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This morning, the Holy Father received in audience:

- Bishops of the Lutheran Church of Norway.

This morning’s General Audience took place at 10.00 in the Vatican Basilica, where the Holy Father Leo XIV met with groups of pilgrims and faithful from Italy and all over the world.

In his address in Italian, the Pope continued his cycle of catechesis on “The Documents of the Second Vatican Council”, focusing on the theme: Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium. The motivations of the liturgical reform (Reading: Heb 10: 8-10).

After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed special greetings to the faithful present.

The General Audience concluded with the recitation of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.

 

The Documents of the Second Vatican Council. III. Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium. 8. The motivations of the liturgical reform

Dear brothers and sisters,

In this final catechesis on the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium , today I would like to look at the reasons why the Council Fathers sought to promote a reform of the liturgy. In this regard, the third Letter from the Council, which Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, then archbishop of Milan, sent on 28 October 1962 to the faithful of his Church, is particularly enlightening. The liturgy, he wrote, “is a sincere expression of both the divine and the human. It is language. On the one hand, it is a vehicle for divine teaching; on the other, it is a voice in dialogue with God. It is clear that it cannot renounce its didactic function, nor can it fail to offer faith and piety the opportunity to be expressed with spontaneous intelligibility”. [1] Motivated by these convictions, the future Pope Saint Paul VI affirmed that the faithful “cannot and must no longer remain silent and passive. Their physical presence cannot be reconciled with their spiritual absence”. [2]

The similarity between these statements and those which would appear in no. 48 of the Conciliar Constitution is evident: “The Church … earnestly desires that Christ’s faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators; on the contrary, through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take part in the sacred action conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and full collaboration. They should be instructed by God’s word and be nourished at the table of the Lord’s body; they should give thanks to God; by offering the Immaculate Victim, not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him, they should learn also to offer themselves; through Christ the Mediator they should be drawn day by day into ever more perfect union with God and with each other, so that finally God may be all in all”. These words express a renewed awareness of the value of the liturgy. Through the Church’s ritual actions, whilst the memorial of the work of salvation is celebrated, the opportunity is provided to experience a true relationship with God, coming into contact with the salvific event. Since the gestures, the words of the sacred liturgy are critical to realizing this experience, the participation of the faithful cannot be passive.

The Conciliar reform, by placing at the centre that which constitutes the heart of the ecclesial experience, was intended to allow the liturgy to shine forth as “the primary source of that divine exchange in which the life of God is communicated to us”. [3] From this conviction arose the need to make the richness of the biblical texts and prayers more accessible to all the faithful, and to streamline the order of the celebration compared with that set out in the liturgical books then in use.

Indeed, since the liturgy is a living entity, throughout the centuries it has always been subject to developments and changes. The Magisterium adapted its forms to the needs of different eras. It is therefore not surprising that the Second Vatican Council too, with the utmost respect for the heritage of tradition, and precisely in order to make it more accessible, considered it necessary to revise the liturgical books.

The aim that the Fathers had in mind is explained in no. 21 of the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium : “In order that the Christian people may more certainly derive an abundance of graces from the sacred liturgy, holy Mother Church desires to undertake with great care a general restoration of the liturgy itself. For the liturgy is made up of immutable elements divinely instituted, and of elements subject to change. These not only may but ought to be changed with the passage of time if they have suffered from the intrusion of anything out of harmony with the inner nature of the liturgy or have become unsuited to it. In this restoration, both texts and rites should be drawn up so that they express more clearly the holy things which they signify; the Christian people, so far as possible, should be enabled to understand them with ease and to take part in them fully, actively, and as befits a community”. The distinction, within the liturgy, between divine, immutable elements, and human elements, which instead “admit of various modifications, as the needs of the age, circumstance and the good of souls may require, and as the ecclesiastical hierarchy, under guidance of the Holy Spirit, may have authorized”, dates back to Pope Pius XII’s Encyclical Mediator Dei ( Acta Apostolicae Sedis 39, 1947, 541–542).

