ROGRESSIVE liturgists love Blessed Paul VI because he made sweeping changes to the liturgy. They have been desperately hoping Pope Francis will modify the liturgy further, but Francis hasn’t made any changes. On the right is an image of Bishop Montini wearing Cappa Magna, a garment which causes inexplicable panic in some… Perhaps an intelligent reader can confirm that Montini was a Cardinal at the time this photo was taken.
Some assert that bishops should no longer wear traditional vesture because Paul VI abolished the Papal Court (and with it certain garments). They claim that such vestments smack of secular garments—such as what an ancient prince might wear—and must be forbidden. The problem is, these same folks have no problem with bishops and priests dressing in lay clothes! 1
Many do not realize that Blessed Paul VI was a close advisor to Pius XII. Can you pick out Msgr. Giovanni Battista Montini in these images? (The final image shows him wearing Cappa Magna as bishop.)
UPDATE:
FrGuy wrote: “Both photos of Montini in the Cappa Magna were taken when he was a cardinal. In the full length photo you’ve identified as him when he was a bishop that’s incorrect. You can tell he was a Cardinal because 1) he’s wearing red shoes a privilege of cardinals 2) there is a gold tassel hanging from his sash (fascia). This was also a privilege for cardinals. Bishops used to have a purple tuft on theirs. 3) there is no pom-pom on the biretta. Bishops’ birettas have pom-poms. Keep in mind that in the old days there were occasions when cardinals wore purple as well as bright scarlet (penitential days). In both photos Montini is a Cardinal.”
NOTES FROM THIS ARTICLE:
1 In other words, they will allow clerics to dress in secular garments so long as they’re not traditional.
