Pope Benedict uses older ritual for his private Mass

Pope Benedict XVI, who recently issued a motu proprio allowing all Catholic priests to celebrate the old Latin Mass, uses the older ritual himself for his private Mass, CWN has learned.

Informed sources at the Vatican have confirmed reports that the Holy Father regularly celebrates Mass using the 1962 Roman Missal.

In his motu proprio Summorum Pontificum the Pope says that the older form-- the form in universal use before the liturgical changes that followed Vatican II-- was never abrogated.

Since becoming Roman Pontiff, Benedict XVI has always used the new ritual-- which he identifies in Summorum Pontificum as the "ordinary form" of the Roman rite-- for public celebrations of the Eucharistic liturgy. However few people have witnessed the Pope celebrating his private daily Mass.

Unlike his predecessor John Paul II, who regularly invited visitors to attend the Mass that he celebrated each morning in his private chapel, Benedict XVI has made it his regular practice to celebrate Mass with only a few aides. The Pope's closest associates have established a reputation for preserving confidences.

Familiar is comfort and in this present age, I’m all for comfort. It is not, however, comfortable for me, so I hope, with all my heart, that I can finish out my life as a convert with what comforts me — the liturgy and prayers in a language I can understand. I’d love to go back to the music from the Latin right (I said to my husband on Sunday, I never thought I’d see the day that we had an electric bass guitar in the sanctuary). It was quite nice, however, and hopefully, that won’t be an every Sunday event — the jazz rifts on the hymns was unsettling. See, I’m all about what comforts. ;-)

I never thought I’d see the day that we had an electric bass guitar in the sanctuary

Careful. We ended up switching parishes over music. It started with acoustic guitars. Then they added a drumset. Then they started writing their own music, and eventually replaced every intercession in the mass. (no more singing along to familiar hymns)

We finally got the pastor to start publishing their schedule in the bulletin. Attendance at the "rock" mass plummeted, the other masses became over-crowded.

Solution? Why, remove the music schedule from the bulletin, of course! You never knew what you were going to get at any given mass. It could be the choir, or the hippie band.

After leaving mass several times with my wife and kids and registering several complaints with the parish council (3 members of which were in or related to the band) we finally switched parishes.

You and your fellow parishioners should nip this in the bud.

I can certainly understand the acute discomfort that comes with the change. I'll never forget the first time I went to church (prior to conversion) and they had trumpets and cymbals on Easter. I shook for a half hour afterwards. I came from an orthodox main line denomination that sang the orthodox hymns and were accompanied by the organ. Children's choirs were with the piano. I realize we're trying to serve up what will bring in the youth, but I loved all the old hymns (and some of the newer in the RC). I don't feel the need to “jazz” up anything at Mass.

As to good contemporary music at a parish function — I say let the horses loose. I go to Mass to heal from all the bruises and bumps I incur during the week and to thank the Good Lord for getting me through another one. I arrive early to pray before the presence of the Lord — not listen to rehearsal or tune-ups. That's the sign of amateurs. When the curtain goes up, you've prepared, you're ready. You don't have dress rehearsal when the audience is arriving. Bad form. That is just my very humble opinion.

I think Benedict sees a situation in the future in which both forms of the Mass will be available. Also, he probably foresees some changes.

When I was a child, just before Vatican II, there was a trend to offering the old Mass with the people making the responses (this was called a “dialogue mass”); this was done in Latin and even in the vernacular in some parishes that had permission to do so. However, the changes of Vatican II short-circuited the organic evolution of the Mass (which may well have resulted in having it in the vernacular, the way the Orthodox do).

So I don’t think you have to worry about any dramatic changes in the future. There will be a new translation of the current Mass that goes into effect next year, but it is better, more reverential and will not be hard to understand or get familiar with.

One of the good things is that having a new translation will possibly put the brakes on some of these awful musical groups that you mention. They can be a real affliction and I don’t think a lot of pastors realize how much people dislike them and try to avoid them.

From your lips to God's ears. I've come to the conclusion that what you've learned as a young person, or child, doesn't really come to fruition until you've experienced life. While the Church laments the slap-dash, lick and promise approach of youth to the Mass, the comfort that comes from a place where some things in life are constant and reliable increases with age and W I S D O M. It is the Mass which heals, fortifies and protects us from ALL ANXIETY, as we wait, in hope, for the coming of our Lord, Jesus. I hope the eternal wisdom of the “rock” upon which our Lord built His church prevails. Like it, or not, we DO need that consistency.

