Tag: confessional rooms

Which Changes did Vatican II authorize? – Part 1

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(This information is from Newsletter of Cardinal Newman Catechist Centre: No. 161; 5th April, 1999. Editor and Director -The Rev. B.J.H. Tierney.) Fr. Tierney was in a Novus Ordo parish as Assistant priest at the time.

Summary of the Changes: in church buildings.

  1. Changes authorized by Vatican II
  2. Changes authorized but NOT by Vatican II
  3. Changes CONTRARY to Vatican II

N.B. ‘SC ‘ refers to “Sacrosanctum Concilium” – chiefly concerned with the Council’s  “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy” of 1963

  1. Changes authorized by Vatican II to church buildings:

No changes to church buildings were commanded, or mentioned, or were legitimate developments from it.

Rather, a statement of principles to ensure ‘active participation’ SC§124 para. 3. (* See more info in a following post).

And that the most noble standards be upheld SC§128.

2. Changes to church buildings – authorized, but NOT by Vatican II:

These were separate developments authorized by the Roman Curia or the Pope.

  1. i) Altar for “Mass facing the people”
  2. ii) Tabernacle often ‘dethroned’ and the priest’s chair sometimes ‘enthroned’

iii) Baptismal Font moved onto the sanctuary.

  1. iv) Pulpit sometimes remodelled as a table.
  2. v) Confessional rooms ‘face to face’ sitting (!)

3. Changes contrary to Vatican II:

These changes were not authorized at all but brought in by the whim of priests and parishes, contra SC§22(3)

  1. i) Buildings banal or even ugly.
  2. ii) Altar rails, kneelers, statues removed, contra SC§126.

iii) Overhead projectors and screens lacking ‘artistic merit’, SC§124.

 

Next post: Which Changes did Vatican II authorize? – Part 2