This one one irks me. An archbishop in Brisbane, Australian has spoken out against what he calls "spying in church". He wants people to stop taking notes of liturgical abuses. To a certain extent, I understand where he's coming from. Sacrifice and worship should be the focus of the mass, not keeping track of every little thing done not quite right. However, I can't agree with his insistence that all note-taking stop. If their weren't abuses to report, people wouldn't need to take notes. If nobody takes notes, abuses go unreported. If abuses go unreported, the Eucharist may continue to be desecrated and the Church disobeyed.
It's ironic that this archbishop would squelch note-taking in order to restore focus to the Eucharist, but that very squelching could lead to the improper handling of that same Eucharistic worship. Redemptionis Sacramentum was written for a reason - there were abuses to be corrected. I've witnessed first-hand the apparent ignorance of, or perhaps apathy towards, that document in parishes. In those places, it's up to the faithful remnant of the laity to report abuses to the Church. How else will they be corrected?
Funky Dung
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Sorta reminds me of something I read once about Wal-Mart asking customers to leave who were writing down prices for comparison. Similar idea: Just trust us, don't examine us.
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Posted 11 Dec 2004 at 5:48 pm ¶From Redemptionis Sacramentum:
183. In an altogether particular manner, let everyone do all that is in their power to ensure that the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist will be protected from any and every irreverence or distortion and that all abuses be thoroughly corrected. This is a most serious duty incumbent upon each and every one, and all are bound to carry it out without any favoritism.
184. Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christs faithful, has the right to lodge a complaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him in law, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff. It is fitting, however, insofar as possible, that the report or complaint be submitted first to the diocesan Bishop. This is naturally to be done in truth and charity.
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Posted 14 Dec 2004 at 2:07 pm ¶Post a Comment