The Eastern and Western Provinces-- in reality, the provinces of St. Joseph, and the Holy Name of Jesus respectively-- are different. This seems very elementary, but although united closely in St. Dominic, the particular ways in which different provinces vary… vary much like how personalities vary between persons. There is a rich variety.
Fr. Augustine Thompson OP has been, perhaps, the most ardent of advocates and supporters for the return of the Dominican rite. He is a well known friar from the Western Province.
As you can see, there have been many Dominican rite Masses celebrated in Portland.
The Holy Name province is a smaller province than the St. Joseph province, and since the friars differ more widely, there is simply a more ‘live and let live’ mentality-- there is greater latitude in practice. Thus there are some very traditional friars, but it also compensates in that the more progressive friars have more latitude as well. The St. Joseph province tends to have a very close coherency, and thus any process toward the public celebration of the Dominican rite will have to be… well… a slow and steady process.
As you can see, the
Eastern province is hosting the guide to the Dominican Mass on its website. I personally know the Eastern province friar who was more or less in charge of doing that. You can see the incremental steps that the province is taking.
So, in the western province there seems to be less consensus but more freedom to do so, whereas in the eastern province there is a slow process of gaining consensus regarding the old rite, but less freedom in the short term to do so. (Although, of course, Fr. Augustine Thompson’s site
details that a letter to Ecclesia Dei-- submitted by an Eastern Province friar– was given a response that stated that the Dominican rite is covered virtually under Summorum Pontificum.)
And as far as personal anecdotes go, the many young men in formation in the Eastern Province are nearly all very enthusiastic about the old rite. So give it some time, you may be pleasantly surprised.
LeSavoirUneArme,
Any particular reason why you’re looking for a traditional Dominican order?
Let me note that traditionally the Dominicans are not like the Franciscans or other groups of friars which often broke off into other versions or groups dedicated to reform. Really when it comes to the Dominican friars there aren’t different orders of Dominican friars, there are just different provinces of Dominican friars, all united together in a common governance. So technically the traditional friars like St. Vincent Ferrer in France, are not a part of the Order of Preachers… although they do celebrate the rite and would like very much to be.
God bless,
Rob
