Fr. Z's Blog

Over at NLM there is a good long post about black vestments, in advance of the observance of All Souls, Sunday 2 November (Novus Ordo), Monday 3 November (1962MR).   I want to ad my voice to theirs in support of the use of black vestments as often as appropriate and possible.

All Souls Day is celebrated tomorrow in the modern Roman calendar and transferred to Monday in the calendar of the usus antiquior. It seemed appropriate then to re-post this which I wrote nearly one month ago:

Whensoever October rolls around, my mind turns toward All Souls Day and what has become an annual appeal upon the New Liturgical Movement: the call for parish priests to pull out (or find if need be) black vestments for this day.

This year, All Souls Day falls upon a Sunday, which means that in the calendar of the usus antiquior the day will be transferred to the following day, Monday, November 3rd. In the modern Roman calendar however, it falls on the Sunday.

The question will no doubt arise, may black vestments be worn on a Sunday? [YES!] Looking at the GIRM for the modern Roman missal, I see nothing that would prevent it. Given that black is one of the colours for this feast day, and given that this feast day may happen on a Sunday in the modern liturgy, and, further, given that there is no instruction that I can yet find otherwise, it would seem that black is permitted on All Souls Day in the modern liturgy, even if it falls upon a Sunday.

There is more.  You should look at their post.

It is interesting that the Ordo put together for the Vatican Basilica lists only "Viol." for the color for Sunday.  The other, universal Ordo does the same.  However, in par. 16 in the praenotanda in that Ordo, (p. 16) we find:

16. In Missis defunctorum color violaceus colori nigro praeferatur, …" or "In Masses of the dead, the color violet is to be preferred to the color black."

To which I respond: Oh yah?  Really? 

How is this "preference" to be discerned? 

This is one of those nasty weasel rubrics slipped in during the bad times.  The progressivists and Bugniniists couldn’t abolish black outright, so they inserted slithery suggestions like this in order to give the impression that you can’t use black. 

BUT. YOU. CAN. 

Furthermore, Summorum Pontificum, among the many things it accomplishes, gets us back in touch with the continuity we need in a healthy approach to worship.  One of the mutual enrichments foreseen by the Legislator clearly has something to do with the vestments used for Holy Mass: watch what the Holy Father has been doing with papal Masses. 

How long have we Romans used black for Masses for the dead?

And let’s use unbleached beeswax candles too!  I want none of your anemic beeswax for my funeral, I’ll tell ya. Do you?  I’m just askin’.

I think a reclamation of black is in order for funerals and Masses for the dead in the Novus Ordo is entirely appropriate.

Let’s get to it, Fathers!

Laypeople, be prepared to purchase good black vestments and unbleached candles for your parishes.

Request black.

Make it happen.