Pray Tell and Liturgical Reform

+JMJ+

(This post is much longer than I thought it would be when I started, but I encourage you to read the whole thing.  And I must insist that this post is not, in any way, to be regarded as an affront or insult to the priesthood in general or to the priesthood of my brother, Fr. Charlie; nor as denigrating the piety or sincerity or faithfulness of Catholics like myself who regularly attend the Ordinary Form, like me.)

For the past several months, I have been reading and commenting at Pray Tell, a relatively new (September 2009, I think) blog about "worship, wit, and wisdom".  My personal liturgical and theological views seem a bit more "conservative" and "traditional" than that of the majority of the contributors to the blog.  Some of the commentors (on both sides of the divide) make scathing personal attacks and insults.  (I've been told I know more Latin than I know about the Catholic faith and liturgy, for example, and I assure you, I don't know very much Latin.)

Recently, in order to remind myself to write with charity, I began writing +JMJ+ at the top of my comments.  This was soon met with suspicion and a bit of a side-conversation.  Make of it what you will.

Since the blog's topic is primary liturgy, the new Roman Missal (third edition) is often the subject of posts and comments, especially the impending English translation of it.  Along with that comes a great deal of criticism about the Extraordinary Form (1962 Missal, since edited by Pope Benedict XVI) and its "liberation" through Pope Benedict's Summorum Pontificum.  For example, just this morning a post on the blog reads (with my emphases):

Evangelicals are crossing the Tiber to Catholicism. God bless ‘em. But why do I have this sinking feeling that some of them are way more Catholic than you or I would ever want to be? Watch for more support of the 1962 missal, I suspect.

I recommend you read the linked article.  I read it and didn't notice any particular indicators representing a particular support for the Extraordinary Form.  (Not that I would be opposed to such support; indeed, I would welcome it.)

Now, there's also an ongoing debate on Pray Tell about the Ordinary Form of the Roman Mass, specifically about the degree to which it embodies the Second Vatican Council's decrees on liturgical reform found in Sacrosanctum Concilium.  (This debate has a sub-thread which continually points out how the Extraordinary Form is, so far, un-reformed in regards to Sac. Conc.)  For example, Fr. Anthony Ruff, OSB, who has an editorial role at Pray Tell, made this comment in response to someone's remark about the pope's open-mindedness in promulgating Summorum Pontificum (with my emphasis):

Yes – but on the other hand: the bishops of the world begged the Pope not to do this; several conferences implored him. He did it anyway. While his act might seem generous, it is a generosity that cannot possibly be reconciled with the directives of the Second Vatican Council. Vatican II never intended that an unreformed rite would be existence alongside a reformed one. There is no way that the 1962 Mass meets the reformist requirements of the Council. This is a serious problem, in my view. And it is a problem that will compound as the anomaly continues in coming years and decades. How will they ever phase out 1962, as obedience to the Council would require?

I replied, in part, that

I think the 1962 Missal will be “phased out” by slowly but surely applying the reforms clearly expressed in Sacrosanctum Concilium to it. I don’t know how long it will take, I don’t know if I’ll live to see it, but I think the Pope believes that the E.F. and the O.F. are both in need of reform to a “middle way”. The E.F. was not intended to exist indefinitely without being reformed, and the O.F. — and perhaps I’m being wild here — was not the intended result of the reform.

Now, this final remark of mine — that the Ordinary Form liturgy as it exist in the books (and not merely as it is poorly celebrated in many places) might not be an accurate product of the liturgical reform expressed in Sac. Conc. and intended by the Council Fathers who approved that Constitution — is one which others have expressed on Pray Tell and one which is seems completely out of bounds.

I made a later remark where I compared Pope Benedict's act (of approving the 1962 Missal for celebration alongside the Ordinary Form) with Pope Paul VI's act (of approving the 1969 Missal), and asked why it was that the 1969 Missal is regarded as consonant/reconcilable with the liturgical reform expressed by the Council Fathers in Sac. Conc.:

Pope Paul VI, though he did not personally develop the Ordinary Form, approved and promulgated it. But does that necessarily mean it accurately captures the liturgical vision of the 2000+ Council Fathers? Is the way we account for the seeming disparity between certain statements or “decrees” in Sac. Conc. and their relative reception in the Ordinary Form Missal, simply to say that because the Consilium was charged with implementing Sac. Conc. and the Pope approved the final product, it’s official?

