In Defense of Pope Pius XII and his Laws
Mar 6, 2023 10:58:11 GMT -5
Vincenzo and John Lewis like this
Post by Pacelli on Mar 6, 2023 10:58:11 GMT -5
In Defense of Pope Pius XII and his Laws
The 20th century popes, from St. Pope Pius X to Pope Pius XII brought about reforms to the liturgy of the Latin Rite. Some writers, basing their ideas on, what I see as the worst possible interpretations of these laws, malign Pope Pius XII, considering that he led the Church down a path towards the Novus Ordo, or at a minimum allowed himself to be either manipulated or tricked into these actions of making laws that "led to the Novus Ordo."
A woman, Dr. Carol Byrne, has written extensively to attempt to demonstrate that these laws of Pope Pius XII led to the Novus Ordo. I, as a Catholic, reject her framing of the issue, and I see it as a perverse attack against the Church, against the manner of how a Catholic must treat a Pope and the laws he enacts, which once done, become the laws of the Church itself, and not only demand assent, but demand the trust of the sheep of the Church to what their shepherd has given to them. (I will not post a link here to her writings, as I am convinced that they are evil.)
There really is no choice in this matter, one must either trust Pope Pius XII, who stated publicly to thousands of delegates in 1956 that the liturgical movement, which was under the direction of the hierarchy leading to these laws that he was promulgating were inspired by the Holy Ghost, or accept Dr. Byrne, among others, perverse interpretation of these laws, which is directly at odds with what Pope Pius XII taught Catholics!
The Pope taught:
The Pope stated clearly that he was pleased with the progress in the reforms being made to the liturgy, and stated unequivocally that these reforms were done under the direction of the hierarchy, the authorized Pastors of the Catholic Church, and he specifically attributes the impulse that led the Church to these reforms to Pope St. Pius X! The Pope stated:
The Pope further explains the duty of the laity in obeying and giving whole-hearted consent to his laws:
The Pope then teaches that Catholics have no reason to entertain suspicions, or open or hidden opposition to the liturgical laws being promulgated. It's as though he is speaking through time directly at Dr. Byrne and all others that have adopted such suspicions and/or contempt for these laws promulgated by the Pope and by that are the laws of the Catholic Church.
One last point on this. What was the Pope's thinking in regards to the 1955 law reforming the Holy Week, and secondly why did he do it?
First, the Pope stated that:
To the second question, in the decree promulgating the new law, the reason was given for the reform, namely, that the Churches were empty during the Holy Week, as the rites were very long and in the morning hours during weekdays, leading to nearly deserted churches during the Holy Week!
The 1955 decree approved by Pope Pius XII explains:
Some, in past discussion on this have argued that Pope Pius XII was ill in his final years and these reforms he was making were not really his, but he was being manipulated in his sickly state and not giving his consent. I will note that this is not the argument of Dr. Byrne, who does correctly recognize that the Pope was firmly behind these laws.
I will now address this argument. Those who say such things have obviously not done their homework! Read some biographies of Pope Pius XII, and you can easily find out that in 1954, it is true that the Pope was gravely ill, and was so ill that his death was appearing imminent and was expected, and his body was in a very fragile state with very significant weight loss, going from 145 to 105 pounds. But, that's not the end of the story!
It was at that time that the Pope had a vision of Our Lord at his bedside, and from what can reasonably be seen as a miracle, the Pope fully regained his health and his vigor and went on to lead the Catholic Church for the next four years. One can read this amazing story of the Pope's imminent death, his vision of Our Lord, and his regaining of his health HERE
One may also read about the final years of the Pope, in which he was very active in personally leading and directing the Church from 1954 after his restoration of his health to the time prior to his death in October, 1958, linked HERE
For those that believe the old saying that a picture is worth a 1,000 words, there is a beautiful collage of the Pope leading the Church during these years, linked HERE
The last point I would like to bring up is how Catholics must, not just should, treat the Pope and his laws. This teaching was given by St. Pius X in his 1912 Allocution Vi ringrazio:
I will conclude with this: Pope Pius XII is dead, but his laws live on. Those who speak against his laws, questioning either him or his laws, or causing Catholics to form suspicions against his laws, are not trusting the Pope or the Church. These suspicions that the laws of Pope Pius XII led to the Novus Ordo are rash, unsubstantiated and scandalous. As the Pope in very explicit terms states, "there is no holiness where there is dissent from the Pope."
