Liturgy Needs Tradition and Progress, Says Pope

The liturgy lives from a constant relationship between tradition and progress, according to Benedict XVI.

The Pope made this observation when he addressed participants in the 9th International Congress on the Liturgy sponsored by the Pontifical Liturgical Institute of Rome's St. Anselm Pontifical Athenaeum.

The congress, titled "The Pontifical Institute: Between Memory and Prophecy," was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the institute's foundation by Pope John XXIII.

The Holy Father drew from this title a consideration of "memory" and "prophecy."

"In regard to memory, we must note the abundant fruits elicited by the Holy Spirit in half a century of history, and for this we must thank the Giver of all good, despite the misunderstandings and errors in the concrete realization of the reform," he said.

"With the term 'prophecy,'" the Pontiff continued, "our gaze opens to new horizons."

He said that:

"the liturgy of the Church goes beyond the 'conciliar reform. This reform, was not primarily to change the rites and gestures, but rather to renew mentalities and to put at the center of Christian life and ministry the celebration of the paschal mystery of Christ. Unfortunately, perhaps, also for us pastors and experts, the liturgy was taken more as an object to be reformed rather than a subject capable of renewing Christian life."

The liturgy lives from a "correct and constant relationship between healthy 'traditio' and legitimate 'progressio,'" he added.

"Not infrequently tradition and progress are clumsily opposed," the Pope stated. "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."