In other words, does it come down, ultimately, to the approval of the missal by Pope Paul VI?

Then why is the approval of the yet-unreformed missal by Pope Benedict XVI received differently? Fr. Anthony questions whether it is reconcilable with Vatican II, but some Catholics question how the Ordinary Form is reconcilable with Vatican II as well.

Now, I should make it clear here, as I do at Pray Tell, that:

I’m not calling the [Ordinary Form] invalid or heretical or any of that. I wouldn’t attend it weekly or daily if I thought so. [I should add that I wouldn't be writing a catechetical series on the new English translation of the Ordinary Form if I thought it was invalid or heretical!] I’m just saying it’s possible it’s not what the Council Fathers intended, and that it, like other liturgical reforms of history, may eventually be undone to some degree.

A particular liturgy, as a product of a particular reform, can be official and yet be found wanting or insufficient later and be "rolled back" or re-reformed.  It has happened in the history of the Church.

So how was my question about Paul VI's approval of the 1969 Missal received?  Fr. Anthony replied:

What a strange era we’re in! It is now acceptable to question the approved liturgy of the Church! This ought to be quite daring, and it ought to shock people because it’s bordering on dissent and disobedience. But it is now a commonplace. How did we get to that place? Very strange indeed.

The Council Fathers didn’t prescribe every detail, they laid out general principles. Consilium followed these, without a doubt. Consilium could have gone much further on many points, but they didn’t; they could have been more restrained on some points, but they weren’t. They made their decisions, and the Supreme Pontiff approved them. And so did virtually every single bishop of the Catholic world, all of whom were there for the council debates and decisions.

This chipping away at lawful reform as prescribed by an ecumenical council is scandalous. At least it should be.

I find this comment "shocking", since there are plenty of statements made on Pray Tell which are about dissenting from doctrines of the Church, but they often go unchecked and unadmonished by the editorial staff.  My comment is "shocking" because, as Fr. Anthony has said (on other occasions when I have brought up this unequal reception such comments receive) I am someone who is opposed to the dissenting and disobedient attitude portrayed by certain commentors.  In other words, as someone calling for assent, it is a "shock" to make a statement questioning the Ordinary Form in any way.

I think I need to defend myself and my question.  I am not questioning the Council, nor am I questioning the reform prescribed by the Council as found in Sac. Conc.  However, I am questioning certain facets of the liturgy produced by the Consilium (that is, the group assembled to carry out the liturgical reform).  Yes, their final decisions and the liturgy they produced was approved by the Supreme Pontiff, Paul VI.  But just because he approved them does not mean they were consonant or reconcilable with the liturgical reform as prescribed in the Council documents.  Is it true that "virtually every single bishop" approved the decisions of Consilium?  I thought only the Pope did.  What the bishops approved was the document Sac. Conc. in 1963, not the decisions of the Consilium nor the liturgy they produced in 1969.

I do not know if I can say, with Fr. Anthony, that "the Consilium followed the general principles of Sac. Conc. without a doubt."  There are certain principles and even decrees of Sac. Conc. that they did not uphold very well, and there are others that they adhered to, even to the point of going beyond them.  (I also question the process by which other changes with took place in the Ordinary Form after 1969 — like the rapid proliferation of Communion under both kinds to situations not envisioned by the Council Fathers and expressly forbidden by Rome at the time — but that is for another time.)

My overall question is: must the Ordinary Form (as it exists in the books) be accepted as an/the "accurate" interpretation of the principles and decrees on liturgical reform found in Sac. Conc., simply because Pope Paul VI approved it? (Again, I am not calling into question its validity or licitness.)

And if this "chipping away at lawful reform as prescribed by an ecumenical council is [or should be] scandalous", shouldn't the chipping away at other things said by the same council be decried as scandalous and shocking on Pray Tell as well?

So that's where I am for now.  The trailing part of this post of this will be posted as a comment on Pray Tell, where they don't need to hear all this backstory.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

Today is the Feast of the Exaltation (Triumph) of the Cross.  It is also the second anniversary of the enacting of Summorum Pontificum, the motu proprio promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI in July of 2007 which allowed priests to celebrate the older form of the Roman Rite (now known as the "extraordinary form") without requiring special permission from their bishop to do so.

Tomorrow is the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Mass in the Extraordinary Form in Philadelphia, June 28th @ 3:00 PM

Update: I won't be able to make it. My wife and I are going up to Newport, RI that weekend for our second anniversary.

