Tradition and progress in the liturgy – a papal address

Yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI addressed members of the Pontifical Liturgical Institute St. Anselm, meeting for their ninth International Liturgy Congress. Among other things, he addressed the still-sensitive topic of the reforms of Vatican II. He writes:

“Not infrequently tradition and progress are clumsily opposed. In reality, the two concepts are integrated: tradition is a living reality, which because of this includes in itself the principle of development, of progress. It is as if saying that the river of tradition has its source in itself and flows toward the outlet.”

Go read the full text, or my translation, which offers some lucid comments on what the liturgy is and how progress and tradition relate to one another.

Photo credit: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images

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There Be Dragons

Director Roland Joffe’s movie about St. Josemaría Escrivá, set during the Spanish Civil War and dealing with topics like choices and friendship, is already released or will soon be in a handful of countries.

IMdB tells us that there has been a German release in February, but I have the sneaking suspicion that there won’t be much of a wider European release. I could be wrong, though. So if anyone knows more, please do share.