deacon assists the priest in the manner described in the books: exposing and reposing the Blessed Sacrament, offering him the monstrance for the blessing, and replacing it upon the altar afterward.

The unavailability of the priest need not mean total absence but a reasonable impediment. If, for example, a deacon is leading Eucharistic devotions while a priest attends many penitents in confession, then the deacon could impart Benediction.

Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Where Altar Crucifixes Should Face

ROME, MAY 16, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

After our column on the position of the altar crucifix (May 2), a priest from San Diego, California, asked:

"If the crucifix is on the altar -- and if the priest is celebrating 'versus populum' -- should the crucifix face the priest or face the people? Based on GIRM, No. 308: 'There is also to be a cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it, where it is clearly visible to the assembled congregation.'

"Since the concern here is visibility 'to the assembled congregation,' it would seem also that a crucifix on the mensa of the altar should be turned to face the people."

I am not convinced of this interpretation. The mention of the figure of Christ in the new General Instruction of the Roman Missal was inserted above all to eliminate the nascent fashion for bare crosses. I believe that the visibility requirement refers above all to the cross itself.

The rubrics of the Ceremonial of Bishops in use before the conciliar reforms already foresaw the possibility of the altar "versus populum." This book, while mandating that the cross be visible to all, also prescribed that the corpus be placed toward the altar ("cum imagine sanctissimi Crucifixi versa ad interiorem altaris faciem").

Another priest suggested having an altar crucifix designed with a figure on both sides.

Although there do not seem to be present norms to forbid this practice, it was not permitted in earlier times.

Some manuals recommended the use of other images on the side of the cross (facing the people) such as the fish symbol or even another image of the Redeemer such as the Good Shepherd or King of Kings.

With regard to visibility many local synods established a minimum size of 40 centimeters (16 inches) for the vertical to 22 centimeters (8.8 inches) for the horizontal bar, although in practice the altar cross was often larger.

A decree of Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758) also established that another cross was not necessary if a large crucifix was painted or sculptured as part of an altarpiece.

Although this decree is no longer operative it helps us to give an affirmative answer to another question from Bloomington, Illinois, as to whether a large crucifix, suspended from the ceiling or placed on the wall behind the altar, is sufficient.

No. 129 of the present Ceremonial of Bishops recommends that the processional cross be used as an altar cross for the bishop's Mass. If, however, a cross is already present, then the processional cross is put away until the end of Mass.

Father Cantalamessa on Pruning

ROME, MAY 12, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of a commentary by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher to the Pontifical Household, on this Sunday's Gospel reading.

* * *

Fifth Sunday of Easter
(John 15:1-8)

He Prunes Every Branch that Bears Fruit

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit" (John 15:1-2).

In his teaching, Jesus often begins with things that are familiar to those listening to him, things that everyone could see. This time he speaks to us with the image of the vine and the branches.

Jesus sets forth two situations. The first is negative: The branch is dry, it bears no fruit, and so it is cut off and thrown away. The second is positive: The branch is living and healthy, and so it is pruned.

This contrast already tells us that pruning is not a hostile act to the branch. The vinedresser expects much from it; he knows it can bear fruit; he has confidence in it. The same happens on the spiritual plane. God intervenes in our lives with the cross. It does not mean he is irritated with us but, in fact, the opposite.

But, why does the vinedresser prune the branch and make the vine "weep," as is usually said. For a very simple reason: If it is not pruned, the strength of the vine is wasted; it will bear perhaps more bunches than it should, with the consequence that not all will ripen and that the rating of the wine will be lower. If it remains a long time without being pruned, the vine even becomes wild and produces only vine tendrils and wild grapes.

The same happens in our lives. To live is to choose, and to choose is to deny oneself. The person who wants to do too many things in life, or cultivates innumerable interests and hobbies, is dispersed, and will not be outstanding in anything.

One must have the courage to make choices, to put some secondary interests to one side to concentrate on the primary. To prune!