Well, Fr. Carey is hoping to have more of these in the future.

A traditional Latin Missa Cantata (Mass in the Extraordinary Form) has been scheduled for 3:00 PM on Sunday, June 28, 2009 in anticipation of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul at the Church of St. Paul, on Christian St. between 9th and 10th Sts. in South Philadelphia. (map)

Parking will be available across the street from the church. The church, which is very close to the 9th St. Italian Market, is readily accessible via SEPTA.

The music director for this TLM will be Nicholas Beck who is Music Director at Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, NJ. Robert Ridgell will be the organist.

Father Gerald Carey, the Pastor of St. Paul Parish, will celebrate the Mass. The proper of the Mass will be sung in Gregorian chant. The Mass setting will be the familiar Missa de Angelis sung by the choir and the congregation.

Special polyphonic motets will be sung at the Offertory and at Holy Communion.

Our Sovereign Pontiff Pope Benedict XVI has made available a Plenary Indulgence for those who celebrate this Jubilee Year of St. Paul by participation in such a solemn celebration in connection with the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

It's been a while since I've been to the E.F. I strongly encourage people to come and pray!

Why does the priest turn to face us during ad orientem Mass?

C. Why should the priest turn round to the people when he is engaged in so solemn an act of communion with Almighty God?

P. To assure them continually of his good will toward them, to remind them that they are parties with himself in the great act he is performing, and to keep up their attention; even as our blessed Lord Himself broke off three several times from His prayer in the garden in order to sustain the fainting hearts of His Apostles: and hence the Church would have us remember that our life on earth is divided between the duties of devotion and charity, for on those "two great commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." But you will find that when the priest has once entered upon the more solemn parts of the Mass, he no longer salutes the people by turning toward them.

(Source: The Glories of the Catholic Church The Catholic Christian Instructed in Defence of His Faith by Richard Challoner, et. al.)

Misconceptions about the Extraordinary Form of the Mass

Some people think that the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (known as the "Tridentine Rite" or the "Traditional Latin Mass") is "meant for those who could not make the transition from Latin to English [or other languages] after the Council." Some state that "there is no participation by the people" in it. And some don't believe it "instills the spirit of Christ among us".

One would wish our Cardinal Archbishops would be more charitable towards (and knowledgeable of) a venerable rite of the Church that is hundreds and hundreds of years old! Fr. Z makes a few reserved comments here.

Liturgy: The Extraordinary Form of the Mass in the Metuchen Diocese

This comes via Fr. Z's blog, What Does the Prayer Really Say?

[I]n the Diocese of Metuchen, NJ we have a shrine chapel where TLM has gone from once a month to every day! The former St. Bernard parish church in Raritan, NJ was no longer used because the parish moved to a bigger piece of property and a larger church. The diocese turned the church into the Shrine Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament for daily all-day adoration and Confessions. It has served in the capacity for over a decade now.

Every day mass is celebrated in the morning in the Novus Ordo (in English and Latin ad orientem) and then the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. There are Confessions heard every day. Each evening there is Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 6:45pm followed by TLM at 7:00pm. On Sundays TLM is celebrated at 11:00am and there is Benediction in the afternoon. The bishop has also given his permission for those who request it to have other Sacraments (like Baptism) celebrated at the Shrine in the extraordinary form and to have funerals there if they desire to have a funeral in the extraordinary form. It is not a parish church but it is a sort of "quasi-parish".

I will need to find the time to attend Mass there (in both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms).

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Mass in the Extraordinary Form in Yardville, NJ on December 31

From Brian, by way of Fr. Z:

[T]hrough the good graces of Fr. Edward Kelty, celebrant and Fr. Stanley Krzyston, Pastor, a Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form will be celebrated (as of now) at 11AM on the 31st of December at St. Vincent dePaul parish in Yardville NJ. As of now, yours truly [Brian] will serve as one of the acolytes along with another member of our weekly rosary group.

Fr. Kelty is a degreed Canon Lawyer assigned to the Apostolic Signatura in Rome at the present time, but will be home visiting family during Christmas.

Yardville is only a half hour from Princeton, so I expect to be in attendance.


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Church signs talk about the Extraordinary Form...

The Kansas Catholic is at it again.

