The Catacombs

Truer words...

2012-01-16T12:44:00.000-05:00

From the Catholic convert Ann Barnhardt: On Jesus, Religion, Ted Kennedy & D1 Cats. She talks a little bit about her conversion, then segues into the Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and then, well you can read the whole thing if you don't mind someone who forcefully speaks her mind. I will quote just a snippet here:
For you Catholics who aren’t attending a pre-Vatican II Tridentine Latin Mass, think about it. Who is the physical focus of the Mass? It is probably the priest, interspersed with lectors, a cantor, the choir and musicians (up front so everyone can SEE THEM!) and Eucharistic ministers. Where does the priest sit? Probably with his back to the Tabernacle, if the Tabernacle hasn’t been moved off to the side or into a sacristy completely. Which direction is the priest facing? WHO is the priest addressing? Towards the PEOPLE. Everything is physically oriented not towards Christ, but towards the people. By setting up a second altar (in the case of an old church that has a high altar, sitting unused) or by having a table-style altar in a new-construction church, with the priest on one side and the people on the other, what has happened is that the people have literally turned their back to God and have instead formed a circle of self-absorbed, self-regarding self-worship.

The Ancient Liturgy...powerful

2011-10-14T16:51:00.000-04:00

An article detailing the difficulties in implementing Summorum Pontificum. From the article:

“It was a real nightmare putting the Summorum Pontificuminto into practice”, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos painfully recalled to the audience in his address. All the more so if one considers that opposition to the Motu Proprio is rooted in ignorance, he claimed, ignorance of what we have lost and theologically should be viewed in light of the Holy Ghost’s action through the successor of Peter. And the Holy Father wanted to give back to the world such great treasure, the enormous spiritual richness of the ancient liturgy, “a powerful tool of sanctification”.

From the Vatican Insider.

The New Missal and Chant

2011-09-15T16:39:00.000-04:00

An excellent article regarding the place of chant with the new Roman Missal: The Musical Transition to the New Missal. A snippet:

What happens to a large community of people who are barely getting by as it is and then are asked to change toward something that is arguably more difficult? They throw themselves at the mercy of the institutions promoting the familiar. This is pretty much what has happened in a large number of parishes, as the old-line publishers who have learned ways to flatter amateurs with settings that get them through the day are thriving once again.

It’s possibly true that ICEL, the USCCB, and Vox Clara all overestimated the capacity of average Catholic musicians to adapt and sing what strikes experience liturgical musicians are ridiculously easy chanted settings of the Mass text. Even so, it could be the case that even this material is too difficult for their current abilities - or, at least, this is what many singers believe.

What about sending teachers out to parishes to get them going? Many of us have done workshops and worked with singers. We’ve made youtubes that have received as many as 7,000 views. We’ve produced editions in four-line staves and modern notes. But all our efforts combined are dwarfed by the influence of the large publishers, who have lobbied hard at every Office of Worship in this country (“you should have one Mass setting for the entire diocese and it should be the one we sell”), done non-stop seminars all over the country, and promoted proprietary music at every stop.

There are teachers among us...

Fear not the EF, good seminarians!

2011-08-16T16:30:00.000-04:00

Do spend a few minutes to read this very interesting article from Fr. Christopher Smith regarding his days in seminary as a closeted admirer of the EF:

Why Are Seminaries Afraid Of The Extraordinary Form?

A snippet:

So in my seminary experience I encountered two phenomena: a lack of knowledge and a positive hatred of one form of the Church’s liturgy. Since then, we have had Ratzinger elected Pope, as well as Summorum pontificum and Universae ecclesiae. The nature of the game has changed, even if there are some who are unwilling to admit it.

Roman Plain Chant

2011-07-29T10:25:00.001-04:00

From The Catholic Knight. Never forget who we are...

Chaput on the Latin Mass

2011-07-20T14:15:00.000-04:00

From an interview (don't be scared away by the venue: National Catholic Reporter) with the new Archbishop of Philadelphia, Charles Chaput:

Q: I'd like to take a rapid-fire tour of a few contentious issues. The idea is to get your basic position, without going into details. Let's start with one you already raised: the Latin Mass.