This is even truer in the spiritual life. Holiness is like a sculpture. Leonardo da Vinci defined sculpture as "the art of removing." The other arts consist in adding something: color to the canvas in painting, stone on stone in architecture, note after note in music.

Only sculpture consists of removing, of taking away the pieces of marble that are in excess, so that the figure can emerge that one has in mind. Christian perfection is also obtained like this, by removing and making useless pieces fall off, namely, desires, ambitions, projects, carnal tendencies that disperse us and do not let us finish anything.

One day, Michelangelo walking through a garden in Florence saw a block of marble in a corner protruding from the earth, half covered by grass and mud.

He stopped suddenly, as if he had seen someone, and turning to friends, who were with him, exclaimed: "An angel is imprisoned in that marble; I must get him out." And, armed with a chisel, he began to work on that block until the figure of a beautiful angel emerged.

God also looks at us and sees us this way: as shapeless blocks of stone. He then says to himself: "Therein is hidden a new and beautiful creature that waits to come out to the light; more than that, the image of my own son Jesus Christ is hidden there, I want to bring it out!" We are predestined to "be conformed to the image of his son" (Romans 8:29).

Then, what does He do? He takes the chisel, which is the cross, and begins to work on us. He takes the pruning shears, and begins to prune us.

We must not worry ourselves thinking of what terrible crosses he may send us! Normally, he does not add anything to what life presents us in terms of suffering, effort, tribulations. He makes all these things serve for our purification. He helps us to not waste them.

[Translation by ZENIT]

Wednesday Liturgy: Singing the Consecration

ROME, MAY 9, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

Q: I attended Midnight Mass this past Christmas Eve while visiting friends in Virginia. I do believe this is the first time I have experienced the priest singing all the words of consecration that Jesus spoke. He sang beautifully, and reverently, but I wonder if this is proper? I assume the consecration was valid. -- E.N., Richmond, Virginia

A: Until the Second Vatican Council the Latin rite was practically the only one that did not sing the words of the consecration.

Among the changes brought about by the Council's liturgical reform was to open up the possibility of singing the consecration, indeed the singing of the entire Eucharistic Prayer, in the Latin rite. As the General Instruction of the Roman Missal says:

"No. 30. Among the parts assigned to the priest, the foremost is the Eucharistic Prayer, which is the high point of the entire celebration. Next are the orations: that is to say, the collect, the prayer over the offerings, and the prayer after Communion. These prayers are addressed to God in the name of the entire holy people and all present, by the priest who presides over the assembly in the person of Christ. It is with good reason, therefore, that they are called the 'presidential prayers.'

"No. 32. The nature of the 'presidential' texts demands that they be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone listen with attention. Thus, while the priest is speaking these texts, there should be no other prayers or singing, and the organ or other musical instruments should be silent."

"No. 38. In texts that are to be spoken in a loud and clear voice, whether by the priest or the deacon, or by the lector, or by all, the tone of voice should correspond to the genre of the text itself, that is, depending upon whether it is a reading, a prayer, a commentary, an acclamation, or a sung text; the tone should also be suited to the form of celebration and to the solemnity of the gathering. Consideration should also be given to the idiom of different languages and the culture of different peoples.

"In the rubrics and in the norms that follow, words such as 'say' and 'proclaim' are to be understood of both singing and reciting, according to the principles just stated above.

"No. 40. Great importance should therefore be attached to the use of singing in the celebration of the Mass, with due consideration for the culture of the people and abilities of each liturgical assembly. Although it is not always necessary (e.g., in weekday Masses) to sing all the texts that are of themselves meant to be sung, every care should be taken that singing by the ministers and the people is not absent in celebrations that occur on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.

"In the choosing of the parts actually to be sung, however, preference should be given to those that are of greater importance and especially to those to be sung by the priest or the deacon or the lector, with the people responding, or by the priest and people together."

