Just For Fun-Write A Rite

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This thread is really just what it seems, but I’d like to lay down some ground rules:
  1. It is just after Vatican II. You represent the Pope, the Cardinals, and all the liturgical committees. By an act of God, you have total control over how the Mass will be changed. Obviously, none of us are qualified to do this, but I thought it would be a fun thought experiment to see what each of us would come up with.
  2. You cannot say “the Novus Ordo” or “the Tridentine Mass was just fine”. Both are legitimate positions, but also ruin the point of the thought experiment. This isn’t the thread for them. Your new rite has to make a change that is at least of, say, the addition of the Last Gospel to the Tridentine Mass. It can, of course, be more sweeping than that, but it should be at least a significant change.
  3. Please provide a rationale of why you’d organize things the way you’d organize them, that way some discussion is possible.
  4. Remember this thread is just for fun. All of us recognize we aren’t really qualified to actually do something like this in real life, but its an interesting thought experiment.
My Own Changes
I’m coming at this from an odd perspective because I grew up with the Novus Ordo Mass, but for the purposes of the thought experiment I’ll do something fairly conservative-keep the majority of the Mass in Latin, keeping the prayers of the Tridentine Mass mostly the same, with the Our Father, the Creed, and the Eucharistic Prayer at a bare minimum being in Latin.

The readings, however, would be done in the style of Novus Ordo (First, Second, Gospel), and in the vernacular.

After the homily, the Mass would then proceed as in the Tridentine Mass. This, I think, would make the readings easily accessible to the laity, make the Old Testament a vital part of the readings, and preserve the Latin that has so long been a part of the Church.

What about you guys?
 
I would impose the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom throughout the Latin Church.

(Don’t ask a question if you don’t like the answer.)
 
I would include a Liturgical Referee at my Mass, to sound his whistle and call penalty whenever there’s a liturgical abuse.

I would also include certain persons in the Prayers:
  • Sinners
  • Souls of purgatory
  • The Pope and bishops
  • Prostitutes
  • Murderers
  • Terrorists
  • Abortionists
  • Anti-Catholics
  • Anti-semetics
  • Suffering souls
  • Desparing souls
  • Perfect souls
 
Some ideas (mostly, I only know the OF of mass, so based on this):

Everybody, before entering the chapel or worship space for Mass, dons an alb, if baptized. A white makeshift poncho is loaned to those who forget theirs. They are reminded of the baptismal exhortation to “put on Christ” and “bring this garment unstained” to the wedding feast. There is actually a “vesting space” (or at least coat rack) for the laity. For small masses of fewer than 50 people, the faithful actually process into the church together, chanting, instead of grabbing a seat near the parking lot exit and letting the cantor do the work for them (what a concept!)

The office of porter would be retained, but both lay men and women are installed in it. They function like “hospitality ministers”, but do more than just act as Wal-Mart greeters and take up the collection. They know the parish well enough to seek out “newcomers” and welcome them without being pushy. They are invested with an authority to remind people how to behave properly at mass, and are trained to assist during worrisome situations (first-aid, security, emergencies) and wear a sign of that office during the liturgy. They conduct any announcements of the “commentator” type (not catechetical).

The offices of lector and acolyte are made of greater use, and again, both lay men and women are installed in it after extensive training. They too wear a distinctive sign of service during the liturgy. This cuts down on the number of people crying “abuse!” of EMHCs, since many would actually be replaced by acolytes which are OMHCs. Not all acolytes need necessarily be altar servers. Lectors are also scheduled and present at LoH and other prayer services.

The bread used at Mass to become Christ, should actually look, feel, and taste like bread. Most real bread is not bleached white and stamped in flat little circles with a cross or other design in it. And real bread does not taste like drywall. If someone is singing “Taste and See that the Lord is good”, well…you get the idea. While white wine is allowed, red wine is encouraged.

Liberal use of incense happens. But people are taught that it’s not just to make a musty church smell better, or to perfume a sweaty crowd, it is to reverence the priestly character of something.
 
Eucharisted said:
I would include a Liturgical Referee at my Mass, to sound his whistle and call penalty whenever there’s a liturgical abuse.
Click to expand...
I love this idea! I’m picturing big screens in the corners of the church for instant replays of disputed calls. Maybe a “three violations in one Mass” and you’re “outta there!” rule? Particularly bad cantors could be hit with an “unnecessary roughness” to the tune penalty flag.

This has potential.

Paul
 
Cluny said:
I would impose the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom throughout the Latin Church.

(Don’t ask a question if you don’t like the answer.)
Click to expand...
And why would you do this? Not that I don’t like the answer, just that it’s not a complete answer.
 
Liturgical Structure

I’d translate everything to the vernacular exactly the way it is in the Tridentine Mass. Then I’d mix in some liturgical elements from the Eastern Rite and throw in some enculturated customs from other cultures that that I think the Universal Church would greatly benefit from. I’ll have the words of the Consecration in Aramaic so that it resembles the Last Supper more closely.

All the Latin customs will be retained - such as the priest facing east, Communion on the tongue, etc. I will not add the Responsorial Psalm, the Prayers of the Faithful, Lay Lectors, etc. The Liturgical Calendar would remain the same (e.g. Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Quinquagesima Sunday, etc.) with the addition of newly canonized saints and feasts.

I would also bring back the practice from the Middle Ages of having the Ave Verum Corpus sung during the elevation of the Host.