A: The Latin Mass is deeply loved by some members of the church. The Holy Father, beginning with John Paul II and continued by Benedict XVI, has asked the bishops to be very sensitive to their needs. I was ordained in Rapid City in 1988, around the time that the Holy Father set up the Ecclesia Dei commission. As soon as I became aware of his desire, I welcomed the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter to Rapid City to establish a community to meet the needs of those people. There were three or four St. Pius X [break-away] communities in the diocese, but by the time I left they had all disappeared because we met their needs. In Denver, we have a full parish served by the Fraternity of St. Peter, and we have two other places where the priest, at least on occasion if not weekly, celebrates the Tridentine form of the liturgy.

I'm very happy to follow the lead of the Holy Father on all of this, because he has insights that I don't have. He also has an inspiration from the Holy Spirit which I don't have.

Simple English Propers

2011-06-22T10:17:00.002-04:00

I know this is for the Ordinary Form of the Mass, but it is so beautiful I had to place it here. Coming to a parish near you? Let us hope and pray. You can download the whole book for free or purchase at Amazon.com. The site even has practice videos.

Simple English Propers of the Mass (Ordinary Form)

The Extraordinarii

2011-05-30T08:02:00.002-04:00

You will enjoy this: Soldiers for the TLM: Extraordinarii

Save the liturgy, save the Church

2011-05-14T09:27:00.000-04:00

Further instruction has been handed down to us regarding the Extraordinary Form of the mass. Read it here. A bit of it:

The Holy Father, having recalled the concern of the Sovereign Pontiffs in caring for the Sacred Liturgy and in their recognition of liturgical books, reaffirms the traditional principle, recognised from time immemorial and necessary to be maintained into the future, that "each particular Church must be in accord with the universal Church not only regarding the doctrine of the faith and sacramental signs, but also as to the usages universally handed down by apostolic and unbroken tradition. These are to be maintained not only so that errors may be avoided, but also so that the faith may be passed on in its integrity, since the Church's rule of prayer (lex orandi) corresponds to her rule of belief (lex credendi)."1

This is very important to those Catholics who desire to worship God within the Extraordinary Form. I wonder, though, is such a mass possible when the tabernacle has been moved to the side, as in St. Mary's? And if both St. Vincent's and Immaculate Heart of Mary are sold/destroyed, how could a TLM go on in our parish?

Bishop Sheen explains the TLM

2011-05-11T22:10:00.000-04:00

Gather comprehensive?

2011-05-07T12:28:00.000-04:00

From the fabulous Father Z on the comparison of Gregorian Chant versus 'ditties'.

The Holy Father's Revolution

2011-04-21T13:19:00.000-04:00

The Holy Father on the Liturgy: In the liturgy, we are all given the freedom to appropriate, in our own personal way, the mystery which addresses us." In fact, he turned the complaint around, noting that these manufactured liturgies themselves amount to a kind of tyranny exercised over hapless congregations, the vast bulk of which do not belong to parish liturgy committees. "Those able to draw up [manufactured] liturgies are necessarily few in number, with the result that what is 'freedom' for them means 'domination' as it affects others." (From Benedict's Revolution: The Return of the Old Latin Mass at Inside Catholic)

Tyranny is the exact word.

A TLM Parish!

2011-04-17T22:13:00.000-04:00

A parish in Dayton, Ohio has embraced the TLM. And, surprise, surprise (not!) they are growing. A snippet:

Though you might expect an aging congregation drawn by nostalgia for the good old days, the hundreds that gather at Holy Family include young families like the Wilsons. Their children, and many others in the parish, are being home-schooled.

“People who go here really care about what and how their kids are being taught,” said Angie Schwand, of Waynesville, who is home-schooling her four sons. ”If you’re doing that yourself, you’re making sure they are learning what they should and the reasons for it, especially in the religious area.”

Holy Family’s pastor, the Rev. Mark Wojdelski, said his church is committed to preserving traditions, and that’s what draws people.

“We get a lot of people who realize they were sort of robbed as children from some of the traditions that their parents took for granted,” said Wojdelski, whose history with the Dayton Latin Mass group dates back to 2006 when he began commuting from Indiana on Sundays to say Mass.

A Fearless Catholic

2011-04-07T12:21:00.000-04:00

So, how does a Catholic convert who has discovered the TLM handle herself? First, a little bit of a recent interview, and then watch Ann Barnhardt's viral video below.

iOTW: How devout are you in your faith?