Q&A on the Extraordinary Form of the Liturgy

(First, I'd like to apologize to the gentleman from the CMAA, from Old Bridge / South Amboy, whose name I had forgotten by the end of our conversation. He is starting up a schola and brought along a few of the members.)

The Q&A was rather decent. The monsignor who led the discussion admitted, rather bluntly, that the liturgy of the Catholic Church in the U.S. went from "poorly done in Latin" to "poorly done in English" because of the reforms of Vatican II.

Some interesting comments included a concern for the Precious Blood being spilled (since a woman said she often sees a carpet stain where the EMHCs with the chalice are standing) and a question about use of a Communion rail and restricting Communion to one species. I learned that it is a diocese-wide "mandate" to offer Communion under both kinds at every Mass; quite surprising, given the sordid history of Communnion under both kinds in the U.S.

I mentioned the CMAA (http://www.musicasacra.com/) and the new instructional DVD on the Extraordinary Form of the Mass by the Priestly Society of St. Peter (http://www.fsspdvd.com/) as resources for musicians and priests and seminarians who are interested in the the traditional music and liturgy of the Church.

Vatican II's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy called for liturgical reform, it is true, but it also called for better liturgical formation and catechesis for clergy and laity alike. Let's pray for that part to get implemented in the coming years!

Q&A Session on the Extraordinary Form of the Mass

My diocese is holding an event entitled "Questions and Answers on the Latin Mass" [sic]. I'm very pleased that they're openly discussing the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. I plan on attending, even though I'm not ordained nor a member of a music ministry, but I would very much like to receive formation and training either to assist at the altar as a server or to sing in a schola.

I'll come equipped (including a pad of paper for copious note-taking).

40 Hours at Mater Ecclesiae

I'm driving down to Mater Ecclesiae in Berlin, NJ, tonight. They're beginning their 40 Hours adoration this evening at 7:30 with a Eucharistic Procession followed by Mass, and then adoration. Fr. John Zuhlsdorf (of WDTPRS) will be preaching.

This will be the fourth Mass in the Extraordinary Form I have attended, and the first time I've met Fr. Z... not to mention the first time I've attended Adoration in the traditional rite.

The Once and Future (and Present) Liturgy

I love the liturgies of the Catholic Church. I've lived with the Pauline Missal -- that is, the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite -- my whole life. Only very recently (within the past few years) have I ventured outside of this liturgy. My first exposure to non-Catholic liturgies came as a preparation for my work on the RCIA team of my parish: I want to a handful of nearby churches to see what their services were like so that I might have an idea of where other Christians are "coming from". Three were liturgical, two were not.

Then, in the middle of 2007, I attended an Orthodox Divine Liturgy for the first time, and a Vespers service shortly thereafter. The chanting, the incense, the bells, the gestures, the words... I found the whole thing very beautiful. In the past year, I have attended three Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgies and three Masses in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (i.e. the "Tridentine" or "Pian" or "Gregorian" Missal).

What I'd like to do with this contribution to the Christian Reconciliation Carnival is look at the structure and content of the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Roman Rite. This post complements Anne's post about the Lutheran "Common Service".

