Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Sarum Rite: The Traditional English Rite

Father Sean Finnegan having recently returned to the blogosphere is posting some videos of the Sarum Rite Mass he celebrated some years ago in Oxford.

The Sarum Usage was the very elaborate English way of celebrating the Sacred Mysteries, here for example rather than the Roman, one processional Cross there are three, there are two thurifers, cantors in copes. The music is very beautiful too.

Now the Pope has "freed" the "Traditional Roman Rite", maybe we should start thinking about the use of this "Traditional English Rite".

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've just had a look at Fr. Finnegan's videos of the Sarum Use on his blog. Very beautiful. However we are most blessed with the 1962 Roman Missal and some might argue that we should concentrate our efforts on this form of the Roman Rite, which will help celebrations of the 'ordinary' use. Yet, perhaps the Holy See might think again about the use of defunct uses. I hope that those religious privileged to have a use of the Roman Rite will be encouraged to use them as much as possible.

Anonymous said...

I believe the original plan for westminster cathedral was for the sarum rite to be used. For some reason, this plan never materialised. Does anyone know why? Was it Rome that objected or was it a local decision? Wouldn't it be great if it could be introduced again (at least once year anyway).

Anonymous said...

At this rate you will be joining the Alcuin Club and using the Parson's Handbook.

Simon Platt said...

I can't claim to give an authoritative answer to Big Benny's question of why the Sarum rite was never used at Westinster Cathedral, but I suppose it has something to do with a side effect of Quo Primum. If I remember right, in 1570 the liberal Pius V permitted the continuation of any rite which had been in continuous use for 200 years. By that time the Sarum rite must have lost its continuity of use and so I suppose that, despite the pope's liberality, the old English rite was inadvertently abrograted.

I am speculating here. If anyone knows better I'd be glad to hear from them.

Physiocrat said...

I find the use of these obsolete rites disturbing. The spirit behind them seems akin to that of those historic vehicle rallies they have on Brighton seafront several times a year. The sacred liturgy should not be treated in this way - it should always be celebrated strictly in accordance with the current instructions as laid down by Rome.

The Tridentine rite is, of course, not obsolete and its eclipse and the imposition of the vernacular now appears to have been the result of a liberal scam.

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