Ann – Hmmm. How does one answer that without falling into massive false pride? I am a convert to Catholicism after years of study and logical, reasoned thought – which is NOT a sin, by the way, no matter what that nun with the six dollar crewcut told you. Beyond that, it only took me a year to find the pre-Vatican II Tridentine Latin Mass. If I had to guess where this bizarre strength and total lack of fear is coming from, I would have to guess that it is from my assisting (such as it is) at the sublime, holy Tridentine Mass. Internally and in my relationship with Christ I am admittedly a near-total disaster. I reckon He looks at me and just shakes His head. Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

More help from Rome

2011-03-16T06:36:00.002-04:00

Brick by Brick

2011-02-11T06:10:00.000-05:00

Propose rather than impose (H/t, Father Z)

Weapons of MASS Destruction

2011-02-05T15:11:00.001-05:00

Michael Voris does a great job of giving us the background to the the Vatican II changes to the liturgy. Parts 1 and 2:

Questions, questions

2011-02-02T13:47:00.000-05:00

Father Z answers a question that is on the minds of many of the faithful: How should we approach a priest to ask for the Extraordinary Form?

What if the parish doesn't have a priest/pastor but a deacon/adminstrator?

The Holy Father's initiative...

2010-12-26T15:44:00.004-05:00

Go here to view. The video is not viewable here.

Baddie Traddies

2010-10-10T08:14:00.000-04:00

They Shall Know We Are Traddies By Our Love

From the article: In a way, I was lucky. As someone who came to tradition shortly before it was cool again, I was able to soften my stance before the bad habits became too deeply ingrained. But for those who had suffered being abused and marginalized for decades, the transition must be hard. Can you imagine having the Mass that you grew up with taken away and replaced with something alien and unfamiliar? How do you think it would feel to be treated as though you are schismatic for simply clinging to the Catholicism of your youth? Would you appreciate being called a fanatic, a fundamentalist, and a Pharisee for holding to your traditions and devotional practices? And how would you like to be marginalized, forced to drive 50 miles just to get to a Mass held at 1:30 in the afternoon in a parish that doesn’t want you there, and where it’s impossible to build real community because it’s local to none of the attendees? It’s as if everything these people knew about Catholicism was suddenly gone and replaced by a cheap imitation, and when they expressed their dismay, they were met by smug replies that Vatican II "did away with all that."

Emphasizing Latin....it's a good thing

2010-09-07T17:57:00.000-04:00

The Pope knows what he's doing: The Pope and Latin. Taylor Marshall does it again. FTA:

There has been a general tendency to undermine the role and place of the Pope in an attempt to defend the sacramental and juridical role of the diocesan bishop. Moreover, as everyone knows, liturgical abuse is everywhere. Benedict seems to be making slight and subtle correctives in this regard.

Paticipation

2010-08-28T07:51:00.002-04:00

Ah yes, the 'participation question' that plagues the TLM. Answered here.

2010-07-31T07:58:00.000-04:00

Spirituality of Gregorian Chant, Part 3

Chant is Not Carnal

By Ben

Gregorian chant is not the sort of music that gets your toe tapping, and you can’t really dance to it. This is because of its irregular free rhythm. The example given in Part 2 of this series was a simple chant with the rhythm of prose speech. This is quite different from other types of music which have a regularly occurring ‘beat’ a strict recurring rhythmic grid work, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4 and so forth. This doesn’t mean that chant ‘has no rhythm’. Plato defined rhythm as ‘ordered movement’ but movement doesn’t have to be regular.

In the history of the Church popular (secular) forms of art have been adapted for religious use. This isn’t necessarily wrong in and of itself, but care must be taken to alter these art forms so that they are different (set apart, sanctified). Non-liturgical religious/devotional music is of course less of a problem.

In the past there have been difficulties in adapting entertainment music to religious use (examples in music include the Ars Nova, Symphony, and Opera). Has that really changed today? Music that is intended to entertain is designed to move the emotions or cause one to experience something. And one element of music that can be used is rhythm; just think of the effect dance music with a strong beat has on a person.

Now the emotions and the ‘primal’ part of man--the part which responds to a strong beat--are part of man’s lower nature. By the “lower nature” I mean the carnal, sensual part, the appetites; St. Paul calls it the flesh. Feelings, instincts and such in the lower nature aren’t wrong necessarily, but the lower nature is weak. The lower nature must be governed by the higher nature which is the intellect and will, the divine part of man, St Paul calls it ‘the spirit’.

Gregorian chant does contain emotion, and sometimes intensely. Listen to the long ornamentation on the vowel A at the end of the word alleluia (it’s called the jubilis) Another example would be the Offertory chant ‘Jubilate Deo’ the text of the first line is ‘jubilate Deo universa terrae,” Rejoice in God all the earth.

