When was "Maundy Thursday" changed to "Holy Thursday"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter lak611
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

lak611

Guest
In my 1962 Missal, it says “Mass for Maundy Thursday”. This is also the name that all the Protestant churches use. I noticed this when I was reading today’s newspaper, which had a listing of various churches and their Mass and service times. The Catholic Churches all referred to the day as “Holy Thursday”. When did the Catholic Church change the name of the day?
 
Probably the Jolly Vatican II Spirit at work again. Someone probably decided that “Maundy” was too archaic and confusing to the laity, like the Holy Ghost was too scary.

I taught my CCD Kids that both terms were ok, and then referred to it exlusively as Maundy Thursday from then on.
 
What does the Missale Romanum say?

The reason I ask is that I was unaware of a change. In the UK, the day is known as Maundy Thursday and Catholics still refer to it as such.
 
markadm said:
What does the Missale Romanum say?

The reason I ask is that I was unaware of a change. In the UK, the day is known as Maundy Thursday and Catholics still refer to it as such.
Click to expand...
The Missal both before and after 1970 has referred to it as “Feria V In Coena Domini” or “Thursday Of the Supper of the Lord”. Vernacular lay missal-prayerbooks of course, adopt whatever is customary hence “Maundy” being printed in lay missals.
 
Why keep the term Maundy if the Church calls is Holy Thursday?

(outside of general cultural issues)
 
Eilish_Maura said:
Why keep the term Maundy if the Church calls is Holy Thursday?

(outside of general cultural issues)
Click to expand...
That’s the thing; “Maundy” is a cultural thing. As with the Missal, surely the normative language is Latin, hence the normative name “Feria V In Coena Domini” (as it was before V-II). What we call it in English must surely be weighed against the culture it’s in (English-language being not a homogenous culture).
 
Out here in California, I have never heard it referred to as Maundy Thursday, which would have been nice because it does teach the faith when expressed that way. Rather than just another Holy day it is a holy day that expresses the command Jesus gave for us to serve one another as we serve Him.

This is a good way to express the faith and to make it more in touch with our roots in the faith.
"The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin for ‘command’ (mandatum). "
From the website, thanks for the link.

Now I just need to look up how to properly say it.

God Bless
Scylla
 
Doesn’t the shift from ‘command’ to ‘holy’ cause more of a focus on the sacrament instituted that night?
 
Rawb said:
Probably the Jolly Vatican II Spirit at work again. Someone probably decided that “Maundy” was too archaic and confusing to the laity, like the Holy Ghost was too scary.

I taught my CCD Kids that both terms were ok, and then referred to it exlusively as Maundy Thursday from then on.
Click to expand...
Well if it was concilliar spirit, it was from a different council. 😉 I have two missals, one from 1953 and one from 1956 and both refer to the day as Holy Thursday. They refer to the Mass as the Solomn Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (the '56 adds “on Holy Thursday”).

Both pre and post VII, I have never heard it called Maundy Thursday except in Protestant Churches.
 
Like I said, it is a cultural thing. It is, after all, 12th century Middle English! Hence I would only expect people to generally hear it in the UK, and even then because it is heavily associated with the Church of England, I would not be surprised if people don’t want to call the day Maundy Thursday!
 
Rawb said:
Probably the Jolly Vatican II Spirit at work again. Someone probably decided that “Maundy” was too archaic and confusing to the laity, like the Holy Ghost was too scary.

I taught my CCD Kids that both terms were ok, and then referred to it exlusively as Maundy Thursday from then on.
Click to expand...
Corki said:
Well if it was concilliar spirit, it was from a different council. 😉 I have two missals, one from 1953 and one from 1956 and both refer to the day as Holy Thursday. They refer to the Mass as the Solonm Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (the '56 adds “on Holy Thursday”).

Both pre and post VII, I have never heard it called Maundy Thursday except in Protestant Churches.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the clarification. It always seems to be someone who will jump the gun and blame Vatican II or the “spirit of Vatican II”.
 
Well since it is originally a Catholic word it is good to use it unless I have missed something in the discussion.

Everyone who is part of the Church of England should be Catholic anyways they just need to search their heart and return to the faith, it is pretty simple. No one can honestly object to being Catholic.

So if this is just a cultural phrase, we can adopt the use of Maundy Thursday to reflect our Catholic heritage, and also use Holy Thursday as interchangable. Both are Catholic terms.

God Bless
Scylla
 
It was always Maundy Thursday when I was growing up (Canada, 1960s-70s).

When I first heard it, tho’, I thought the day was called “Monday Thursday”, and I called it that for a while. No one picked me up on it – a minor pronunciation difference – until I asked my mom why the day had two names.

Kids say the darndest things, eh? :rolleyes:
 
Thanks for explaining it. I was wondering that, too. I thought the term “Maundy” was solely Anglican, but now I know better. 😛 👍
 
markadm said:
Like I said, it is a cultural thing. It is, after all, 12th century Middle English! Hence I would only expect people to generally hear it in the UK, and even then because it is heavily associated with the Church of England, I would not be surprised if people don’t want to call the day Maundy Thursday!
Click to expand...
Why not? The Protestants took the name from us, not the other way around.
 
lak611 said:
Why not? The Protestants took the name from us, not the other way around.
Click to expand...
Because – here at least – it’s associated highly with the state support of the Church of England as the ‘established’ Church. I am thinking of the maundy money of old.
 
markadm said:
Because – here at least – it’s associated highly with the state support of the Church of England as the ‘established’ Church. I am thinking of the maundy money of old.
Click to expand...
Ok. That makes sense. I can see where Catholics in the UK may dislike the term. Here in the USA, I cannot see where anybody would have a problem with the term.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top