Monday, August 13, 2007

Characters of the Intervention: Ottaviani


Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani was the principle signer and revisor of the critical study of the New Mass, which he and Cardinal Bacci were to present to Paul VI against the Protestant New Mass. Alfredo was a man of achievement, being educated at the Pontifical Roman Seminary and the Pontifical Roman Athenaeum S. Apollinare, graduating a doctor in philosophy, theology, and canon law, and was ordained on 18 March, 1916. Pope Pius XII delegated Ottaviani the positions of Pro-Secretary of the Holy Office and created Cardinal Deacon of Santa Maria on 12, January, 1953, and six years later Fr. Ottaviani was made Secretary of the Holy Office of the Roman Curia during which time he signed the decree of excommunication against Fr. Feeney [not surprising, concerning his views on religious tolerance]. On April 19, 1962, Alfredo Ottaviani was consecrated to the bishopric by Angelo Roncalli, Giuseppe Cardinal Pizzardo, and Benedetto Cardinal Aloisi Masella and was appointed Titular Archbishop of Berrhoea.

During the second Vatican Council Ottaviani was a principle character and associate of the conservative party of bishops, including Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, CSSp, critical of the changes that were taking place. Cardinal Ottaviani was also a present elector participating in the 1963 papal conclave, which elected Giovanni Cardinal Montini as Paul VI, and, on June 30 as Protodeacon, he announced Montini's election and crowned him with the triregnum.

Two years later Ottaviani was named Pro-Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, formerly the Holy Office, which he resigned on January 6, 1968, and, one year later he presented, with the support of Cardinal Bacci, the revised letter, translated by Fr. Guerard Des Lauriers, of the cardinals and theologians, critical of the novus ordo missae, to Paul VI, now known as the Ottaviani Intervention.

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