Posted on 05/04/2006 6:26:10 AM PDT by NYer
Last weekend the first of the weekly Tridentine Masses was celebrated at St. Lawrence Church in Alexandria. In March, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde granted permission to two parishes to celebrate the pre-Vatican II form of Mass. The Mass was offered on the feast of Pope St. Pius V.
The Tridentine form is celebrated in accordance with the 1570 Roman Missal promulgated by Pope Pius V for the Latin West and revised in 1962. Ancient rites, those older than 200 years, were able to retain their traditions. Following the Council of Trent, Pope Pius wanted to standardize worship in order to “unite us all together in one common profession of faith — one common worship,” Father Paul deLadurantaye, diocesan director of sacred liturgy, said in his homily at the Mass.
In celebrating the Tridentine form, he said, “we unite ourselves with those who for centuries celebrated this Mass, particularly the saints.”
Nearly 600 Catholics, young and old, from around the Washington Metropolitan area attended the 12:30 p.m. Mass at St. Lawrence Church.
“We were getting a lot of phone calls so I was expecting a large crowd,” said Father Christopher Mould, pastor of St. Lawrence.
While some came for nostalgic reasons, others who had never experienced a Tridentine service came out of curiosity.
“I love the beauty and the awesomeness of the prayers,” said Gigi Strube, a Catholic from Centreville who had been attending Tridentine Masses in Washington. “They’re God-centered, not people-centered. They lift our hearts up to God.”
John Stinson, a parishioner of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Washington, attended the Mass with a few friends. He hadn’t been to a Tridentine Mass since before Vatican II and while he didn’t remember all the rubrics of the Mass, he remembered parts of the Latin.
“There are a lot more ups and downs, ringing bells and all the old stuff,” he said, comparing the Tridentine Mass to the current vernacular celebration. “It was interesting explaining things to my daughter. She’s 18 and has never seen anything like this.”
Also among the attendees that hadn’t experienced a Tridentine Mass was Casey McEnelly, a member of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Falls Church.
“It was much different than any Mass I’ve experienced before and from what I expected,” he said. “It seemed much more prayerful because there was more silence. I hope as I attend more I’ll become more aware of when to participate and when to be silent.”
McEnelly said he had been curious about the Tridentine Mass but had never made it to the Archdiocese of Washington to attend one.
“I won’t be coming every week, but definitely will make it back,” he said.
He also said he was surprised at the number of young people at the Mass. Being an older form of the Mass, he expected the congregation to be mostly people who remember celebrating the rite before Vatican II.
For the first Tridentine Mass at St. Lawrence, Father Mould said they wanted it to be more festive, so instead of a low Mass, recited entirely by the priest, a Missa Cantata, or “sung Mass,” was celebrated. The Schola of Greater Washington, which also sings at the Tridentine Masses in the Archdiocese of Washington, served as the choir. Father Mould is looking for volunteers, both altar servers and adult men, to assist during future Tridentine Masses. For the first Mass, seminarian Rob Martin rounded up young men to volunteer to serve at the altar.
St. John the Baptist Church in Front Royal will begin celebrating weekly Tridentine Masses on Aug. 6.
That sounds wonderful!
Can the TLM be done in churches without altar rails?
This church, though it was built in 1970, has an altar rail.
I don't see why not. Prie dieus could be used, if any are on hand.
Mwa haa haaaa.....
And thus it spreads...(rubbing hands with evil grin)
LOL
Ahem, the author could do a little homework. The feast of Pope St. Pius V in the old calendar is May 5th. That is quite a miracle if they celebrated Mass tomorrow.
They meant the new calendar. The priest who offered the Mass mentioned this in his homily.
I understood that. My point was if you're using the Missal of 1962 you should also be using the calendar that was in effect in 1962. The FSSP Liturgical Ordo has the Feast of Pope St. Pius V on May 5th. Maybe the celebrant and pastor need a copy of the Ordo.
I don't think the priest actually celebrated the Mass of St. Pius V on Sunday. I read that as his mentioning the occurence of the feast.
Of course, in both calendars, the Mass of St. Pius V would not be allowed to be celebrated on a Sunday (Third Class Feast vs. Second Class Sunday), unless in some particular places, St. Pius V is a First Class Feast.
Also, this kind of situation proves again that an FSSP or similiar Trad-only priest is preferable to a priest who celebrates both rites. The former has a clear understanding of the 1962 Ordo and all the other trappings that go with the TLM. With the latter, you will have the Mass only with none of the accompanying liturgical mentalities and trappings.
I don't think so, either. However, he referred to the feast according to the current liturgical calendar. IMHO, it is akin to mixing rites.
I have regularly attended Novus Ordo mass in English and Latin in a new and modern chapel where communion is always distributed from a "prie Dieu" (portable kneeler).
>>I have regularly attended Novus Ordo mass in English and Latin in a new and modern chapel where communion is always distributed from a "prie Dieu" (portable kneeler).<<
Eight kneelers at the front of our church used for three weekday masses and six on Sunday.
*Poor kid musta belonged to a Parish that had fallen into authentic liturgical desuetude.
The Mass is the Mass is the Mass. Since the First Mass, the Last Supper, Mass/Eucharist has always been about we redeemed Christians gathering at the altar with the Priest to offer the pluperfect sacrifice of the New Covenant to God as an act of propitiation and to participate in the New Covenant Meal/Heavenly Banquet.
I am one who thinks the Pauline Rite has restored the proper balance twixt New Covenant Sacrifice and New Covenant Meal. And, of course that means a restored lay participation at mass that, prior to the reform, had become a legalistic and calcified clerical-centered act.
At least that is one man's opinion; one raised in the old Ordo Missae days.
P.S. The Liturgy of the early church was much more like the Liturgy described in the Apocalypse... (that is why the Catechism categorizes as "The Mass of all times" the ancient Liturgy which the Pauline Rite so resembles)
And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints: 9 And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; because thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. 10 And hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures, and the ancients; and the number of them was thousands of thousands, 12 Saying with a loud voice: The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and benediction. 13 And every creature, which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them: I heard all saying: To him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb, benediction, and honour, and glory, and power, for ever and ever. 14 And the four living creatures said: Amen. And the four and twenty ancients fell down on their faces, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever.
*Not much silence in the Heavenly Liturgy. Nor should there be for we Easter Christians. Of course I am NOT opposed to moments of silence in the Liturgy
All that having been said, I am delighted these folks have access to the Indult. Any Liturgy approved for celebration by Holy Mother Church is of incomparable spiritual value to the individual, the Body of Christ, and to the entire world.
=D
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