QUAERITUR: Readings in English during Extraordinary Form Mass
From a reader:
Hey Father Zed. I’ve got a question about using the vernacular in the TLM… Last night my fiancee and I went to a TLM and the priest, who had a wonderful voice, sang the mass very well…. Except when it came to the Epistle and Gospel, he sang them in English..... What’s the deal with that? Is that allowed? Does it invalidate/illicit-ate the Mass? Or is it all cool? I know that S.M. says that the readings can be read in the vernacular, but I always took that to be an affirmation of reading them before the Homily.
Yes, that is allowed under Summorum Pontificum. No it does not invalidate the Mass.
Whether it is a good idea… or cool… or not is another matter.
I think most people will agree that the Council Fathers at Vatican II intended that the use of the vernacular was intended for the liturgy of the word part of the older, traditional form of Holy Mass. What we actually got went way beyond the intention of the document on liturgy. From that point of view, it could be taken as a good idea.
Also, that would eliminate the need to repeat the readings.
However, I am not sure how many congregations of TLM goers would take to this. From that point of view, such a practice could simply wind up producing more heat that light.
From that point of view, I think it is probably not the best practice… yet. Perhaps someday it will be, depending on the community.
TLM purists will absolutely HATE that suggestion, I know. So, spare us, please.





























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