This time it is about Mass 'ad orientem'.
You might think that the traditionals discuss ad orientem ad nauseum(!), but remember that for many, the priest with his back to the people makes no sense, this film seeks to help answer some questions.
Another in the series of little films provided by the LMS. This time it is about Mass 'ad orientem'. You might think that the traditionals discuss ad orientem ad nauseum(!), but remember that for many, the priest with his back to the people makes no sense, this film seeks to help answer some questions.
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The four American deacons of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest will be ordained at the St Francis de Sales Oratory in St Louis, Missouri this very day. I have had the good fortune to meet all of these men, indeed Deacon Francis Xavier Altiere has spent the last year in the UK at New Brighton. I ask you to keep them in your prayers. They are: Abbé Francis Altiere Abbé Benjamin Coggeshall Abbé Joel Estrada Abbé Andrew Todd The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right which celebrates the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite as an integral part of its charism. I suppose we can be forgiven for being confused as to when we should sit, stand or kneel at Holy Mass.
Over the past few months I have attended a High Mass in Westminster, a Pontifical Mass at Holywell, High Mass at the Dome of Home, New Brighton and a week of High Mass at the St Catherine's Trust Summer School at Pantasaph last week. One thing that is quite evident is the inconsistency adopted by the laity in their postures during the various parts of the Mass. Indeed, for example today at the Dome of Home, I stood for the Pater Noster (as per Rev. J. B. O'Connell in the The Celebration of Mass: A Study of the Rubrics of the Roman Liturgy). I was the only person in a large congregation who did. Abandoning O'Connell, and perhaps throwing in the towel to be in with the crowd, I remained kneeling for the Post Communion along with everyone else. In this blog, it my intention not to solve the puzzle but to give a brief synopsis of the subject and perhaps why there is such inconsistency. Unlike the Novus Ordo where people’s Mass postures and gestures are detailed within the General Instructions of the Roman Missal, prior to the litugical upheaval of 1970 there was only one rubric that has ever stated what the laity were to do at Mass, and that was to kneel at a Low Mass, except during the Gospel, and say nothing, even during Eastertide. This is given in paragraph 2, chapter xvii of Rubricæ Generalis Missalis in missals published prior to 1962 and states: “Circumstantes autem in Missis privatis semper genua flectunt, etiam Tempore Paschali, præterquam dum legitur Evangelium” (Those present at Low Mass always kneel, even in Eastertide, except while the Gospel is read). As we know this is what happens at Low Mass today, except we stand and genuflect appropriately if the Credo is said. But paragraph 2, chapter xvii was not a prescriptive direction and of course people did not have to follow it. Indeed chapter xvii, last appeared in the 1920 Missal and had been deleted by the time the 1962 Missal was been promulgated and it does not appear in the 1961 Rubrics of the Roman Breviary and Missal, 'Ritus servandus' issued on 25 July 1960. Perhaps as a sign of the times the suggested prohibition of lay participation was already being questioned? The situation is further confused when the practises of other countries are added in particularly France and the US. For Sung or High Mass, Fortescue says that the 1961 General Rubrics give no rules for the laity present either. But we are supposed to take an active part in the ceremony and so it is assumed that, as far as possible, the laity should follow the rules laid down for the clergy when they are present in choir. In 'The Celebration of Mass: A Study of the Rubrics of the Roman Missal', O’Connell very helpfully lists the rules:
It seems that the prevailing practise in England and Wales, can be summarised as: Low Mass
High Mass and Missa Cantata
Some suggest that at High or Low Mass, the triple bell at the celebrant's Domine, non sum dignus should signal for the faithful to approach the altar rails for Holy Communion. Anyone standing in the aisles should kneel for the Ecce Agnus Dei. Of course some common sense should apply when deciding when to make the approach to altar rail, e.g. how many are communicating? how many present on the sanctuary will receive communion? Consider the Schola, they need to receive first so that they can return to the loft to sing the communion chant, does my physical ability to make the journey along the aisle determine that I ought to go earlier? And so I could go on, the point of the blog is to give a flavour of why we see non-uniformity and dare I say, confusion on the postures in the Extraordinary Form across all the variants of Holy Mass. I have just spent a sometimes frustrating but always rewarding week at Pantasaph Friary on the Latin Mass Society Latin Course. Frustrating, simply because of my own experience of grappling with a new and difficult skill. However rewarding because there was a gain - I am able to read the Latin of my breviary with a little more understanding than last week. My sincere thanks go to the LMS for organising the event and to St Catherine's Trust for the splendid work they undertake parallel to the Latin Course which promoting Catholic education in a traditional environment for the attending children. My particular thanks to my tutor, Fr John Hunwicke for his patience and forbearance. I am sure the other tutor, Fr Richard Bailey O.C. demonstrated similar virtues that his little flock of Latinists were no doubt similarly grateful. Hopefully, I will attend again to build on these foundation skills and have the good fortune to meet with another group of such nice folk. AMDG |
Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Francisco: Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.
Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui facis mirabilia magna solus: praetende super famulos tuos, et super congregationes illis commissas, spiritum gratiae salutaris; et, ut in veritate tibi complaceant, perpetuum eis rorem tuae benedictionis infunde.
Any views expressed neither represent those of the Latin Mass Society or the Diocese of Wrexham.
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