The special Reform of the Reform website says:
The promulgation of the new translation of the Roman Missal of 1970, invites us to reflect further on the "hermeneutic of continuity" articulated by Pope Benedict XVI, and the importance of this being demonstrated consistently in the celebration of the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Beginning Saturday 12th May (at 6 pm), in response to the requests of the Faithful, a weekly Vigil Mass in the Ordinary Form will be offered at St Aloysius' Church which will aim to exemplify "sacredness in continuity".
The Mass will be celebrated in English, "ad orientem" at the High Altar, with both the Propers of the day and the Ordinary being sung. Communicants are invited to kneel at the Altar rails to receive Our Lord on the tongue 'under both kinds' by intinction. Books will be provided containing all the readings, Mass Ordinary and Propers, and music including hymns.
The inaugural Mass, at 6 pm on Saturday 12th May, will be offered for the intentions of Pope Benedict XVI.
We commend the good Fathers in their initiative in responding to the requests of the Faithful.
This initiative has received some comment over on David Schutz's blog.
We posted the following comment today in response to the question whether Glorificamus has been involved:
"Joshua / Oliver
No, The Glorificamus Society has not been involved in sponsoring this initiative.
However, we heartily support this initiative: anything which helps to promote the sense of the sacred, the transcendent and offering of Holy Mass in continuity with tradition should be warmly supported and welcomed by all. The Holy Father is clear in what he wants and why it’s good for the Church.
The good Fathers at St Aloysius are doing magnificent work for those who wish to worship in the Extraordinary Form.
This new initiative seems to us to offer something important to the Archdiocese in exemplifying the offering Holy Mass in the vernacular using options that are in continuity with tradition, especially:
- the use of Ad Orientem is the key intiative; would that more parishes actually adopt it for at least some Masses and at the High Altar (where there is still one or if there isn’t one, install one)
- the singing of the Propers: the key musical step is the recovery of Gregorian Chant propers, the real way to sing the Catholic Mass
- we presume the singing of the Ordinary is also Gregorian and hopefully allow for the recover the People’s Chant, something denied to most congregations around Australia
- kneeling to receive Holy Communion on the tongue: a key expression of our faith in our Eucharistic Lord.
All good. Let’s get behind it and show our support. Clearly, the Fathers are responding to the requests of the faithful in a generous fashion. May God bless them.
As far as the Masses which Glorificamus has organised, all the above elements have been employed. A notable difference was that the Masses were sung by the Celebrant, people and the lectors in Latin (with the exception of the Prayers of the Faithful).
One can hardly do other than encourage St Aloysius in offering Mass in the way they have chosen: in the context of a parish that offers every Mass in Latin this sounds like a very good way to offer someting attractive to those seeking a reverent Mass in English. We hope it prospers and other parishes learn how to do it too.
The Holy Father was clear that we all have much to learn from the older form of the Mass when it comes to celebrating the newer form well. Perhaps priests from other parishes might attend to see how it’s done and parishioners from other parishes attend and go back to your parishes and ask Father to follow St Aloysius’ example."
