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PINK DUES AT THE ALTAR ARE REQUIRED? FROM FEMINIST THEO-IDEOLOGY TO THE PASTORAL WISDOM OF SRI LANKA

The bishop can allow altar girls, but he cannot force parish priests to use them. The non-ordained faithful "do not have a right" to serve at the altar and the obligation remains to promote male groups of altar boys, also for their proven vocational value.

- Church news -

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Seeing children around the altar it cheers the heart and spirit. It is a sign of life in a Europe - starting from our Italy - in which the birth rate has been at a standstill for decades and the average age of the population, and the clergy, continues to rise. In such a fragile context, the presence of children in church is already good news, a foretaste of the future.

In the video: S. AND. Rev.ma Mons. Raymond Kingsley Wickramasinghe, Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka)

When two parents apologized to me at the end of the Holy Mass for the two somewhat noisy children, answered: «As long as children make noise in our churches, it means we are always alive". I didn't add it then, but I'll do it now as an aside in the discussion: when during the sacred liturgies we will no longer hear the voices of children, we will surely hear those of the muezzins who will sing from the bell towers of our churches transformed into mosques, as has already happened in various Northern European countries. The examples are known, I'll just take a few: in Hamburg the former Lutheran Kapernaumkirche was purchased and reopened as the Al-Nour Mosque; in Amsterdam the Fatih Moskee is located in the former Catholic church of Saint Ignatius; in Bristol the Jamia Mosque is located in the former St. Katherine’s Church. As for the call of the muezzin with loudspeakers, the city of Cologne started in 2021 a city project that allows Friday recall, then stabilized in 2024.

In the last decades, in quite a few dioceses the habit of admitting girls to serve at the altar has become established. Practice that many bishops and parish priests, even though I don't love her, they tolerated or maintained so as not to spark controversy. Over the years some of them, having now become adolescents and young people, they continued to serve at the altar, not without embarrassment for some priests, including yours truly, who with extreme politeness has never allowed girls and especially teenage girls to serve. Of course, it's not about preventing women from certain services, but to think with pedagogical pastoral wisdom: how many priestly vocations were born next to the altar, in the group of altar boys? And how do you explain to a little girl who is passionate about liturgy that the ministry of the Order is not, nor can it be a perspective open to her female condition? Because on this point the doctrine is very clear: «Only a baptized man validly receives sacred ordination» (Code of Canon Law 1983, can. 1024); «The Church recognizes itself as bound by the choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1577); and the Holy Pontiff John Paul II definitively confirmed that the Church "has no authority" to confer priestly ordination on women (priestly ordination, 22 May 1994, n. 4).

Then there is a socio-pedagogical aspect well known to those who frequent the sacristies: the little girls, often more ready, diligent and mature peers, tend to prevail in small groups; experience shows that, where the number of girls in the presbytery becomes significantly higher, quite a few boys back away perceiving that service as "a thing for girls". The paradoxical result is that precisely the most potentially vocational subjects distance themselves from the heart of the celebration. It would therefore be appropriate to ask: in a West with a high average age of priests, empty seminaries or reduced in number of seminarians to a minimum, with more and more parishes without a parish priest, it makes sense to give up what can favor even a few seeds of vocation to pursue the - worldly and politically correct - logic of "clerical pink quotas"?

To understand "what is possible" and above all "what is best", the starting point is not opinions but liturgical norms. The liturgy is not a field of sociological experimentation: «Absolutely none, not even the priest, add, removes or changes anything on his own initiative" (Holy Council, 22 §3). The functions of the ministers are outlined with precise calls for sobriety, roles and limits (General Missal Traditional, NN. 100; 107; 187-193). On the ministerial side, the Holy Pontiff Paul VI replaced the ancient "minor orders" with the established ministries of reader and acolyte, then reserved for lay men (cf.. Ministries, NN. I-IV). The Supreme Pontiff Francis has modified can. 230 § 1, opening the established ministries of lector and acolyte to women as well, but these are not identified with the service of altar boys, which falls within the temporary deputation foreseen by can. 230 §2 and concerns the help at the altar entrusted from time to time to lay people (crf. The owner of the owner, 2021; CIC 1983, can. 230 §1-2).

Two texts from the Holy See they then set the perimeter with rare clarity. The Circular Letter of the Congregation for Divine Worship, addressed to the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences for the correct interpretation of can. 230 §2 (15 March 1994, Prot. 2482/93), recognized the possibility - at the discretion of the bishop - of also admitting women to serve at the altar, specifying, however, that "it will always be very appropriate to follow the noble tradition of having altar boys" and that no subjective right to serve arises from admission (cf.. Information 30 [1994] 333-335). A few years later, the Letter of the same Congregation (27 July 2001) they further clarified that the bishop can allow altar girls but cannot force parish priests to use them; that the non-ordained faithful "do not have a right" to serve at the altar; that the obligation to promote male groups of altar boys remains, also for their proven vocational value. It is "always very appropriate" - states the document - to follow the noble tradition of boys at the altar (Latin text in Information 37 [2001] 397-399; Trad.. en. in Information 38 [2002] 46-48).

Inside this picture, the pedagogy of the altar shines again: proximity to the Mystery educates with the power of signs, introduces a filial confidence with the Eucharist e, for many kids, it was a real one “lecture” of discernment. The Church which does not have the power to confer the Order on women (Catechism of the Catholic Church n. 1577; priestly ordination, 4) is called to prudently safeguard those spaces that have historically proven fertile for the emergence of priestly vocations. This does not devalue female presence and charisma; on the contrary, frees the community from the temptation to clericalize the laity and to laicize the clergy - and in particular women - by symbolically pushing them into the presbyterate, as if that were the only place "that matters" (cf.. reminder about clericalism in the gospel of joy, 102-104). There are very rich paths for girls and young people, established and in fact: established readership or, according to the cases, practiced as a reading in the celebration, singing and sacred music, sacristy service, ministries of the Word and charity, catechesis e, today, also the established ministry of catechist (The old ministry, 2021). These are areas in which the "female genius" offers the Church a decisive contribution without generating impossible expectations regarding access to the priesthood (cf.. The old ministry, 2021; Spirit ofi, 2021; can. 230 §1-2).

The experience of other particular Churches sheds further light on the issue. In Sri Lanka, where the average age of the clergy is much lower than Italy and the seminaries are populated with vocations, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith, indicated the use of altar girls as inappropriate for pastoral and pedagogical reasons: none of them, indeed, as adults they will be able to enter the seminary; it therefore makes sense to preserve typically male educational spaces around the altar, without taking anything away from the rich female participation in other areas? In other contexts, like in the United States, some dioceses and parishes have legitimately maintained all-male groups of altar servers precisely on the basis of the texts of 1994 he was born in 2001. It's not about "excluding", but to enhance a practice that in certain places proves to be more fruitful for vocational pastoral care (cf.. diocesan lines: Diocese of Lincoln – Nebraska; Phoenix – Cathedral Parish; other local realities of the United States of America).

At this point, however, someone calls for pink quotas in the presbytery, as if symmetrical representation were the litmus test of the valorization of women. A logic, that of pink quotas, which however belongs to the sociopolitical; the liturgy is not a parliament to be represented proportionally, it is the action of Christ and the Church. Discernment applies here, not the claim. And discernment asks: in a territory with few priests and few vocations, which concrete choice best promotes the growth of future priests without debasing the presence of women? The Holy See's responses leave no misunderstandings: admitting girls is permitted when appropriate, but it is appropriate and even necessary to promote male groups of altar boys, also in view of vocational pastoral care (cf.. Information 30 [1994] 333-335; Information 37 [2001] 397-399; Information 38 [2002] 46-48).

The thesis has also been circulating in recent months — taken up by the theologian Marinella Perroni, according to which Columbus' choice would constitute a perfect "syllogism" but "to be rejected", because it would make the group of altar boys impervious to differences and therefore harmful.

Subject, that of this theologian, which confuses social engineering and liturgy in a truly superficial and crude way. The liturgy does not aim to represent all differences but to serve the Mystery according to common norms (cf.. Holy Council 22 §3). The official sources, as seen, they remember three elementary things: the ability to admit girls is possible but does not create rights; the bishop can authorize, but do not impose; and "the obligation remains" to promote men's groups for vocational reasons as well (cf.. Information 37 [2001] 397-399; Trad.. en. Information 38 [2002] 46-48; the more Circular letter the 15.03.1994, Prot. 2482/93).