Ummm, well the changes are in the works - not just the translation - for the entire ceremony. On one of the liturgy websites, I saw what's essentially the galleys (pre-printing press set) for the Roman Missal that goes into effect next advent and the Mass parts in it are the Missa di Angeles (Chant Mass VIII) in Latin. That particular Mass setting is familiar everywhere EXCEPT the English speaking world.

The Memorial Acclaimations will not all be the same either. "Christ has died" will be eliminated and another has been written. Off the top of my head, I don't remember what it says. Slowly, in a lot of places, the Opening Antiphons and communios are being reintroduced. Right now, it's just in a few places, but I have every expectation that it will begin to snowball as to people my age and younger, this is fresh and new. We just have to remember, as a church, how to chant. Some of this will be incremental, but expect it to happen. Even the incense haze the last couple weeks is relatively new. Our young guy has a thing for thick incense.

...I never thought I’d see the day that we had an electric bass guitar in the sanctuary...

Well, we have had drums, electric guitars, and many other such things, but thank God they have yet to put any of that in the sanctuary. So far it has always been with the rest of the choir or musicians. How would they even fit it in there? Wouldn't they be afraid of knocking things off of the altar?

Our lovely little parish is very open. What used to be seating to the left of the altar has been pretty much turned over to the choir. This was a first time for an electric guitar. We've had a keyboard before which seems redundant when a baby grand and an organ are there. I assume the skill set is not the same, so the group used what they could play.

I'm not putting down bringing in instrumentation. We've had violinists, flutists, cellists from the St. Louis Symphony play and it was magnificent, I was simply referring to the “jazz” rifts which, again, were simply unsettling. We've also enlisted the Bach Society to sing in the choir on special occasions — like Christmas and Easter. I simply grew up in choral groups and sang all the Bach, Beethoven, Handel — all the great choral works which, to me, were a thrill to sing and uplifting beyond all measure.

Another thing, Catholics need to learn how to sing. The congregation sounds like shy three-year-olds. Now and then, you'll get someone who belts it out (i.e. making a joyful noise to the Lord) and the heads turn and the stares start. When God commands make a joyful noise, he's not referencing murmuring.

I was really just making a joke about the use, or rather misuse, of the word “sanctuary.” I hear people regularly speak of sanctuaries, meaning it in the Protestant way, and I will admit it makes me giggle. Of course, the sanctuary is only that portion of the worship space dedicated to the altar, rather than the entire temple or church as some people use the term. Congregations sit in the nave, not the sanctuary. That was why I was amused at the thought of a bass player chugging away in the sanctuary, presumably next to the altar. It’s like those signs always popping up announcing that some local Baptist church is building a new sanctuary. Imagine that. Wouldn’t that be a hoot to see? Why not, I ask myself, build an entire church? Surely that would be more sensible.

As to music, I can see your point. However, it seems to me that it is hardly the fault of ordinary Catholics for not feeling comfortable singing. We are told week in and week out that our music stinks, and when people speak of Masses with “good music” this is just a euphemism for anything but Catholic. Every week we are subjected to dreck from Protestant Hymnals and Amy Grant albums and never hear anything even remotely Catholic. I swear if I have to endure “Our God is an Awesome God” one more time I may vomit.

“Our God is an Awesome God”; was uplifting the first time I heard it. I never expected it to replace “Holy, Holy, Holy”; or Handel’s “Messiah”;. I love the fresh sounds of jazz, and I can handle it in certain settings. Could have even handled it as an Offertory Hymn performed by the soloist, but not the entrance and closing hymns, or the Responsetory Psalm. I don’t know, maybe it was just something I wasn’t prepared for. After all, there was a time when organs and pianos were “new,” too. As to the singing, most people who can’t carry a tune know all the words, and all those with a sense of perfect pitch can’t remember the words; but all together, if sung with true devotion, I think it makes a pleasing offering to God. You don’t have to be able to sing like Pavarotti or Callas, nor do you have to be singing “The Hallelujah Chorus,” but a heartfelt effort is all it takes.

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