It repeats and the second time there are 48 notes on the word jubilate which means rejoice, listen.

The distinction should be clear, in Gregorian chant there is a certain sobriety. What I mean is that it is never drunk with emotion. It is structured so as not to excite the passions but rather lift the spirit. Entertaining music is meant to entertain (and there is nothing wrong with that). Chant is designed with a different purpose and doesn’t borrow from secular forms for use in liturgy. Rather it is a product of the liturgy and so set apart (be sacred) in a very pure and natural way.

Attending a Latin Mass parish

2010-07-23T08:16:00.000-04:00

Taylor Marshall over at Canterbury Tales shares why he attends a Latin Mass parish.

Must watch

2010-07-13T22:22:00.000-04:00

What's the Beef with Latin?

2010-07-03T08:34:00.000-04:00

The Spirituality of Gregorian Chant

Part 2

By Ben

In principio erat Verbum. In the beginning was the Word.

Gregorian chant is different from almost all other types of vocal music in that its texts are not fit to music. Most of the words in chant are prose. They are taken from scripture and since they are sacred they aren’t paraphrased to fit the music. Rather the shape of the music is determined by the text.

The simplest form of chant is when a text of scripture is chanted to a ‘tone’ or even 'rectotono’. (single reciting pitch.) Here is an example:
Listening you can see how the music is an expression of prayer, an expression of the sacred text, it flows out from, rather than being imposed upon the words. This idea is pretty basic but also very important. This is different than almost all other types of music.

‘Contemporary’ and other types of religious/devotional music are also divorced from this idea. Other types of music take a sentiment, an emotion, or an idea and create some form of poetry that is regular (prose is irregular) for the purpose of music, this is okay in the right context, but it isn’t sung prayer or at least not in the same sense that chant is.

One might try an experiment to better understand this concept. Take some prayer, perhaps the ‘Glory be to the Father’, and pray it with sincerity by reciting it, then pray it by singing it on a single comfortable pitch. The idea that prayer has burst into music should then become clear.

In conclusion I would like to quote from the book, ‘An Introduction to the Interpretation of Gregorian Chant” by Luigi Agustoni and Johannes Goschl, page two.

“The text is not something that just happens to be attached to a particular melody but rather the text is a sounded word that has flowered into a musical work. The line does not run from the melody to the text that has been set, but on the contrary the exact opposite. The direction is from the word to its realization in musical sound. The source, from which the Gregorian melodies originate and are nourished, is the word. In fact, it is the word of the liturgy, a word that possesses a sacramental character according to the statements of the Second Vatican Council, (*) for Christ is present in it, and in it Christ is received. This word of the liturgy, which in the final analysis is always God speaking to us, that is to say, the encounter of the human being with God, finds its highest expression when it can blossom forth in music. This happens in Gregorian chant to an eminent degree.”

* They reference Art. 51 of the Constitution on the sacred liturgy, “The treasures of the bible are to be opened up more lavishly, so that richer fare may be provided for the faithful at the table of God’s word.”

On chant

2010-07-02T19:51:00.000-04:00

The spirituality of Gregorian Chant

Part One, definitions

By Ben

While I am not an expert on the subject of Gregorian Chant, I do know something about it and think that at least a general understanding of the chant would be beneficial for all Catholics. Gregorian chant belongs to and is for, everyone, even those who “cannot sing”.

Before we can talk about the chant, though, we must define it. Musicologists have their own definitions of course (‘Frankish/Roman monophonic liturgical music prior to the tenth century’….etc.) but they are viewing the chant as a musical artifact to be studied like any other fossil. They have a role to play, but we must look at things differently.

Gregorian chant is ancient, its origins/composers are lost in time, it belongs to no one and so it is everyone’s. No single culture can claim it as their own. Like the liturgy itself it has absorbed and surpassed cultures and emerged as purely Christian and universal. For us the chant is alive. It is just as much part of the liturgy now as ever. So, on to some definitions.

For our purposes, Gregorian chant is the native music of the Roman liturgy (other Catholic liturgies, the Ambrosian for example, have their own chant); it is not music that accompanies the liturgy, it is the liturgy, sung. It is in the Latin language. It takes its name from Pope St. Gregory the Great who was very important in the development of the Roman Liturgy (similarly St. Ambrose is important to the Ambrosian Liturgy, to follow my previous example). It is prayer burst into music.