Apart from these general indications, the new Latin Missal, as well as several officially approved vernacular translations, also provide music for singing the Eucharistic Prayers or at least the consecration.

It is important to remember, however, that all musical settings for the ordinary of the Mass must be approved for liturgical use by the bishop or, in some cases, by the bishops' conference.

While singing the entire Eucharistic Prayer is quite uncommon, and usually requires a musically capable priest, singing the consecration can contribute to forming a sense of the sacred. It is especially useful in concelebrations so as to guarantee some degree of uniformity among priests who are used to their own personal rhythm of celebration.

At this year's Chrism Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict XVI sang the entire Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I), including the consecration in which he was joined by hundreds of concelebrating bishops and priests.

As far as I know this is the first time that a Pontiff has sung the entire canon since the liturgical reforms, although it is possible that it was more common during the first Christian millennium.

Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Combining Office of Readings and Morning Prayer

ROME, MAY 9, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

A reader rightly reprimanded me for substituting "Lord open our lips" rather than the correct "Lord open my lips" in our April 25 piece on combining the Office of Readings and Morning prayer. The error was due to a momentary "lapsus" at the keyboard with no ulterior motives or hidden theological meanings.

Another reader asked: "Can one in praying the Office combine other hours as the Office of Readings and Morning Prayer? Such as doing Midday Prayer and Evening Prayer together?"

In principle, only the Office of Readings can be combined with another office. However there may be cases when time constraints require the celebration of one office immediately after another (for example, Morning Prayer and Midday Prayer).

In this case the only difference is that after praying the first closing prayer, one omits the usual conclusion of the first office and the introductory verse and "Glory be" of the second office, and commences with the hymn of the second office, which proceeds as normal.

Finally, a seminarian from Malta inquired: "Could you please tell me if it is necessary to say the verse in italics that is usually printed before each psalm during the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours? As I understood the General Order for the Liturgy of the Hours, in No. 114, one may chose to say the verse instead of the antiphon during the year when the office is not sung. But one should not say both, especially if it is sung on feast days."

No. 111 explains these phrases: "[A] heading is put before each psalm to indicate its meaning and importance in Christian life. These headings are given in the divine office merely as an aid for the person saying the psalms. To promote prayer in the light of the new revelation, a phrase from the New Testament or Fathers is added as an invitation to pray in a Christian way."

Thus, these phrases are above all a help in personalizing the prayer. They are not usually recited aloud. However, as our seminarian points out, No. 114 allows these verses to replace the antiphons during Ordinary Time when the office is not sung. This possibility gives the option of some variety during a period when the same antiphons are frequently repeated.

This possibility may not be used on any occasion when the office is sung, nor during the major liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. Nor may it be used on feast days and those memorials of saints when the office is celebrated using proper antiphons.

Wednesday Liturgy: Where Altar Crucifixes Should Face

ROME, MAY 2, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

Q: When an altar crucifix is used during the celebration of Mass, ought the corpus to be facing toward the priest or toward the congregation? -- D.V., Washington, D.C.

A: The indications in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal are sparse regarding the direction of the figure of Christ on the cross:

"No 308. There is also to be a cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it, where it is clearly visible to the assembled congregation. It is appropriate that such a cross, which calls to mind for the faithful the saving Passion of the Lord, remain near the altar even outside of liturgical celebrations."

Taking our cue from Monsignor Peter Elliott's liturgy manual, we might add that the crucifix should be located on, next to, immediately behind or suspended above the altar. It should be visibly related to the altar as viewed by the people.

As Monsignor Elliott comments: "The liturgical crucifix is not primarily for the private devotion of the celebrant but is a sign in the midst of the Eucharistic assembly proclaiming that the Mass is the same Sacrifice as Calvary."

Thus, strictly speaking, the altar crucifix is in relationship to the altar, and not just to the priest, and for this reason the "corpus" is usually turned toward the altar.