In other words: Cardinal Albert Malcom Ranjith does not exclude women: exercises pastoral prudence precisely foreseen by law and practice. Mistaking this prudence for misogyny is pure ideology, not discernment. And if ecclesial vitality really depended on a "pink" censer, then two millennia of female saints, of women doctors and martyrs - without ever claiming the ministerial altar - would be worth less than a share: an unfair conclusion towards women e, Furthermore, irrational for faith (cf.. Marinella Perroni: "Sri Lanka, but because the ban on altar girls would favor priestly vocations?», The Osservatore Romano in Women Church World, 1 February 2025).

Definitely, no quotas are needed at the altar, we need hearts educated in the Mystery. It is legitimate - and sometimes appropriate - for some particular Churches to admit girls to service; and it is equally legitimate - and often wiser - to maintain male groups of altar servers when this benefits the clarity of the signs and the promotion of vocations. It is not a surrender to the “male order”, but an act of pastoral prudence at the service of the entire community.

If we love girls, we offer them great ministries and services according to the Gospel: Word, charity, catechesis, custody and decoration of the church and the altar, musica, singing... without reducing their dignity to a position next to the thurible. Instead, if we love the kids, let us intelligently guard those educational spaces that, for centuries, they helped the Church to recognize and accompany the gift of a priestly life.

A final note as a personal testimony: I was nine years old when at the end of Holy Mass I went home telling my parents that I wanted to become a priest. Which was taken as one of the many typical fantasies of children, capable of saying today that they want to be astronauts, tomorrow the strawberry growers, the doctors the day before tomorrow. but yet, what seemed like a fantasy, it turned out not to be so: thirty-five years later I received the Holy Order of Priests. Yup, mine was an adult vocation, but born as a child, while I was serving as an altar boy at the altar, at the age of nine.

the Island of Patmos, 8 October 2025

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ARE «PINK QUOTAS» AT THE ALTAR NECESSARY? FROM FEMINIST THEO‑IDEOLOGY TO SRI LANKA’S PASTORAL WISDOM

A bishop may permit altar girls, but he cannot require pastors to use them. The non-ordained faithful «have no right» to serve at the altar, and there remains an obligation to promote boys’ altar-server groups, also for their proven vocational value.

— Ecclesial actuality —

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Seeing children around the altar gladdens the heart and spirit. It is a sign of life in a Europe — beginning with our Italy — where the birth rate has been flat for decades and the average age of the population, and of the clergy, keeps rising. In such a fragile context, the presence of children in church is already good news, a foretaste of the future.

In the video: His Excellency Msgr. Raymond Kingsley Wickramasinghe, Bishop of Galle (Sri Lanka)

When two parents apologized to me at the end of Holy Mass for their two rather noisy children, I replied: «As long as children make noise in our churches, it means we are still alive». I did not add then — but I do so now in passing — that when we no longer hear the voices of children in our churches, we will surely hear the voices of the muezzins singing from the bell towers of our churches turned into mosques, as has already happened in various countries of Northern Europe.

The examples are well known, I will mention only a few: in Hamburg the former Lutheran Kapernaumkirche was purchased and reopened as the Al‑Nour Mosque; in Amsterdam the Fatih Moskee occupies the former Catholic Church of St Ignatius («The Sower»); in Bristol the Jamia Mosque stands in the former St. Katherine’s Church. As for the amplified call of the muezzin, the city of Cologne launched in 2021 a municipal pilot allowing the Friday call, which was then stabilized in 2024.

In recent decades, in not a few dioceses it has become customary to admit girls as well to service at the altar. Many bishops and pastors, though not fond of the practice, have tolerated or maintained it to avoid controversy. Over the years, some of those girls became adolescents and young women and continued serving, not without embarrassment for certain priests — including the undersigned — who, with the greatest courtesy, have never allowed girls, and especially adolescent young women, to serve.

To be clear, this is not about forbidding women certain services, least of all young girls. It is about thinking with pedagogical and pastoral wisdom: how many priestly vocations have been born at the altar, within a group of altar boys? And how does one explain to a girl who loves the liturgy that the sacrament of Orders is not, and cannot be, a path open to her as a woman? The doctrine is crystal‑clear: «A baptized male alone receives sacred ordination validly» (cf. Code of Canon Law, can. 1024); «The Church recognizes herself to be bound by the choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible» cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1577); and Saint John Paul II definitively confirmed that the Church «has no authority whatsoever» to confer priestly ordination on women (cf. priestly ordination (1994), n. 4; CDF, The answer to the problem (1995).

There is also a socio‑pedagogical aspect known to those who frequent sacristies: girls — often readier, more diligent and mature than their peers — tend to take the lead in small groups; experience shows that where the number of girls in the sanctuary clearly exceeds that of boys, not a few boys withdraw, perceiving the service as a «girls’ thing». The paradoxical result is that those most potentially receptive to a vocation drift away from the heart of the celebration. In a West where the average age of priests is high, seminaries are empty or reduced and parishes are without pastors, does it make sense to give up what may foster even a few vocations in order to pursue the worldly logic of “clerical pink quotas”?

To understand not only «what is allowed» but above all «what is fitting», we must start from the liturgical norms. The liturgy is not a field for sociological experiments: «Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority» (cf. Holy Council, 22 §3). The functions of ministers are laid out with sober precision (cf. General Instruction of the Roman Missal). As for ministries, Saint Paul VI replaced the former “minor orders” with the instituted ministries of lector and acolyte, then reserved to lay men cf. Ministries, 1972). Pope Francis modified can. 230 § 1, opening the instituted ministries of lector and acolyte also to women, but these are not to be identified with altar‑server service, which belongs to the temporary deputation of can. 230 §2 and concerns assistance at the altar entrusted case by case to lay faithful (cf. Spirit of, 2021).

Two texts of the Holy See clarified the matter with unusual precision. The Circular Letter of the Congregation for Divine Worship to the Presidents of Bishops’ Conferences on the correct interpretation of can. 230 §2 (15 March 1994, Prot. 2482/93) recognized the possibility — at the bishop’s discretion — of admitting girls to service at the altar, while stressing that it is “always very appropriate” to maintain the noble tradition of boys as altar servers, and that such admission does not create any subjective “right” to serve (Information 30 (1994) 333–335). A few years later, the Letter of the same Congregation (27 July 2001) clarified further: the bishop may permit altar girls but cannot oblige pastors to use them; the non‑ordained faithful «have no right» to serve; and there remains the obligation to promote male groups also for their vocational value (cf. Information 37 (2001) 397–399; .Information 38 (2002) 46–48).

The experience of other local Churches also sheds light. In Sri Lanka — where the average age of diocesan clergy is much lower than in Italy and the seminaries are well populated — the Metropolitan Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith, indicated the inopportuneness of altar girls for pastoral and pedagogical reasons: none of them, as adults, can enter the seminary; it therefore makes sense to preserve characteristically male formative spaces around the altar, without in any way diminishing the rich female participation elsewhere (see his pastoral indication cited here: The Rudder).

In other contexts, such as the United States, some dioceses and parishes have legitimately maintained boys‑only altar‑server groups precisely on the basis of the 1994 and 2001 texts. This is not “exclusion”, but the promotion of a practice that in certain places proves more fruitful for vocational ministry (cf. Diocese of Lincoln (policy explanation; and the 2011 decision at the Cathedral of Sts. Simon & Jude, Phoenix — news report).

In recent months, this thesis has been taken up by the italian theologian Mrss Marinella Perroni, who argues that the choice made in Colombo follows a «syllogism» that may be logically neat but should nonetheless be rejected.