Only the priest and deacon could give Communion, but if there is a strong need, nuns and religious sisters can be given the role of extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion as they live consecrated lives and are set apart from the laity.

I would have The Last Gospel said audibly and retain the Leonine Prayers even for the High Mass.

Church Architecture

There would be no lay persons allowed in the sanctuary except the altar boys. Parishes would have a choice between having a rood screen or iconostasis.



**Liturgical Music **

I’d only allow only one universal hymnal that would be regulated by the Vatican. One half would contain the traditional hymns and Mass propers familiar to all and the other half would be a collection of vernacular hymns catered to each country which will be strictly regulated by that country’s conference of bishops.

The only allowances that would be made are hymns that are integral to a particular culture’s worship style, such as African-American gospel music and Anglican-use hymns. This is particularly important for converts to the faith. Rock, pop and folk music will be prohibited. Liturgical classical music, European or otherwise, will be allowed. Psalms derived from Jewish liturgical music can also be incorporated as Christianity is the fulfillment of the Covenant.

The more ancient forms of Aramaic and Greek chant will be featured prominently, maybe more so than Gregorian Chant. Cantors who have been trained in a similar fashion like Jewish cantors will play an integral role.

The organ will have pride of place in the liturgy, along with choirs and ancient percussive instruments.
 
In this magical make-beleive land I would:

Preserve the Tridentine ordinary and liturgical calendar almost entirely. The calendar would be updated with new saints. The ordinary of the mass would be simplified a little, but with the things removed made into options. For instance, the prayers at the foot of the altar and the last Gospel could be optional.

The three year lectionary would be reorganized to conform to the old calendar and made normative, but still essentially optional, meaning a church could still use the old one year cycle if they wanted to.

The proper chants would be mandatory (i.e. the introit, gradual, tract, alleluia, offertory, communion). Other songs could be used in addition to these, but never in place of them. The responsorial psalm could be used in edition to the gradual chant, but not in place of it.

Distinctions between Solemn High, Sung, and Low Mass would be reestablished. The use of Latin is sort of complex, but here goes:

Solemn High Mass: Entirely Latin, even the readings.

Sung Low Mass (what most people would have known as “High Mass” at the typical parish): Ordinary in Latin, readings and priest’s propers allowed in vernacular. Vernacular hymns allowed to be sung in addition to propers.

Low Mass: Offertory and Canon in Latin only, everything else allowed to be recited in vernacular with vernacular hymns allowed.

The sit, stand, kneel patterns would be made the same for all three.

Basically, Latin would be used in a progressive solemnity approach. More solemn = More Latin. People will have little excuse for not knowing what the Latin means since they will have an almost entirely vernacular mass available.

Masses would have to be celebrated in the old ad orientem way.
 
My Rite would be this. Technically it isn’t a rite but we could stretch the definition. Before the Mass begins, at the entrance of the Church. We begin the prayer of Sacredness, in which we remind those entering that the Mass is a sacred event, not a praise & worship service. We love praising God and we do at Mass, but the Mass is Calvary and the consecrated Body & Blood, Soul & Divinity of Jesus Christ present before us. This Sacredness reminder prayer would be sung in Gregorian Chant and repeat itself over and over. Finally I would install the Rite of Rejection. That would be Guardians of the Liturgy standing by a TSA like machine/detector not unlike at an airport. They would screen for ponytail cantors who sing the Gloria, Alleluia and Agnus Dei in melodies that came from bar rooms, taverns, jazz clubs or burlesque shows.
 
I would keep the Extraordinary Form nearly intact, but permit the Epistle and Gospel to be sung or read in the vernacular, while mandating that all else be left in Latin. Every parish would be required to have a Solemn High Mass on Sundays and first class feasts unless there was some good reason for there not to be one. To help make these Masses possible, I would require every diocese in the Latin Church that was able to have a permanent diaconate program. Hymns would have an inferior place to the Ordinary and Proper chants, which would always be the primary music at Mass. In addition, I would restore the Communion fast to begin at midnight.
 
How about this have a mix of all these three Tridentine Mass with a LT choir and a Byzantine rite priest.
 
Take the Tridentine, translated into English, except for the Eucharistic Prayer which remains in Latin and is only ever Eucharistic Prayer I (The Roman Canon).

Forbid the use of lay EMHC, instead there must be Instituted Acolytes. Communion is done kneeling, on the tongue only, at an altar rail.

Re-instate the law requiring women to cover their heads in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and for men to uncover theirs in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Change the readings to the same as the current Mass; one Old Testament, one New Testament, and one Gospel. Keep the old Calender’s seasons (Septuagesima, Time After Pentecost, etc) but introduce newer saints and re-structure the ranking of feasts. Retain the stricter fasting laws.

The priest must face the Tabernacle, which is behind the altar, so as to properly direct our worship.
 
Eucharisted said:
I would include a Liturgical Referee at my Mass, to sound his whistle and call penalty whenever there’s a liturgical abuse.

I would also include certain persons in the Prayers:
  • Sinners
  • Souls of purgatory
  • The Pope and bishops
  • Prostitutes
  • Murderers*
  • Terrorists
  • Abortionists*
  • Anti-Catholics
  • Anti-semetics
  • Suffering souls
  • Desparing souls
  • Perfect souls
Click to expand...
I am glad to see that abortionists are prayed for twice. See * above. 👍
 
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