OF and EF: What's good about them? [edited]

[fish90]

Hello,

Here is what I think are good about the two forms of the Mass. Please add or disagree.

OF:
Better readings: Old Testament and New Testament
Better laity interaction.
Allowance of the vernacular.

EF:
Sense of the Sacred
Ad Orientum
Latin
Little creativity
Gregorian Chant
Clear Priest and laity roles
Communion on the tounge

What do you think?

[edited]

Best,
fish90

 

[Ghirardelli]

I found this on the web somewhere and I vehemently agree with it but unfortunately I cannot cite a source:

OF:

It’s in a Language I Can Understand: While I certainly appreciate the Latin language and its limited use in the OF Mass, I do prefer to FOCUS on the Mass in a truly intense manner which I cannot do when I must use a missalette.

The Penitential Rite: Some suggest the EF has no PR, others suggest that function is filled by the celebrant and the server for the entire congregation. Either way I find it extremely cathartic for me to personally take part in the PR and humbling that everyone else present is also personally taking part in the PR.

Enlarged Reading Cycles: This definitely goes without saying. The OF Mass exposes the faithful to FAR more of the Bible with its three cycles. This may be the #1 reason why I prefer the OF – greater exposure to God’s word within the context of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

More Readings on Sundays: Again, this is axiomatic. The readings from the OT and NT epistles, the sung responsorial Psalm and the proclaimed Gospel are a definite improvement over the EF offering.
**
Lay Readers:** This is one area that I think involvement from the laity is a most positive addition to the Mass. To me it underscores the importance of reading and studying the Bible by all members of the Church. While it’s far more, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is still the greatest Bible study known to mankind.

Eucharistic Prayer Collection: The Roman Canon (EP #1) is still my favorite, but in no way is it optimal for all Masses given the other EPs that now exist. I appreciate how the OF Mass allows the celebrant to pick the EF which best matches that day’s Mass and his own homily. I used to detest experiencing the Roman Canon being burned-through (often omitting parts) for the sake of brevity.

Sign of Peace: An important and humbling yet joyous part of the Mass. Like anything else it need not be abused.

Allowance of EMsHC: Until we have an abundance of priests and deacons once more there are times where the allowance of EMsHC (in a non-abusive manner per the Church) is a good thing.

Receiving the Precious Blood from the Chalice: The improved sign value of receiving Holy Communion under both species in this manner is something I truly appreciate. We should worship with all our senses and receiving from the chalice makes a strong statement in more than one way to me.

The 46 approved Saturday Masses for the BVM: I really appreciate the 46 individual OF Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary (and their optional readings) that are approved for Saturdays.

Does anyone here happen to have the original URL?

 

[ac_claire]

Hello,

Here is what I think are good about the two forms of the Mass. Please add or disagree.

I’d say I agree with the positives for both forms that you mentioned and the other poster mentioned. With the possible exception of “Better laity interaction” and use of EMHC only because I’ve unfortunately seen these two things fail, or abused, in more instances than I’ve seen them work very well if that makes sense.

The main benefit of the EF that I haven’t seen already mentioned is the Communion rail.

 

[benedictgal]

However, there is a mistaken notion about what active participation really means. Archbishop Malcolm Ranjinth, the former Secretary to the Congregation for Divine Worship used Pope Benedict’s words to try to explain what active participation really is:

The pope, in his book The Spirit of the Liturgy, defines actuosa participatio as a call to a total assimilation in the very action of Christ the High Priest. It is in no way a call to activism, a misunderstanding that spread widely in the aftermath of Sacrosanctum Concilium. Stated Cardinal Ratzinger: “what does it [active participation] mean…? Unfortunately the word was very quickly misunderstood to mean something external, entailing a need for general activity, as if as many people as possible, as often as possible, should be visibly engaged in action” (The Spirit of the Liturgy, 2000, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, p. 171).