In doing so, however, her argument slides from liturgy into social engineering. The liturgy is not a proportional mirror of social constituencies; it is the Church’s worship of God according to norms that safeguard the clarity of signs and the freedom of grace (cf. Holy Council 22 §3). The Holy See’s documents, as shown above, recall three elementary points: the faculty to admit girls is possible but does not create subjective rights; the diocesan bishop may authorize but not impose it on pastors; and there remains the obligation to promote boys’ altar‑server groups also for vocational reasons (cf. Information 30 (1994) 333–335; Information 37 (2001) 397–399; Information 38 (2002) 46–48). To mistake this prudence for misogyny is ideology, not discernment (See Perroni’s article: "Sri Lanka, but why would the ban on altar girls encourage priestly vocations?» — L’Osservatore Romano, the official organ of the Holy See Italian original — English version).

In short, the altar does not need quotas; it needs hearts formed by the Mystery. It is legitimate — and at times opportune — for some particular Churches to admit girls to service; and it is equally legitimate — and often wiser — to maintain male altar‑server groups where this serves the clarity of signs and the promotion of vocations. This is not a capitulation to a “male order”, but an act of pastoral prudence in service of the whole community.

A concluding personal note: I was nine years old when, after Holy Mass, I went home and told my parents I wanted to become a priest. They took it as one of the many fantasies typical of children, who today want to be astronauts, tomorrow strawberry growers, and the day after doctors. And yet, what seemed a fantasy proved otherwise: thirty‑five years later I received sacred priestly ordination. Yes, mine was an adult vocation — but born as a child, while serving as an altar boy at the altar.

from the Island of Patmos, October 8, 2025

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ARE THE “PINK FEES” NECESSARY AT THE ALTAR? FROM FEMINIST THEO‑IDEOLOGY TO THE PASTORAL WISDOM OF SRI LANKA

The bishop may allow the altar girls, but cannot force parish priests to use them. Non-ordained faithful "have no right" to serve at the altar and the obligation to promote male groups of altar servers remains., also for its proven vocational value.

- Ecclesial news -

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See children around the altar cheers the heart and spirit. It is a sign of life in a Europe — starting with our Italy — in which the birth rate has been stagnant for decades and the average age of the population, and of the clergy, it doesn't stop increasing. In such a fragile context, The presence of children in the church is already good news, a preview of the future.

In the video: His Excellency Monsignor Raymond Kingsley Wickramasinghe, Obispo de bilal (Sri Lanka)

When, at the end of the Holy Mass, Two parents apologized to me for their two noisy children., I reassured them by saying: «As long as children make noise in our churches, It means we're still alive.". I didn't add it then — but I do it now as an aside —: when we no longer hear the voices of children in our churches, surely we will hear the muezzins singing from the bell towers of our churches converted into mosques, as has already happened in several Northern European countries. The examples are known; I quote only a few: in Hamburg, the former Lutheran Kapernaumkirche was acquired and reopened as Al-Nour Mosque; in Amsterdam, The Fatih Moskee has its headquarters in the former Catholic church of Saint Ignatius; A Bristol, The Jamia Mosque stands on the old St. Katherine’s Church. Regarding the muezzin's call on loudspeaker, the city of Cologne began in 2021 a municipal project that allows the call on Fridays, subsequently stabilized in 2024.

In recent decades, Many dioceses have also admitted girls to the service of the altar.. Many bishops and parish priests, still not appreciating it, have tolerated or maintained the practice to avoid controversy. As the years go by, some have continued as adolescents and young people, not without a certain embarrassment for some priests, including who writes, who with utmost courtesy has never allowed girls — and especially adolescents — to serve at the altar. It is worth clarifying this: It is not about denying women certain services, but to think with pastoral and pedagogical wisdom. How many priestly vocations were born next to the altar, in the group of altar boys? And how do you explain to a girl who is enthusiastic about the liturgy that the sacrament of Holy Orders is not — and cannot be — a perspective open to her feminine condition?? The doctrine is very clear: «Only the baptized male validly receives sacred ordination» (cf. CIC 1983, can. 1024); «The Church recognizes itself as bound by the election made by the Lord himself. For this reason, "The ordination of women is not possible." (cf. CEC n.1577); and Saint John Paul II definitively confirmed that the Church "does not in any way have the power" to confer priestly ordination on women (cf. priestly ordination, 22 May 1994, n. 4).

There is also a socio-pedagogical aspect well known by those who frequent the sacristies: the girls, often sooner, diligent and mature than their contemporaries, tend to prevail in small groups; experience shows that, where the number of girls in the presbytery becomes clearly higher, not a few boys withdraw, perceiving that service as “a girl thing”. The paradoxical result is that precisely the subjects with the greatest vocational potential move away from the heart of the celebration.. Does it make sense, so, in a West with a high average priestly age, empty or reduced seminaries and parishes without a priest, renouncing what can favor even a few germs of vocation to pursue the logic — but politically correct — of the “pink clerical quotas”?

To understand not only what “can be”, but above all what is “convenient”, the starting point is the liturgical norms, not the opinions. The liturgy is not a field for sociological experiments: "In no way does it allow anyone, not even the priest, add, remove or change anything on one's own initiative" (cf. Holy Council 22 §3). The functions of the ministers are outlined soberly, with roles and limits (cf. General Missal Traditional [IGMR], NN. 100; 107; 187–193).

In the field of ministries, Saint Paul VI replaced the old “minor orders” with the instituted ministries of reader and acolyte, then reserved for lay men (cf. Ministries, NN. I -IV). Pope Francis later modified the can. 230 § 1, opening these instituted ministries also to women, but they do not identify with the altar boy service, which belongs to the temporary deputation provided for by can. 230 §2 (cf. Spirit of, 2021; CIC 1983, can. 230 §1–2).

Two texts from the Holy See They then established the perimeter with rare clarity. The Circular Letter of the Congregation for Divine Worship to the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences on the correct interpretation of the canon. 230 §2 (15 March 1994, Prot. 2482/93) recognized the possibility — at the discretion of the bishop — of also admitting girls to the altar service, specifying at the same time that "it is always very appropriate" to maintain the noble tradition of altar boy children and that such admission does not create any subjective "right" to serve (cf. Information 30 (1994) 333–335). After a few years, las Letter from the same Congregation (27 July of 2001) they clarified even more: the bishop may allow the altar girls, but you cannot force parish priests to use them; non-ordained faithful "have no right" to serve; and the obligation to promote male groups also remains due to their proven vocational value. (cf. Information 37 (2001) 397–399; see also the Italian translation: Information 38 (2002) 46–48).

The experience of other particular Churches further illuminates the issue. In Sri Lanka — where the average age of the diocesan clergy is much lower than in Italy and the seminaries are well populated —, the metropolitan archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Albert Malcolm Ranjith, pointed out the inappropriateness of altar girls for pastoral and pedagogical reasons: none of them, already adult, you will be able to enter the seminar; therefore, it makes sense to preserve typically masculine educational spaces around the altar, without taking anything away from the rich female participation in other areas (see this pastoral indication cited here: The Rudder).

In other contexts, like in the United States, Some dioceses and parishes have legitimately maintained all-male altar boy groups precisely on the basis of the texts of 1994 and 2001. This is not "exclusion", but the promotion of a praxis that in certain places appears more fruitful for vocational ministry (see the Diocese of Lincoln (policy explanation); and the decision of 2011 in the Cathedral of Saints Simon and Jude, Phoenix — journalistic chronicle).

In these months, This thesis has been taken up by the theologian Marinella Perroni, who maintains that Colombo's option responds to an impeccable but, in your opinion, rejectable. However, His argument confuses liturgy with social engineering. The liturgy is not a proportional mirror of social belongings; It is the Church's worship of God according to norms that safeguard the clarity of the signs and the freedom of grace. (cf. Holy Council 22 §3). The documents of the Holy See, as we have seen, remember three basic points: girls can be admitted, but this does not create subjective rights; the diocesan bishop can authorize it, do not impose it on the parish priests; and the obligation to promote male groups of altar boys also for vocational reasons remains. (cf. Information 30 (1994) 333–335; Information 37 (2001) 397–399; Information 38 (2002) 46–48). Taking this caution for misogyny is ideology, non-discernment. See Perroni's article: "Sri Lanka, but because the ban on altar girls would favor priestly vocations?» — Italian original — english version.

