It’s neither a “repertoire of abuses” nor a catalogue of disciplinary measures: the Vatican document “Redemptionis Sacramentum” on the liturgy of the Eucharist “adds nothing new” to the existing canonical provisions. This clarification has been made by two European Episcopal Conferences, that of Belgium and that of Switzerland, which were obliged to intervene to rectify the “spectacular information” that the press had given about the document in the two countries. The Vatican document comments Cardinal Godfried Danneels, archbishop of Brussels, in a press release “is not a disciplinary work, even though it underlines many specific points essential for a proper celebration of the Eucharist”. The document adds the cardinal “contains nothing new. It’s a catalogue of prescriptions that are already to be found in the liturgical books and in the Code of Canon Law”. Cardinal Danneels further points out that all the prescriptions contained in the document may be traced back to some basic principles. First, “in the liturgical celebration, each has his own particular function (priests, deacons, pastoral animators and laity)” and “these roles are not interchangeable”. The archbishop of Brussels also intervenes on the question of some erroneous interpretations given by the press with regard (e.g.) to the use of “altar-girls” instead of boys (the rule “remains unaltered”) or the celebrant’s exchange of peace with the faithful, so long as “it does not interrupt or slow down the celebration”. The Swiss bishops have also intervened on the Vatican document. It is they write “nothing but the re-affirmation of the fundamental principles that have always regarded a central mystery of the Catholic faith”. The intention of the Holy See was to “return to the origins of the Eucharist and make the reasons why one practice should be followed rather than another easier to understand”. The Swiss Episcopal Conference explains, in a statement issued in the name of its presidency, that the document’s main aim is to urge the Church to prepare “with the greatest care” the eucharistic celebration with all “the respect” that is due to it.
