Dicastery for Divine Worship warns of liturgical extremism

The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has warned of a danger of extremism in the liturgical sphere. In a summary of a meeting held on October 21 with bishops from Panama during their ad limina visit, the dicastery stated that certain groups of the faithful provoke division and confusion by raising issues such as the use of veils by women or receiving Communion on the hand or while kneeling.

The dicastery noted that these groups tend to instrumentalize the Eucharistic celebration, reaffirming that the Eucharist is a sacrament of unity and cannot become an object of contention.

During the same meeting, the Panamanian bishops reported incorrect practices regarding Eucharistic adoration, noting a risk of it becoming a highly individual form of worship detached from the celebration of the Eucharist. The bishops also identified a tendency to lengthen celebrations with added gestures, prayers, and responses.