Ultimately, at the altar there is no need for fees, but hearts educated by the Mystery. It is legitimate — and sometimes appropriate — for some particular Churches to admit girls to service; and it is equally legitimate — and often more prudent — to maintain male groups of altar servers when this serves the clarity of the signs and the promotion of vocations.. It is not a surrender to the “masculine order”, but an act of pastoral prudence at the service of the entire community.

A personal note as a testimony: I was nine years old when, at the end of the Holy Mass, I came home telling my parents that I wanted to be a priest.. They took it as one of many children's fantasies., able to say today that they want to be astronauts, Strawberry growers tomorrow and doctors tomorrow. Y, however, what seemed like a fantasy was not: thirty-five years later I received sacred priestly ordination. Yeah, mine was an adult vocation, but born as a boy, while serving as an altar boy.

From the island of Patmos, 8 October 2025

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(English text after the Italian)

 

From dust to water: The meaning of the austere symbol of the ashes

The holy ashes that are traditionally derived from the burning of the Benedetti olive branches for the Palm Sunday of the previous year perform their entrance door function for the strong time of Lent and already let the man renewed by the risen Christ already glimpsed in the waters of baptism, as the liturgy makes us relive in the holy vigil of Easter night.

— Liturgical ministry —

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Author
Simone Pifizzi

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PDF print format article – PDF Article print format

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Yesterday, with the liturgy of the ashes The Holy Time of Lent has begun for the Church. Once that, According to what reported in the rules for the liturgical year and the calendar, has the purpose of preparing for Easter. The Light Liturgy Guide to the celebration of the Easter mystery both the catechumens, through the different degrees of Christian initiation, both the faithful by means of the memory of baptism and through penance.

As everyone knows The Holy Time of Lent begins with a symbol that is called austere: Receive ash on the head. In the Old Testament the ash is a symbol of what is provisional, perishable and as such is reduced to powder, As you read in Job 10, 9; or because it is worthless (Gen 18, 27). Always in the Old Testament, ash was a sign of desolation and mourning. So here are the gestures to spread ash on the head (2Sam 13, 19), sit in ash as Job (Gib 2, 8), roll in ash (This 27, 30), feed on ash as of bread (Shall 102). Davide exposed his sins in ashes, The ninivites after the preaching of Jonah covered the ash's head. The ash was used in purification rites, When a red cow was burned whose ashes were then thrown into the water, used for the various ritual purifications (Num 19, 1 e ssg). Above all, the ash brings the thought to the words that God addresses to Adam after sin: "Dust, You are and in dust you will return " (Gen 3,19); They underline the punishment of death and the nothing of the creature shaped by soil powder.

In the Middle Ages, public penitents who had to atone for their faults and receive the sacrament of penance as a second baptism presented themselves at the beginning of Lent covered with ash and with the cilicio. In the Christian liturgy, also currently, The expression that the priest uses blessing and imposing the ashes on Wednesday that marks the beginning of Lent are these are: "Remember that you are dust and powder you will return". Accept, that is, The meaning of pain, of the mourning of death as a consequence of the sin and fragility of man. Hence the duty to recognize his faults and to engage in a healthy life, as the alternative formula of the imposition of the ashes urges: "Get converted and believe in the Gospel". The ashes reminding us that we are dust helps us to reinvigorate the sense of true Christian consciousness that accuses us of being guilty and does not give us peace until we have found remedy for our inclination to evil.

Penance becomes a need: We must make penance to denounce ourselves to the sky and the earth that we are miserable people. The obligation to implore mercy and to demonstrate with some of our acts that we repudiate the evil made and the evil we are able to do. Far from then to be a sign of superstition, The ash reminds us of a theological truth well synthesized by the words of the blessing, the oldest one, that can be used on Wednesday that from the beginning of the Holy Lent:

«O God who does not want death but the conversion of sinners, It does that recognizing that our body will return to dust, The exercise of penance obtains the forgiveness of sins and a renewed life in the image of the Risen Lord. For Christ, our Lord. Amen».

The same concept It is also expressed in the renewed formula of the blessing of the ashes that reads:

«O God who pity of those who regret and give your peace to those who convert, Listen with paternal goodness the prayers of your people and bless these children of yours who will receive the austere symbol of the ashes, Because through the spiritual itinerary of Lent they come completely renewed to celebrate your child's Easter ".

And it is also repeated in the alternative formula in which these words are used:

«O God who does not want the death of sinners but the conversion, Listen to our prayer benign and bless these ashes that we are about to receive on our boss, recognizing that we are dust and powder we will return. The exercise of Lenten penance obtains the forgiveness of sins and a renewed life in the image of your risen son, who lives and reigns over the centuries of the centuries. Amen».

Prayers, Remember above, They therefore present us the right perspective from which to look at the sign of the ashes imposed on the head of those who start the Lent itinerary with good will. It is essentially a gesture of humility, what does it mean: I recognize myself for what they are, A fragile creature, made of land and destined for the earth, but also made in the image of God and destined for him. Dust, Yes, but loved, shaped by the love of God, animated by his vital breath and capable of recognizing his voice and therefore to answer him; free e, because of this, even capable of disobeying him, giving in to the temptation of pride and self -sufficiency. Here is the sin, mortal disease soon entered to pollute the blessed land which is the human being. Created in the image of the saint and the right man has lost his innocence and now he can return to being right only thanks to the justice of God, the justice of love that, As San Paolo writes:

"It has manifested itself through faith in Christ" (RM 3,22).

Just the second reading of the Liturgy of the Word of Ash Wednesday, contains Paul's appeal to let himself be reconciled with God (cf. 2Color 5,20), Through one of his famous paradoxes that leads all the reflection on justice to the mystery of Christ. Saint Paul writes:

«He who had known no sin [that is, his son made man] God sinned him in our favor, because in him we could become justice of God " (2Color 5,21).

In the heart of Christ, that is, in the center of his divine-human person, All the drama of freedom has been played in decisive and definitive terms. God brought his own design of salvation to the extreme consequences, remaining faithful to his love even at the cost of delivering his unigenous son to death and death of Croce. Divine justice is discouraged here, deeply different from the human one: «Thanks to the action of Christ, We can enter "bigger" justice, which is that of love " (Benedict XVI, Message for Lent, 2010)

Holy Lent, while starting with the austere gesture of the ashes that makes us bow the head, However, it widens our horizon and oriented us towards eternal life, Since on this earth we are on pilgrimage:

«We have not here a stable city, But let's go in search of the future " (EB 13,14).

Lent while it makes us understand the relativity of the assets of this land and therefore it makes us capable of necessary renunciations, It also gives us the freedom to do the good, to open the earth in the light of the sky, in the presence of God among us.

So the holy ashes which are traditionally obtained from the burning of the Benedetti olive branches for the Palm Sunday of the previous year perform their entrance door function for the strong time of Lent and already let the man renewed by Christ risen and reborn in the waters of baptism, as the liturgy makes us relive in the holy vigil of Easter night.

Florence, 6 March 2025

Beginning of Lent

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FROM DUST TO WATER: THE MEANING OF THE AUSTERE SYMBOL OF ASHES

The holy ashes which are traditionally obtained from the burning of the olive branches blessed for Palm Sunday of the previous year perform their function as the gateway to the strong season of Lent and already allow us to glimpse the man renewed by the Risen Christ and reborn in the waters of baptism, as the liturgy makes us relive in the Holy Vigil of Easter night

— liturgical pastoral —

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Yesterday, with the Liturgy of Ashes, the holy season of Lent began for the Church. A time which, according to what is reported in the norms and the calendar for the liturgical year, has the purpose of preparing for Easter. The Lenten Liturgy guides both the catechumens, through the different degrees of Christian initiation, and the faithful through the memory of baptism and through penance in the celebration of the Paschal mystery.

As everyone knows, the holy season of Lent begins with a symbol that is defined as austere: receiving ashes on the head. In the Old Testament, ashes are a symbol of what is temporary, perishable and as such is reduced to dust, as we read in Job 10:9; or because it is worthless (Gen 18:27). Also in the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of desolation and mourning. Here then are the gestures of sprinkling ashes on the head (2Sam 13:19), sitting in ashes like Job (Job 2:8), rolling in ashes (This 27:30), eating ashes like bread (Ps 102). David atoned for his sins in ashes, the Ninevites after Jonah’s preaching covered their heads in ashes. Ashes were used in purification rites, when a red cow was burned and its ashes were then thrown into the water used for the various ritual purifications (Num 19:1ff). Above all, ashes bring to mind the words that God addressed to Adam after his sin: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19); they underline the punishment of death and the nothingness of the creature shaped from the dust of the ground.

