Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Preparing for Advent 2010

It is good to be able to think that I am now reading the tired old inaccurately translated prayers of the Missal for what I hope is the last time, the new translation of the Missal is supposed to be out on the first Sunday of Advent next year. I am resisting the temptation of tearing out the pages of the Missal as each day passes, just in case it doesn’t happen. The change is going to be significant, people will be crying out, “Give us back our old Missal”.


The big problem is the catechesis that is necessary is in the hands of Ecclescake Square, to the best of my knowledge nothing has been done, it would be wrong to suggest there might be a lack of enthusiasm for any change on the part of those responsible for the nation’s public worship.

Next year we are going to be busy preparing for the Newman beatification, there has been no catechetical material for that either, continuing the Year for Priests, not much material for that either, and then there is the Papal visit, have I heard anything official on that, or is it still a rumour?

I know priests who are quite unaware that any change is happening, how they are going to catechise their people, I have no idea. I would have thought that it would have been sensible to have priests familiar with the new texts they are going to use, a year before their people were going to have to get used to saying, “And with your Spirit”. It took me as month or two to feel comfortable saying, “Benedict” rather than “John Paul our Pope”. It would be act of contempt for priests and the liturgy to leave us fumbling too long with unfamiliar translations.
See Fr Sean on the subject


One appeal: please, please, please could we have a Missal that is not going to fall apart, please. Compare the Missal of 1746 with that of 1976.

15 comments:

The Bones said...

Regarding those Missals, clearly its a case of:

"They don't make them like they used to!"

Unknown said...

After playing for one Mass at your church I found myself in my private recitation of the Daily Office accidentally (?) saying "Keiran our bishop" instead of "John our Bishop". I'm not sure what Freud would have made of that!

gemoftheocean said...

I rather like the idea of ripping the pages out as you go. :-D

C'mon, you know you really WANT to. Light the fireplace with them as you go. That or save it up for next year's Nov. 5th, you and Fr. Sean and other friends can send the lot off on a Viking funeral out to the Channel. Dress your guy up to look like Bugnini, and you can use the old missals for stuffing. A firework or two or three would be in order. You can stick one firework sparkler in each ear, and the third you can place using your own imagination.

[BTW, I started an additional blog, Bury me not on the Lone Prairie, it's dedicated to preserving Catholic heritage, with a special nod to the American Catholic, though other Catholics may find it a useful resource. One thing I plan to do is to take people through the EF church calendar year as it unfolds. Unlike some more technical websites re: the Latin Mass, I am going more on the assumption the reader knows nothing or next to regards the Latin Mass.

Old Believer said...

Moral of the story: Use the 1746 Missale!

Patrick Sheridan said...

That new ''missal'' looks more like a poorly bound modern textbook than a liturgical book containing prayers as old as the hills...

Crux Fidelis said...

My breviary and missal call it the Book of Revelation yet the current lectionary calls it the Book of the Apocalypse. Is there any reason for this discrepancy?

Richard said...

Just as well the 1976 one is falling apart; I think your book lasted longer than it needed to.

Joe of St. Thérèse said...

You had me laughing at the temptation to rip out the pages of the Missal...if you did rip out the pages, you could always use the Latin version of the 1970 Missal..I'm preparing too by not replying in English for 2010.

gemoftheocean said...

Crux, it's simple. The fuzzhead liberals are afraid of an "apocalypse."

Which works as a movie title?

"Revelation Now" or
"Apocalypse Now"

I rest my case.

Antonio said...

How symbolic that the traditional Roman missal is still around in pristine condition, whereas the the 1970 Pauline Missal has fallen into pieces. Is the Good Lord trying to tell us something?

Physiocrat said...

You may have no option but to use the 1746 one. The 1970 one could be a Health and Safety hazard. Have you carried out a risk assessment? What if the binding failed and all the pages dropped on somebody's foot and caused an injury?

I think you should check with the Diocesan Health and Safety Officer.

epsilon said...

The organisers of 'Alma Mater' invited me a few days ago to attend the concert tonight at Westminster Cathedral but it was too late for them to send out tickets...

Quite a few were turned away because they either did not have any tickets with them or didn't have any waiting for them at the 'box office'...

These were free tickets which had to be requested in advance...

The music was beautiful, the setting awe inspiring, but the cathedral was only about 2/3rds full.

I presume the CD is the Holy Father's effort to familiarise people, who otherwise might not be, with the Latin. He's obviously not getting much help from either trads like yourself who've been talking down this latest development, or the usual suspects lead by EcclesSquare.

This apparently was the first time the Vatican Choir sang in the UK and this is how we welcome them!

Fr Ray Blake said...

Epsilon,
I cannot see any connection with the HF liturgical vision and this.

Physiocrat said...

Under Jewish law, redundant prayer books must be disposed of reverently. This means they are stored and then buried in consecrated ground. Perhaps this is an idea we should adopt.

There is a certain appeal in the image of all the Novus Ordo books piled up on a catafalque whilst the Requiem aeternum is sung.

Crux Fidelis said...

Requiem aeternam, acksherly

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