An altar crucifix can be somewhat off-putting for the faithful who can see only the reverse of the cross. This is a relatively new problem as, before the liturgical reform, the whole assembly, priest and people, faced both altar and crucifix in the same direction.

For this reason the best solution appears to be either the large crucifix permanently behind or above the altar.

If this is not possible, then the very flexibility of the norms would allow for a processional cross, or a larger but movable crucifix on a stand, which is placed near the altar in such a position that clearly relates to the altar while remaining visible to the faithful.

Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Easter Vigil

ROME, MAY 2, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

After our piece on the Easter Vigil (April 11) a Florida reader asked: "Are you aware of any exceptions granted by Rome to having the Easter Vigil begin before sundown on Saturday evening? I am quite upset that all the churches in the diocese I have moved to a few years ago, even the cathedral itself, consistently begin the service before sundown."

The following document is taken from the U.S. Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy Newsletter, Volume 37, should answer this question. This statement is not official law, but it is an official explanation of the law. I thank the site catholicliturgy.com for making it easily accessible.

During the past 30 years, the BCL Newsletter has addressed the question of the time for the Easter Vigil on several occasions. Each time, the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Roman Calendar, No. 21, has been cited:

"The Easter Vigil, during the holy night when Christ rose from the dead, ranks as the 'mother of all vigils' (Augustine, Sermon 219: PL 38, 1088). Keeping watch, the Church awaits Christ's resurrection and celebrates it in the sacraments. Accordingly, the entire celebration of this vigil should take place at night, that is, it should either begin after nightfall or end before the dawn of Sunday.

"In 1988, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments addressed this question with greater specificity in its 'Circular Letter Concerning the Preparation and Celebration of the Easter Feasts.' After repeating the rubric cited above, the Congregation noted that 'This rule is to be taken according to its strictest sense. Reprehensible are those abuses and practices which have crept in many places in violation of this ruling, whereby the Easter Vigil is celebrated at the time of day that it is customary to celebrate anticipated Masses (no. 78).'

"The intention of the 'Missale Romanum' is clear: the Easter Vigil is to take place in darkness. Thus the approved translation of 'post initium noctis' is 'after nightfall,' that is, after the time in the evening when daylight is last visible. This time is roughly equivalent to astronomical twilight, which is defined by the Naval Observatory as the time after which 'the Sun does not contribute to sky illumination.' Tables of sunset and astronomical twilight for each locality in the United States are available at the Naval Observatory website.

"In Washington, DC, by way of example, sunset will take place at 6:45pm on Holy Saturday, April 15, 2001. However, Astronomical Twilight in the nation's capital will not occur until 8:21pm, or 96 minutes later. Likewise, sunset in Los Angeles occurs at 6:25pm, but Astronomical Twilight (when 'the Sun does not contribute to sky illumination') occurs at 7:53pm, about 88 minutes later. While some pastoral flexibility concerning the astronomical mathematics of the question is reasonable, it is clearly the intent of the Church that the Easter Vigil not begin until it is dark."

Another Floridian asked: "I recently attended an Easter Vigil service and noticed that the Prayer of the Faithful was omitted. When I inquired, I was told that it would have made the celebration too long. Is it permissible to do so?"

The rubrics in the missal say: "After the people have been sprinkled, the priest returns to the chair. The Profession of Faith is omitted, and the priest directs the general intercessions, in which the newly baptized [if there are any] take part for the first time."

Therefore it seems that there should always be a Prayer of the Faithful at the vigil. That the rubrics indicate them is a sign of their importance, since the intercessions are usually omitted whenever the litanies of the saints are proclaimed during Mass, the usual case during the vigil in a parish or cathedral where at least the baptismal font is blessed.

Remember: The faithful who assist at the vigil are fully prepared for, and even expect, a long celebration. Even so, if truly necessary for sound pastoral reasons, the rubrics do foresee the possibility of reducing the number of readings and using shorter versions of some readings.

The Prayer of the Faithful probably lasts about four to six minutes, hardly an insupportable burden to bear in order to properly welcome the risen Lord.