I would like to include some other reasons why we should care about Gregorian chant.

It is the foundation of all western music; musical notation was invented because of it; modern music theory, scales, ABC, Do Re Me--all of it developed as a result of chant. Even types of music that at first glance seem very removed from chant can be traced back to it.

For Christians chant is sacred. Almost all of its texts are from scripture. For Catholics in particular the church has declared, most recently in the Second Vatican Council that chant “has pride of place”.

I hope this sets an adequate foundation for an explanation of the spirituality of the Chant.

From Father Calvin Goodwin...

2010-06-02T10:39:00.000-04:00

The Battle for the Ancient Mass

Do listen.

Music....

2010-05-13T21:30:00.000-04:00

Can you tell the difference?? from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.

The past is our future

2010-04-27T08:48:00.000-04:00

It's been quite some time since my last post. As you probably already know, a TLM was celebrated at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 24, in honor of Pope Benedict's fifth anniversary.

I was otherwise engaged in Stockbridge, MA, and hope I can find a video of the Mass, which was a project of PontificalMass.org. EWTN carried it live.

Here is an interesting forum post that discusses the ramifications of the Mass, as far as bringing back the TLM. Some of the comments are provocative, but many good points are raised.

Celebrate!

2010-02-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Our beloved Pope's anniversary is being celebrated in a special way this year -- with a Traditional Latin Mass at the National Shrine's high altar. Via The Anchoress.

The Sacred Liturgy and a Culture of Life

2010-02-06T09:47:00.000-05:00

While this article does not explicitly mention the TLM, its major points certainly speak to the need for sacred liturgy. Do read it all. From the article:

In Evangelium Vitae, John Paul II taught that the root cause of the culture of death is a loss of the sense of God and, in the same vein, one will note that Pope Benedict XVI has been working quite intently to bring back the sense of transcendence and God-centredness within our liturgies; in short, to bring back a sense of God. So it is that a consistent theme emerges and also a consistent recognition of a problem within our churches today. The Holy Father knows well that if God is obscured within the sacred liturgy – the very place that is not only the source and summit of the Church, but also the heart, soul and primary point of contact for the faithful -- then it is likely to follow that God will be absent or obscured in the lives of the faithful as well. Consequently, this lack of sense of the Divine can lead to living a humanistic or self-centred existence which further leads to a lost sense of the sacredness of man; without a Creator, man becomes a mere organism in the vast universe of organisms that can be manipulated and used for any kind of fantasy by anyone who is stronger or more powerful.

It is well known that many parishes today have become more centred upon themselves as a community than being clearly centred upon God – what Ratzinger has called the “self-enclosed circle”. Many parishes are not following the authorized liturgical texts and rubrics -- often out of a misguided sense of "pastoral" creativity, or even simply out of ignorance. Nor do they sufficiently consider (let alone express) those elements which lend a sense of transcendence to the worship of God, particularly as expressed through the medium of beauty. To some these might seem rather unimportant surface considerations, but they are not. The sacred liturgy and doctrine are intertwined and the experiential dimension of the liturgy is a profound moment for catechesis and conversion. Accordingly, when there is problematic approach to the liturgy, and when unauthorized innovations are introduced, there can be a deficiency as well as a coinciding distortion of Catholic belief passed on to the faithful, and further a loss in the power of the liturgy to move the human heart and mind towards God.

By contrast, the sacred liturgy, when celebrated well and focused on God, is where the building of the culture of life begins for within the liturgy one experiences and encounters the perfection of the culture of life from the giver of life Himself, God our Creator.

Sacred Music

2010-01-18T14:39:00.002-05:00

Jeffrey Tucker from Dappled Things posts about the state of Catholic music today. Not pretty. From the article:

If I were to pick one word to describe the present state of music in the Catholic world, I would choose tedium. Nothing new ever happens. The repertoire is mostly from the 1970s, with some 1980s elaborations, but in a style that is dreadfully dated by popular standards. It is particularly pathetic that much of this music depends heavily on the sound and feel of people who want to be inspired by the “groove”—yet the music demonstrates a chilling lack of inspiration. Most of this material does not play itself; it sounds unusually boring in the hands of bored musicians.

The hymns are chosen before Mass from the usual standbys, as if there were nothing more to Catholic music than flipping pages and pointing.

