What did I do, you ask, well my post answers that for you.
Our Ash Wednesday 7 pm Mass had more people attending Mass since the pandemic. Our church can comfortably seat about 1,000 souls. I would say we had about 850 there. The church was almost packed.
When we planned this Mass with our choir director, I asked that we chant complex Gregorian Chant from the Graduale Romanum of 1974 for the Introit, Offertory and Communion antiphons. And to do so in Latin.
At one of our normal parish Masses, we have never chanted the Introit in Latin from the Graduale Romanum as the procession hymn or the Offertory or Communion Antiphons. This was big for me at our principle Mass for Ash Wednesday in a packed church and many Ash Wednesday only people in attendance! BUT I DID IT!
The Kyrie would be in Greek and the Sanctus and Agnus Dei in Latin. Everything else in the vernacular.
Thus there was no English Entrance Hymn, The Introit was the processional. It was marvelously chanted and set the traditional mood for this vernacular Mass.
In order to avoid useless repetition, the Modern Mass for Ash Wednesday omits the Penitential Act during the Introductory Rite as we are reminded that the blessing and imposition of ashes is the penitential act.
Thus, and I ask if your Modern Mass had this, I chanted the Sign of the Cross and the Lord be with you with the laity’s response. Immediately and without any introductory remarks from me, the choir launched into the “free standing” Kyrie and then I chanted Let us Pray and then the Collect. We all sat for the Liturgy of the Word. Did you parish omit the Kyrie. It is not a part of the penitential act folks. Never omit the Kyrie even if the Penitential Act is omitted!
I prayed Eucharist Prayer II and for the recessional we sang, “The Glory of these 40 Days…”
This style of this Mass should be the norm. The Introductory and Concluding Rites from the chair and the Liturgy of the Eucharist facing the nave but with the glorious Benedictine altar arrangement.
This would make the Modern Mass predictable and actually follow what Vatican II recommended.
8 comments:
'The Graduale Romanum of 1974'. The date says it all. This is as essential to the Novus Ordo as is the Missale Romanum of 1970 and the Lectionary of the same year.
Given the wide-ranging changes to both Missal and Calendar, it is quite astonishing that Solesmes came up with the new Graduale in such a short time - it was signed off in 1972.
Disappointing that you should use EP II, the 'trattoria-in-trastevere-shall-we-order-another-bottle' prayer. When scholars proved that it was never an anaphora and was never used in Rome, it should have been dropped forthwith.
Father McDonald,
Very nice but I agree with John Nolan about EP II. I think priests use it primarily to shorten the time. I think if you want to show solidarity with women you need to use the Roman Canon containing the names of our female saints are mentioned!!! Who knew our Church was so progressive!
Since it's come up, I'll share my limited defense of EPII.
I think EP II is banal and has none of the richness of language of the Roman Canon. Moreover, I think some do not use it because it undercuts the big lie that the Catholic Church does not respect nor value women. A strange charge given the inclusion of the female saints names in the Roman Canon.
I have attended the OF at St. John Cantius and they indeed use EP II for that Mass on Sundays which always bothered me. I think it was a time saving measure. The Roman Canon should be used exclusively on Sundays and major feast.
TJM, obviously I use this prayer and mostly for weekday Masses and yes, because it is shorter. But in the TLM Missa Cantata, since what the choir sings and what the priest does are not often together but on a separate track (which I think adds to the mystical experience of both the celebrant and congregation and yes I have been won over by it), normally the priest will say the Sanctus quickly and quietly to himeself as the choir chants the Sanctus and I am able to arrive at the Hanc Igitur by the time the choir ends to sanctus and thus the congregation hears the bell ring as I extend my hands over the offerings at that point. But the Roman Canon is prayed quietly and no one actually hears what I am praying although they know that I am praying the Roman Canon. But what I just described in effect shortens the prayer for the Congregation and praying it quietly allows for the priest to race a bit through the prayer.
Father McDonald,
Ah, Ash Wednesday is a weekday and I understand the practical considerations for Latin Missa Cantata. Question, some priests sing portions of the EP in the OF. Is that something you do?
I usually do it on Holy Thursday, Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday and Christmas as well as Corpus Christi but only from the Hanc Igitur to the Mystery of faith, or the epiclesis to the Mystery of Faith depending on the Eucharistic Prayer. I normally use the first three on a regular basis and seldom, now, if ever, use IV although its language is very beautiful, but too long and repeats the Creed basically. I have used the reconciliation ones as well for special occasions ones. All of them have their merits and deficits. And yes, with children's Masses years ago I used the "childish" Children's Eucharistic Prayers and the interminable one that had thousands of acclamation throughout.
Father McDonald,
Thanks for your response. I have seen the EP sung but very infrequently. Do they still have children’s EPs? My Eucharistic theology professor at Notre Dame, hardly a conservative, believed children’s liturgies were a huge pedagogical error
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