Is there hope for the Novus Ordo?

[Sarabande]

As some people have mentioned, I think it depends on the diocese or area. I’ve attended quite a good number of reverent NO masses in the northeast. When I visit other areas of the country or some suburban parishes in my area, though, I count my blessings regarding my own parish. I do not “prefer” one form over the other, as long as they are reverent.

I have also been to various countries throughout Europe and the UK and have attended very reverent and spiritually beautiful NO masses. Whenever I travel to Europe, I like to “church-hop” - this meaning to visit as many parishes and their masses as possible. I will sometimes attend mass between two to four different churches on any given Sunday. I have probably attended one mass that was pretty irreverent - and it was one that was most like a mass you would see in the States. Now, my fluency in my languages are basic - fairly elementary, so I cannot always tell if the priest is saying something inappropriate - which I suspect not. I have also attended some very reverent Latin NO masses over there as well.

I do agree with Cran, having visited Germany and have friends from there who would attest to it, masses over there are pretty reverent. I would say the same in Austria as well.

So, I would say that there is “hope” for the NO mass.

 

[ancilla_Domini]

I’ve had a similar experience. I went to college in Los Angeles, and we’ve all heard the horror stories of that archdiocese. Still, there was one little jewel there - St. Victor’s in the middle of West Hollywood. They had Eucharistic Adoration 5 of 7 nights of the week, super reverent and wise priests, and a Gregorian chant ordinary form Mass every week.

After college I moved out here to Chicago to work for a year. There are some churches where the ordinary form liturgies are difficult to concentrate in because I’m so aware of the abuses and irreverence. But there are so many others (like my current home parish, St. Mary of the Angels: smachicago.org/) where reverence is of the utmost importance… You can even still use the communion rails to receive our Lord!

So of course there’s hope! Sometimes, good churches are hard to find, but it’s definitely worth the search.