One must choose, you can either believe and trust Pope Pius XII and apply the principles that Pope St. Pius X commanded us to adhere to, or one can trust the writings and suspicions of Dr. Byrne and the many others who either write or speak as she does.
The 20th century popes, from St. Pope Pius X to Pope Pius XII brought about reforms to the liturgy of the Latin Rite. Some writers, basing their ideas on, what I see as the worst possible interpretations of these laws, malign Pope Pius XII, considering that he led the Church down a path towards the Novus Ordo, or at a minimum allowed himself to be either manipulated or tricked into these actions of making laws that "led to the Novus Ordo."
A woman, Dr. Carol Byrne, has written extensively to attempt to demonstrate that these laws of Pope Pius XII led to the Novus Ordo. I, as a Catholic, reject her framing of the issue, and I see it as a perverse attack against the Church, against the manner of how a Catholic must treat a Pope and the laws he enacts, which once done, become the laws of the Church itself, and not only demand assent, but demand the trust of the sheep of the Church to what their shepherd has given to them. (I will not post a link here to her writings, as I am convinced that they are evil.)
There really is no choice in this matter, one must either trust Pope Pius XII, who stated publicly to thousands of delegates in 1956 that the liturgical movement, which was under the direction of the hierarchy leading to these laws that he was promulgating were inspired by the Holy Ghost, or accept Dr. Byrne, among others, perverse interpretation of these laws, which is directly at odds with what Pope Pius XII taught Catholics!
The Pope taught:
Thus the liturgical movement has appeared as a sign of God’s providential dispositions for the present day, as a movement of the Holy Spirit in His Church, intended to bring men closer to those mysteries of the faith and treasures of grace which derive from the active participation of the faithful in liturgical life. SOURCE
The Pope stated clearly that he was pleased with the progress in the reforms being made to the liturgy, and stated unequivocally that these reforms were done under the direction of the hierarchy, the authorized Pastors of the Catholic Church, and he specifically attributes the impulse that led the Church to these reforms to Pope St. Pius X! The Pope stated:
If the position of the liturgical movement today is compared to that of thirty years ago, undeniable progress in its extent and in its depth becomes evident. Interest in the liturgy, practical accomplishments, and the active participation of the faithful have undergone a development which would then have been difficult to anticipate.
The chief driving force, both in doctrinal matters and in practical applications, came from the Hierarchy and, in particular, from Our saintly Predecessor, Pius X, who gave the liturgical movement a decisive impulse by his Motu Proprio of October 23, 1913, “Abhinc duos annos.” (1) (emphasis added) SOURCE
The chief driving force, both in doctrinal matters and in practical applications, came from the Hierarchy and, in particular, from Our saintly Predecessor, Pius X, who gave the liturgical movement a decisive impulse by his Motu Proprio of October 23, 1913, “Abhinc duos annos.” (1) (emphasis added) SOURCE
The Pope further explains the duty of the laity in obeying and giving whole-hearted consent to his laws:
If the Hierarchy communicates the truth and the grace of Christ by means of the liturgy, the faithful on their side, have a duty to receive them, to give them their whole-hearted consent, to transform them into values for life. They accept all that is offered to them- the graces of the sacrifice of the altar, of the sacraments and sacramentals – not as mere passive recipients of the graces flowing over them, but cooperating in these graces with all their will and strength, and, above all, participating in the liturgical offices, or at least following their performance with fervor. (emphasis added) SOURCE
The Pope then teaches that Catholics have no reason to entertain suspicions, or open or hidden opposition to the liturgical laws being promulgated. It's as though he is speaking through time directly at Dr. Byrne and all others that have adopted such suspicions and/or contempt for these laws promulgated by the Pope and by that are the laws of the Catholic Church.