In the Middle Ages, public penitents who had to atone for their sins and receive the Sacrament of Penance as a second baptism appeared at the beginning of Lent covered in ashes and wearing sackcloths. Today, In the Christian liturgy, the expression that the priest uses when blessing and imposing the ashes on Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent are these:

«Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return».

That is, I accept the meaning of pain, of death mourning as a consequence of sin and man’s fragility. From this comes the duty to recognize one’s faults and to commit to a healthy life, as exhorted by the alternative formula for the imposition of ashes:

«Convert and believe in the Gospel».

The ash, reminding us that we are dust, helps us to reinvigorate the sense of true Christian conscience which accuses us of being guilty and does not give us peace until we have found a remedy for our inclination to evil.

Penance becomes a need: we must do penance to denounce ourselves to heaven and earth that we are miserable people. We have the obligation to implore mercy and to demonstrate with some of our actions that we repudiate the evil done and the evil we are capable of doing. Far from being a sign of superstition, the ash reminds us of a theological truth well summarized by the words of the blessing, the oldest one, which can be used on the Wednesday that begins Holy Lent:

«O God who does not want death but the conversion of sinners, grant that by recognizing that our body will return to dust, the exercise of penance obtains for us the forgiveness of sins and a renewed life in the image of the risen Lord. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen» (From the Roman ritual)

The same concept is also expressed in the renewed formula of the blessing of the ashes which reads:

«O God who has mercy on those who repent and gives your peace to those who convert, listen with paternal goodness to the prayers of your people and bless these children of yours who will receive the austere symbol of the ashes, so that through the spiritual itinerary of Lent they may arrive completely renewed to celebrate the Easter of your Son».

And it is also repeated in the alternative formula in which these words are used:

«O God who does not want the death of sinners but conversion, listen kindly to our prayer and bless these ashes that we are about to receive on our heads, recognizing that we are dust and to dust we will return. May the exercise of Lenten penance obtain for us the forgiveness of sins and a renewed life in the image of your risen Son, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen».

The prayers mentioned above therefore present us with the right perspective from which to look at the sign of the ashes placed on the heads of those who begin the Lenten journey with good will. It is essentially a gesture of humility, which means: I recognize myself for what I am, a fragile creature, made of earth and destined for the earth, but also made in the image of God and destined for Him. Dust, yes, but loved, shaped by the love of God, animated by his vital breath and capable of recognizing his voice and therefore responding to him; free and, for this reason, also capable of disobeying him, giving in to the temptation of pride and self-sufficiency. Here is sin, a deadly disease that soon began to pollute the blessed earth that is the human being. Created in the image of the Holy and the Just, man has lost his innocence and can now return to being just only thanks to the justice of God, the justice of love which, as Saint Paul writes:

«was manifested through faith in Christ» (Rom 3:22).

Precisely the second reading of the Liturgy of the Word on Ash Wednesday contains Paul’s appeal to be reconciled with God (see 2 Color 5:20), through one of his famous paradoxes which leads all reflection on justice to the mystery of Christ. Saint Paul writes:

«For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him» (2 Color 5:21).

In the heart of Christ, that is, in the center of his divine-human Person, the entire drama of freedom was played out in decisive and definitive terms. God took his plan of salvation to the extreme consequences, remaining faithful to his love even at the cost of handing over his only begotten Son to death and death on the cross. Here divine justice is revealed, profoundly different from human justice:

«Thanks to the action of Christ, we can enter into the “greater” justice, which is that of love» (Benedict XVI, Message for Lent, 2010)

Holy Lent, although it begins with the austere gesture of the ashes that makes us bow our heads, nevertheless broadens our horizon and orients us towards eternal life, since on this earth we are on a pilgrimage:

«For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come» (Heb 13:14).

While Lent makes us understand the relativity of the goods of this earth and therefore makes us capable of necessary renunciations, it also gives us the freedom to do good, to open the earth to the light of Heaven, to the presence of God among us.

Thus the holy ashes which are traditionally obtained from the burning of the olive branches blessed for Palm Sunday of the previous year perform their function as the gateway to the strong season of Lent and already allow us to glimpse the man renewed by the Risen Christ and reborn in the waters of baptism, as the liturgy makes us relive in the Holy Vigil of Easter night.

Florence, 6 March 2025

Beginning of Lent

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«GO FURTHER, SO CLOSE YOU MAKE ME DISTURBED …» IF A PRIEST REMOVES THE CRUCIFIX FROM THE CENTER OF THE ALTAR SO THAT IT DOES NOT COVER THE "CENTRALITY" OF THE CELEBRANT-PROTAGONIST, IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE LINE

What can we say if videos are circulating in which priests and even bishops are seen going up to the altar and removing the crucifix from above it because it evidently takes away visibility, it occupies the space that the celebrant will take up shortly afterwards, sometimes brandishing monstrous microphones that, those yes, they can very well stay where they are?

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What is strange and bizarre it usually strikes a chord social, because it dramatically increases views and attracts people's comments. No human sphere can be considered alien to this anxiety of searching for the particular, from the ridiculous to the monstrous, even the religious one.

Some truly strange events which took place in churches have found success on the various most famous and used platforms. From the priest who sings a popular song from the altar or makes it the backdrop for small laughable videos, to the shocking clothes of some spouses, to certain excessive blessings with holy water. Does anyone use i social also to stigmatize these behaviors that happen in churches or those gestures that border on the abuse of the place, because they are not suitable, that of the liturgy used at will. The world has become a great stage and unfortunately even religious people think that it can be accessed by exploiting the space of a church hall or presbytery. A few days ago there was news about a designer who designed a more than transparent wedding dress for a church wedding and there was no shortage of people who were able to comment: «A church is just a building, he can wear whatever he wants" (WHO).

But what can we say if videos are circulating in which priests and even bishops are seen going up to the altar and removing the crucifix from above it because it evidently takes away visibility, it occupies the space that the celebrant will take up shortly afterwards, sometimes brandishing monstrous microphones that, those yes, they can very well stay where they are?

The Bishop of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro

A priest of the Archdiocese of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno

The oddities of our time which also intersect the religious world and how the liturgy is lived and celebrated gives us the "La" to remember that the presbyters are not the undisputed masters of the celebrations and that in truth they are acting for a service that conveys a greater and deeper mystery. In this regard, I would like to focus on the altar because some oddities and distortions have occurred there, at the hands of some celebrant or diligent "pastoral worker", not to mention the so-called "liturgical animators" who think they can act as they please or more likely forget that the altar is not just any furniture, a place to put things in bulk.

Just to set the record straight, in the rite of dedication of the altar it is said that:

«with the anointing of Chrism [esso] becomes a symbol of Christ, who was called Anointed most worthily of all; in fact the Father anointed him with the Holy Spirit and made him High Priest, who offered the sacrifice of his life for the salvation of all on the altar of his own body" (Order of the dedication of the Church and the Altar, IV/22).

LThe altar is therefore a symbol of Christ and this doctrine is traditional. Saint Ambrose mentioned it several times:

«What is the altar, if not the sign of the body of Christ?» (What is the altar?, except the form of the body of Christ?), (Comm. in Cant. I,6: PL 15,1855; Of the sacred., V, 2, 7; cfr IV, 2, 7: PL 16, 447. 437).

The historical events which concern the presence of altars in churches are ancient and complex and naturally go beyond this modest contribution. We could start with the fixed altar that began to appear in the basilicas of the 4th century, until the adoption of the stone altar for which the biblical symbol of Christ "cornerstone of the spiritual building" was no stranger (cf.. Shall 118, 22; Mt 21, 42; At 4, 11; 1Color 10, 4; 1PT 2, 4-8). We could mention the ancient custom of celebrating the Eucharist on the tombs of martyrs which found concrete translation in the construction of altars above their tombs, as well as the translation of their relics under the altars of the new basilicas. Saint Ambrose always writes about this: «In the place where Christ is the victim, there are also triumphal victims. Above the altar him, who died for everyone; these, redeemed by his passion, under the altar" (Letter 22, 13: pl 16, 1023).

