[Claud]

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.

Respectfully submitted for your approval, a thought for consideration.

Having grown up in the old days, you can come to the Novus Ordo with a background in TLM. You obviously remember the worst of the old Mass, and no doubt you also retain some memory of the best of it.

I would ask you though, to imagine yourself being born in 1971 as I was, and--all throughout childhood even--feeling like the music and the liturgy of Mass (not touching upon the Holy Sacrifice itself), well, it just was sort of blah. I had no previous experience with TLM, so I had nothing to compare it to.

To many in our generation, TLM is something...dare I say..exotic. We don't have--you'll pardon the expression--as much "baggage" associated with it. And many of us find that it restores something we always kinda thought was missing in the New Rite, but never could put our finger on. *I* certainly feel, and perhaps many agree with me here, that regardless of the validity of the New Rite (which again, we were raised in exclusively), there was a de-emphasis on the sacrificial act and looming, omnipresent, and almost suffocating insistence on the communal meal aspect.

You had the lucky benefit of having the sacrificial part of the Mass drummed into your head from childhood. We did not, and that is why many of us cling so tightly to the old liturgy.

[jrny]

A whole heartedly agree with Claud's assessment. I too am part of the post-V2 generation (born in 1979), and I would add one more food for thought to Bornacatholic:

I am well aware of the what was "bad" about the old Mass via the plethora of stories from my grandfather. That being said, I can honestly attest to the fact that many (not all unfortunately, but a majority) of the currently celebrated TLM's have learned from past mistakes and have employed the proper kind of lay participation and restoration of chant et al. that Popes Pius X and XII, among others, clamored for. Today's TLM environment is remarkedly different from the average parish pre-V2 in terms of liturgical participation and community and this is for the better.

P.S. I recently relocated from Maryland to New Jersey in order to go from a TLM which Bornacatholic would rightfully loather to a TLM that is characterized by all the good things I have reported above.

[bornacatholic]

Very well said, Claud. Thanks. It is good to hear a fresh perspective. My children were raised in the Pauline Rite and they also used to go to the Indult with me so they were well catechized as to the parts of the Mass. They memorized the P.A.R,T. s of the Mass as Petition, Adoration,Reparation,and Thanksgiving and so they understand the new Ordo Missae has a balanced approach.

Still, what you say has a lot of merit. A lot of Parishes have poor Liturgies.

There has never been a time in the church when Liturgical catechesis was all that it outght be but that is the not only the fault of the Clergy. It is also the fault of parents who have the initial duty, as the domestic church, to catechize their children.

I'll bet you'll do a smashing job of catechizing your own kids.

I do have a lot of "baggage" when it comes to the Liturgy. I spend so much time in polemics and argumentation that I don't always listen to the ideas and thoughts of others. I apologize. That is only one of many faults I have.

As I have said many times before, I am thankful those who love the old Ordo Missae have the Indult. There are many real Christians whose longanimity and faithfulness is being rewarded via the Indult. It is a great grace for many and it wasn't my intention to rain on anyone's parade.