INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE IS A NON-ISSUE

Inclusive language, if there is such a thing, on which I do have doubts, but I'll use the term because some people believe there is, should not be an issue for us. We are to be obedient to the bishops of our country by following the Church texts given to us by them duly approved by Rome. Vatican II document Lumen Gentium no. 25 says this, "Bishops who teach in communion with the Roman Pontiff are to be revered by all as witnesses of divine and Catholic truth; the faithful, for their part, are obliged to submit to their bishops' decision, made in the name of Christ, in matters of faith and morals, and to adhere to it with a ready and respectful allegiance of mind. This loyal submission of the will and intellect must be given, in a special way, to the authentic teaching authority of the Roman Pontiff, even when he does not speak ex cathedra in such wise, indeed, that his supreme teaching authority be acknowledged with respect, and sincere assent be given to decisions made by him, conformably with his manifest mind and intention, which is made known principally either by the character of the documents in question, or by the frequency with which a certain doctrine is proposed, or by the manner in which the doctrine is formulated."

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) of Vatican II says in no. 22. "(1) Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See, and, as laws may determine, on the bishop. (2) In virtue of power conceded by law, the regulation of the liturgy within certain defined limits belongs also to various kinds of bishops' conferences, legitimately established, with competence in given territories. (3) Therefore no other person, not even a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority."

As you can see we have no authority to change any part of the liturgy, and that is from when the priest enters until he exits. We should not be having classes on inclusive language, especially at the parish level, that would suggest dissent and would hinder unity. The only thing we can do is write to our bishops and try to convince them to change the liturgical texts. St. Francis of Assisi was great at this, he brought about many changes in the church, but only by being obedient and convincing the appropriate member of the hierarchy to make the changes. The Catholic Encyclopedia says of St Francis, "Equally admirable was Francis's prompt and docile obedience to the voice of grace within him, even in the early days of his ill-defined ambition, when the spirit of interpretation failed him. Later on, the saint, with as clear as a sense of his message as any prophet ever had, yielded ungrudging submission to what constituted ecclesiastical authority. No reformer, moreover, was ever, less aggressive than Francis. His apostolate embodied the very noblest spirit of reform; he strove to correct abuses by holding up an ideal. He stretched out his arms in yearning towards those who longed for the "better gifts". The others he left alone. And thus, without strife or schism, God's Poor Little Man of Assisi became the means of renewing the youth of the Church and of imitating the most potent and popular religious movement since the beginnings of Christianity."

In John 20:21 Jesus says to the apostles "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." If we truly believe the dogma that Jesus started one Church and left the apostles' successors in charge with the power to "bind and loose", which is basically the power to govern his Church, we must obey what Jesus said and do what our bishops tell us. "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me. (Luke 10:16)" Even Jesus told the people to obey the Jewish hierarchy of the time, (and we all know how he felt about them) "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. (Mat 23:1-3)" Jesus replaced the scribes and Pharisees with the apostles and our bishops and pope are the hierarchy of His Church and we must obey them as Jesus says.

If you have true faith in God you will be obedient to His Church. I'm not saying that you can't disagree with the translation of the texts but you must obey the Church and at least have respect for the Word of God and read it as it is written. If you can't follow a simple rule of the Church like read the words off the page as they are written, how can you follow God's rules and laws. "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Mat 23:12).

Sacrocanctum Concillium is reinforced in the Third Instruction on the Correct Implementation of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy where in no. 1 it states "The presence of God will be ensured by following the rites of the Church rather than those inspired by a priests' individual preference." I might add also anyone else's preference. It also states in no. 3 "The liturgical texts composed by the Church also deserve the greatest respect. No one on his own authority may make changes, substitutions, additions or deletions in them." If anyone thinks that the pope would allow a liturgy that would exclude anyone, I think you are very much misguided. Vatican II reformed the liturgy to include everyone, which is what the new Mass does. It allows all to take part, though that is not was has happened. Vatican II Sacrosanctum Concilium no. 54 says "Nevertheless care must be taken to ensure that the faithful may also be able to say or sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them." I think they stress this because it is uniting to praise God in the same language and because the Church is universal (Catholic). If they want to talk exclusion, I can't go to any Mass that I want to. I am excluded when I go to a Mass that is said in Spanish, German, or any other language. I can't say any of the prayers or responses. If some of the responses were in Latin as the Council wanted, I could go to any Mass in the world and say the Kyrie Eleison, Gloria in Excelsis Deo, Pater Noster, etc. Latin has never been removed from the Mass, all they did was allow the vernacular, just because it is allowed doesn't mean it is the best or that it must be. The liturgy is supposed to elevate the people, but instead it is being brought down to the people.

Well there's really not much more that can be said on this subject. Except obedience, obedience, obedience.