Moreover, the desire for a “general reform” did not come about suddenly, but had been evident in the actions of successive Popes since the beginning of the twentieth century, in keeping with the demands of the Liturgical Movement. The assertion that the faithful should not attend celebrations “as strangers or silent spectators” had already been raised in Pope Pius XI’s Apostolic Constitution Divini Cultus . Furthermore, one may recall Pope Pius XII’s interventions regarding the ordering of the rites of Holy Week, which he rescheduled to the hours corresponding to the events of Easter, after they had for centuries been brought forward to the morning hours. Nor should it be forgotten that Saint John XXIII regarded it necessary to simplify the rubrics of the Breviary and the Missal, approving this with the Motu proprio Rubricarum instructum of 25 July 1960, in which he referred the proposal of fundamental principles for a reform of the liturgy at the forthcoming Ecumenical Council.

The liturgical reform promoted by the Second Vatican Council is thus firmly rooted in the living tradition of the Church. A correct understanding of it also enables us to reject the abuses that occurred in certain sectors of the Church during the post-Conciliar period, and which, unfortunately, still occur from time to time today, where some of the principles underlying the reform itself have been taken to extremes or misunderstood.

In this regard, it is worth recalling that the Conciliar Constitution affirms that “Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the Church, which is the "sacrament of unity", namely, the holy people united and ordered under their bishops. Therefore liturgical services pertain to the whole body of the Church; they manifest it and have effects upon it” ( Sacrosanctum Concilium , no. 26).

It is therefore the primary responsibility of pastors, of bishops but also of each individual priest, to safeguard and promote a liturgy which, while respecting liturgical norms, shines with noble simplicity (cf. no. 34) and thus manifests the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Such a liturgy will also be a fundamental vehicle for evangelization, the instrument of grace through which, as the Council teaches, we may learn to offer ourselves and, through Christ’s mediation, be perfected in unity with God and amongst ourselves (cf. no. 48).

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[1] Cf. G. B. Montini, «Third Letter from the Council», Rivista Diocesana Milanese 51 (1962) 921-923: 922.

[2] Cf. Ibid .

[3] Cf. Solemn Closing of the Second Session of the Council, Allocution of the Holy Father Paul VI (4 December 1963).

 

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Greeting in English

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from Malta, Senegal and Canada.  A special greeting to those serving in the National Offices of the Pontifical Mission Societies.  Upon you and your families, I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!

 

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Summary of the Holy Father's words

Dear brothers and sisters, in this final catechesis on the Second Vatican Council ’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium , we recall the reasons the Council Fathers promoted a liturgical reform. When the Church carries out a reform of the liturgy — a constant process of development across the centuries — there is an important distinction to be made between the divine, immutable elements, and the human elements, which may undergo various modifications. The need arose for the faithful to celebrate the liturgies more consciously and actively, not “as strangers and silent spectators,” but participating fully in the salvific mystery. In this way, the Christian people learn to recognize sacred realities, offer themselves with and through the hands of the priest, and become more open to receiving God’s grace. At every celebration of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, let us ask for God’s help to be strengthened on our journey and to enter into a deeper relationship with the Lord.

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the bishops of the Lutheran Church of Norway, to whom he delivered the following address:

 

Address of the Holy Father

Dear friends,

I am pleased to welcome you this morning to Rome and here to the Vatican, and I hope that you will have time, or have had time, to visit the various holy sites associated with the early Christians and martyrs, whose witness to the faith in our Lord remains an enduring source of inspiration, encouraging us likewise to give our lives for the glory of God and for the good of our brothers and sisters.

There is no doubt that we face difficult challenges in our own time, as the world passes through a particularly turbulent period. There seems to be an increasing animosity among peoples, evident not only in international conflicts and disputes, as you mentioned, but also within individual countries, as demonstrated by the bitterness that frequently characterizes political and social discourse.

Given our fallen human condition, it is all too easy to adopt an attitude of hostility toward those with whom we disagree. For this reason, a concerted effort is required to seek concrete paths of reconciliation and of fraternity. In this regard, Jesus shows us another way, revealing that goodness and charity have the power to disarm. I am therefore sincerely grateful for your presence here and for your shared desire to seek ways of building communion. Indeed, even small gestures can inspire and guide us along the path of reconciliation.

As we well know, our Lord prayed to the heavenly Father for the unity of his disciples: “that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” ( Jn 17:23). Grounded in our common Baptism and our shared mission in the world, I pray that we may always grow together in our service to the promotion of peace and justice.

As we continue along this path, we can look to the example of the early martyrs and of saints, such as Saint Olaf and Saint Sunniva, whose lives, dedicated to God and neighbor, helped to unite peoples and bear enduring witness to the transforming power of charity.