Of all the places that are present in a church only the altar knows a dedication rite, to underline its excellence:

«The altar, on which the sacrifice of the cross is made present in the sacramental signs, it is also the table of the Lord, in which the people of God are called to participate when they are summoned for Holy Mass; the altar is the center of the thanksgiving that takes place with the Eucharist" (The general setting of the Roman Missali, 296).

Even the Supreme Pontiff remembered it: «The gaze of those praying is directed towards the altar, priest and faithful, summoned for the holy assembly around it" (Speech by 24 August 2017).

The importance of the altar it is naturally also remembered by the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

«The altar, around which the Church is gathered in the celebration of the Eucharist, it represents the two aspects of the same mystery: the altar of sacrifice and the Lord's table, and even more so since the Christian altar is the symbol of Christ himself, present and as a victim offered for our reconciliation, both as heavenly food that is given to us" (n. 1383).

For these reasons the liturgical reform going back to the ancient Christian tradition, he wanted only one altar to be built in churches, detached from the wall to be able to walk around it and celebrate towards the people, placed in a way that attracts attention. That it was normally fixed and dedicated, with the stone table, but other worthy matters are not excluded, solid and well made. And relics of saints can be placed under the altar; that it is covered with a tablecloth and there is a cross and candlesticks above or next to it (The general setting of the Roman Missal, 298-308).

Veneration for the altar - who in fact kisses, it is incensed and bowed before it - it is motivated by its connection with the sacrifice of Christ, to whom, in the Sacrament, the sacrifice of the praying Church is associated. The spiritual offering of the faithful is placed on it, signified in bread and wine, because the Holy Spirit, for the ministry of the priest, make them a sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, so that those who feed on it become one body in Christ, to the praise of God the Father. The prayer in the preface in the dedication mass expresses this well: «Around this altar we nourish ourselves with the body and blood of your Son to form your one and holy Church».

And it is precisely the uniqueness of the redemptive sacrifice, on Calvary and in the Eucharist, on the part of Christ priest and victim, which led the conciliar liturgical reform to establish that multiple Masses cannot be celebrated at the same time in the same church and that in new churches there should be only one fixed altar. The intention to educate the Christian people with this practice and with this sign is clear, the altar, which «represents (meaning) clearly and permanently Christ Jesus, Living stone, and represents in the midst of the assembly of the faithful the one Christ and the one Eucharist of the Church" (The general setting of the Roman Missal, NN. 298, 303).

The Second Vatican Council ended in 1965, yet on this aspect, as on others, for that matter, the sensitivity of those Fathers who celebrated the important assembly and that of the many documents that followed unfortunately does not seem to have been acquired or recovered by everyone. In 2002, for example, the Holy thirst, or the Congregation for Divine Worship, had to intervene to declare it "unlawful" to celebrate the First Communion Mass on a temporary altar in the middle of the church with the naive intention of "evoking the Last Supper", since it is a useless duplication of the "sign already present"; a gesture designed to confuse the people by distracting them from the essentials. But also today in some Parishes, sometimes in front of the altar, someone places a table with the symbols of Passover on it, thus generating total liturgical and theological confusion, even if the intent would be the opposite. It is not unusual for the altar to become a support for explanatory posters, for example of a particular liturgical season and everything is placed underneath it, from the Nativity scene at Christmas time to the various offers, sometimes curious, in some celebrations. I once saw a poor little lamb forced to stay in a basket under the altar all the time when it probably would have preferred to graze in a meadow. At a certain point he started to bleat, creating hilarity in those present at the Eucharist. And a bit of everything is placed on top of it and perhaps for this very reason, as mentioned above, some celebrants find nothing better than raising the Cross, probably considering it a redundant furnishing, while instead it is foreseen and placed there to remind us towards whom we must turn our gaze.

How to fix all this? Certainly through the continuous training of everyone. Of the priests first who must take care of the celebrations and therefore be expert knowledge of the subject. In this case of the peculiarity and centrality of the sign of the altar which refers to that of Christ. They should remember, for instance, and even outside the liturgical action, the altar is an invocation and expectation of the presence of Him, Christ, who makes all things new (cf.. AP 21, 5).

Because of this, through catechesis and educational moments, they must help the faithful to form spiritually and become aware of a well-celebrated liturgy with its own signs, transparent and more important, just like the altar, it is and must be the first school in itself: «The law of prayer, law of belief».

We started by remembering the horrors that the social they are ready to reverberate until a new and sensational one pops up. Among these, some have to do with what happens in the church and in the liturgies. Thus was born this contribution which is not intended to make people laugh or multiply negative comments, as happens on Web. But it's just an invitation to take, from this circumstance, the importance and beauty of the contents of the faith and how they are expressed in the liturgy. If mistakes have been made in this area and will be made, the principle always applies: «Errors are corrected where detectedr»; that we could translate: mistakes are corrected as soon as you realize you have made them.

In conclusion we cannot fail to remind all those naive Catholics, so worried about being scandalized and shouting scandal, but not as concerned about carefully checking news and images, that many videos they posted on social they have nothing to do with the Catholic Church and our clergy. In fact, there are pseudo churches around the world which in their external liturgical apparatus are inspired by the Catholic Church. In this regard it would be enough to remember that after the First Vatican Council (opened in 1869, finished in 1870, but formally closed only in 1960) there was a schism that gave birth to the so-called Old Catholic "church".. Only from this aggregation were born and subsequently multiplied dozens of self-styled "churches" managed by rather exotic characters. Having seen and considered that there is enough liturgical abuse in our Catholic clergy; seen and considered that sometimes one almost has the impression that some of our priests compete with each other to see who can perform the most eccentric extravagance, that at least other people's antics are not attributed to us, because ours are enough and more than enough, as well as sufficiently embarrassing those of us who continue to be Catholic.

 

Florence, 20 July 2024

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GESTURES AND WORDS, ABOUT THE LITURGY. SPEZZIAMO UNA LANCIA A FAVORE DI “BESAME TUCHO”, ANCHE SE PARE AVERE DIMENTICATO LA THE SACRAMENT OF REDEMPTION

Many, to put it mildly, they turned up their noses when the Pontiff chose the current Prefect. There was no shortage of criticism. Rispondendo con rispetto e per alleggerire con una battuta tutto il discorso fatto fin qui si potrebbe ricordare il detto che recita: «Anche un orologio rotto segna due volte al giorno l’ora giusta»

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Per una curiosa legge del contrappasso molti che avevano gioito alla pubblicazione della Begging for confidence, confusa e ambigua dichiarazione del dicastero per la Dottrina della Fede pubblicata il 18 dicembre dell’anno scorso, dinanzi alla quale sono insorti interi episcopati, si sono sentiti di polemizzare con la più recente Nota del medesimo Dicastero sulla validità dei Sacramenti del 2 febbraio di questo anno e intitolata: Gestis verbisque.

The question arises spontaneously: In the 2004 fu pubblicata l’Istruzione Sacramentum che è un capolavoro di teologia sacramentaria, di disciplina dei Sacramenti e di pastorale liturgica. Istruzione che, stando a ciò che è seguitato ad accadere nelle nostre chiese, è stata bellamente disattesa da eserciti di preti creativi e da movimenti laicali che hanno seguitato imperterriti a crearsi le proprie liturgie personalizzate, Neocatecumenali in testa, il tutto nella totale incuranza e mancata vigilanza da parte dei vescovi, sebbene il documento parli molto chiaro nella sua conclusione finale:

«This Instruction, drafted, by order of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in agreement with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was approved by the Pontiff himself on 19 March 2004, on the solemnity of St. Joseph, who ordered its publication and immediate compliance by all those responsible ".

Perché non richiamare all’osservanza di questa istruzione, così ben fatta e dettagliata, semmai stabilendo delle precise sanzioni per chi avesse disatteso le disposizioni date? Perché questo è il problema di fondo che ha caratterizzato gli ultimi cinquant’anni di vita di una Chiesa che chiede, esorta, istruisce e raccomanda, ma che si guarda però bene, in questi documenti, di fissare precise sanzioni per i trasgressori. Not only: in 64 note di richiamo della Gestis verbisque the Sacramentum non è mai stata richiamata e citata una sola volta, cosa oggettivamente grave.

