Liturgical changes are sign of church's life, Cardinal Arinze says

Published: 2004-04-02

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- People have a right to their opinions about various aspects of the liturgy, but the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council will continue as the Catholic Church continues, said Cardinal Francis Arinze. "The church is alive. It is not in the Vatican museums or sealed like some kind of 'ecclesiastical refrigerator.' It is alive and it will change," said the cardinal, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments. The Nigerian cardinal spoke April 2 at a Vatican press conference marking the publication of a book of papal documents and of speeches from a Dec. 4 Vatican meeting to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Vatican II Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. The papal documents in the book are Pope John Paul's apostolic letter on the anniversary and his special letter on music in the liturgy, both published in early December.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .