In his diary, eminent liturgist Fr Louis Bouyer had harsh words for Annibale Bugnini, secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship, responsible for implementing the liturgical reform of Vatican II. He described Bugnici as someone “as devoid of learning as he was of honesty”. Bouyer died in 2004 but his diary recently appeared in France.
Bouyer says that on many occasions, Bugnini insisted that the Pope wanted things to be done in a certain way. But later on the Pope told Bouyer that Bugnici had told him that certain proposed changes were supported by all members of the commission responsible for the reform. In his diary Bouyer concludes that the Pope was manoeuvered into “approving without being in any way more than content with it than I was”. In 1976, Bugnini was relieved of his duties and sent as apostolic nuncio to Iran.
‘Protect Middle East persecuted minorities’
In an appeal to the international community to protect the Middle East’s persecuted minorities, Apostolic Nuncio to the UN Bernardito Auza said: “Every state has the primary duty to protect its own population from grave and sustained violations of human rights and from the consequences of humanitarian crises. If states are unable to guarantee such protection, the international community must intervene with the juridical means provided in the UN Charter.”
Theme for 2015 synod announced
The Holy See press office has announced the theme of next year’s synod of bishops, which will take place from October 4 to 25, 2015. The theme will be devoted to “the vocation and the mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world”.
‘Promote family unity in migration policy’
Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See’s leading representative at UN offices in Geneva, said: “Migrants very often move out of concern for the needs of their families; at times, they even risk their lives on flimsy boats or in dangerous deserts in the hope of ensuring their families a decent life. While migrants are a positive presence in their host societies, they face the risk that their own children and relatives remain in the shadow and deprived of their affection at home.
“An urgently needed immigration reform involves the formulation of a legal framework that helps keep families together. The life and dignity of every human person is lived within the family. All children need their parents. Parents have the responsibility to protect and nurture their children, and yet deported parents are prevented from living out this fundamental vocation.
“Too many families are now torn apart. By allowing children to emigrate unaccompanied further problems arise as they are exposed to lawlessness and despair.”
Syriac Catholics’ plight lamented
In an interview with Vatican Radio, the head of the Syriac Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Holy See, lamented the plight of Syriac Catholics in Iraq and Syria.
According to Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan, “over 70,000 Syriac Catholics have been uprooted”. He added that “over two-thirds, if not three-quarters of our numbers in all Iraq – they have been displaced and they have nowhere to go”.
“It’s a disastrous situation for families and children, and also for our parishes. We don’t know what to do with our people, especially the young… leaving them in that kind of limbo – no hope for the future.”
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)