THE MASS OF POPE PAUL VI AS IT CAN AND SHOULD BE CELEBRATED AND WHERE WE SHOULD PLACE OUR ENERGIES IN IMPROVING ITS CELEBRATION!

My Diocese of residence, the Diocese of Charleston, is a booming diocese from the Low Country where I live, which is the coastal southern part of South Carolina, to the midlands and upstate. 

Of particular note is the metro area of Greenville, South Carolina, at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is about 100 miles from Augusta, Georgia where I grew up and where I visited as a young child.

 The Catholic Church in the Greenville Metro area is booming and it is a Post-Vatican II Church with the Modern Mass celebrated as Vatican II intended, not some liberal/progressive hodgepodge of neo-Arianism mishmash, kitschy and banal hymns from the 70’s and 80’s folk era. 

The National Catholic Register has a great article about the Catholic Church in Greenville, which you can read HERE. Of particular note is what is happening at Greenville’s downtown Catholic Church since the early 2000’s, St. Mary Church. 

The video below is their Solemn Sung Mass for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe from this past Sunday.

It is the Modern Mass at its best:

1. Please note the Entrance Procession with the proper chant flowing directly into a marvelous metrical hymn embellished by the great choir. But note, too, how the laity are singing both the Proper Chant and then the metrical hymn!

2. Please note how crisp the Introductory Rite is, with no stupid bantering by the celebrant prior to introducing the Penitential Act. The Kyrie chanted in Greek and the Gloria in Latin, with the Collect in English. There is a great mix of Latin and vernacular in this Mass. 

3. Please note the excellent lector wearing Sunday Best for a layman!

4. The Credo is spoken which seems to be the default in Modern Masses. I don’t see why one sung version of the Credo, in Latin or English can’t be used and memorized by the laity when used weekly!

5. The Liturgy of the Eucharist is Ad Orientem and has been so at this parish since the early 2000’s. Please note the number of altar boys. This parish has provided a considerable number of candidates for the priesthood in the Diocese of Charleston. 

6. Please note the Communion Procession. There are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, both male and female and all in appropriate Sunday Best clothing. 

While I love the Traditional Latin Mass, I see it as a “boutique” Mass today. There is only a small minority of Catholics who prefer it. I think it should be an option in a parish, but our energy needs to be focused on celebrating the Mass of Pope Paul VI as it is meant to be celebrated and should be mandated to be celebrated as in this video. Fr. Jay Newman, pastor of Saint Mary Church in Greenville, has chosen all the years he’s been the pastor to focus on the proper and traditional manner of celebrating the Mass of Pope Paul VI rather than spending his time and energy on the TLM. I think there is wisdom in this approach!