Structure of the Roman Mass
Extraordinary Form (E.F.)	Ordinary Form (O.F.)
Introductory Rites
Entrance Procession	Entrance Procession
(see below)	Introit antiphon (often replaced by hymn)
(see below)	Approach and kissing of the altar
Sign of the Cross	Sign of the Cross
(see below)	"Dominus vobiscum" (Greeting) (one of several greeting texts)
"Iudica Me" (Psalm 42)
"Confiteor"	Penitential Rite (Confiteor is Form A of three Forms)
"Deus tu conversus"	(dialogue suppressed, although part of this prayer is used as part of Form B of the Penitential Rite)
"Dominus vobiscum" (Greeting)	(see above)
"Aufer a nobis" (approaching the altar) "Oramus te Domine" (kissing of the altar)	(prayers suppressed, altar approached and kissed earlier)
Introit antiphon	(see above)
Kyrie (Lord, have mercy) (nine-fold)	Kyrie (Lord, have mercy) (six-fold) (omitted if Form C of the Penitential Rite was used)
Gloria (Glory to God)	Gloria (Glory to God)
"Dominus vobiscum"
Collect(s)	Collect (only one)
Liturgy of the Word
Lesson / Epistle	First Reading
Gradual	Gradual (often replaced by Responsorial Psalm)
	Second Reading (Sundays and Solemnities)
Alleluia / Tract	Alleluia / Gospel Acclamation
"Munda cor meum" (preparation by the Priest for reading the Gospel)	"Munda cor meum" (preparation by the Priest for reading the Gospel) (shortened)
Gospel	Gospel
Homily / Sermon	Homily / Sermon
Creed	Creed
	Prayer of the Faithful
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Offertory collection	Offertory collection
"Dominus vobiscum"
Offertory verse	Offertory verse (often replaced by a hymn)
"Suscipe, Sancte Pater" (over the bread)	"Benedictus es, Domine" (over the bread) (new prayer)
"Deus, qui humanae" (mingling of the water and wine)	"Per huius aquae" (mingling of the water and wine) (briefer prayer)
"Offerimus tibi, Domine" (over the chalice)	"Benedictus es, Domine" (over the chalice) (new prayer)
"In spiritu humilitatis" (prayer for offerings to be accepted)	"In spiritu humilitatis" (prayer for offerings to be accepted)
"Veni Sanctificator" (a sort of epiclesis)
"Lavabo" (Psalm 25) with "Gloria Patri"	"Lava me" (verse from Psalm 51) without "Gloria Patri"
"Suscipe, Sancte Trinitas" (prayer to the Trinity)
"Orate fratres" (invitation to prayer)	"Orate fratres" (invitation to prayer)
Secret (prayer over the offerings)	Super Oblata (prayer over the offerings)
"Dominus vobiscum, Sursum corda, Gratias agamus" (Preface dialog)	"Dominus vobiscum, Sursum corda, Gratias agamus" (Preface dialog)
Preface	Preface
Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy)	Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy)
Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer)	Eucharistic Prayer (13 to choose from), part 1
	Memorial Acclamation
	Eucharistic Prayer, part 2
"Per ipsum" (Doxology and minor elevation)	"Per ipsum" (Doxology and minor elevation)
"Pater Noster" (Our Father)	"Pater Noster" (Our Father)
"Libera nos" (prayer for peace)	"Libera nos" (prayer for peace) (shortened)
	"Quia tuum" ("For the Kingdom...")
Fraction (breaking of the Host)	(see below)
"Haec commixtio" (mingling of the Body and Blood)	(see below)
Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)	(see below)
"Domine Iesu Christe" (prayer for peace)	"Domine Iesu Christe" (prayer for peace) (slightly altered)
Pax (sign of peace) (only at solemn Masses)	Pax (sign of peace)
(see above)	Fraction (breaking of the host)
(see above)	"Haec commixtio" (mingling of the Body and Blood)
(see above)	Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
"Domine Iesu Christe" (prayer for holiness) "Perceptio Corporis" (prayer for grace)	"Domine Iesu Christe" (prayer for holiness) or "Perceptio Corporis" (prayer for grace) (slightly altered)
"Panem caelestem" (over the Host) "Domine non sum dignus" (priest, three-fold)
"Corpus Domini" (Communion of the priest)	(see below)
"Quid retribuam" (over the Chalice)
"Sanguis Domini" (Communion of the priest)	(see below)
"Ecce Agnus Dei" (Behold the Lamb)	"Ecce Agnus Dei" (Behold the Lamb)
"Domine non sum dignus" (people, three-fold)	"Domine non sum dignus" (people) (once)
(see above)	"Corpus Domini" (Communion of the priest)
(see above)	"Sanguis Domini" (Communion of the priest)
(see below)	Communion antiphon (usually replaced by a hymn)
"Corpus Domini" (Communion of the people)	"Corpus Christi / Amen" (Communion of the people) (new formulary)
"Quod ore" (Ablutions)	"Quod ore" (Ablutions)
"Corpus tuum" (Ablutions)
Communion antiphon	(see above)
"Dominus vobiscum"
Post-communion prayer(s)	Post-communion prayer (only one)
Concluding Rites
"Dominus vobiscum"	"Dominus vobiscum"
"Ite, missa est" (Dismissal)	(see below)
"Placeat tibi" (prayer to the Trinity)
"Benedicat vos" (blessing)	"Benedicat vos" (blessing)
(see above)	"Ite, missa est" (Dismissal) (one of a few variants)
The Last Gospel (John 1:1-14)
Recessional (often with hymn)	Recessional (often with hymn)

Whew! You can see that the O.F. (re)introduced some parts into the Mass, while simplifying some of the rites and also cutting out a large number of prayers. I didn't mention the numerous gestures, such as signs of the cross, kisses, genuflections, bows, etc.; these are greatly reduced in the O.F. I also didn't mention the Scriptural origin of many of the things said and done in the Mass.

