![]() Louis, Mo., explains the three models that shaped the creation of this unique African rite in his article, “ A History and Analysis of the Missel Romain pour Les Dioceses du Zaïre. Nathan Chase, an assistant professor of theology at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. “The Congolese rite of the Eucharistic celebration,” said Pope Francis, “emphasizes the different languages, colors and body movements which interact, by leveraging all the dimensions of the personality of the faithful, always taking into account the specific values of each people.” Vatican II gave the bishops and the people of then-Zaire the confidence and theological backing they needed to make the rite a reality. Fifteen years and two popes later, in April 1988, the rite was officially recognized and approved by John Paul II. The fruit of that research was presented to the Vatican office responsible for the liturgy and sacraments and in 1973 the Zaire rite was then cleared for experimental use. In 1969, the bishops of Zaire established a research committee to piece together what a rite that was indigenous and faithful to the experience of the Zairean people might look like. “One of the main contributions of Vatican II,” the pope said in his video message, “was precisely to propose norms for adaptation to the character and traditions of various peoples.” In its document on the liturgy, “ Sacrosanctum Concilium,” Vatican II gave the bishops and the people of then-Zaire-known today as the Democratic Republic of the Congo-the confidence and theological backing they needed to make the rite a reality. Although work on the Zaire rite is said to have begun in 1961, the project took root only after the Second Vatican Council. In 1988, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments approved the “Roman Missal for the Dioceses of Zaire.” Today, it is the only inculturated rite approved for use by the Catholic Church. “A book that is the testimony of a celebration lived with faith and joy.”īut what is the Zaire rite, and why is Pope Francis talking about it now, 30 years after it was officially approved for use? He highlighted the subtitle of the book, “A promising rite for other cultures,” affirming that it is “the fundamental reason behind this publication,” he said. The launch of the book signified “a very important event for the church in Africa,” Pope Francis said. “This rite is the proof that each people can pray to the God of Jesus Christ from its cultural riches and expressions without altering the unity of the Catholic faith.” “This rite is the proof that each people can pray to the God of Jesus Christ from its cultural riches and expressions without altering the unity of the Catholic faith,” Sister Kongo told America. The book is edited by Sister Rita Mboshu Kongo, a member of the congregation of the Daughters of Mary, the Most Holy, Co-Redemptrix, who teaches theology and formation for consecrated life at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome. The video was produced to coincide with the launch of a new book about the Zaire rite, Pope Francis and the Roman Missal for the Dioceses of Zaire, from the Vatican Publishing House. ![]() ![]() 1, “can serve as an example and model for other cultures.” “The experience of the Congolese rite of celebrating the Mass,” the pope said, in a video message from the Vatican on Dec. Now, a year later, Pope Francis has again brought attention to the rite, suggesting that it is a model for similarly inculturated liturgies in other parts of the Catholic world. Pope Francis has again brought attention to the Zaire rite, suggesting that it is a model for similarly inculturated liturgies in other parts of the Catholic world. It is simply that on this Sunday, Pope Francis chose to celebrate the Mass using the Zaire rite of the Roman Missal to mark the 25th anniversary of the Congolese community in Rome. The penitential rite came after the homily and was immediately followed by the sign of peace, showing that the people’s reconciliation with God leads them to make peace with one another.Īs unfamiliar as this celebration might appear to many Catholics, there was actually nothing extraordinary about this Mass. The music was not all that was different from the usual Vatican liturgy. ![]() The sound of marimbas, electric guitars, hand shakers and African and electronic drums echoed throughout St. In their place, some 30 women dressed in brightly-patterned dresses were ushered in-alongside only a handful of men. The boys and men of the Sistine Chapel Choir had the day off. 1, 2019, was a much different affair than usual. Mass at the Vatican on the First Sunday of Advent last year, Dec. ![]()
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