The contributions which are brought to the liturgy by the Hierarchy and by the faithful are not to be reckoned as two separate quantities, but represent the work of members of the same organism, which acts as a single living entity. The shepherds and the flock, the teaching Church and the Church taught, form a single and unique body of Christ. So there is no reason for entertaining suspicion, rivalries, open or hidden opposition, either in one’s thought or in one’s manner of speaking and acting. Among members of the same body there ought to reign, before all else, harmony, union and cooperation. It is within this unity that the Church prays, makes it offering, grows in holiness. One can declare therefore with justice that the liturgy is the work of the Church whole and entire. (emphasis added) SOURCE
One last point on this. What was the Pope's thinking in regards to the 1955 law reforming the Holy Week, and secondly why did he do it?
First, the Pope stated that:
...the new decree on Holy Week, dated November 16, 1955,(3) which has helped the faithful to achieve a better understanding and fuller participation in the love, sufferings and triumph of our Savior." (emphasis added) SOURCE
To the second question, in the decree promulgating the new law, the reason was given for the reform, namely, that the Churches were empty during the Holy Week, as the rites were very long and in the morning hours during weekdays, leading to nearly deserted churches during the Holy Week!
The 1955 decree approved by Pope Pius XII explains:
From that time the attendance of the faithful at these sacred rites necessarily decreased, especially because their celebration had long since been put back into the morning hours when, on weekdays, schools, businesses, and public affairs of all kinds were and are conducted everywhere. In fact, common and almost universal experience teaches that these liturgical services of the sacred triduum are often performed by the clergy with the body of the church nearly deserted. (emphasis added) SOURCE
Some, in past discussion on this have argued that Pope Pius XII was ill in his final years and these reforms he was making were not really his, but he was being manipulated in his sickly state and not giving his consent. I will note that this is not the argument of Dr. Byrne, who does correctly recognize that the Pope was firmly behind these laws.
I will now address this argument. Those who say such things have obviously not done their homework! Read some biographies of Pope Pius XII, and you can easily find out that in 1954, it is true that the Pope was gravely ill, and was so ill that his death was appearing imminent and was expected, and his body was in a very fragile state with very significant weight loss, going from 145 to 105 pounds. But, that's not the end of the story!
It was at that time that the Pope had a vision of Our Lord at his bedside, and from what can reasonably be seen as a miracle, the Pope fully regained his health and his vigor and went on to lead the Catholic Church for the next four years. One can read this amazing story of the Pope's imminent death, his vision of Our Lord, and his regaining of his health HERE
One may also read about the final years of the Pope, in which he was very active in personally leading and directing the Church from 1954 after his restoration of his health to the time prior to his death in October, 1958, linked HERE
For those that believe the old saying that a picture is worth a 1,000 words, there is a beautiful collage of the Pope leading the Church during these years, linked HERE
The last point I would like to bring up is how Catholics must, not just should, treat the Pope and his laws. This teaching was given by St. Pius X in his 1912 Allocution Vi ringrazio:
Distracted with so many occupations, it is easy to forget the things that lead to perfection in priestly life; it is easy [for the priest] to delude himself and to believe that, by busying himself with the salvation of the souls of others, he consequently works for his own sanctification. Alas, let not this delusion lead you to error, because nemo dat quod nemo habet [no one gives what he does not have]; and, in order to sanctify others, it is necessary not to neglect any of the ways proposed for the sanctification of our own selves.
The Pope is the guardian of dogma and of morals; he is the custodian of the principles that make families sound, nations great, souls holy; he is the counsellor of princes and of peoples; he is the head under whom no one feels tyrannized because he represents God Himself; he is the supreme father who unites in himself all that may exist that is loving, tender, divine.
It seems incredible, and is even painful, that there be priests to whom this recommendation must be made, but we are regrettably in our age in this hard, unhappy, situation of having to tell priests: love the Pope!