Do read it all. He has suggestions that would go a long way to remedying the situation. I am very grateful to the small band of chanters in our parish who are bringing back the sacredness to Sacred Music.

Losing the Key

2010-01-03T11:14:00.002-05:00

An article on Bringing Back Latin, by Mark J. Clark. A snippet:

I have put off until now answering an obvious question, namely, why does all this matter? Just as the academy and the educated world outgrew Latin, why not allow the Church to do the same? I respond that, even if, Deo gratias, the Church should encompass the globe and become literally catholic in language and culture, and even if, Deus vetet, the Catholic Church in Europe should wither on the vine, it would still be true that the vast majority of Roman Catholic culture and tradition grew up and was formed speaking Latin. It is, as it were, the native language of the Roman Catholic Church, and were we to let it die we would in fact suffer the loss of our mother tongue. We would have access to our patrimony, that wonder-filled treasury that now lays unseen in the Church’s attic, only in bits and pieces and then only in translation. We would become foreigners to our own tradition, to our own thoughts. This is a potentially grievous loss for a Church that holds Tradition sacred. Both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have recently reminded us that the Church needs Latin for this very reason.

Via Ecclesia Latina.

Thoughts on Children and the TLM

2009-12-22T09:17:00.002-05:00

A Young Father Meets the Old Mass

From the article: What I do know, however, is the power of the older form...

Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

2009-12-04T18:04:00.001-05:00

A Spirit of the Liturgy Column

2009-11-23T15:40:00.002-05:00

Zenit has launched a new Spirit of the Liturgy column, the first of which is The Priesthood and the Mass. From the article: As we see, St. John Mary points to the greatness of the priest with the privileged reference to the power that he exercises in the sacraments in the name of the Person of Christ. Benedict XVI brought this light, citing still other words of the Curé d'Ars, which refer in particular to the office of celebrating the Holy Eucharist. The Pope writes that the saint "was convinced that the fervor of a priest's life depended entirely upon the Mass: 'The reason why a priest is lax is that he does not pay attention to the Mass! My God, how we ought to pity a priest who celebrates as if he were engaged in something routine!'"

Medieval or not?

2009-11-05T21:13:00.002-05:00

This is just slightly off topic, but there's a battle going on about Chant. I would love comments from those in the know.

This article Sacred Music, Sacred Time by David P. Goldman sparked this:

Gregorian Chant: General: First Things: chant was the "invention" of Solesmes, and other odd claims on MusicaSacra forum.

Chant

2009-10-21T11:08:00.002-04:00

“The Church recognizes Gregorian chant as being specially suited to the Roman Liturgy. Therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.”Gregorian chant is uniquely the Church’s own music. Chant is a living connection with our forebears in the faith, the traditional music of the Roman rite, a sign of communion with the universal Church, a bond of unity across cultures, a means for diverse communities to participate together in song, and a summons to contemplative participation in the Liturgy."
Sing to the Lord (USCCB), 2007 (For more chant by Vianini Giovanni, see here)

VENI CREATOR
Veni, Creator Spiritus
mentes tuorum visita
Imple superna gratia quae
tu creasti pectora.
Qui Paraclitus diceris,
donum Dei Altissimi,
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.
Tu septiformis munere,
dexterae paternae digitus,
tu rite promissum Patris,
sermone ditans guttura.
Accende lumen sensibus,
infunde amorem cordibus,
infirma nostri corporis,
virtute firmans perpeti.
Hostem repellas longius,
pacemque dones protinus,
ductore sic te praevio,
vitemus omne noxium.
Per te sciamus da Patrem,
noscamus atque Filium,
teque utriusque Spiritum
credamus omni tempore.
Deo Patri sit gloria,
et Filio qui a mortuis surrexit,
ac Paraclito in saeculorum saecula.
Amen.

COME O CREATORCome, O Creator, Spirit blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God's hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father, Thou
Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts o'erflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread,
and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter,
henceforth by all in earth and heaven.
Amen.

THE ALTAR

2009-10-15T14:41:00.006-04:00

The Altar is the structure on which the sacrifice of the Mass is offered. In unusual circumstances such in mission lands or on the battlefield any usable surface will do, but usually Mass is offered on a proper altar in a church.

“I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God.” (Rev. 6:9.)

In the early centuries of the Church, Mass was sometimes celebrated over the graves of the martyrs, in the Catacombs. When the Church came out of the Catacombs the tradition of placing relics of the saints in or under the altar became universal.

