From Nov 30 on Filioque and Words of Institution
In November a poster asked about the great apostacy and statements by Cardinal Ratzinger about the dropping of the Filioque and the non-necessity of the words of institution.
Since you were unaware of this, Brother, may I take this opportunity to clear up some misunderstandings.
As you know, all attacks against the Church contain a grain of truth and these do as well.
(1) The filioque --- in a document by CDF (I think it was On the Procession of the Holy Spirit) the Cardinal spoke of the original Greek version of the Creed --- which does not contain the Filoque --- as normative for theological study and that the Filoque must be understood in the light of the original words so that the meaning of the term is that the Spirit proceeds "from the Father" wholly and perfectly to the Son back to the Father but that the Son does not add anything to the Spirit.
In terms of US Bishops dropping it from the Liturgy this is true in the Eastern Churches in the US who in the past used a translation from the Latin Liturgical text and are now using more direct translations from their own heritage.
Rumor (so take it for what it is) has it that there were discussions in the publication of the Sacramentary 2000 that the Latin text would drop the Filoque. It did not. The Western Rite Bishops are therfore bound to that as the normative Liturgical text for translations.
(2) The words of institution --- CDF in the year 2000 ratified a dialogue with the Assyrian Church of the East over the use of the ancient Anaphora (Eucharistic Prayer) of Addi and Mari and gave permission for the Chaldean Catholics to return to the most ancient form of the prayer which does not --- nor ever has, except by later inclusion insisted upon by the Holy See --- contain any explicit words of institution. This is not a statement that universally necessary for the validity in the Church is the words of institution but that in this unique case and because of the antiquity of the prayer the Holy See would revese its past disciplinary ruling for the Chaldeans in the matter of this particular Anaphora. (the web site for the Assyrian Church of the East has the whole document available)
QUESTION from Father Smith on February 16, 2004
ANSWER by Staff on February 19, 2004
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Dear Father: Thanks for the information. I am sure this will not satisfy some scrupulous people who cannot get it through their heads that special circumstances can exist for exceptions to the general rule. As always, the exception prove the validity of the Rule. In compassion to various cultures and liturgical traditions, the Holy See is open to accommodation and inculturation as long as it does not violate the Truth. These issues that you have outlined do not threaten the universality of the Church as some would suggest. In fact it proves the universality of the Church that allows various cultures and traditions to exist within the larger umbrella of the Church. Praise God. Thanks again for the info.
God bless you and your ministry, |