People who read this blog might gather I have a passing interest in the Extra-ordinary form, a young Mexican woman rang the doorbell this morning and asked, "Which Church in Brighton offered the Traditional Mass?" It would have been good to have said we do it here, but don't, yet.
I was interested in this post by Fr Alladics and his experience with Australian students:
I was interested in this post by Fr Alladics and his experience with Australian students:
I celebrate the extraordinary form of the Mass every week in the College chapel at Campion. This has been a tremendous experience for me; hitherto, I have been celebrating Mass in the Old Rite just a few times a year and have never before had the opportunity to develop an intimacy or rythmn with the Old Liturgy. I look forward to developing a much better honed practice and understanding of this form of the Mass together with the students, who almost fill the chapel when this Liturgy is celebrated.I heard recently of a small group of 18 year olds who turned up at a diocesan vocations meeting on a diocesan pilgrimage in Lourdes and spent most of the time speaking about there love for the extraordinary form and how it nurtured their prayer life.
I also heard of a bishop who objected to the Missa de Angelis being sung at a Mass he was going to celebrate, "because there were likely to be a lot of young people there".
A priest friend told me of a visit to a school and the jaw dropped reaction of a young teacher when two 16 year olds did the responses for the prayers at the foot of the altar.
Last Sunday we had a new family at Mass, there was a small boy, I suppose he was about two and didn't stop chattering throughout Mass, as I was saying good bye to people his young mother said, "I am so sorry Father, he is as good as gold at the Old Mass, at Spanish Place". Evidently that was her Mass of choice.
I am fascinated that young people when they are exposed to the Extraordinary Form, well something seems to click. I think it is related to the fact Eucharistic adoration seems to be such an important part of the new youth movements. The silence is conducive to prayer in the old rite, in the new rite it is often more about waiting than prayer.
I find it interesting that the more Latin we add to our 10.30 Sunday Mass the more young families seem to appear. I think that for those who don't understand it it gives periods of "accompanied silence". I remember reading in a book about the charismatic movement, "When Latin went out, tongues came in".
13 comments:
O, yes. In our small parish (Ekaterinburg, Russia)young people want Latin Mass to be returned (in our case I'm speaking about NO, it seems, that Tridentine want only two or three persons in diocese.
We had Latin Mass once a month, but with priests' problems Latin and Polish Masses went away. Alas...
I remember reading in a book about the charismatic movement, "When Latin went out, tongues came in".
That's because the devil hates latin father lol
Fr, I think it is as simple as that - the silence.
We attended a variety of different Masses over the Summer, in a variety of different forms. From nearly 3,000 people in a marquee at Walsingham lasting 2+hours, to the EF at the Brompton Oratory, and quite a bit in-between.
My children struggled with the marquee Masses, with the lights, cameras, action, non-stop performance noise (with constant clapping,) and, by contrast, were deeply rooted in the silence of the EF, and came out silently, still full of awe and wonder - as did I - truly touched by what we had just experienced.
The EF respects people's basic need to connect personally with God, and it is attractive to the young.
I prefer the older form, but I have to fulfill nearly all my Sunday obligations by attending the Novus Ordo. We're quite lucky that during High Mass the Kyrie, Gloria etc. are sung in Latin in using Gregorian chant. It's very noticable that one can always hear the people signing more, that is, with more heart, during the Latin parts than say during the Offertory when a vernacular hymn is usually sung (usually a Lutheran hymn :-( ).
Well I hope the regular Sunday mass will be 100% Latin apart from the readings by the time I return in five weeks time. So that we will not be disturbed by young children.
I have scanned both volumes of Plainsong for Schools. This needs to be republished for use as a supplementary parish hymn book for use with the EF.
If you know anyone interested in this please let me know.
I've been pondering for a long-time the link of charismatic Catholicism to traditional liturgy. In my first parish after converting I was in a prayer group with at least a half-dozen people who came into or back into the Church through the charismatic movement but who had all gravitated toward traditional liturgy, and in particular what we now call the EF.
Do you happen to remember which book that was in, Father? I'd like to see it and get an accurate quote.
David,
It was by a Dominican called Tugwell, I think.
We now attend a Mass that has no choir at 6:00pm(tiny church). Father leads the entrance and exit songs. Everyone knows when to sing the Gloria, the Amen, et al all by themselves. It is very, very quiet. Guess what? The kids are quiet and calm (as am I) and I see teenagers actually praying.
Acts 2:8. If the Holy Spirit is doing His job, Latin should do for all of us.
Henry did you mean that you have scanned plainsong for schools vol 1 & 2 into your computer? I've only ever seen vol 1 but it is a fantastic resource and should be made widely available. Presumably the copyright must have lapsed by now as well.
There are two volumes of Plainchant for Schools. They were published by the organ builders Rushworth and Draper of Liverpool who are no longer in business. The copyrights were from Desclee of Tournai who are the official publishers of chant and are still in business - they publish the Liber Cantualis, Graduale Romanum, etc. Copyright would certainly have to be cleared with them if only as a matter of courtesy.
Do you know who might republish them?
Yes, I remember that Simon Tugwell had a book on charismatics, called something like, "Have You Received the Spirit?"
Thanks, Fr. Blake.
silence, the vertical of the EF all noticeable, all the things I love about the EF...The devil hates Latin, so I love it.
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