We asked the Register's former Rome correspondent, Father Raymond J. de Souza, to sum up the Pope's new apostolic letter on the liturgy.

Pope John Paul II, from the first day of his pontificate, has always understood his principal task to be the authentic implementation of the Second Vatican Council. And since the council, no area of Catholic life has changed more than that of the liturgy, which is the primary forum in which most Catholics ordinarily live and experience their faith.

So it was noteworthy that on Dec. 4, the 40th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium — Vatican II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy — John Paul offered some reflections on the liturgical reforms of the past four decades. And given that he does not write about the liturgy often — even this apostolic letter was a rather low-key affair, not even having a title — it bears careful reading. There are three key points, which the Holy Father underscores.

First, John Paul notes the major achievements of the liturgical reform. In particular, he highlights the more abundant use of Scripture for the readings at Mass (younger Catholics likely do not know that the coverage of Scripture in the pre-conciliar lectionary was rather impoverished compared with the current one).

The Pope also mentions the rediscovery of the importance of the Sunday Mass as the weekly center of liturgical life and the clarification of the distinction between the liturgy and devotional life. Those points are a useful rejoinder to those who bemoan that nothing good has come out of the liturgical reform.

Second, the Holy Father says the liturgy has to develop in Catholics a “taste for prayer.” He recommends the Liturgy of the Hours (or breviary) be introduced to lay Catholics (clergy and religious are already obliged to pray it).

The increasing number of parishes that are now praying together the Liturgy of the Hours before daily Mass will be heartened by the Pope's words. Indeed, given that John Paul has devoted his weekly audiences to commentaries on the Liturgy of the Hours for the past three years, it is clearly a papal priority.

Third, John Paul encourages Catholics to learn the value of silence as a privileged place for an encounter with God.

“An aspect that must be cultivated with greater commitment in our communities is the experience of silence,” he writes. “In a society that lives in an increasingly frenetic manner, often dazed by noise and scattered by the transient, rediscovering the value of silence is vital. … The liturgy, among its various moments and signs, cannot ignore that of silence.”

Amid all the controversies in the liturgy, perhaps this last matter is an area where common agreement might be possible. In principle, it's easy to agree silence is something our culture — and our souls — lack.

But we all know the fidgeting and impatience that marks even modest pauses during the Mass, as hundreds of eyes are fixed on Father, demanding he get on with it.

In his letter, John Paul notes he has several times suggested an “examination of conscience” on how we are living the fruits of Vatican II.

An examination of conscience on how we greet silence at Mass would be a good start.

The Holy Father's short letter does not address some of the topical issues that are featured in our news coverage — translations, Eucharistic abuses or liturgical postures.

Perhaps he is suggesting a practical step could be taken, without much difficulty or controversy, to introduce greater periods of silence into our liturgies. As Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta was fond of saying: “Prayer is the fruit of silence.”

Silence in the liturgy is not just intended to produce more prayerful churches. Rather the Holy Father writes of the “cosmic and universal” dimension of the liturgy, in which all the multifarious activities of modern man find an echo in our common prayer.

Learning the art of fruitful silence in the liturgy would also help Catholics teach our too-noisy culture that silence can be golden and indeed, be more than golden.