In recent centuries they were often sealed in a removable altar stone rather than the altar itself. When the priest kisses the altar it is this place he kisses, venerating not only the altar itself (which is a representation of both Christ and the Cross) but also the saints whose relics are present.

“We beseech You, O Lord, by the merits of Your Saints whose relics lie here, and of all the Saints, deign in your mercy to pardon me all my sins. Amen.” (Said in the traditional mass just before the Kyrie.)

Upon the altar there are three cloths these represent the grave cloths that wrapped the body of our lord. There are also two smaller candles on each side of the altar (or on the altarpiece behind it); these are used at Low Mass. Behind these are six (or four) larger candles used at High Mass. Candles must be at least 51% beeswax.

In the center of the altar there is a crucifix. (There may or may not be a tabernacle in the center of the altar, it is to be covered with a veil.) The altar missal is on its stand; if the book is closed the page edge always is pointed toward the center of the altar. (I don’t know what the significance of this is.)

At the center of the altar and at each side there are altar cards containing often-used parts of the Mass for the priest's use. (Printable altar cards can be found here: Calefactory, or here: Rosary.)

“Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in heaven. Then, as we receive from this altar the sacred Body and Blood of your Son, let us be filled with every grace and blessing.” (Said after the consecration at Mass.)

(By Ben)

TLM teaching videos!

2009-10-11T16:36:00.002-04:00

A series of teaching videos about the Traditional Latin Mass are now available online. Very helpful! Here's the first one. The link takes you to ten other ones.

Why Latin?

2009-10-08T07:58:00.003-04:00

The traditional Mass must be celebrated in the Latin language, while the ordinary form may be celebrated in either Latin or vernacular languages. The reason for using Latin is that it is universal. It belongs to no one, which means it belongs to everyone. By the early Middle Ages with the breakup of the Roman empire it had become the universal language of educated people (mainly clerics and royalty) in the west. This was a time when local languages varied to a great extent, and so over time Latin became the Church’s language.

It is for Roman Catholics what Hebrew is for Jews, Arabic is for Moslems, and Old Church Slavonic is for the Russian Orthodox. These are all examples of ‘sacred languages’, some used almost exclusively for worship. The advantage of this is that it spans the different vernaculars, does not change meaning over time (spans centuries) and becomes sacred as a result of being used for worship.

Here are some common Latin phrases used in the Mass:
Deo Grátias. Thanks be to God.
Dóminus vobíscum. The Lord be with you.
Et cum spíritu tuo. And with thy spirit.
Orémus. Let us pray.
Glória tibi Dómine. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Laus tibi Christe. Praise be to Thee, O Christ.
Per ómina sæcula sæculorum. World without end.

(Written by Ben)

First Latin Mass

2009-08-31T12:24:00.002-04:00

My husband and I attended my very first Traditional Latin Mass the Sunday before last. We traveled about an hour-and-a-half from home to a little country church which has not been 'wreck-ovated' (thanks for that, Tom!!).

It was absolutely beautiful. The altar was flanked by statues of St. Patrick and Mary and Jesus. An alabaster Last Supper scene graced the front of the altar. The stained glass windows were heavenly. The stunning beauty of the interior helped to ready one for worship.

Parishioners were quiet and prayerful -- no talking and laughing and whispering going on.

I have to tell you that I went there with the idea that I was going to soak up the atmosphere. I wasn't going to worry too much about what I was supposed to be doing. So we sat in back and followed those who were experienced.

I found that I was MUCH, MUCH more focused on worship. I understood the flow of Mass, even if I didn't understand all that was going on every moment. But it was all so much more reverent. The Mass was truly about worshipping God. Everything, all, was focused on Him. I didn't feel as if the priest was 'ignoring' me when his back was to us. We were all facing God together.

The traditional vestments were like a painting to me. The altar boys knew just what to do, and the beauty of the Mass was enhanced by each movement.

My chant friends were in the choir loft and the chant was so uplifting, so directing, so much closer to heaven than any other type of music.

And, what also meant much to me was the kneeler! We were able to receive kneeling, on the tongue, replete with paten. It was natural and right and I was so very grateful to experience it.

I should say that I brought a scarf to cover my head, though I wasn't sure about wearing it inside. But when I saw three other ladies who were covered, on it went. And it also felt so right.

If anyone else who was there is reading this, please feel free to share your impressions, too.

Great Discoveries...

