Across the vast plaza, in the shadow of St. Peter’s, we walked in the sunny, brisk atmosphere. It was Rome at its finest—without the raw rains of the Vatican Council days, without the wet warmth of a hot summer.

The Consilium, the Church’s highest instrument guiding the liturgy, met in the Santa Marta to the left of the great basilica. Around a long table sat about 40 bishops from all over the world. In chairs by the walls sat the periti-specialists like Father Martimort and Fathers Gelineau of France, Wagner, and Fischer of Germany, McManus of our own country. Father Bugnini supervises the meeting under the presidency of the gentle, learned prelate, Cardinal Lercaro.

Most of the discussion is in Latin, but occasionally a French, German or English voice is heard.

Things Remembered

It’s much different than the years of 1962 when the liturgy draft was being worked out. Some of the pioneers have died: Bishop Bekkers, and several of the aged cardinals. There is less tension in the air.

The great liturgical issues were then in the clear—community instead of individual, flexibility not rigidity, vernacular not Latin, stress on Sacred Scriptures instead of private devotions, and local authority instead of a heavy centralization of power.

In December, 1963 the renewal of the liturgy became a fact. Those called progressives grew in number. When the final vote was taken in the presence of Pope Paul VI, there were about four votes that disagreed. American bishops voted overwhelmingly.

Profound scholarship, hundreds of hours of discussions and votes had built a workable draft. The days were tiresome and endless. The liturgists dragged themselves in the rain back to the hotels and pensions. The Conciliar Commission handed the 2,4000 council fathers a fine document worthy of acceptance.

In January 1964, the Consilium replaced the Commission. Most of the same bishops and periti continued the work. To Father McManus was added Father Godfrey Diekmann of St. John’s University. Cardinal Ritter was named to work with me. Now Cardinal Cody has replaced him.

A Cross-Section

Here is the Catholic Church at its universal dimension. Here are all the continents, almost every nation, various moods and temperaments, those who want to move forward, those who fear change.

Naturally I suppose, we of the Anglo-Saxon culture communicate easily; Bishop Carter of Canada (Bishop Martin is his French-Canadian opposite number), Grey of Scotland, Hurley of South Africa, Young of Australia, and Dwyer of England. The Irish representative is not here, but a fine Irish priest, Father Hackett, contributes much.

Styles and skill are present in those from Africa and Asia. Tall and princely is Cardinal Rugumbwa of Uganda. Tiny and vivacious are Bishops Nagae of Japan and Laudiswamy of India. Bishop Von Bekkum carries himself with bearded dignity. His contribution to mission liturgy five years ago opened up adaptation to native customs

Some come from behind the Iron Curtain: Bishop Spulbeck of East Germany, Pilcher of Yugoslavia, Hervas of Hungary and Jop, a tiny, mild man from Poland. Spulbeck showed us in one aspect of the liturgy—the educational. “We are not allowed scholls, or newspapers or organizations. To teach the faith we have only the liturgy. Give us the German tongue so that our people can learn,” he begged us in 1962.

France has Bishops Jenny and Bouden, both sharp and volatile. From Brazil comes Rau, and Panama, Mendez.

The church is at work here. Scholarship and dogged determination are linked to imagination and the creative impulse. When you join in worship next Sunday, recall that this was the spadework.

The New Mass

We are considering the liturgical side (not the theological or canonical) of these subjects: Confirmation, the Divine Office, Marriage, and Holy Week. But the chief study has been the Mass itself—the Synod of Bishops had a demonstration of what is being called the “Normative Mass.”

The substance will be the same as always--the scriptural readings (probably three instead of two), and Canon (likely choice of four) and the Communion. The Apostles’ Creed (familiar to all) may replace the Nicene Creed. And there will probably be two profoundly theological changes in the words of consecration:

“Which is given for you” will be added for bread as for the wine. “Mystery of faith’ will be omitted because it appears in no biblical account.

The Consilium first prepared this basic Mass; the Synod of Bishops advised the Holy Father that it was good; and now the Consilium is polishing the final draft. As soon as the final approval is given, it will be official.

We will probably have it in the spring, at least for experiments. It may be normal Sunday Mass by next summer.

Ecumenical Side

Over at one side, intensely interested, more skilled in Latin than some of us, are the Protestant observers, two Anglicans, Dr. Jasper of California and Dr. Shepard of England; a Lutheran and a member of the monastery at Taize.

Dr. Jasper will join Bishop Carter, Father McManus and me in a symposium at the American graduate house Monday. Bishop Young has invited the Anglican Dr. Jasper and me to lunch today. Such dialogue is fresh, congenial and full of ideas.

Thanksgiving Day we had dinner as the guests of Bishop Reh, rector, at the North American College. Cardinals Cody and Brennan, my friend, Msgr. Norman Kelley, Pat McCormack, the Atlanta seminarian, the faculty and students ate turkey and mince pie and other Italian delicacies.

That New Canon

We also attended four meetings of the International Committee for the English Liturgy. Ten bishops and about 100 specialists exulted over the New Canon, the burden of a year of solid work. Except for a few objections to style, and one or two on certain omitted phrases, there has been world-wide acclaim.

Now on the ordinary parts of the Mass, the readings and prayers.

Nickname for this ten-nation project is the “Common Market”. It’s an appropriate term except that here England is in, while in the politico-economic market, England is out.

Paul J. Hallinan

Archbishop Of Atlanta