We know that in many places this led to the amalgamation of the sanctuary with the assembly, the clericalization of the laity and the filling up of the sanctuary with the noisy and distracting presence of a large number of people. One could say that virtually Wall Street moved into the sanctuary. But was that really what the Council Fathers advocated? Cardinal Ratzinger does not think so. For him, “the real ‘action’ in the liturgy in which we are all supposed to participate is the action of God Himself. This is what is new and distinctive about Christian liturgy: God Himself acts and does what is essential” (ibid, p. 173).

And, actually, EMHCs were meant to function in only extraordinary cases. Furthermore, intinction was designed as a means to reduce the number of EMHCs used for the Mass.

 

[OraLabora]

EF:
Sense of the Sacred

There is no reason why a well-executed OF Mass should lose its sense of the sacred.

Ad Orientum

I have been to an OF Mass that was Ad Orientum due to the continued use of the High Altar.

Latin

Latin is not barred from the OF, quite the contrary it is supposed to be the “official” language of the OF Mass. I have been to Latin OF Masses.

Gregorian Chant

It is still the official music of the OF Mass; I sing in a small schola and we use the Graduale Romanum, which is Gregorian Chant fully adapted to the OF and we sing OF Masses monthly with Gregorian Chant. I attend Mass every Sunday and at major solemnities, at a Benedictine abbey where Gregorian Chant is used every day for the OF Mass.

Clear Priest and laity roles

This is the case with the OF as well, abuses notwithstanding.

Communion on the tongue

Available with the OF.

The main benefit of the EF that I haven’t seen already mentioned is the Communion rail.

I attend weekday OF Mass at church that still has… and uses… the communion rail.

What do you think?

I think there is nothing wrong with the OF Mass. If the OF Mass hadn’t been so badly abused, but retained the reverence it is still capable of, without liturgical abuses, there probably wouldn’t be so much demand for the EF Mass.

What I still haven’t figured out is how the OF managed to become such a magnet for liturgical abuse. I guess opening the door slightly led to a stampede. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is daily evidence of that at Saint-Benoît-du-Lac abbey in Quebec, and at multiple other abbeys and religious institutions around the world.

 

[EasterJoy]

This reminds me of a story told by a Benedictine oblate. She was at a conference, and had access to a kitchen, in which she was preparing to make a breakfast for herself and a monk who was also at the conferece. She asked him how he liked his eggs. He didn’t have an answer. Essentially, he had not had anyone ask him how he would like his eggs for so long that he didn’t know what his preference was when he was asked.

While I like reflecting on the treasures available in the Mass, any form of the Mass, I’m very uncomfortable with comparing the two as if one were preparing an article for Consumer’ Reports.

It is like this: I have twin boys. While I’m pleased to tell them about things they do well and give them guidance about what they could do better, I’m careful not to compare the two directly. This isn’t just because I don’t want to foster a competition between them. It is also because comparing the two diminishes them both. Each of those two boys is a unique gift from God, and each has both gifts and limitation that are part of that gift. If I get too much into making them into some ideal boy that I imagine they both ought to be, rather than guiding them to be what God intends each to be individually, I’m making their lives about me and what I like and want. I think that to cross that line, that is, to go from parenting into attempting to mold a child to be what I want them to be, isn’t grateful, and it isn’t right.

If these boys grow into priests or husbands, they will each have their own gifts to offer and the grace of their own limitations, too. I think the two forms of the Mass are like that. It is OK to prefer one over the other, just as a woman might marry one man rather than another or a layperson might find one priest to be a better confessor or to give better homilies than another. I feel as if it is crossing some line, though, to pit one against the other in any kind of a competition, or to compare them as if we are their judges.

I think we need to remember that we are the beneficiaries of the Mass, not its judge. Just a thought to consider, as this discussion proceeds…

 

[malphono]

I think there is nothing wrong with the OF Mass. If the OF Mass hadn’t been so badly abused, but retained the reverence it is still capable of, without liturgical abuses, there probably wouldn’t be so much demand for the EF Mass.