Speech: "No Source of Hope Other Than Divine Mercy"

LOS ANGELES, MAY 1, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is an excerpt from a lecture prepared by Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, for a conference on Divine Mercy.

The Lay Institute of Divine Mercy was the host for the 2006 Southern California Divine Mercy Congress "Divine Mercy, Transform Us to Be Your Vessel of Hope" at Christ the King Parish in Los Angeles. The three-day conference ended Sunday.

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Towards a World -- Transforming Hope in Divine Mercy

The Holy Spirit introduces us to the essence of Divine Mercy. He is the Comforting Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, who, already for 2,000 years has led the Church through the stormy ocean of time with its problems and challenges, and who indicates to us Divine Mercy and its meaning. In the modern day, when man has lost the sense of sin, the Holy Spirit convinces the world of sin (cf. John 16:8), and at the same time reveals the meaning of salvation in Jesus Christ, salvation accomplished through the mystery of the cross and resurrection.

The Holy Spirit through the mystery of the cross of the Lord allows us to know sin in the full measure of the evil which it carries within itself. What more eloquently witnesses to this fact than that man was redeemed at the price of the passion and death of the Son of God. Precisely in the mystery of the cross does the Holy Spirit call us to uncover the merciful and forgiving love of God ("Dominum et Vivificantem," No. 32).

This "convincing," worked by the Holy Spirit, with respect to our sinfulness and the evil brought by sin, is at the same time a "persuading" that sin can be forgiven. That is, it turns out to be a conviction about Divine Mercy, thanks to which man can once again attain the dignity of a son of God.

In his first encyclical letter, "Deus Caritas Est," Pope Benedict XVI teaches that the death of Christ on the cross is a work of God directed in a certain sense against himself, insofar as God is offering himself as the Victim which will save man. This is nothing other than love in its most radical form. The pierced side of Christ allows us to contemplate the truth that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Likewise, it indicates wherein true love lies. In the very pierced side of Jesus, Christians can find the way to live and to love (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," No. 12).

Thus, the essence of Divine Mercy is the infinite love of the Heart of Jesus for man, love which extends to the shedding of blood. Christ himself speaks beautifully of this: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

Speaking of Divine Mercy and its essence brings us before the mystery of -- on one hand -- the always faithful God and -- on the other -- unfaithful man. In this mystery the characteristics of the ever Merciful God stand out in a striking manner. Like the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, he receives his son with open arms and rejoices that he, who was lost, has returned, that he, who was spiritually dead, has, thanks to the grace of Divine Mercy, returned to life (cf. Luke 15:11-32).

This parable expresses the reality of conversion in the deepest fashion. This is the most concrete expression of the presence of Divine Mercy in the world: love overcoming sin. John Paul II in his encyclical "Dives in Misericordia" emphasizes that mercy does not consist in even the most sympathetic attitude toward moral, physical and material evil. Rather, it consists in the recognition and eliciting of good out of every sort of accumulation of evil, which can exist in man and the world. In this very sense of mercy can the fundamental content of the messianic sending of Jesus Christ and the power of his mission be seen (cf. "Dives in Misericordia," No. 6).

In his sermon before the beginning of the conclave on April 18, 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger said that the mercy of Christ does not imply the banalization of evil. Christ carried in his body and soul all of the weight and power of evil. He destroyed and transformed evil by suffering, through the fire of suffering love. In this way, in the paschal mystery, in Christ's dying and rising from the dead, the Day of Vengeance and the year of the Lord's favor meet (cf. Isaiah 61:2).

Since Divine Mercy, an attribute of God, issues forth from the infinite love of God for man, it must be said to have no limit. The only force capable of limiting it is man himself, by a lack of good will and readiness to convert. Not in vain does Pope Benedict XVI, in the encyclical "Deus Caritas Est," cite the words of the Apostle John: "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him" (1 John 4:16).

