Sunday, September 02, 2007

New Papal MC and Papal Celebration of Usus Antiquior? [UPDATED]

Andrea Tornielli in Il Giornale has written a piece, Il nuovo cerimoniere sarà un altro Marini which brings up the long speculated matter of Papal Master of Ceremonies, Archbishop Piero Marini, as being rumoured to be replaced by another Marini, Msgr. Guido Marini, current M.C. to the archbishop of Genova (and formerly to Cardinals Bertone and Tettamanzi) and current president of the Italian Bishops' Conference.

This same article includes speculation about the Pope himself publically celebrating the usus antiquior. Roughly translated:

"...[just recently] more and more insistent voices are speaking of the possibility that the Pope, in the next weeks, [after Sept. 14th,].... can celebrate a pontifical Mass in Saint Peter's with the ancient ritual."

I hope to get a translation of the whole article. If anyone is willing to oblige, please email me with the clean translation and I will update this entry.

Thanks to a reader who tipped me to this piece.

UPDATE: Thanks to an Italian reader for this complete (and unofficial) translation:

After Marini? Marini.

If it will truly happen, the selection of his heir could not be more unanticipated. For more than two years people have spoken of the change of the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Archbishop Piero Marini, who for 20 years has flanked John Paul II and now Benedict XVI in ceremonies. A surprise for a new candidate for succession: that of another Marini, Guido, 46 years old, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Genoa and master of ceremonies for Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco. The younger Marini has been secretary for Cardinals Canestri, Tettamanzi and Bertone. Marini, a seminary professor of Canon Law known for being attentive to the correct celebration of the Mass, could be pulled away from Bagnasco and the curia of Genoa so as to direct the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff. It is a crucial post as it is noted that Benedict XVI is attentive to this aspect. It will be a delicate role in light of the Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum”, which liberalizes the ancient preconciliar missal. Precisely in these days there are voices more insistent on the possibility that the Pope himself, in future weeks after September 14th, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, could celebrate a Pontifical Mass with the ancient rite in St. Peter’s.

The actual master of ceremonies, Piero Marini, should be nominated President of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses, replacing Cardinal Jozef Tomko in the position. Marini, notwithstanding his dignity of archbishop received from the hands of John Paul II, has declined an invitation to assume guidance of an Italian diocese. He prefers a role even if less conspicuous, in the Vatican Curia, where he arrived as secretary for Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, a main architect of liturgical reform. Marini has seen to the introduction of a few changes to papal liturgies and “invented” the grand liturgies for the funeral rites of
Pontiffs, the conclave and the beginning of the ministry of the new pope. He has adapted Papal Masses to the demands of television production, to time, music and colour.

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