Yes, all of that is true. What you speak of is the OF in its full “reform of the reform” mode. Unfortunately, outside of certain abbeys (of which I believe S Benoît-du-Lac is one), it is a late development (only within the past few years). It is also (again outside of certain abbeys) exceedingly rare.

I think there is nothing wrong with the OF Mass. If the OF Mass hadn’t been so badly abused, but retained the reverence it is still capable of, without liturgical abuses, there probably wouldn’t be so much demand for the EF Mass.

The OF was designed as (for lack of a better expression) a “shell liturgy” having a variety of options built-in, and one where just about everything (including the Propers) are abbreviated from what came before. Taken together, along with the change in focus from vertical to horizontal, it is quite different from what preceded it, and therein lies the continued interest in the EF.

What I still haven’t figured out is how the OF managed to become such a magnet for liturgical abuse. I guess opening the door slightly led to a stampede. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is daily evidence of that at Saint-Benoît-du-Lac abbey in Quebec, and at multiple other abbeys and religious institutions around the world.

As I see it, there are several major problems with the OF, including the loosey-goosey rubrics, the built-in “options,” the abbreviation, and the change in focus. In the absence of strict rubrics, and in the presence of options and abbreviations, plus the horizontal focus, (and not to mention a good lingering dose of the 1960s (read: “spirit of Vatican II”), could ad-lib have been far behind? Evidently not.

 

[ProVobis]

Enlarged Reading Cycles: This definitely goes without saying. The OF Mass exposes the faithful to FAR more of the Bible with its three cycles. This may be the #1 reason why I prefer the OF – greater exposure to God’s word within the context of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

As I attend both EF and OF, I don’t know about that. My St Andrew’s Missal is pretty thick with longer readings and prayers and themes in small print. How much thicker do you want?

More Readings on Sundays: Again, this is axiomatic. The readings from the OT and NT epistles, the sung responsorial Psalm and the proclaimed Gospel are a definite improvement over the EF offering.

The EF itself has various psalms throughout its Mass too. Add to it John’s Gospel and you have more than an adequate amount of scripture in the EF, I believe. But if you think it’s not enough, then it’s a problem we can easily fix.

 

[OraLabora]

Yes, all of that is true. What you speak of is the OF in its full “reform of the reform” mode. Unfortunately, outside of certain abbeys (of which I believe S Benoît-du-Lac is one), it is a late development (only within the past few years). It is also (again outside of certain abbeys) exceedingly rare.

The OF was designed as (for lack of a better expression) a “shell liturgy” having a variety of options built-in, and one where just about everything (including the Propers) are abbreviated from what came before. Taken together, along with the change in focus from vertical to horizontal, it is quite different from what preceded it, and therein lies the continued interest in the EF.

As I see it, there are several major problems with the OF, including the loosey-goosey rubrics, the built-in “options,” the abbreviation, and the change in focus. In the absence of strict rubrics, and in the presence of options and abbreviations, plus the horizontal focus, (and not to mention a good lingering dose of the 1960s (read: “spirit of Vatican II”), could ad-lib have been far behind? Evidently not.

I think though, that the OF could remain as is with much tightening up of the rubrics.

I basically agree that the Reform needs… a Reform. Not to change it. But to close loopholes.

There are a couple of places in Montreal where I’m told the OF Mass is very well done: St. Joseph’s Oratory (only ever been to weekday Masses there), and Notre-Dame Basilica. They are a bit off my path on Sundays though, but Saint-Benoît-du-Lac isn’t and I am also an oblate of that abbey so it’s family, so to speak. They never abandoned Gregorian Chant incidentally, when the reform of the monastic office was being studied in the '70s, they elected to use monastic Schema B for the Divine Office, which fulfills the Rule of Saint Benedict’s requirement to pray all 150 psalms in a week, and they kept Gregorian Chant for the Mass, Lauds, Vespers, and the hymns of the little hours (as well as the Marian antiphon at Compline). So you can still hear the psalms chanted in Latin on the 8 Gregorian tones (and the archaic ones as well), every day.

