Italian hierarchy rebuked for liturgical failings

Sandro Magister, "The Pope Rattles the Bishops: 'Learn from Saint Francis'" (www.chiesa, November 12):

ROME, November 12, 2010 – The last two popes, on numerous occasions, have pointed to the Italian Church and its episcopate as a "model" for other nations.

There is one field, however, in which the Italian Church does not shine. It is that of the liturgy.

This was made clear by the severe lesson that Benedict XVI gave to the Italian bishops gathered in Assisi for their general assembly from November 8-11, an assembly centered on an examination of the new translation of the Roman missal.

... The pope gave as an example of genuine liturgical reform the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215, which put into the hands of the priests the "Breviary" with the liturgy of the hours, and reinforced the belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharistic bread and wine.

Those were the times of Saint Francis of Assisi. And Benedict XVI dedicated a good part of his message to illustrating for the Italian bishops the spirit with which that great saint obeyed that liturgical reform, and made his friars obey it.

... [St. Francis] was profoundly convinced that Christian worship should correspond to the "rule of faith" that has been received, and in this way give form to the Church. The priests, first of all, must base their holiness of life on the "holy things" of the liturgy.