The Pope comments that these words express the essence of Christian faith, that is, the Christian conception of God, and, deduced from this, the proper conception of man and his path in life. Thus, the principle of the Christian life is contained in the words of the same Apostle John: "So we know and believe the love God has for us" (1 John 4:16). In other words, knowing the love of God and believing in it, the Christian is able to express the fundamental option of his life. For if God has first loved us (cf. 1 John 4:10), then love is already not so much a commandment as a response to God's gift of love to us (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," No. 1). God waits for this answer from each of us, so as to reveal in all of its fullness his mercy to us.

Necessity of God's mercy

The Servant of God, John Paul II, reminds us that God reveals himself to us as Love and Mercy, and the culmination of his revelation is Jesus Christ (cf. "Dives in Misericordia," Nos. 1-2). "In Christ and through Christ, God also becomes especially visible in his mercy … Christ confers on the whole of the Old Testament tradition about God's mercy a definitive meaning. Not only does he speak of it and explain it by the use of comparisons and parables, but above all he himself makes it incarnate and personifies it" ("Dives in Misericordia," No. 2).

Modern man, striving with the help of unprecedented technological progress to become master of the world, often rejects the idea of Divine Mercy (cf. "Dives in Misericordia," No. 2). At the same time, it is a secret to no one that our world is full of contradictions, being at one and the same time strong and weak, capable of good and evil (cf. "Gaudium et Spes," Nos. 1-10). In truth, the modern world is characterized by a clash of civilizations and is imbued with fear of the future.

The main reasons for this include: the gap between those who have and those who have not, ecological problems, the ever-increasing incidence of AIDS, drug addiction, alcoholism, the persistent problem of illiteracy in various countries, social injustice, violence, violation of human rights, euthanasia, problems of genetic engineering, unceasing armed conflict, extremism, terrorism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, and so on.

This troubling situation is exacerbated by the fact that the modern world is ever more secularized; it is a world in which more and more frequently moral relativism manifests itself, a world in which, in many places, people live as if God did not exist, and so forth. The Servant of God, John Paul II, tirelessly repeated warnings in this regard, and the present Pontiff, Benedict XVI, also continually reminds us to take heed. Thus, modern man can only confess, together with St. Faustina, that there is no source of hope other than Divine Mercy.

The title written on the icon of Divine Mercy -- "Jesus, I hope in you" -- is an expression of hope in the all-powerful love of God, which is especially relevant in our day. Precisely in our times, hope is often, as it were, lost in the face of so many various examples of evil and challenges of modernity. Therefore, it is always necessary to discover again and again in Jesus, the face of God, Who is "the Father of mercies and God of all comfort" (2 Corinthians 1:3). On the face of the Merciful Jesus and in his glance, we must find reflected the truth of our life and the light of grace, which we first received in the sacrament of baptism and continue to receive in the other sacraments and in service to the Church.

Everywhere, where hatred, injustice and pain reign; where a lack of respect is seen toward the priceless gift of life and the dignity of man; where the wave of terrorism grows and the culture of death holds sway -- there is needed the grace of Divine Mercy, which quiets the heart of man, creates peace, returns the sense of human dignity, and leads to justice. …

Our response

The Servant of God, John Paul II, emphasizes that mercy must reveal itself as the power of that love which evil cannot overcome, but which "overcomes evil with good" (Romans 12:21) (cf. "Dives in Misericordia," No. 6). In this way mercy is an absolutely necessary dimension of love, its second name, one could say. We are required to live this love of God and neighbor, for, as the Apostle Paul teaches, "Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

This is the command of Christ and the teaching of the Church. It is also the life program for every Christian. In this connection, Pope Benedict XVI fittingly noted in his encyclical, "Deus Caritas Est," that man can be a source from which pour forth living waters (cf. John 7:37-38). However, for this it is necessary that man first drink from the original source, which is Jesus Christ. From the pierced Heart of Christ flows forth the love of God himself -- Blood and Water (cf. John 19:34) (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," No. 7).