And how must the Pope be loved? Non verbo neque lingua, sed opere et veritate. [Not in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth - 1 Jn iii, 18] When one loves a person, one tries to adhere in everything to his thoughts, to fulfill his will, to perform his wishes. And if Our Lord Jesus Christ said of Himself, "si quis diligit me, sermonem meum servabit," [if any one love me, he will keep my word - Jn xiv, 23] therefore, in order to demonstrate our love for the Pope, it is necessary to obey him.
Therefore, when we love the Pope, there are no discussions regarding what he orders or demands, or up to what point obedience must go, and in what things he is to be obeyed; when we love the Pope, we do not say that he has not spoken clearly enough, almost as if he were forced to repeat to the ear of each one the will clearly expressed so many times not only in person, but with letters and other public documents; we do not place his orders in doubt, adding the facile pretext of those unwilling to obey - that it is not the Pope who commands, but those who surround him; we do not limit the field in which he might and must exercise his authority; we do not set above the authority of the Pope that of other persons, however learned, who dissent from the Pope, who, even though learned, are not holy, because whoever is holy cannot dissent from the Pope.
This is the cry of a heart filled with pain, that with deep sadness I express, not for your sake, dear brothers, but to deplore, with you, the conduct of so many priests, who not only allow themselves to debate and criticize the wishes of the Pope, but are not embarrassed to reach shameless and blatant disobedience, with so much scandal for the good and with so great damage to souls. SOURCE (emphasis added)
The Pope is the guardian of dogma and of morals; he is the custodian of the principles that make families sound, nations great, souls holy; he is the counsellor of princes and of peoples; he is the head under whom no one feels tyrannized because he represents God Himself; he is the supreme father who unites in himself all that may exist that is loving, tender, divine.
It seems incredible, and is even painful, that there be priests to whom this recommendation must be made, but we are regrettably in our age in this hard, unhappy, situation of having to tell priests: love the Pope!
And how must the Pope be loved? Non verbo neque lingua, sed opere et veritate. [Not in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth - 1 Jn iii, 18] When one loves a person, one tries to adhere in everything to his thoughts, to fulfill his will, to perform his wishes. And if Our Lord Jesus Christ said of Himself, "si quis diligit me, sermonem meum servabit," [if any one love me, he will keep my word - Jn xiv, 23] therefore, in order to demonstrate our love for the Pope, it is necessary to obey him.
Therefore, when we love the Pope, there are no discussions regarding what he orders or demands, or up to what point obedience must go, and in what things he is to be obeyed; when we love the Pope, we do not say that he has not spoken clearly enough, almost as if he were forced to repeat to the ear of each one the will clearly expressed so many times not only in person, but with letters and other public documents; we do not place his orders in doubt, adding the facile pretext of those unwilling to obey - that it is not the Pope who commands, but those who surround him; we do not limit the field in which he might and must exercise his authority; we do not set above the authority of the Pope that of other persons, however learned, who dissent from the Pope, who, even though learned, are not holy, because whoever is holy cannot dissent from the Pope.
This is the cry of a heart filled with pain, that with deep sadness I express, not for your sake, dear brothers, but to deplore, with you, the conduct of so many priests, who not only allow themselves to debate and criticize the wishes of the Pope, but are not embarrassed to reach shameless and blatant disobedience, with so much scandal for the good and with so great damage to souls. SOURCE (emphasis added)
I will conclude with this: Pope Pius XII is dead, but his laws live on. Those who speak against his laws, questioning either him or his laws, or causing Catholics to form suspicions against his laws, are not trusting the Pope or the Church. These suspicions that the laws of Pope Pius XII led to the Novus Ordo are rash, unsubstantiated and scandalous. As the Pope in very explicit terms states, "there is no holiness where there is dissent from the Pope."
One must choose, you can either believe and trust Pope Pius XII and apply the principles that Pope St. Pius X commanded us to adhere to, or one can trust the writings and suspicions of Dr. Byrne and the many others who either write or speak as she does.