 

[Ghirardelli]

As I attend both EF and OF, I don’t know about that. My St Andrew’s Missal is pretty thick with longer readings and prayers and themes in small print. How much thicker do you want?

Are you aware of what I was talking about? The rubrics for the OF specify more readings from a greater selection than the EF. That fact is not open to debate.

The EF itself has various psalms throughout its Mass too. Add to it John’s Gospel and you have more than an adequate amount of scripture in the EF, I believe. But if you think it’s not enough, then it’s a problem we can easily fix.

Only you are suggesting there is a “problem” with the EF.

 

[michaeldaniels]

The OF has modernized the Mass by allowing it in the vernacular and giving lay people direct opportunities to be more involved such as Cantors, Lectors, EMHC’s…which has made a lot of women feel more included…and if that makes some people happy, it is fine…the OF is certainly valid and some Catholics feel it suits them better than the EF…however, it is impossible to improve on the perfection of the EF…The Mass of The Ages…the Liturgy is much richer…certain parts were omitted from in the transition to the OF, which is sad…doesn’t make the OF any less valid, but it is certainly lacking with the omission of those prayers, etc. in my opinion.

 

[Ghirardelli]

I think though, that the OF could remain as is with much tightening up of the rubrics…

The great number of options is what I love best about the OF. We don’t have to have a low Mass, a Missa Cantata, a High Mass and a Pontifical High Mass as in the EF. We have the Mass. The abuses we speak about are not due to the existing rubrics. They are due to ignoring them.

 

[Ghirardelli]

The OF has modernized the Mass by allowing it in the vernacular and giving lay people direct opportunities to be more involved such as Cantors, Lectors, EMHC’s…which has made a lot of women feel more included…and if that makes some people happy, it is fine…the OF is certainly valid and some Catholics feel it suits them better than the EF…however, it is impossible to improve on the perfection of the EF…The Mass of The Ages…the Liturgy is much richer…certain parts were omitted from in the transition to the OF, which is sad…doesn’t make the OF any less valid, but it is certainly lacking with the omission of those prayers, etc. in my opinion.

The Church certainly does not refer to the EF as the “Mass of the Ages” so I can apply that to the OF as well. To suggest the EF Mass is “much richer” is to simply give an opinion without support. Neither the OF nor the EF is “better” than the other.

 

[michaeldaniels]

They are no better than each other in the sense that a Catholic is able to go to either and received The Most Blessed Sacrament…which is the Source and Summit of our Faith…but to deny that Mass of The Catechumens isn’t richer in words, prayers, and format over the Liturgy of the Word, one is either deaf, in denial, or just has some unwarranted dislike of the EF.

The Church certainly does not refer to the EF as the “Mass of the Ages” so I can apply that to the OF as well. To suggest the EF Mass is “much richer” is to simply give an opinion without support. Neither the OF nor the EF is “better” than the other.

 

[michaeldaniels]

Just tell me how the Liturgy of The Word in the OF comes close to this…for the sake of space, I will include just the English Translation from the Latin:

Prayers at the Foot of the Altar

The priest (V.) bowing down at the foot of the altar, makes the Sign of the Cross † - the first of 52 times during the Mass (to represent each week of the year) and with the Mass Server (R.) kneeling to his right, says:

V.: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, † and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
V. I will go in unto the altar of God.
R. To God who giveth joy to my youth.

Psalm 43 - JUDICA ME
V. Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation which is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.
R. For Thou, O God, art my strength: why hast Thou cast me off? and why go I sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?
V. Send forth Thy light and Thy truth: they have conducted me and brought me unto Thy holy mount, and into Thy tabernacles.
R. And I will go into the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.

