Question 2.21

2.21 Upon arriving in Rome in 1969, you witnessed the beginning of the liturgical reform in the pope’s own city. …

Yes, but I was ordained in the old rite in July 1969 because the new one was not yet in force. From the time of my arrival in Rome, however, I celebrated with the new Missal of Paul VI. In those days, at the Collegio of San Pietro, each of us still had his own altar. The practice of concele-bration was rare.

Personally, I really tried to celebrate my daily Mass with great care. I could not help noticing around me that some priests were having difficulty finding a balance between their use of their free time, their personal life with the Lord, and their obligation to attend to their communal life as priests. For others, the important thing was their studies, while slackening somewhat in their spiritual life. I recall very well that the African priest who drove me to my apartment told me: “This is your room: you come and go as you please!” It was very edifying for a young priest to hear such an exhortation. …

In the morning, I chose to get up early so as to be able to celebrate without hurrying. I was aware that Mass was the most important moment of my day, because without the Eucharist, my relationship with Christ could not achieve the great intimacy that every Christian desires. I was no longer at the seminary; it was up to me, therefore, to structure my days quite freely and to arrange my moments of meeting the Lord in order to deepen my union with God. The priest who neglects his Mass can no longer see how much God loves us, to the point of giving us his life.

During that time, I realized that the liturgy was the most precious sacred moment in which the Church allows us to encounter God in a unique way. We must never forget to unite the liturgy with the tragic event of the death of Jesus on the Cross.