Now comes my responses to some of Anne's questions. She asks: "How close is this to your own order of service? Are there differences? Are differences in the service used to highlight differences in theology?"

I mentioned that I grew up with the Ordinary Form. When I went to the Presbyterian, Methodist, and Christ Congregation (United Church of Christ) liturgies a couple years ago (before I started studying the liturgy) I was surprised how similar they were in format to the Mass I knew. They even used the same Lectionary (cycle of readings)!

Now, I have yet to research the Presbyterian, Methodist, and UCC liturgies, to know their history and when they came to be like they are today. I am curious if they modeled themselves after the Ordinary Form of the Mass... or if the Ordinary Form of the Mass modeled itself after their liturgies.

Either way, while there is an ecumenical reason for happiness at the similarities, there is also a cause for concern, at least from the Catholic perspective. Why do some Protestant liturgies so highly resemble the reformed Catholic liturgy, if the Catholic liturgy (or "law of prayer", lex orandi) is supposed to be an expression of the Catholic faith (or "law of belief", lex credendi)? This is my answer, then, to Anne's last question:

While the similarities between the liturgies may be helpful in ecumenical matters -- especially from the perspective of bringing people into the Catholic Church -- I wonder if these similarities might cause more damage to the goal of unity sought by the Catholic Church. I agree wholeheartedly with what Lumen Gentium (the Vatican II dogmatic constitution on the Church) says, that the one Church of Jesus Christ subsists uniquely* in the Catholic Church, but that elements of that one Church (which belong to her and consequently are ordered toward Catholic unity) are also found outside of the Church. But this can lead to the misconception that a Christian community only needs some of the elements; or that elements like the Eucharist (i.e. the Real Presence) and the ministerial priesthood and the Papacy are simply Roman traditions that are not necessary for the Church of Jesus Christ.

To put it more bluntly, if Catholics believe something very specific and special is happening at a Catholic Mass, then why does a Protestant liturgy look so similar (seeing as how the theology behind the Protestant liturgy denies key elements of Catholic theology)? Even discounting the use of Latin, the more traditional liturgy of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, the Extraordinary Form, is considerably different from virtually every Protestant liturgy, and as such, it makes its point known, that there is something fundamentally different going on.

---

* This statement from Lumen Gentium 8 has sometimes been interpreted to mean the Catholic Church no longer teaches or believes that it is the one Church of Jesus Christ. However, in 2007, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith answered that allegation in the negative: "The use of this expression, which indicates the full identity of the Church of Christ with the Catholic Church, does not change the doctrine on the Church. Rather, it comes from and brings out more clearly the fact that there are 'numerous elements of sanctification and of truth' which are found outside her structure, but which 'as gifts properly belonging to the Church of Christ, impel towards Catholic Unity'." (Responsa ad quaestiones, Q3)

WDTPRS: The Penitential Rite

(With apologies to Fr. Z for blatant infringement.)

In the Extraordinary Form of Mass, the Penitential Rite (the Confiteor) ends with the priest saying two prayers (to which we respond "Amen"). I will focus on the first of these prayers, which has been retained in the Ordinary Form:

"Misereátur vestri omnípotens Deus, et dimíssis peccátis vestris, perdúcat vos ad vitam ætérnam."

In the Ordinary Form, this prayer is essentially the same:

"Misereátur nostri omnípotens Deus, et dimíssis peccátis nostris, perdúcat nos ad vitam ætérnam."

The only difference is that the priest is praying for everyone present (himself included), not just for the congregation.

Now, the translation of this prayer is usually rendered as "May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life." I see it that way in English-Latin 1962 daily missals, and that's the way it is said in the English version of the Ordinary Form of the Mass. But it's not what the Latin says. A literal translation of the Latin is "May Almighty God have mercy on us and, our sins having been forgiven, lead us to eternal life."

It might sound clunky, but that's what it says! The word "dimissis" is a perfect passive participle in the third person plural ("they" referring to "our sins"); on the other hand, "Misereatur" is a present passive subjunctive in the second person singular ("You" referring to "Almighty God").