V. To Thee, O God, my God, I will give praise upon the harp; why art thou sad, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me?
R. Hope in God, for I will still give praise to Him: the salvation of my countenance and my God.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. S. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

V. I will go in unto the altar of God.
R. To God who giveth joy to my youth.

V. Our help † is in the Name of the Lord.
R.Who made Heaven and earth.

In order to approach God we must further purify ourselves. Therefore the priest makes a public avowal, taking as his
witness the Church Triumphant and Militant and especially all the faithful present as he humbly bows his head
toward the altar and recites the CONFITEOR. After he has finished, the Mass Server responds:

R. May almighty God be merciful to thee, and forgiving thy sins, bring thee to everlasting life.
V. Amen.

Confiteor
R. I confess to almighty God, to the blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to you, Father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed:
R. through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you, Father, to pray to the Lord our God for me.

 

[michaeldaniels]

Public confession, like the aspersion, is a sacramental which may obtain from God the remission our venial sins.
Thus the priest signs himself with Sign of the Cross and gives us absolution the first time.

V. May the Almighty God be merciful unto you, and forgiving your sins, bring you to everlasting life.
R.Amen.

V. O God, Thou wilt turn again and quicken us.
R. And thy people shall rejoice in Thee.
V. Show us, O Lord, Thy mercy.
R. And grant us Thy salvation.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come before Thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
V. Let us pray.

The Priest Ascends the Altar
where he prays inaudibly a further prayer that he may be cleansed from all sin
while the Altar Server genuflects in the center and kneels on the first step on the Gospel side.

Take away from us our iniquities, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we may be worthy to enter with pure minds into the Holy of Holies, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
whose relics are here, and of all the Saints, he kisses the altar and the altar stone containing sacred relics that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to forgive me all my sins. Amen.

The priest signs himself with the Sign of the Cross and reads the INTROIT for the day’s Holy Mass
the Proper of which can be accessed by going to PROPER OF THE MASS
After reading the Introit, the Priest returns to the center of the Altar where he says alternately with the Altar Server the nine supplications to the Father (Kyrie), to the Son (Christe), and to the Holy Ghost (Kyrie):

V. Lord, have mercy.
R. Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, have mercy.
R. Christ, have mercy.
V. Christ, have mercy.
R. Christ, have mercy.
V. Lord, have mercy.
R. Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, have mercy.

The priest begins the GLORIA, called by the Greeks the Greater Doxology or Paraphrase of the Gloria Patri.
It begins with the words sung by the angels at the birth of our Savior and continues the supplications of the Kyrie.
Note: This is omitted during Advent, Lent and Requiem Masses.

Gloria
Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise Thee. We bless Thee. We adore Thee. We glorify Thee. We give Thee thanks for Thy great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For Thou only are holy. Thou only art the Lord. Thou only art most high, O Jesus Christ. Together with the Holy Ghost † in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

After the Gloria, the Priest kisses the altar, and turns to the people with a bonding refrain heard often throughout the Holy Mass which indicates the close bond between the faithful and the ‘alter Christus’ in the person of the Priest.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
THE COLLECT

The Priest then reads the THE COLLECT for the day from the PROPER OF THE HOLY MASS. At the end of the Collect, the Priest says aloud,
Per omnia saecula saeculorum. World without end. to which the Altar Server responds Amen.

THE EPISTLE

Then the priest reads the EPISTLE for the day. (PROPER OF THE HOLY MASS)
At the end of the Epistle he places his left hand on the altar and the Altar Server responds
Deo Gratias Thanks be to God.
and he genuflects in the center and goes to retrieve the book from the Epistle side to the Gospel side of the Altar after genuflecting in the center with the Book. After the Priest has finished the Gradual, Tract, or Alleluia with verse or Sequence, he goes to the center of the Altar to pray from the Center Mass Card the Munda Cor

Clease my heart and my lips, O almighty God, who didst cleanse the lips of the prophet Isaias with a burning coal, and vouchsafe, through Thy gracious mercy, so to purify me, that I may worthily announce Thy holy Gospel. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Give me Thy blessing, O Lord. The Lord be in my heart and on my lips, that I may worthily and in a becoming manner, proclaim His holy Gospel. Amen.

