RECOVERING LITURGICAL CUSTOMS THAT VATICAN II DID NOT MANDATE SHOULD BE LOST

Certainly closed churches and non-public Masses is not a pre-Vatican II custom. But priests saying private (or non-public) Masses is a tradition that was not mandated by Vatican II to stop. Thank God, God is restoring private Masses and priests are saying these even when not “on” for a public parish Mass.

Once public Masses resume and our churches are opened after the pandemic “sheltering in place” has ceased, what are some other things that God, in His Divine Providence, is recovering from what Vatican II did not mandate be removed?

1. Simple processions from the sacristy to the altar at the beginning of Mass and a simple recessional by the same means allowing priests and others to maintain sacred silence in the sacristy to pray before and after Mass and to prevent the priest from glad-handing all those entering and leaving the church as though “fellowship” was a “sacrament” in the Catholic Church.

2. No complicated processions with the offerings from the few laity today who are willing to accomplish this useless task. The offerings, as in pre-Vatican II times, are already in the sanctuary to prevent the laity from touching the sacred offerings and vessels so as contagion isn’t passed on. Vatican II did not mandate that the laity process with the offerings from the entrance of the church to the altar. (As an aside, our Chrism Mass from the Cathedral, the oils were already in the sanctuary facilitating a quicker blessing/consecration of them, without the normal long, useless procession of these oils, individually, by “significant laity” who present them to the bishop. Truly useless and not the noble simplicity which Vatican II did mandate.

3. The recovery of the “no Sign (handshake/French kissing, hug) of Peace”! Vatican II did not mandate the “Sign of Peace” and it was only a clerical sort of thing in the Solemn High Mass prior to Vatican II and very prescribed as how to do it.

4. The recovery of offering to the laity only the consecrated Host and not the common chalice. Unfortunately the reason for this recovery, isn’t the pre-Vatican II scruple of concern for profanation of the Precious Blood by spilling it or spitting into it, but the fear of contagion

5. The elimination of the pandemic causing, common chalice for concelebrants at Mass who now intinct their Host into a chalice of Precious Blood, careful not to touch their fingers to the Precious Blood

6. The recovery of kneeling for Holy Communion, unfortunately, though, not for recovering more reverence for the manner in how Holy Communion is received as in pre-Vatican II times, but because it is easier for the priest to offer Holy Communion to a communicant who kneels without touching their hand or tongue

7. Certainly other liturgical customs can be recovered that Vatican II did not mandate be removed, like ad orientem, Latin maintained with some vernacular allowed, which is how Vatican II mandated the use of vernacular, not the elimination of Latin.

8. A recovery of the priest’s sacramental role at Mass to act in the “Person of Christ the High Priest and Head of the Church” not only during the Canon of the Mass and its “consecration of the Bread and Wine” but also and as an extension of this, giving Holy Communion to communicants which prior to Vatican II was the closest that most laity got to their priest as the priest wasn’t glad handing and hugging them prior to Mass or after Mass or in other venues. This then could lead to the recovery of what Vatican II did not mandate eliminating, which is the “Benediction” with the Host over the Communicant who is about to receive Our Lord.

God has an ironic sense of humor in terms of how He restores what He actually wanted Vatican II to do and Vatican II did not mandate be eliminated, no?