On Wednesday afternoon, March 6, 2024, the friars of the General Custody of the Sacred Convent of Assisi met at the Sacred Convent for a second formation meeting on the ars celebrandi [art of celebrating] for those who preside over Mass. The meeting was led by Friar Francesco SCIALPI.
Like the first meeting, the second meeting began with a brief moment of prayer. The friars heard the second part of the scripture passage about the disciples on their way to Emmaus and listened to a passage from the letter “Adorare in Spirito e Verità” [Worshipping in Spirit and Truth] by the Most Reverend Domenico SORRENTINO, Archbishop of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, Italy.
Before continuing on to analyze the various parts of the Mass, Friar Francis focused on two questions that some friars had recently raised:
-The first question concerned instructions for readers. Friar Francis referred to number 55 of the General Principles for the Liturgical Celebration of the Word of God found in the Introduction to the Lectionary. A reader, whether instituted or de facto, should be prepared through biblical, liturgical and technical formation. The reader is called to make the Word of God heard, to become its instrument, its vehicle. We are called to train the people of God in this area as well.
– The second question concerned the Extraordinary Form of the Mass [traditional Latin Mass]. After a brief historical excursus explaining why Benedict XVI introduced this option in July of 2007, Friar Francesco focused on the decision by Pope Francis who, with his Apostolic Letter, issued Motu proprio, Traditionis custodes, stressed the importance of communion within the Church. Generally, the faithful who turned to the Latin Mass complained they lacked a sense of mystery. However, the real problem is not the liturgical reform [willed by the Second Vatican Council] but how to implement it. The solution is to train of all the people of God, including bishops and priests, so that everyone deeply understands the liturgical reform and can implement it.
Friar Francesco then moved on to the analysis of the Liturgy of the Eucharist and the concluding rites found in various numbers regarding the structure of the Mass, as described in the Roman Missal. He paused to comment and explain numbers 78 and 79 in particular.
The meeting ended with a discussion resulting from some requests for clarification raised by the friars.
Friar Simone TENUTI