V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
The continuation (or beginning) of the holy Gospel according to N…

THE GOSPEL
___________________________________________________-
That brings you to the Gospel reading…how on earth, if you are balanced, intelligent, and sane can you tell me that it isn’t richer than the current form of the Liturgy of The Word found in the OF???

 

[michaeldaniels]

OF format: I don’t know…but it just doesn’t seem as rich…you decide:

The Introductory Rites

This whole Rite is designed to bring people into a state of prayer and humility centering on Christ’s grace given freely for our salvation and our reconciliation as sinners. “Christ died so we might live”.
A). Upon entering the sanctuary we dip our fingers in a font containing Holy Water which is to first remind us of our baptism and secondly to show reverence for the house of the Lord and to bring us into a sense of worship. Catholic’s will also kneel upon the right leg before sitting, looking at the crucifix and making the sign of the cross-remembering Christ crucifixion. Before the service begins, many will kneel in prayer reflecting upon our sins and our need for forgiveness.

B). We begin with a hymn or psalm as the ministers and Priest enters, they approach the altar and kiss it in reverence of the sacrifice Christ paid for our salvation. The entire procession is a means of focusing and calling the people to prayer. We have a sense of being gathered before the altar to begin the celebration.

C). The presider leads the people in the sign of the cross.

D). The greeting follows as the presider proclaims the Lord’s presence in the community. The people respond, acknowledging the presence of Christ that created community. All Christian worship celebrates Jesus’ conquest of sin and death, reconciling us to God. This also includes our confession of sin.

E). The Gloria: A hymn of praise is generally said, (excluding Advent and Lent which its absence expresses the penitential dimension of these seasons).

F). The Opening Prayer: concludes the Introductory Rites. This entire Rite has been a call to prayer and silence is then given for you to pray to the Lord followed by the celebrant gathering up the prayers in a summation, bring it to the Lord.

The Liturgy Of The Word

In the liturgy of the word Christians come together to thank God for God’s gifts. Listening to God’s word (the Bible) they grow in faith more conformed to the mind of Christ. Liturgy celebrates the wonders of creation and gives thanks for the reality of redemption. The liturgy is a celebration not of what God has said, but of God today speaking to our hearts and souls.
A). The First Reading: -The Hebrew Scriptures: The first reading is mostly chosen from the Old Testament and during some seasons the Book of Acts might be read. This reading usually harmonizes with the Gospel reading (see below). This reveals the continuity between Israel and Jesus who comes not to replace but to fulfill Israel.

B). The Responsorial Psalm: The Psalm reflects themes in the readings. The Psalm consists of an antiphon. This is a vehicle of prayer and praise - an atmosphere of prayer within which the readings occur.

C). The Second Reading - The Christian Scriptures: This reading is also referred to as the Epistle, is usually from one of the letters in the New Testament which may also include the Book of Acts or the Book of Revelations. While the letters address particular situations in the early Church, their message transcends the centuries to motivate contemporary Christians and deepen our appreciation of the mystery of Christ.

D). The Gospel - Alleluia: “Alleluia” is a Latin echo of the Hebrew acclamation “Praise God!” and is a key word in Christian worship. Here it heralds the Gospel. In a solemn celebration the church deacon goes to the altar where the Gospel is enthroned. He lifts the book and, accompanied by servants (altar-boys) with candles and on some occasions incense (symbols of Christ’s light), processes with the Gospels held high while choir and community acclaim the good news with “Alleluia,” alternating with verses appropriate to today’s Gospel. Christians acclaim the most wonderful deed of God among humankind, Jesus Christ, here made visible in the book containing His words and message to us all.