Come ormai sanno anche i sassi la prima succitata Dichiarazione, nell’ambito più ampio del senso da dare alle benedizioni nella Chiesa, apriva alla possibilità di benedire spontaneamente anche coppie in situazioni irregolari e dello stesso sesso. Cosa che per molti vescovi e preti delle varie regioni del Nord dell’Europa non era necessaria, lo fanno arbitrariamente da anni. Questo controversa Dichiarazione prevede Benedizioni da impartire in luoghi e con modalità che non dovranno essere in alcun modo simili a quelle date alle coppie regolari, ma: «In altri contesti, quali la visita a un santuario, l’incontro con un sacerdote, la preghiera recitata in un gruppo o durante un pellegrinaggio. Indeed, attraverso queste benedizioni che vengono impartite non attraverso le forme rituali proprie della liturgia, bensì come espressione del cuore materno della Chiesa, analoghe a quelle che promanano in fondo dalle viscere della pietà popolare, non si intende legittimare nulla ma soltanto aprire la propria vita a Dio, chiedere il suo aiuto per vivere meglio, ed anche invocare lo Spirito Santo perché i valori del Vangelo possano essere vissuti con maggiore fedeltà» (no 40).

Fin qui tutti contenti, almeno i fautori di questa apertura, come se noi avessimo negato in precedenza benedizioni a singole persone, soprattutto a quelle che vivevano in condizioni di irregolarità, o che si erano macchiate dei peccati e dei delitti più gravi.

Per ironia della sorte, proprio coloro che avevano esultato dinanzi alla Begging for Confidence, poco dopo si sono lanciati in dure critiche riguardo la Nota del 2 February, Gestures and words, perché utilizza un linguaggio tradizionale nel definire ciò che occorre affinché un Sacramento sia valido, oltre che lecito. The criticism, in particular, si appunta sull’uso insistito dei termini «forma» e «materia» utilizzati dalla Nota in quanto componenti insostituibili di ogni celebrazione dei Sacramenti, insieme all’intenzione del celebrante. Critica che riguarda lo scollegamento di questi tre elementi costitutivi dall’insieme della celebrazione del Sacramento, dai soggetti che vi partecipano e dai vari segni che vi intervengono, i quali dovrebbero essere, per loro stessa costituzionalità, significativi e, how do you say, parlanti. Gli appunti mossi, so, fanno riferimento al modo con cui la Nota non prende in esame l’interezza del Sacramento celebrato e, come onda di ritorno, si riversano anche sulla Begging for confidence, in quanto lì: «…Un benedire senza forma (senza spazio, time, words, all over) è un non senso» (cf.. See WHO).

Non sta a me prendere le difese di un Dicastero strategico come quello per la Dottrina della fede. But, a leggere e rileggere quella Nota mi viene in mente il «Rasoio di Occam» il quale si potrebbe sintetizzare più o meno così: «A parità di fattori, la spiegazione più semplice è quella da preferire»; o anche «Non considerare la pluralità se non è necessario».

this Note, sia nella lettera di accompagnamento del Prefetto, che nel suo corpo stesso, ricorda che da parte di Cardinali e Vescovi sono stati rilevate, e quindi richiesti chiarimenti, sulle gravi modifiche apportate alla materia e alla forma dei Sacramenti, rendendoli di fatto nulli. Basterebbe leggere i pochi indizi ed esempi, a volte strampalati e curiosi, a cui fa riferimento il Prefetto per capire lo scopo semplice della Nota stessa: richiamare tutti ad una celebrazione dei Sacramenti corretta, loyal, ecclesial. Che se sono concessi, dove permessi dalle Conferenze episcopali, spazi di creatività, questi non divengano invece una inventiva che di fatto manipola arbitrariamente il Sacramento celebrato.

È a partire da questo sfondo e cioè dalla preoccupazione dei Pastori delle Chiese, che la Nota va letta. La quale poi sintetizza ciò che occorre perché un Sacramento sia valido, richiamando la dottrina tradizionale, che è vero, nei suoi tratti salienti risale al Concilio di Trento che il Vaticano II ha ripreso e rielaborato in sintonia con tutto quello che nel frattempo la Chiesa, in quell’assise, riscopriva su sé stessa e su come intendeva proporsi al mondo di oggi.

Non a caso la Nota prende spunto proprio dalla Costituzione Sacrosanctum Concilium per ricordare che il Concilio: «Riferisce analogicamente la nozione di Sacramento all’intera Chiesa». E dalla The light che afferma circa la Chiesa che quest’ultima è: «In Cristo come Sacramento, cioè segno e strumento dell’intima unione con Dio e dell’unità di tutto il genere umano». E ciò si realizza precipuamente per mezzo dei Sacramenti, in ciascuno dei quali si attua a suo modo la natura sacramentale della Chiesa, Corpo di Cristo… Cosciente di ciò la Chiesa, since its origins, ha avuto particolare cura delle fonti dalle quali attinge la linfa vitale per la sua esistenza e la sua testimonianza: God's Word, attestata dalle sacre Scritture e dalla Tradizione, e i Sacramenti, celebrati nella liturgia, mediante i quali è continuamente ricondotta al mistero della Pasqua di Cristo» (cf.. no. 6, 7 e 10).

Per la grandezza di tutto questo the church, if he says, riceve i Sacramenti, li amministra, ma non ne è padrona. Cosa che invece sembra sia accaduta con le varianti creative di diversi ministri e di vari movimenti laicali. È solo a questo punto che la Nota ricorda brevemente ― non è del resto un trattato di liturgia ― quelli che sono elementi essenziali. Innanzitutto la «forma» del Sacramento che corrisponde alle parole che si accompagnano alla materia, la trascende, veicolando il senso cristiano, salvifico ed ecclesiale di ciò che si sta compiendo nella celebrazione. Quindi la «materia» del Sacramento che consiste invece nell’azione umana, attraverso la quale agisce Cristo. In essa a volte è presente un elemento materiale (water, pane, vino, oil), altre volte un gesto particolarmente eloquente (segno della croce, imposizione delle mani, immersione, infusione, consenso, unzione). Tale corporeità appare indispensabile perché radica il Sacramento non solo nella storia umana, but also, più fondamentalmente, nell’ordine simbolico della Creazione e lo riconduce al mistero dell’incarnazione del Verbo e della Redenzione da Lui operata (cf.. no 13).

Infine l’«intenzione» di chi celebra, che nulla ha a che vedere con la sua moralità e la fede, piuttosto con il convincimento di compiere: «Almeno ciò che fa la Chiesa» (Council of Trent). Questa disposizione sottrae il celebrante dall’automatismo e dalla possibile arbitrarietà del singolo, poiché questo atto squisitamente umano è anche ecclesiale. Atto interiore e soggettivo si, which, however, manifestandosi nel Sacramento, diviene di tutta la comunità ecclesiale e: «Poiché ciò che fa la Chiesa non è altro che ciò che Cristo ha istituito, anche l’intenzione, insieme alla materia e alla forma, contribuisce a rendere l’azione sacramentale il prolungamento dell’opera salvifica del Signore» (cf.. no 18).

A tal proposito la Chiesa ha approntato i libri liturgici che non vanno alterati o usati a piacimento, piuttosto osservati fedelmente nelle parole e persino nella gestualità che in essi è indicata. Gli stessi prevedono spazi di creatività e le stesse Conferenze episcopali dei diversi paesi hanno predisposto possibili adattamenti e varianti che corrispondono alla sensibilità e alla situazione dei partecipanti. Si pensi alle celebrazioni coi fanciulli, for instance, ai diversi canoni eucaristici predisposti per loro ed approvati dalla CEI.