We are bound to respond to the infinite love of God to man and to his mercy in a corresponding manner. In this endeavor, a special place is held by the holy Eucharist, works of mercy, penance and prayer.

John Paul II teaches that "the Eucharist brings us ever nearer to that love which is more powerful than death" ("Dives in Misericordia," No. 13). Benedict XVI develops this idea, saying that through the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus added to his sacrificial act of love toward man the element of perpetual presence. The Eucharist, thus, includes us in the sacrificial act of Christ, thanks to which we not only receive the Incarnate Word by some sort of static symbol, but we are introduced into the dynamic of his sacrifice (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," No. 13). As a result we are called to the deepest possible living of the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life (cf. "Lumen Gentium," No. 11).

Union with Christ in the Eucharist is at the same time union with others. It is not possible to keep Christ only for oneself. One can only belong to him in union with others. Thanks to the Eucharist, the love of God and the love of neighbor become one thing only; the Incarnate God unites us all. In the Eucharist, God comes to us, so as to act in us and through us. The love of God and neighbor unite us in one, which should be expressed in works of mercy (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," Nos. 14-15).

Pope Benedict XVI underlines in this regard that works of mercy ("diaconia"), along with the proclamation of the Word of God ("kerigma-martyria") and the administering of sacraments ("leiturgia") belong to the very nature of the Church (cf. "Deus Caritas Est," No. 25).

"Faith apart from works is dead" (James 2:26) teaches the Apostle James. Faith ought to be realized in daily life in concrete acts of mercy. "[The Church] seeks to practice mercy toward people through people, and she sees in this an indispensable condition for solicitude for a better and 'more human' world, today and tomorrow" ("Dives in Misericordia," No. 15).

The call of Christ: "Repent and believe the Good News" (Mark 1:15) is always timely. For this reason, the sacrament of penance -- as the paschal gift of Christ to his Church and as the brightest demonstration of Divine Mercy -- should be practiced as often as possible. It leads to our spiritual transfiguration and resurrection.

The world, which is following the path of secularism and ever forgetting the meaning of mercy, must be filled with the great "cry" (cf. "Dives in Misericordia," No. 15) of the Church, her ardent and persistent prayer to the God of mercy. In this regard, the liturgies of mercy and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy are of immense use.

Speech: On the Plight of Migrant Workers

LONDON, MAY 1, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a homily prepared by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor for a Mass concelebrated today at Westminster Cathedral on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker.

The Mass was part of the May Day for Migrants, organized by the three Catholic dioceses of London in collaboration with London Citizens.

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Dear friends in Jesus Christ,

On behalf of my brother bishops of the Catholic dioceses of London, I want to extend a very warm welcome to you all on this feast of St. Joseph the Worker. And I want to thank the community organization of London Citizens, who have helped to organize this celebration today.

I want especially to welcome all the migrant workers and their families
here today, who have come from other countries in search of work and new life here in London. We hope that this Mass will communicate to you that, as far as the Catholic Church is concerned, you are Londoners. We want you to feel welcome in our parishes and our schools and our ethnic chaplaincies. We want you to know that you belong.

For in the Catholic Church no one is a stranger; and the Church is not foreign to anyone, anywhere. The Church is "God's family on earth," as Pope Benedict said recently in his encyclical "Deus Caritas Est"; and in God, as we know, there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free; we are all children of the same Father, and while we celebrate and respect our different cultures, we share a common baptism and a common dignity.

It is our earnest hope that during your time here in London, you are made aware of this by the hospitality and the welcome you receive from our parishes and schools. We stand in solidarity with you. We commit ourselves to your pastoral care and to work towards removing obstacles to you exercising your dignity and living as children of God.

Today is the feast of St Joseph the Worker. Jesus, the Son of God, dedicated himself for many years to manual labor, so that he was known as the "carpenter's son" (Matthew 13:55). The Church has always taught the dignity of work. Work is of fundamental importance to human fulfillment.

