In an unusual occurence, after giving the sign of peace to the Pope, Bishop Guido Marini hugged Msgr. Diego Ravelli, his successor as Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations. Bishop Marini also hugged the other MC beside the Pope.
It is unusual because, in episcopal ordinations, the "kiss of peace" is exchanged between fellow bishops only.
The processional hymn is a bouncy Italian ditty and one of those happy, clappy ditties that becomes an ear-worm in one’s hearing. But then it gives way to the official Introit in Latin as the pope incenses the altar. Gregorian chant juxtaposed against the bouncy Italian ditty is jarring and shows the divergent spirituality one that is vapid and one that is thick in its solidness.
The chanted Latin Introit, though, was short and should have retained the EF’s style with the refrain, one verse, Gloria Patri and return to the refrain. Why was this format abandoned? It makes no sense.
4 comments:
The format was not abandoned, but since the Introit is a processional chant the 1974 Graduale allows it to be lengthened by adding extra psalm verses to alternate with the antiphon. The Gloria Patri precedes the final repetition of the antiphon, but is not obligatory and it is possible to sing only the antiphon if you want a really, really short Introit.
Papal liturgies improved noticeably under Benedict XVI but have deteriorated again under Francis. He seems to prefer a mumbled Italian Mass, there is too much reliance on Mass VIII (de Angelis), the operatic-style Italian responsorial psalm is excruciating, and the polyglot bidding prayers are beyond tiresome. Interminable Italian hymns simply add to the annoyance factor.
Guido should be thankful he's out of it.
John Nolan,
It is insulting in my opinion to use Italian when Latin would be more inclusive. It will be interesting to see what Bishop Marini does in his own diocese
Italian at Saint John Lateran would be appropriate; but Latin at St. Peter's should be de riqueur.
William,
A friend of mine in Rome told me that even the Italians were outraged when Paul VI said Mass in Italian at St. Peters. There is just something fundamentally wrong for Mass to be in the vernacular there. It clearly flies in the face of Veterum Sapientia wherein St. John XXIII declared that “Latin is the language which joins the Church of today.” If he had lived, I doubt we would have seen the “reforms” which were foisted upon us. Reforms we did not ask for
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