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|  Schönborn: Eucharist is more thrilling than any show5. März 2005 in English, keine Lesermeinung Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna in an exclusive KATH.NET interview on "customised Masses", liturgical events and the deep meaning of the liturgy. Vienna (www.kath.net) Cardinal Schönborn: As a matter of principle, liturgy is always the liturgy of the Church, the liturgy of the whole people of God. The faithful are entitled to participate in a celebration of the liturgy that is valid in the community of the Church Universal. Even more, the faithful, the parishes and the priests are obliged to celebrate the Divine Service in community with the Church Universal. This right and this obligation are not confining our freedom, but they are the necessary pre-requisites for the faithful to participate in the service of the Church and not in something that is the fruit of somebody's hobby or of private liturgical ideas - however well-meant these might be. The deepest reason for this liturgical order is the fact that this is a Divine Service, i.e. in the Christian service it is God himself turning to mankind first, Christ himself is the celebrant, who is addressing us in his word and who leads us into his devotion to the Father for the salvation of all mankind. Therefore it was always the primary concern of the Church that Jesus Christ is the centre of the liturgy. He is the main celebrant. To make this perceptible, it is good and right that there is an ecclesiastical order of the liturgy that helps us to meet Christ in the liturgy. KATH.NET: Which elements of the Holy Mass are changeable. Is there any room for creativity? Which elements shall never be changed, and why is this the case? Cardinal Schönborn: I cannot recommend often enough to read and to meditate on the beautiful and rich General Instruction of the Roman Missal. In the liturgy of the church there are quite some places which allow for creativity. In this respect, I want to recall the big services with the Holy Father on different continents, which have shown much of the possibilities to allow for cultural and local elements. Furthermore, I want to remind of the opportunities that are provided by the Order of the Mass itself: in the Penitential Rite, in the Presentation of the Gifts and in the Prayer of the Faithful, e.g. The church holds unambiguously to the fact that the Eucharistic Prayer, which is the core of the Eucharist, is not at disposal for private compositions. There are complaints again and again that the participation of the faithful in the Eucharistic Prayer is missing. This can only be due to a misunderstanding. Then not only is it possible that the faithful pray and accompany the Eucharistic Prayer inwardly, but this is explicitly desired. It is the prayer of the Church spoken by the priest for the whole Church. But only the priest is assigned and authorised to speak this prayer. The so-called acclamations leave some room for allowed creativity in the Eucharistic Prayer, which is explicitly arranged for after the consecration words of the Institution Narrative. KATH.NET: Nowadays, liturgy is often presented as an "event". Many people experience the liturgy as a group experience, a cultural event, an aesthetic add-on. Actually, what is the significance of the liturgy for the Church? Cardinal Schönborn: The liturgy is "an event", of course. It is at all the most significant event one ever can imagine. For in liturgy happens ("event" signifies "something that happens") the secret of the faith. Death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are made present for us. Can there be anything more magnificent than this event? And therefore the Eucharist is of an incomparable topicality, it is more thrilling than any show and more beautiful than all plays. Certainly this does provoke us to get involved as much as possible in this event and to celebrate it with body and soul, with all our being and with our full commitment. It is no coincidence that the event "Holy Mass" is particularly impressive when the celebrant is deeply moved by the secret that he is celebrating. Under these circumstances the fold realises that this is the celebration of the biggest event in history. I had an unforgettable experience of this with Padre Pio, whose way to celebrate the Holy Mass was the same every day, but all the same of an incomparable novelty every time, lively and of fascinating intensity. The organisation of a service is a success, when it is completely serving this "event", which is the core and the subject of the Eucharist. In such a case there is never the danger of it to be boring nor of wear and tear, unless we are bored and weared off ourselves. This, however, is not the fault of the liturgy, but the result of our lacking disposition and of our missing faith. KATH.NET: What is the danger, if liturgy becomes an event that presents novelties every now and then - where the faithful have to expect something new again and again? Cardinal Schönborn: My cherished and favourite poet, C. S. Lewis, writes once in a letter to a friend what he as layman is expecting himself of the celebrant. He says roughly the following: "What I desire as a layman is just this one and only thing, that I am not forced to think all the time during the service: What is is crossing the celebrant's mind now again, for God's sake?" It is something magnificent, if a service is celebrated faithfully according to the prescriptions of the Church, and with a genuine intimateness, with serious involvement and with the joy that presence of Christ in our midst is celebrated. I cannot imagine anything more lively and more topical than "the plain and ordinary Holy Mass". I reckon, even if I would live one hundred years, which God may hopefully prevent, I would never desire anything else than this one and only thing: In the daily Eucharist to penetrate every day deeper this marvellous secret that is given to us and through which may live. KATH.NET: Many people experience the "eternal monotony" of a Catholic Mass to be boring. On the other hand, many people look for rituals in our times, for an order midst in a world that is changing permanently and that offers hardly anything stable. Wouldn't it be a chance for the church to offer to the people such a stable point of reference by its liturgy? Schönborn: My short answer to this: Precisely so! Interview: Petra Biermeier
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