So my dear friends, my dear brothers and sisters, I thank you once again for your coming this morning and for your closeness. Let us ask for God’s blessing, so that, in God’s infinite goodness and wisdom, he may help us to live ever more truly as brothers and sisters, and thus bear common witness to our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you.

Appointment of member of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life

The Holy Father has appointed the distinguished Dr. Patrick E. Kelly, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, as member of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience a delegation from the Military Ordinariate for Portugal.

The following is the address delivered by the Pope to those present during the meeting:

 

Address of the Holy Father

In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen! Peace be with you!

Your Most Reverend Excellency, Distinguished Authorities, Reverend Chaplains, Dear brothers and sisters!

You have come to Rome and, in a sense, the other members of your units are united with you. In welcoming you, I extend my greetings to all members – Christian and non-Christian alike – of the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, the National Republican Guard and the Public Security Police in Portugal. In a special way, in the light of the Risen Christ, I remember the two young soldiers from the Army who, last Friday, lost their lives while like the Good Samaritan, they generously stopped along the way to offer assistance: I entrust them to the Lord, together with their families.

It was with the welfare of the entire corps of the Armed Forces and Security Forces, their members and their respective families in mind that the Vicariate was established sixty years ago; in 1981 it came to be known as the the Military Ordinariate and, twenty-five years ago, received its first bishop. You have therefore chosen to come to Rome specifically to commemorate these anniversaries. May the Ordinariate, by making its invaluable contribution to spiritual well-being and to the understanding of Christian values, continue to be a forum for constructive collaboration with state, governmental and military authorities.

For those who believe in Christ, making a pilgrimage to this city represents a unique opportunity for self-renewal, recognizing the centrality of God in one’s own life and strengthening one’s faith through prayer beside the tomb of the Apostle Saint Peter. Every day, each of you has the noble mission of defending the sovereignty of the Fatherland and the rule of law, ensuring the safety of your fellow citizens and protecting them from injustice. I would therefore like to repeat to you this exhortation from Saint Paul: “Be strong in the Lord. […] Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace” ( Eph 6:10, 14–15).

Be strong in the Lord, like the centurion who approached Jesus in Capernaum. He was well aware of the values by which you guide your lives: obedience, discipline, self-denial, loyalty, camaraderie, dedication, responsibility and courage. At the same time, that soldier felt a need for God; he knew that human beings are not self-sufficient, but aspire to something more, to something that transcends them. Having a servant who was suffering terribly, this led him to approach Jesus, who assured him that He would go and heal him. However, he replied: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority, with soldier under me; and I say to one, ‘Go’, and he goes, and to another, ‘Come’, and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this’, and he does it” ( Mt 8:8–9). In this attitude, we can see how the centurion valued hierarchy and how this aspect of his daily life shaped his understanding of his relationship with Jesus of Nazareth, whom he confesses as his Lord and his God. Astonished by these words, Jesus said: “Not even in Israel have I found such faith!” (v. 10). Although, on the one hand, this soldier was aware of his authority, on the other, he demonstrated before the Son of God the strength of faith and the courage of humility. Indeed, human beings, however much responsibility they may bear, however much power they may wield, however blameless they may be, are always hungry for the infinite and thirsty for eternity. Now, the infinite and eternity are within our reach in Jesus Christ: they are a gift from the Lord.

Most Reverend Excellency, dear chaplains, the Church entrusts to you the spiritual growth of the military personnel and police officers of your nation. Welcome them all, listen to them, enlighten them with the wisdom of the Word of God, stand by their side acting in the name of Christ in the celebration of the Sacraments, and accompany each one without forgetting their families. From this specific ministry of yours will come the fruits of personal growth in the practice of the Christian life and the reinvigoration of the esprit de corps of the Military and Security Forces you serve. Thank you for the closeness which, as good shepherds, you offer to all those who perform such an important, special and demanding service for the good of Portugal and beyond. Your witness of love for the Church and for the country is a balm that comforts and gives hope.

And finally, to all of you who have come here, I wish to express my gratitude for the esteem, appreciation and recognition you show for the work carried out in the Ordinariate. May Our Lady of Fátima accompany you in your various missions, both in Portugal and abroad. May the joy of the Lord be your strength. God bless you! Thank you.

[Blessing]