If the Latin were to mean "forgive us our sins", it would have to be dimittas peccata nostra instead, which matches the model of the first part of the prayer. (The verb dimittas (active voice) might be wrong; it might be properly dimittatur (passive voice), but I don't know whether the verb should be in the active or passive voice here. It seems that misereatur is in the passive because it is a conjugation of misereri -- not miserere -- which is a deponent verb, which means it looks passive but is translated as active. I don't think dimittere is deponent, so the active voice seems more likely to me to be correct.)

The new English translation of the Order of Mass (for the Ordinary Form) gets it right.

Tradition: French priest denies universal jurisdiction of the Pope

A rather troubling report of a homily from the diocese of Chicoutimi reveals that a priest there said, during his homily against the Extraordinary Form of Mass and those who were requesting it, "Le Pape n'est pas l'évêque universel, c'est l'évêque de Rome!" In English, that's "The Pope is not the universal bishop, he is the bishop of Rome!" In any language, that's... well... false. (You could call it "heresy".) It's a flat-out denial of article 22 of Vatican II's Lumen Gentium:

The pope's power of primacy over all, both pastors and faithful, remains whole and intact. In virtue of his office, that is as Vicar of Christ and pastor of the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff has full, supreme and universal power over the Church. And he is always free to exercise this power.

... integre manente potestate Primatus in omnes sive Pastores sive fideles. Romanus enim Pontifex habet in Ecclesiam, vi muneris sui, Vicarii scilicet Christi et totius Ecclesiae Pastoris, plenam, supremam et universalem potestatem, quam semper libere exercere valet.

For more on this matter, see Fr. Z's post, the original blog's post (in French), and Fr. Z's earlier post on the poor response from the diocese to Summorum Pontificum.

Summorum Pontificum, one year later

It's been a year since Pope Benedict promulgated his motu proprio announcing the liberation of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite. Things have changed. Some things have improved, some have stayed the same, some have (sadly) gotten a bit worse, but I think for the most part, this first year of growth has been a cause for joy and celebration.

See WDTPRS and NLM and the Hermeneutic for more.

What I missed this weekend

Kristin and I drove (shudder) out to Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, this weekend. She's staying there for six weeks to take two courses, one in Latin and one in paleography. I flew back on Monday. I didn't do much email-checking or blog-reading while I was out in Indiana. When I got back, I had over 100 blog posts to read, and I'm still making my way through them. But a handful have really caught my eye.

The English Translation of the 2000 Roman Missal
The US Bishops are meeting to discuss, among other things, the upcoming translation of the 2000 Roman Missal. Some bishops are not thrilled with the translation (such as Bishop Donald Trautman of Erie, PA, and Bishop Robert Lynch of Saint Petersburg, FL) because the language used is not common or ordinary enough. Other bishops are pleased with it (such as Bishop Arthur Seratelli of Paterson, NJ). The translation uses such words and phrases as "ineffable", "the gibbet of the Cross", and "wrought". If you don't know these words, and the context they are used in does not help enough, I strongly suggest looking them up in a dictionary. I would also expect that a priest (or deacon) could, from time to time, speak about the Collect and other prayers in his homily (since the prayer is related to the celebration of the day) and in doing so, delve into its meaning.

See Fr. Z's take on this here (on an article from the Erie press about reactions to the translation), here (on an article by John Allen describing the discussion and voting problems), and here (on a diocesan "letter" from Bishop Seratelli in support of the translations). I suggest reading them in the order given.

The Tridentine, I mean Traditional Latin, I mean Extraordinary Form, I mean Gregorian Rite. In every parish!?
Two things here. First, Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos referred to the Extraordinary Form as the "Gregorian Rite". Now, it turns out he had used this term on several prior occasions (here, here, and here, at the least), but I admit to have glossed over it somewhat. The second thing, though, is that its use is coinciding with his statement that the Holy Father ultimately wishes that this Gregorian Rite be available in every parish. Now, clearly, that's not happening overnight, or next week, or next month, or next year even. But it's an important recognition that this older form of Mass is a treasure for the whole Church, and that some people simply don't know about it at all and are thus deprived of the graces it can provide. There's a long way to go: the liturgical and spiritual formation of priests, deacons, seminarians, and laity. But the wish of Pope Benedict is to have the two forms of the Roman Rite existing side-by-side, not just on paper, but in parishes.

