I don’t think it is the Novus Ordo that people have a problem with, as much as it is how people have taken liberties with the Novus Ordo Mass. It is very difficult to find a Mass which is truly aligned with the original intent for the Pauline Mass.
It would be good to slowly digest some of the writings of Cardinal Arinze, the former Cardinal Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI and some other competent sources.
A good book to consider is, “
The Spirit of the Liturgy” written by Ratzinger. He explains many things. The Mass of Vatican 2 has not been seen by many people because so many innovations flooded into it. Those innovations were never granted and have been in the process of being reprobated in documents such as
Redemptionis Sacramentum, and other writings, such as the letter written by Cardinal Arinze on
Liturgical Piety.
As far back as 1998, Pope John Paul II addressed liturgical abuses in this
ad limina address to bishops in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Alaska.
Once you begin to read and understand what is being said, you get a better idea of what is happening out there. Your parish may be one of those in which the pastors have remained faithful to the spirit of the liturgy and have not innovated. But, far more pastors took liberties, some quite innocently because it was being taught at seminaries and by “liturgical experts”. Yet, it was taught in error.
People make the mistake of thinking that the Mass is some place to gather and feel good about themselves and God and to create a celebration. I know that is how Catholicism was painted to me for the last 40 years in my original parish. It was all about the celebration, yet the emphasis on worship of God was lost. Celebration is more conducive to entertainment and entertainment seeking. Worship is something that takes a great deal of serenity, silence, reserved-ness, reverence and piety to fully grasp in a mystical sense. Hopefully, this will become evident in the words of Pope John Paul II in that ad limina address and in the letter by Cardinal Arinze.
When people could not find a place to worship God without all the fanfare, loud guitar music, banners, conversations in Church, lots of physical contact, they turned to the only place they could - the TLM, which was devoid of these things. While some see it as a step backwards, this 40 year old post-v2 Catholic sees it as a step in the right direction. However, all it will take is for bishops to start enforcing liturgical norms properly and many who are flocking to the TLM, may turn back to the Novus Ordo. Some will ultimately prefer the TLM because of its nature and I believe there is a place for people who want to worship this way. The rest of us deserve a place to worship that is reverent, reserved, silent at the right times, and full of sacred music without the guitars, accordions, banjos and everything else that has made its way in. Some parishes use to provide for at least one choral Mass and one simple organ Mass. Now, in some places, all you get is the folk stuff. This needs to change.
If you look through some of my recent posts you will find plenty of pictures of the Novus Ordo celebrated at Assumption Grotto. It resembles a TLM because my pastor chooses the ad orientem stance rather than facing the people. It is a traditional Novus Ordo, done in full compliance with the GIRM. I have a preference for this style over the contemporary Novus Ordo. Like those who attend TLM’s, people come specifically to Grotto for the reverent Masses and the devotional culture. I was born in 1962, and I love it.
Hope this helps.
