One of the fruits of the Holy Father’s Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum will be the "gravitational pull" that will be exerted when the older forms call priests (and others) to correct their ars celebrandi.
Keeping in mind that the plural of anecdote is not "data", this is from a reader (edited):
While "my" parish continues its path towards the TLM … I can testify that at St. Theresa in suburban Miami, we are clearly feeling the effects of Summorum Pontificum, and they are making their way to our Ordinary Form Mass on any given Sunday. It is my expectation this gravitational pull (at least in our case) not only enhances the reverence among the faithful, but also paves the way for the eventual implementation of the TLM. (Fortunately, our parish has always been a bit…um…Not Progressive, and thus was spared a wreckovation. As a result we still have a High Altar and Communion Rail. (Here is a link to a photo.)
Even at the 9am (i.e. "the Children’s") Mass, the Gloria, is still sung in the usual verse-refrain way but the refrain is all in Latin, while the Sanctus, and Agnus Dei are completely in Latin. For an added thrill, we also have the Kyrie in Greek. Our congregation, including very young children, have — gasp! — managed to cope with nary a peep. Even my 10 year old with autism has no problems with the Latin.
Our parish is abundantly blessed, not just with two priests (and one who resides seasonally), and a permanent deacon but also the presence of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart. The schola is also more "Latinized" (as is the Children’s Choir!) and the 10:30am Mass has even given itself over to "the yells, bells and smells" approach.
Slowly but surely, more of the congregation is receiving Communion on the tongue, more of them are at least genuflecting (and more are kneeling, even though the floor is marble–ouch!). Most of those most affected by this are the younger members of the parish. What is even better is that nobody thinks that little ol’ lady with the mantilla who knelt to receive Communion is crazy any more. Many of the priests from the archdiocese — including some young and renegade orthodox Jesuits! — visit just for the joy of saying Mass here. (The younger ones even wear cassocks and a saturno is rumored to be around.)
Deo volente, the gravitational pull will gather momentum.
Please remember me at your altar.
Thanks for that!
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I wonder how much longer we will have until the nay sayers come to their senses with regard to Summorum Pontificum. Clearly, God is working miracles in the Ordinary Form.
While it took a long time for the Summorum Pontificum to take effect in some areas, many people are coming back to the Mass of their fathers. I feel that we are in the first stages of a liturgical revolution. While it may not be during Benedict XVI’s pontificate that it gathers force, I feel that this might occur at some point in the future.
Thank you for bringing us this great news.
This is great news. St. Theresa’s is the church where I received my First Communion over 50 years ago. I revisited the church two years ago, and although repairs to the A/C (very necessary in Miami!) prevented me attending Mass in the church proper, I was able to take a quick tour of the church and see the beautiful marble and stained glass that had been retained, and kneel at the marble communion rail to give thanks. Thank you St. Theresa, the Little Flower! Laus tibi Christe!
The comments must be regarding The Church of The Little Flower in Coral Gables. It is indeed beautiful church.
brick by brick
If this is indeed St. Thérèse the Little Flower Church in Coral Gables, I attended the Spanish language Liturgy there about 14 years ago and was GREATLY impressed by the choir and the quality of the traditional hymns that were sung. This can only be seen as a wonderful development in the history of this parish. May God bless them and their priests abundantly!
It is terrific to read a story on how the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum is influencing the celebration of the ordinary form of the Roman Liturgy.
Obviously, this was also a desire of Pope Benedict in liberalizing the use of the old missal.
After the consecration of the new altar in St Mary’s Cathedral by Pope Benedict last July in Sydney (which many consider the liturgical height of World Youth Day), I met 3 nice young seminarians from the archdiocese of Miami, looking more priestly than most priests, I might add!
While this is a controverted point of discussion (and I have no crystal ball either) obviously at least in the immediate future, the vast majority of Catholics in the world will not attend the extraordinary form.
For this reason, it is so important that the sense of the sacred returns to the newer liturgy, and it is good to see traditional practices like more Latin in the prayers of the Mass, and communion on the tongue and kneeling returning, as this good example from Coral Gables shows.
With a new English translation of the Roman Missal to appear shortly, this gravitational pull to the older form of Mass will hopefully be further accentuated, and we will see the realization of what Ratzinger said years ago in actualizing the “reform of the reform”.
At St Rita Parish in Alexandria:
–priest proclaims the introit in the absence of a hymn
–Pentitential Rite A (Confiteor + Kyrie) at all masses
–Greek Kyrie at all major masses
–Latin Gloria begun at many major masses
–traditional Roman chant tone for Responsorial Psalm and Alleluia antiphon
–occasional Latin Sanctus, hope for more in the future
–E.P. I done at all Masses
–muted Pax interrupted by Latin Agnus Dei at all masses
–cantor intones the Communio in Latin during communion, followed by a traditional Latin communion song
–altar boys only, paten, some kneel, etc.
–it goes w/o saying that the parish is 100% pro-life and otherwise doctrinally awesome
Getting there. We used to have a TLM, but the current staff is still learning it.
Wasn’t Fr. Paul Scalia at St Rita? Has he been transferred?
Try St. Michael the Archangel on Flagler
10:30am Mass latin schola cantorum
though not yet the architectural jewel or lush surroundings that define our southern boundary sister certainly a conscious effort toward the benedictine reform
Thanks for the information. Little has been said in the diocesan newspaper regarding the Extraordinary Form being offered anywhere in Miami, except for the “two parishes where it had been previously approved”. While it’s difficult for me to attend either Little Flower or St. Michael due to my husband’s illness (prayers requested), I’m very happy to know that the reform is happening here too.
“Little has been said in the diocesan newspaper regarding the Extraordinary Form….” Your not kidding! And when I asked the Director of Lay Formation the following:
“Dear Ms. Orwig Whapham,
Thank you for your insightful and motivating post regarding the importance of continuing faith formation. Our faith is truly an inexhaustible source of inspiration and wonder. I hope you can answer a few questions which I had regarding faith formation centering on the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Liturgy. Are there any diocesean resources available for lay Catholics who are drawn to the rituals of the 1962 missal or resources regarding the spirituality of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite in the Archdiocese of Miami? Are there priests or parishes that are implementing Summorum Pontificum in their parishes. What plans, if any, are there to implement the Summmorum Pontifcum in the Archdiocese, how can lay Catholics be involved, who (apart from the Bishop) could lay Catholics contact in this regard. Thank you again for all you and your office do for our local Church.”
There was no response.
Here is the post Archdiocese of Miami blog
http://www.miamiarchdiocese.org/ip.asp?op=L1700_LetsTalk090223