Here's the blog posts I recommend: one from Fr. Z (on an article by Damien Thompson), one from the New Liturgical Movement (on an interview with the Cardinal), and another from Fr. Z (on that same interview).

Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Mater Ecclesiae

My wife is going to Fordham University tomorrow evening for the first day of their Medieval Conference. I was planning on seeing Prince Caspian (meh) since she did not express interest in seeing it, but instead, I will head down to Mater Ecclesiae parish in Berlin, NJ for their Mass (in the Extraordinary Form) of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Liturgy: This parish gets it!

The parish of St. Mary in Norwalk, CT, really gets it when it comes to sacred liturgy and sacred music. I encourage you to read the FAQ and the "From the Pastor" page.

Two Forms of the One Roman Rite

This weekend, I am going up to Troy, NY (near Albany) for a fraternity visit. We're celebrating the whole fraternity's anniversary (founded in 1904), and we have alumni corporation business to attend to.

On Sunday, I will be assisting at my first Sunday Mass in the Extraordinary Form at St. Peter's in Troy, NY. I will have my daily missal with me, and I'll be practicing my Latin beforehand! I'll also take some photos (but probably not during the Mass itself).

Mass: The parts of Mass and their purpose

I received a gift from my mother this Christmas that is very dear to my heart: her 1961 St. Joseph's Daily Missal. Although I have attended only one Mass in the Extraordinary Form (EF), I was touched deeply by it and desire very strongly to attend an EF Mass again soon (although it's difficult with my own parish obligations). The Ordinary Form (OF) of Mass -- that is, the Mass promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969 and currently in its third typical edition as of 2002 -- follows the same basic structure of the EF, but there are certain things omitted (and certain things added). This post is not about the differences, though; rather, it is simply about the parts of the EF and what they mean. And so we go back to the Daily Missal.

Two pages of the Daily Missal give a very good (and concise) explanation of the parts of Mass. I've included them as images below, but I'll reproduce their content in prose.

Our Participation in the Mass
Parts of the Mass	Our Participation
I. Preparation
1. Prayers at the foot of the altar.	WE COME to Mass longing for God and with great sorrow for our sins.
II. Prayerful Worship
1. Introit. 2. Kyrie. 3. Gloria. 4. Collects. 5. Epistle. 6. Gospel. 7. Creed.	WE LISTEN to the word of God in the Epistle and Gospel and respond with the Credo, "I believe."
III. Sacrificial Preparation
1. Offertory Verse. 2. Offertory Prayers. 3. Washing the Fingers. 4. Orate Fratres. 5. Secret Prayers.	WE ARE PREPARED to offer God that sacrifice which is most pleasing to Him, self-surrender.
IV. Sacrificial Action
1. Preface and Sanctus. 2. Memento of the Living and of the Saints. 3. Consecration. 4. Offering of the Victim. 5. Commemoration of the Dead and petition for Communion with the Saints.	JESUS CHANGES our gifts into His Body and Blood. We offer Him and He offers Himself with us and for us to His heavenly Father.
V. Sacrificial Banquet
1. Our Father. 2. Agnus Dei. 3. Communion. 4. Communion Verse. 5. Postcommunion.	THE FATHER GIVES us His Son in Holy Communion. We abide in God and God in us.
VI. Dismissal
1. Ite Missa Est. 2. Blessing. 3. Last Gospel.	WE GO AS children of God with Jesus and like Jesus to our work.

The other page, titled "PLAN OF THE MASS", uses the structure of a church building as its context for the parts of Mass. You'll need to look at the image for the full effect; here is my translation of the image:

I. MASS OF THE CATECHUMENS

(We go to God: We pray)
(Sacrifice of Prayer: We speak to God)
1. Prayers at the FOOT of ALTAR (Contrition)
2. KYRIE (Cry for mercy)
3. GLORIA (Praise)
4. COLLECT (Petition)

(His Word Comes to us: We Learn)
(Instruction: God speaks to us)
1. EPISTLE or LESSON
2. GOSPEL
3. SERMON

II. MASS OF THE FAITHFUL

CREDO

(Jesus Christ Offers Himself: Our Offerings become the Body of Jesus)
(Preparatory Offering: Bread, Wine)
OFFERTORY (We Give)

(Sacrifice: The Sacred Victim)
PREFACE
CANON
CONSECRATION
IMMOLATION

(Sacrificial Banquet: The Bread of Life)
COMMUNION (We Receive)

Final Prayers

Last Gospel

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