The problem of liturgical reform:

In essence, it is good to work towards a purity of one’s rite. Nevertheless, there is a big danger that this good thing will be abused. An example may be the so-called post-council spirit in the Latin Church that many times was connected with a liturgical reform. Altars were turned to face toward the people; however, unless this was connected with a true spirit of repentance the hearts did thus not turn to God. It was claimed that this meant a return to the early centuries: the tabernacle was removed from the altar to the side chapel, at some places statues and pictures were removed from the churches. Thank God the State care of historical monuments did not permit the “eager reformers” to carry out the reform so thoroughly as was marked out by the prescriptions. Very often modern artists were bringing the spirit of the world into the sacral places so that the new picture or statue suggested some absent-minded or drunken man or woman sooner than a saint or even Christ and the Holy Virgin. Many times it did not exalt one’s spirit to God but brought in quite the contrary – a decay. The seminaries were bringing up a generation which gave the first place in their clerical life to the carrying out of a liturgical reform. Instead of a true piety and desire for salvation of souls these priests were for years discussing only the issue who managed to realize the prescribed reform in his church most accurately. In place of kneeling during the Holy Communion there was standing introduced and finally even receiving on hand. Two angry women came to a certain priest. One of them insisted that during the Holy Communion one must kneel, the other claimed that one must stand, and in anger they were inveighing against the priest: “Father, which is right, kneeling or standing during the Holy Communion?” “If you want to know which is right,” replied the priest, “I will tell you: neither standing nor kneeling, but lying!” The women made a dull look at him and he explained: “One must lie, for the apostles during the last supper were also lying!”