The following came from a Catholic priest.
[We usually redact names for anonymity’s sake.]
OUR ARTICLE which spoke of holy week reforms by several popes was superb. I agree with everything you wrote. I grew up in an Italian American family. I often heard stories of Holy Week devotions that nourished the faith of countless generations that were lost to the “reforms” of Pius XII. For instance: Visiting the Repository in seven churches by walking from church to church; nighttime processions; the Burial Service or “Funeral” of Christ; and so on.
More Examples • My mother recalls rushing home from school on Holy Thursday to begin the pilgrimage from church to church. This was in the suburbs so it lasted into the evening. There were groups of people all doing the same thing. They would save their parish church for last and try to be in time for TENEBRAE. The WATCH continued all through the night until the Mass of the Presanctified. On Good Friday afternoon there was the Tre Ore followed by Stations of the Cross. At night there was a procession through the streets with a statue of Cristo Morto—which was brought to the Church and placed in the Sepulchre until Easter Sunday morning. People would visit it to pray for the souls in Purgatory. This all ended in the late 1950s. Over the years people have tried to revive the traditions with little success.
Impoverishment • Of course, you could visit the seven churches by car … but it’s not the same. Many parishes still have Stations of the Cross on Good Friday afternoon or evening, but few hold them during Lent. The baby has gone with the bath water, and we are greatly impoverished. Somehow the traditions have survived in Italy and other places outside the English speaking world; we need to recover them. Liturgical piety and popular piety are not mutually exclusive. Both nourish the soul and proclaim the Gospel—albeit in different ways.
Root Of All Sin • As to folks picking and choosing which rubrics to follow, I see it as personal preference rooted in the sin of pride. I like “123” so I will exert my power and control over everyone else. If you ask them why they generally can’t give a reasoned answer; it seems always about exerting power. As I see it, if you can’t give a reasoned explanation you should keep quiet and let the people with the knowledge direct and lead. But as long as we are a fallen race that will never happen. I apologize for blathering on. I pray that the coming HOLY WEEK won’t be too stressful for you. Remember it is all for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
