I am not sure where these things get started but I am getting a lot of email about a couple things that have some … some… traditional Catholics all abuzz.
First, I am still … still, I say… get email about the dastardly plot to force a “hybrid” Missal on traditional Catholics some time in 2013.
I respond saying, “HA! It is to laugh.”
The work needed for the calendar alone, even for the sanctoral cycle alone, will take years and it will be hard fought. 2013?!? pffffft!
Frankly, I can see, easily see, the introduction of some of the newer saints of more universal appeal as options in the calendar of the older Roman form. It strikes me as reasonable that some saints of less universal appeal could share some space with more recent saints inscribed in Holy Church’s album. For example, would it not be acceptable to have a proper available for, say, St. Pio? St. Maximilian Kolbe? The Spanish or Chinese Martyrs?
In any event… hybrid in 2013…. pffft!
Second, some people are asking me if the Holy Father Himself will be celebrating the Mass on the older form of the Roman Rite in November when all the people (myself, hopefully, included) make a pilgrimage to Rome.
It is a nice thought but, no, that’s not going to happen. If the Pope shows up in the Vatican Basilica to say the Pontifical Mass himself, I’ll buy everyone there a whiskey sour, starting with Benedict himself. The most the gathering could hope for is a letter from His Holiness and his Apostolic Blessing. And that would be spiffy!
On this note, it would be nice even if His Holiness of Our Lord would simply be present for a Mass coram Pontifice. Why couldn’t he just dispense with all the falderal of the no-longer-existent papal court and just say Mass as a bishop would? Yes, it would be nice to have all the other trappings. But let is not make the perfect into the enemy of the good.
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Perhaps, had they started on the hybrid Missal in 1997….
Can anyone point me to information on this pilgrimage to Rome in November? I found plenty of info from August that details would be released on Sept 10, but can find nothing more recent.
Thanks!
Frankly, I can see, easily see, the introduction of some of the newer saints of more universal appeal as options in the calendar of the older Roman form. It strikes me as reasonable that some saints of less universal appeal could share some space with more recent saints inscribed in Holy Church’s album. For example, would it not be acceptable to have a proper available for, say, St. Pio? St. Maximilian Kolbe? The Spanish or Chinese Martyrs?
Wouldn’t it already be possible for a priest to celebrate a traditional Mass for the feast of a saint added to the calendar since 1962? After all, the missal contains all those votive Mass possibilities — Mass of a saint who was a bishop, Mass of a Confessor, Mass of a Virgin and Martyr, Mass of a Holy Woman not a Virgin, etc. The choices offered seem to cover all possibilities. Couldn’t the celebrant, on his own initiative, choose the appropriate one of these and “plug” the appropriate saint’s name into the orations?
PS — or do a “commemoration” of the new saint even while saying the Mass prescribed by the traditional Ordo for that day?
Or is this just not done?
Rome is lucky if she manages to get this year’s calendar printed by next year.
I don’t know what they are so worried about. The world is ending this December anyways. Unless they think the new missal is meant for heavenly use :P
I thought they were going to add some additional prefaces, presumably as options, as well as newer saints? Isn’t this all in Summorum Pontificum or somewhere?
If they bring Bishop Trautman out of retirement to review the changes, we will be able to rest easy about them coming out anytime soon.
Fr. Z,
I had to let this fester before responding. Here are my thoughts.
What if the “hybrid Missal” is not for the “traditionalists”? How about if it is to bring the Ordinary Form more into conformity with Sacrosanctum Concilium. The implementation of the 3rd edition of the Roman Missal in the English speaking world has been, I think, a great success. Only shows that people would be adaptable to a Missal of Benedict XVI.
Maybe a “hybrid” or “transitional” Missal would look like this:
– prayers at the foot of the altar optional
– restore the offertory chant and mandate the propers for all Masses, chanted at all sung Masses (vernacular or Latin as an option)
– restoration of many signs of the cross
– restoration of the offertory prayers
– limiting the Eucharistic prayers from six to two, the Roman Canon and the third Eucharistic Prayer
– Mandating the Roman Canon for all Sundays and Holy Days
– removing all options
The next revision would be in the hands of the next Pope, and lead eventually to one form of the Roman Rite.
I think it is the optimal time. 50th Anniversary of Vatican II. Why not bring the Missal into greater uniformity with what the Fathers really desired. In another ten years, 2023, either Benedict or his successor could promulgate a further Missal that would bring us even closer to true reform.
I would add to Fr. iPadre’s suggestions, more kissing of the altar and more genuflections by the priest.
For official info about the November SP conference:
http://unacumpapanostro.wordpress.com/
The formal announcement of this conference was held in Rome as scheduled on Sept. 10 but–contrary to reports that preceded it–did not include an announcement of who would be the celebrant for the Nov. 3 Pontifical TLM in St. Peter’s Basilica. Apparently, this lack of advance knowledge of the celebrant of such a high profile Mass is what has fueled some of the current rumors.
If only the pope would say a private Mass in the EF and admit to having done so in public…
“But let us not make the perfect into the enemy of the good.” I like that, a lot. I do believe it applies well to the presidential election, no?
Given the fact that we’ve only introduced a new translation of the Mass coming up on one year past; given the 10-year battle that seems to have ensued over THAT, I agree with Father. A new missal that’s a hybrid of the two forms of Mass would not make much sense right now.
Granted, a new translation and a new missal don’t cover exactly the same concerns, but I think they’re close enough to create major problems if someone tried.