E). The Gospel Reading: The Gospel is the climax of the liturgy of the word. Catholic faith teaches that in proclaiming the Gospel, Christ is truly present to the community. For this reason the community stands to witness to Christ’s resurrection which allows him to be present to his people.

As the deacon or priest introduce the Gospels all in the community sign themselves with the sign of the cross traced on the forehead, the lips and over the heart. This signing reminds us “Christ in my thoughts” , “Christ from my lips or what I say” and “Christ in my heart” .

Hearing the Gospel proclaimed also reminds and identifies Catholics with the first community which heard these words for the mouth of Jesus. On the conclusion of the reading the minister proclaims, “This is the Gospel of the Lord.” He means not the book, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the “Good News” itself. The community affirms in faith by responding, “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ”.

F). The Homily (or mini-sermon): Christians believe that “faith comes through preaching.”(Romans 3:13-15). This idea is rooted in Jewish belief that the creative power of God’s word transforms human life.

The Scriptures are not always easy to understand and apply to present life. For this reason the homily breaks open the Scriptures, showing how the word of God addresses us today. What import does the Gospel have for our lives today, for the world we live in, for issues in the community forum?

Creed

Intercessions

 

[michaeldaniels]

Ghirardelli: I also want to point out, that if the current Introductory Rites and Liturgy Format found in the OF isn’t lacking in some way, then why is the Mass being reformed to more closely resemble the EF (in the vernacular of course?) The responses, prayers, even the Eucharistic Prayers etc. are a more literal translation from the Latin…it is definitely an improvement on the current form of the OF found today…

 

[malphono]

The great number of options is what I love best about the OF. We don’t have to have a low Mass, a Missa Cantata, a High Mass and a Pontifical High Mass as in the EF. We have the Mass. The abuses we speak about are not due to the existing rubrics. They are due to ignoring them.

Need I bother to say that I am in 100% disagreement with this?

 

[malphono]

I think though, that the OF could remain as is with much tightening up of the rubrics.

I basically agree that the Reform needs… a Reform. Not to change it. But to close loopholes.

One thing that, IMO, desperately needs changing in the OF is the focus. Part (but not all) of that could be addressed by simply restoring the ad orientem posture in practice. (It still, of course, exists in theory.) I also believe that the “options” have got to go. For the rest, we agree that it can be taken care of by “closing the loopholes” and tightening the rubrics. (With a vice!)

There are a couple of places in Montreal where I’m told the OF Mass is very well done: St. Joseph’s Oratory (only ever been to weekday Masses there), and Notre-Dame Basilica. They are a bit off my path on Sundays though, but Saint-Benoît-du-Lac isn’t and I am also an oblate of that abbey so it’s family, so to speak. They never abandoned Gregorian Chant incidentally, when the reform of the monastic office was being studied in the '70s, they elected to use monastic Schema B for the Divine Office, which fulfills the Rule of Saint Benedict’s requirement to pray all 150 psalms in a week, and they kept Gregorian Chant for the Mass, Lauds, Vespers, and the hymns of the little hours (as well as the Marian antiphon at Compline). So you can still hear the psalms chanted in Latin on the 8 Gregorian tones (and the archaic ones as well), every day.

Of course Saint-Benoît-du-Lac is faithful to its traditions: I would expect no less from any abbey in Solesmes Congregation. (Although I wound’t object to the EF there either. )

While I’ve been to the Oratoire St-Jospeh, I haven’t been there for Mass. I’ve heard that it’s more the garden variety OF than anything else, and if so, it would be of no interest to me whatsoever. OTOH, I’ve heard good things about Basilique Notre-Dame and Notre-Dame de la Garde, but I don’t recall anyone saying if either celebrates ad orientem.Interestingly enough, I’ve heard nothing about la Cathédrale (Marie Reine-du-Monde). Perhaps on my next visit to Montréal.