The letter, which you can read here, suggests that clergy ought to revert back to the preceding edition.
As you can imagine this has caused a little bit of embarrassment for the local Ordinary, Bishop McMahon who has now rebuked his liturgy commission chair and as can be read here.
Last week in the Catholic Herald (31 January 2014), Catholic Publisher Kevin Mayhew was also critical of the translation, claiming not to have tendered to print the various new settings, as he is reported to have said “Early on, I made a judgment that it [the Missal text] was so poor it would not last and that I would not publish any part of it, although, like all publishers, we were asked to bid for the publishing rights.”
(A quick digression …. at the time of the tender to print the Missal being awarded to the Catholic Truth Society, Mr Mayhew was quoted as saying “I specifically asked if we could tender. It is the sort of thing we could do standing on our heads given the range of hymn books that we produce. They were going to get in touch and give us details. I am amazed that a publisher has been appointed.”)
Why I am referring to contretemps over the Norvus Ordo? Well, it made me cast my mind back to when the Third Editio Typica of the Roman Missal was introduced.
I recalled the shaking of heads, the finger pointing, the reluctant congregations and sadly some less than enthusiastic clergy all deciding that they knew better than our Holy Mother the Church.
Many became a Father Butler or a Kevin Mayhew, with many a parish tea room being the scene of a hastily assembled Liturgy Committee! It should be this way or that, yes, no or maybe.
Now to the point, how many times after leaving a Traditional Latin Mass do you hear “Father, didn't use the right text” or “Eucharistic Prayer II again!” or “I don’t like him using that penitential rite”.
Those impromptu liturgy groups are neither evident or required after Mass in the Usus Antiquior!