Some people say there aren’t any important differences between the Vetus Ordo and the Novus Ordo, that they are pretty much the same. Usually they fail to take into consideration the content of the orations. Of course the differences in the orations are not structural differences. That doesn’t mean that they are important. The way we pray has a reciprocal relationship with what we believe. Change the prayers, over time you change what people believe.
A priest friend of mine today made me aware of differences between the Collects today for St. Margaret Mary and St. Hedwig – on their common feast – in the Vetus and the Novus Ordo.
Some Latinists could jump in.
St. Margaret Mary:
Vetus Ordo
Domine Iesu Christe qui investigabiles divitias Cordis tui beatae Margaritae Mariae Virgini mirabiliter revelasti: da nobis eius meritis et imitatione; ut te in omnibus et super omnia diligentes iugem in eodem Corde tuo mansionem habere mereamur:
Novus Ordo (new composition for the 1970MR)
Effúnde super nos, quaesumus, Dómine, spíritum quo beátam Margarítam Maríam singuláriter ditásti, ut scire valeámus supereminéntem sciéntiæ caritátem Christi et impleámur in omnem plenitúdinem Dei. Per Dóminum …
And for St. Hedwig:
Vetus Ordo
Deus, qui beátam Hedwígem a saeculi pompa ad húmilem tuæ crucis sequélam toto corde transíre docuísti: concéde; ut eius méritis et exémplo discámus peritúras mundi calcáre delícias, et in ampléxu tuæ crucis ómnia nobis adversántia superáre:
Novus Ordo (was in the 1962MR)
Concéde, quaesumus, omnípotens Deus, ut veneránda nobis beátæ Hedwígis intercéssio tríbuat cæléste subsídium, cuius vita mirábilis ómnibus humilitátis præstat exémplum.
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Reading these orationes makes me think the liturgical innovators did all of this with malice. It seems an attempt to starve the faithful by feeding them broth after they had been offered steak.
Our pastor touched on today how they removed the sacrifice from the new Mass and replaced it with “community” and a performing priest. Big differences I’d say between the two.
Near full by the way (TLM). Just a handful of seats were open.
Indeed. If the Novus Ordo and the traditional Roman Mass are “pretty much the same” then what was the point of creating a whole new rite? There was an awful lot of trouble and bother and excommunicating going on if the whole idea was just to re-arrange the furniture.
FWIW, the Ordinariate translations of the collects for St Hedwig and St Margaret Mary track the Vetus Ordo Latin. A little more florid, to be sure and not quite so concise, but the same concepts:
“O GOD, who didst teach blessed Hedwig to forsake the pomps and vanities of this life, for the humble following of the Cross: mercifully grant that, by her merits and example, we may learn to trample underfoot the transitory pleasures of this world, and cleaving steadfastly to the Cross of Christ to overcome all things contrary to our salvation; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.”
“O LORD Jesus Christ, who unto thy holy Virgin Margaret Mary Alacoque didst reveal the unsearchable riches of thy Sacred Heart: grant us, by her merits and example, to love thee in all things and above all things, and so find in thy loving Heart an everlasting habitation; who livest and reignest with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.”