Online Edition – June 2005 Vol. XI, No. 4
Tenth Anniversary Edition
New Adoremus Survey
Implementation of Redemptionis Sacramentum
“Whenever an abuse is committed in the celebration of the sacred Liturgy, it is to be seen as a real falsification of Catholic Liturgy. Saint Thomas wrote, ‘the vice of falsehood is perpetrated by anyone who offers worship to God on behalf of the Church in a manner contrary to that which is established by the Church with divine authority, and to which the Church is accustomed’”. — Redemptionis Sacramentum §169
A year ago the Holy See issued Redemptionis Sacramentum, an Instruction subtitled “On certain matters to be observed or to be avoided regarding the Most Holy Eucharist”. Dated March 25, 2004, it is the “prescriptive document” called for by Pope John Paul II in his last encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia (May 2003), and is intended to “help to banish the dark clouds of unacceptable doctrine and practice, so that the Eucharist will continue to shine forth in all its radiant mystery”. On October 7, 2004, Pope John Paul II issued Mane Nobiscum Domine, and declared the beginning of the Year of the Eucharist, to conclude with a synod of the world’s bishops on the subject of the Eucharist to be held in Rome October 2-23, as confirmed by Pope Benedict XVI.
Part of Adoremus’ observance of the Year of the Eucharist is to make the Lineamenta, or guidelines for the bishops who will attend the Synod, more widely available; for the Lineamenta’s seven chapters provide a concise survey of Catholic teaching on the Eucharist and the document is a valuable catechetical resource for all. The Introduction and first three chapters are presented in this issue. The Preface and final questions appeared in AB June 2004, and we plan to publish the remaining chapters in the next issue.
Another focus of our observance of the Year of the Eucharist is to survey implementation of Redemptionis Sacramentum during the past year. Its corrective provisions were to be implemented immediately. The survey questions concern practices that the document calls “grave matters”. The completed survey forms will be tabulated by Adoremus, and the results will be sent to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
[We warmly invite all our Readers to complete the survey form enclosed. [in the hard copy of the Adoremus Bulletin, June Issue] For reference, a useful analysis of Redemptionis Sacramentum and a summary of its contents was published in the Adoremus Bulletin April-May 2004 . The complete document, Redemptionis Sacramentum was published in AB (July-August 2004).
