Wednesday, November 20, 2013

At last - a well reasoned case in support of the Ordinary Form

So rude to turn your back
on the members of the assembly

There is no shortage of balanced posts and articles on the values and integrity of the Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) on the internet but, apparently nothing in the way of a reasoned argument in favour of the Novus Ordo (Ordinary Form) of the Mass.
Why, one must ask, are the liberals so coy about producing support in favour of what once was called 'Mass in the vernacular'?

Well, in the interest of fair play I have stepped into the breach and drafted a few words, bullet points, really, that go to prove that the OF Mass is a Mass of depth and liturgical profundity.

Here is my case in favour of the new Mass:-

1. The OF Mass is in English, unless you are in London, Hull, Birmingham or Cardiff in which case it might be in Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog or Welsh.

2. The celebrant faces the congregation (how ill mannered it is to turn your back on people).

3. The congregation has a real role to play (as opposed to praying). They can greet other parishioners, arrange the felt banners, organise the dance routines, take small children out of church so that they may have fun, process up the aisle at the Offertory, saving the sacristan the chore of placing the hosts and the water and wine on the credence table), undertake the readings and, even, distribute Holy Communion and purify dry the sacred vessels afterwards so that the priest does not have to do anything.

4. The OF Mass is so diverse, you never know who is going to say what and the celebrant usually ad libs a bit just to keep things lively and people focused.

5. The priest's vestments are colourful and, invariably, of man made fibres. Polyester rules OK?

6. The bidding prayers in Mass link us right back to the times of the Reformation (only then it was just the Protestants who incorporated them into their liturgy).

7. You do not have to genuflect (or bow) to the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle (that's if you can find it).

8. There's no painful kneeling to receive the Son of God, all you have to do is sashay stroll up to the communion rails sanctuary.

9. And you may receive in the hand despite the fact that your hands may not be spotless and, certainly, not blessed by the Bishop as a priest's are at ordination.

10. You may also chat to your neighbours, or those across the aisle, no emphasis on silly acts of reverence.

11. Humility is out the window, it's a dress code that says "Come as you please". God loves us all even if we are bareheaded, mini skirted and sleeveless (women) or in shorts, trainers and T shirt (men).

12.Girls may serve on the altar even though there is nothing for them to do; it's inclusivity, see?

Well, I think you will agree. That proves for once and for all that those who spout on about the beauty and God centred aspects of the old rite Mass are completely off beam. Nutters, in fact.

And here is an appalling account of how a group of young Catholics "stumbled" across a Latin Mass and suffered grave harm as a result....
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2013/11/guest-post-1st-traditional-latin-mass-experience-the-highly-pastoral-nature-of-the-extraordinary-form/?

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