Yet for the same reason, by virtue of the value it retains in the divine plan, work must be carried out with full respect for human dignity, and must serve the common good. But work should not be idolized, and people should not be enslaved by it; if work is necessary, so too is rest. Rest from work gives time for families to build relationships, and for people to serve their communities; and that is why the right to holidays such as this Bank Holiday, and the need to limit commercial activity on Sunday, are essential.

It is a fact that migration can mean enormous hardships and suffering for the migrants. As we know, it has been encouraged and promoted in recent times to foster the economic development of both the migrants' host country and their country of origin. Many nations would not be what they are today without the contribution made by millions of immigrants.

But we should never forget that the migration of families, and women in particular, are marked by suffering. Sometimes immigrants are deprived of their most elementary human rights. It is very necessary to reiterate that foreign migrants are not to be considered merchandise or merely manpower. They should not be treated just like any other factor of production.

Every migrant enjoys inalienable fundamental rights which must be respected in all cases. Furthermore, the migrants' contribution to the economy of the host country comes together with the possibility of using their intelligence and abilities in their work.

This is especially true of undocumented workers, who have entered the country illegally. The Church has long taught that to migrate is a right, just as nations have a right to regulate immigration. The needs of immigrants must be measured against the needs of the receiving countries, and that the rights of these nations must not be exaggerated to the point of denying access to needy people from other countries.

The Church does not approve of illegal immigration, which makes people vulnerable to exploitation by people traffickers and divides families. But nor can the Church ignore the plight among us of those who are here without legal status, neither contributing through taxes nor benefiting from rights. We stand in solidarity with you too. The Church, said Pope John Paul II in his migration day message, "is the place where illegal immigrants are also recognized and welcomed as brothers and sisters."

Nor can the Church ignore that, while our nation benefits economically from the presence of undocumented workers, too often we turn a blind eye when they are exploited by employers. Illegal migrants should not be treated as criminals; no one leaves their country in search of work in another country unless they are desperate to do so.

The presence in our city of hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers creates social misery all of its own. Working in the dark, they are more vulnerable to exploitation, while undercutting other wage earners. Some are forced to repay extortionate sums to people traffickers, in a modern version of slavery.

Is it not time to consider, as other countries have done, ways of regularizing their situation -- those who are working in the country and do not have a criminal record -- to the benefit of our economy and to enable them to play a fuller part in society?

Dear friends, the face of London is changing and with it, our Church. Our capital is at the crossroads of the greatest movement of people in history. We glimpse the future of our society and our Church in the amazing diversity of cultures and languages in our three dioceses.

In migrants, the Church has always contemplated the image of Christ who said, "I was a stranger and you made me welcome" (Matthew 25:35). Their condition is, therefore, a challenge to the faith and love of believers who are called on to heal the evils caused by migration and discover the plan God pursues through migration even when there are obvious injustices. God's appeal, made so forcefully in both the Old and the New Testaments, is for fraternity -- for there to be new bonds of friendship forged between newcomer and native.

It is one of the central tasks of Christians -- a constant theme of the Old and New Testaments -- to offer hospitality to the exile and the stranger, seeing in him and her the face of Christ. Faith in the presence of Christ in the migrant leads to a conversion of mind and heart, which leads to a renewed spirit of communion.

We, the three bishops of London, want to invite our parishioners to become aware and conscious of the strangers in our midst, and to commit ourselves to them. The people we stand alongside in the pews need us also to stand alongside them in their search for dignity and justice and a better, more dignified life.

In short: We are happy that you are here. We are grateful for the vital role that you play in our economy. We want you to play as full a role as possible in the life of our Church. We want our Catholic people to see in you the face of Christ. We want you to be welcomed such that you are strangers no longer.

Your work is precious, as your lives are precious. And though you may be far from your homes, we want you to know that here, in the Church in London, you have a home.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy birthday, 4nov80!