La Nota ricorda anche, e questo sembra rispondere agli appunti critici, that: «Materia, forma e intenzione sono sempre inseriti nel contesto della celebrazione liturgica, che non costituisce un ornatus cerimoniale dei Sacramenti e nemmeno una didascalica introduzione alla realtà che si compie, ma è nel suo complesso l’avvenimento in cui continua a realizzarsi l’incontro personale e comunitario tra Dio e noi, in Cristo e nello Spirito Santo, incontro nel quale, attraverso la mediazione di segni sensibili, «viene resa a Dio una gloria perfetta e gli uomini vengono santificati». La necessaria sollecitudine per gli elementi essenziali dei Sacramenti, dai quali dipende la loro validità, deve pertanto accordarsi con la cura e il rispetto dell’intera celebrazione, in cui il significato e gli effetti dei Sacramenti sono resi pienamente intelligibili da una molteplicità di gesti e parole, favorendo in tal modo l’actuosa participatio of the faithful (cf.. no 20).

In this context si inserisce tutta l’importanza della presidenza liturgica e l’arte di celebrare. Queste richiedono la conoscenza dei motivi teologici che le espirano, come quelli di agire, quando si celebra, In persona Christi e Nomine ecclesiae. Come pure la conoscenza dei libri liturgici e dei loro To be noted che spesso si saltano a piè pari perché noiosi. Ma se volessimo fare un paragone, che spero non appaia fuori luogo, fra il celebrare e il gesto sportivo, si vede come quest’ultimo risulti efficace se ha dietro una buona conoscenza e messa in atto dei cosiddetti fondamentali. Un campione, soprattutto di quelle discipline che richiedono gesti ripetuti uguali e precisi, passa molto tempo, anni addirittura, a studiare, ad allenarsi e a esprimersi poi con una disinvoltura che stupisce. Un gesto atletico molto difficile che vediamo eseguire, durante una olimpiade per esempio, ha richiesto una preparazione non indifferente, eppure ci sembra semplice e naturale.

To conclude, so che tanti, to put it mildly, they turned up their noses when the Pontiff chose the current Prefect. There was no shortage of criticism. Rispondendo con rispetto e per alleggerire con una battuta tutto il discorso fatto fin qui si potrebbe ricordare il detto che recita: «Anche un orologio rotto segna due volte al giorno l’ora giusta». But, honestly, questa Nota stavolta suona bene. Non ha nulla di criticabile, se l’intenzione è proprio quella di invitare a custodire e a presentare in modo degno ed ecclesiale un bene tanto prezioso. Infatti così termina:

«Noi […] abbiamo questo tesoro in vasi di creta, affinché appaia che questa straordinaria potenza appartiene a Dio, e non viene da noi» (2Color 4, 7). L’antitesi utilizzata dall’Apostolo per sottolineare come la sublimità della potenza di Dio si riveli attraverso la debolezza del suo ministero di annunciatore ben descrive anche quanto accade nei Sacramenti. La Chiesa tutta è chiamata a custodire la ricchezza in essi contenuta, perché mai venga offuscato il primato dell’agire salvifico di Dio nella storia, pur nella fragile mediazione di segni e di gesti propri della umana natura» (no 28).

Florence, 21 February 2024

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GREAT HOMILY BY THE METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOP OF MILAN: «WHO WAS SILVIO BERLUSCONI? A MAN"

«Silvio Berlusconi was certainly a politician, he was certainly a businessman, he was certainly a character in the limelight of notoriety. But in this moment of leave and prayer, what can we say about Silvio Berlusconi? It was a man: a desire for life, a desire for love, a desire for joy. And now we celebrate the mystery of fulfillment. Here's what I can say about Silvio Berlusconi. He is a man and now he meets God".

— Liturgical ministry —

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PDF print format article

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We pastors in the care of souls get used to going up to the pulpits and preaching, we know that there are moments and particular situations in which it is not easy to give an appropriate homily, as in the case of the funeral of Silvio Berlusconi celebrated today in the Cathedral of Milan. Someone might think that the delicacy could be given by the complex personality of the deceased, a man who for several decades rode the national and international political scene. To follow with the presence of the highest state authorities, from the President of the Republic to the Prime Minister. Situations in which it is not allowed, I don't say a word, but not even a wrong sigh. However, this is not the difficulty, even if in more or less similar circumstances several bishops and priests have solved the problem by saying more or less everything without saying anything, thus avoiding any possible problems.

HTTPS://www.youtube.com/watch?v = p4jqphsq26u&t=2s

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Milan, S. AND. Mons. Mario Delpini, instead he was able to give a truly grandiose homily that brought everyone back down to earth in this aria of beatification of the late Knight, whose figure is part of the history of Italy and for this reason will be the subject of in-depth studies by historians and geopolitical experts for decades and decades. The Ambrosian Archbishop focused on something else: about the man Silvio Berlusconi who was undoubtedly a successful businessman, a politician who presided over the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic for four terms, a histrionic character gifted with a rare and extraordinary sense of self-irony, so much so that he repeatedly declared: «Many are tired of making fun of me, forgetting that I fool myself and that no one can do it as well as me".

Before this complex and even controversial figure, the Ambrosian Archbishop did not hide behind the “say nothing”, but he said it all by building his entire speech on this rhetorical question: «What can we say about Silvio Berlusconi?». Giving the answer right away: "It was a man". And the Ambrosian Archbishop spoke of the man with a Christian poetics that can be applied both to a celebrity like Silvio Berlusconi, or to the last of the elderly who died forgotten in a geriatric ward: a man.

Florence, 14 June 2023

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Full text of the homily of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Milan

Live

Live. Live and love life. Live and desire a full life. To live and wish that life was good, beautiful for yourself and for loved ones. Living and understanding life as an opportunity to put the talents received to good use. Living and accepting the challenges of life. Living and going through difficult moments in life. Live and resist and don't let defeats bring you down and believe that there is always a hope of victory, of ransom, of life. To live and desire a life that never ends and have courage and trust and believe that there is always a way out even from the darkest valley. Live and not shirk the challenges, to contrasts, to insults, to criticism, and keep smiling, to challenge, to counter, to laugh at insults. To live and feel the forces run out, live and suffer the decline and keep smiling, to try, to try a way to live again. That's what can be said about a man: a desire for life, which finds its judgment and fulfillment in God.

To love and be loved

Loving and wanting to be loved. Loving and looking for love, like a promise of life, like a complicated story, like a compromised fidelity. Desiring to be loved and fearing that love can only be a concession, a condescension, a stormy and precarious passion. To love and to want to be loved forever and to experience the disappointments of love and to hope that there might be a way to a higher love, harder, bigger. Loving and walking the paths of dedication. To love and to hope. Loving and trusting. Love and surrender. This is what can be said of man: a desire for love, which finds its judgment and fulfillment in God.

To be happy

Be happy and love the holidays. Enjoy the beauty of life. Being happy without too many thoughts and without too many anxieties. To be happy with lifelong friends. Be happy with companies that give satisfaction. Being happy and wanting others to be happy too. Being happy with yourself and being surprised that others are not happy. Be happy with good things, some beautiful moments, of the applause of the people, praise from supporters. Enjoy the company. Be happy with the smallest things that make you smile, of the nice gesture, of the rewarding result. Being happy and experiencing that joy is precarious. Being happy and feeling the insinuation of a dark threat that covers the things that make you happy with greyness. Being happy and feeling lost in the face of the irremediable exhaustion of joy. This is what can be said of man: a desire for joy, which finds its judgment and fulfillment in God

I'm looking for the man

When a man is a businessman, then try to do business. It therefore has customers and competitors. It has moments of success and moments of failure. He ventures into reckless enterprises. Look at the numbers not the criteria. He has to do business. He cannot trust others too much and knows that others don't trust him too much. He is a businessman and must do business. When a man is a politician, then try to win. It has supporters and opponents. There are those who exalt it and those who cannot bear it. A politician is always a partisan. When a man is a character, then it is always on stage. It has admirers and detractors. It has those who applaud it and those who hate it. Silvio Berlusconi was certainly a politician, he was certainly a businessman, he was certainly a character in the limelight of notoriety. But in this moment of leave and prayer, what can we say about Silvio Berlusconi? It was a man: a desire for life, a desire for love, a desire for joy. And now we celebrate the mystery of fulfillment. Here's what I can say about Silvio Berlusconi. He is a man and now he meets God.

Metropolitan Cathedral of Milan, 14 June 2023

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