There are all kinds of ideas about the future of the Mass, both the ancient and modern. It’s all so very confusing.
And finally we have a good Abbot in France writing the pope about forming a new Missal with two ways of celebrating it. But many people don’t like his ideas, although they merit consideration and his recommendation to Pope Leo is more likely to garner widespread support, with only modern and ancient liturgical nerds complaining.
But here’s my definitive recommendation to Pope Leo:
The modern/Bugnini Missal is a disaster, not so much the Missal, as the manner in which it is celebrated, to include all the Kitschy music dragged into it and all the instrumentation and all the Broadway melodies set to sacred words.
A thorough revision of the Bugnini Mass needs to take place, which eliminates the clericalism of options that the priest makes exclusively, depending on his ideologies or how he’s feeling that day. The Ordinariat’s Missal with its limited options, is the way to go and how they were allowed to modify the Roman Calendar.
The Bugnini Mass’s Introductory Rite is a disaster! Take away all the options except for the Confiteor and Kyrie following. Mandate the use of the Propers, chanted or spoken. Mandate no improvising annd the celebrants verbosity! Address the disaster of liturgy music, and priests ad libbing and acting like an MC imposing his happy, clappy personality on the Mass.
Make sure the Liturgy of the Eucharist is ad orientem and Kneeling for Holy Communion and receiving on the tongue is the norm!
As far as the Ancient Mass goes, go back to Summorum Pontificum but emphasize the role of the bishop in supervising its use, so that it isn’t foisted upon any parish where it isn’t welcomed. Allow pastors of parishes to determine its use in his parish, not any other priest, assigned or visiting.
2 comments:
The flaw in your proposal is at the moment nobody really wants to use the new Missal - rather add/delete/expand it at will; but those who use the Missal of 1962 on the whole use it as it orders. Your proposal foists two new options which nobody wants.
Why jump through hoops to attempt to end the Latin Church's liturgical "war" — a "war" that is very much limited to extreme right-wingers, as well as left-wingers?
In the middle are the majority of Mass-going who do not participate in the liturgical "war." Said folks would support undoubtedly the following:
Our past three holy Popes have expressed the following solution(s):
Pope Leo XIV: "Well, you can say the Latin Mass right now. If it is the rite of Vatican II, the Mass of Paul VI, there is no problem...if we celebrate the Vatican II liturgy correctly, do you really find such a difference between this experience and that one?’”
Pope Leo XVI's above comment echoes the following:
Pope Francis (requiescat in pace): "Whoever wishes to celebrate with devotion according to earlier forms of the liturgy can find in the reformed Roman Missal according to Vatican Council II all the elements of the Roman Rite, in particular the Roman Canon which constitutes one of its more distinctive elements."
Popes Leo XIV, as well as Francis, echoed the following:
Then-Cardinal Ratzinger: "An average Christian without specialist liturgical formation would find it difficult to distinguish between a Mass sung in Latin according to the old Missal and a sung Latin Mass according to the new Missal."
Pope Benedict XVI:
"...it is clearly seen that the new Missal will certainly remain the ordinary Form of the Roman Rite...The most sure guarantee that the Missal of Paul VI can unite parish communities and be loved by them consists in its being celebrated with great reverence in harmony with the liturgical directives."
"This will bring out the spiritual richness and the theological depth of this Missal."
"Needless to say, in order to experience full communion, the priests of the communities adhering to the former usage cannot, as a matter of principle, exclude celebrating according to the new books.
"The total exclusion of the new rite would not in fact be consistent with the recognition of its value and holiness."
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In regard to Latin Church liturgy: The Popes in question have made it clear that the Holy Mass of Pope Saint Paul VI is THE way forward.
Why jump through hoops to attempt to reinvent the, if you will, liturgical wheel? Make it easy. Embrace the Holy Mass of Pope Saint Paul VI.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
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