2009-07-22T08:47:00.001-04:00

It looks like there's more to be discovered in the catacombs of Rome and elsewhere.

For all us first-timers

2009-07-18T16:59:00.003-04:00

Attending the Ancient form of the Mass?
What to expect and how to prepare for attending
the Extraordinary Form of the Mass

By Ben

This article is intended for those who have never attended a Latin Mass before. It will give some suggestions on how to prepare for this experience as well as an outline of what to expect. Unfortunately, due to the nature of this article the theology and spirituality of the traditionalmass can’t be explored in an enormous amount of depth.

The Traditional Latin Mass exists in several different forms but can be divided into two basic categories, ‘low’ and ‘high’. High Masses are those in which the texts of the Mass are sung. If at all possible I recommend you make your first Mass a High Mass. Many people attend their first traditional Mass expecting Gregorian chant and clouds of incense only to be disappointed and confused by a nearly silent, bare bones low Mass. This can be real culture shock for some people (this is not to knock the low Mass, it just is alien to modern minds that are used to constant noise and activity).

Part 1

What to do to prepare? Obviously the Traditional Mass is in the Latin language. Many people who regularly attend the Latin Mass and aren’t fluent in Latin (most of us) follow along in a book called a hand missal. This book contains the order of the Mass in Latin and English as well as translations of the prayers and readings particular to the specific day.

Pope Pius XII encouraged the lay faithful to use the missal to “pray along with the priest in the very words of the Church”, but if this is your first Mass in this form, you don’t want to spend the entire Mass buried in a book. Besides, you will probably lose your place and get confused.
My advice is to save the missal for next time if you choose to use it. Rather, take some time before you will be attending the Mass to read through the Order of Mass.

Many publishers have printed a booklet containing the Order of Mass for the Extraordinary Form (Una Voce, Roman Catholic Books, Ignatius Press) it can be found here http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/latinmass2.html, as well. It would also be good to read the proper prayers and readings for that particular day as well (which can be found here http://www.uvoc.org/Propers.html ).

It would be helpful to familiarize yourself with the basic responses. In particular, the Et Cum Spiritu tuo (and with your spirit) to the Priests ‘Dominus Vobiscum” (the Lord be with you). If you are inclined and have the time you may also wish to be familiar enough to recognize the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) and Anus Dei (Lamb of God), as well as the ‘Domine non sum dingus . . . (Lord I’m not worthy . . .).

Keep in mind that it is not necessary to hear and understand every word, or to see every action of Holy Mass in order to ‘actively participate’. There are two types of ‘active participation’, internal and external. Internal participation is far more important than saying and doing things. Know what the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is. Unite yourself and your sacrifices and difficulties (no matter how insignificant) to the sacrifice of our Lord made present in the Mass. Doing this is the best way to assist at Mass and it can be done without knowing the exact words being used at the altar.

Part 2: What to expect

The structure of the Extraordinary Form of the mass is different from the structure of the Ordinary Form. Let’s walk through the Mass. This will be a general description of a sung Mass--depending on what type of Mass there may be slight differences.

Before Mass begins there may be a sprinkling rite. Father will sprinkle the congregation with Holy Water while the Asperges (You will sprinkle me with hyssop, etc.) is sung. During the Easter season Vidi Aquam (I saw water) takes the place of Asperges.

At the beginning of Mass the server(s) will lead the priest to the altar as the Choir, or Schola, will begin to sing the Introit. While the Introit is being sung the priest and server(s) (or ministers) will say the prayers at the foot of the altar. If, after the Introit and Kyrie, it’s a day when the ‘Gloria in excelsior’ is used, the priest will intone it and the singers and congregation continue.

Father will then say a prayer and read the first reading from the right side of the altar. (He will face the altar and the readings may be in the vernacular as is now permitted.) Then he will read the Gradual and Alleluia while the schola sings it. The Missal will be moved to the left side of the altar by one of the assistants. The Gospel will be proclaimed from the left side of the altar.

The sermon follows. After the sermon the priest will return to the altar and intone the Creed, which will be sung by the schola and congregation. This concludes the ‘Mass of the Catechumens”, and now begins the second part the ‘Mass of the Faithful” . . . the Sacrifice.

The offertory prayers and preparations are made while the schola sings the offertory chant. Then the priest turns to the faithful and says, “Orate fraters” (Pray brethren that my sacrifice and yours), etc. The proper responses are made. He then turns back to the altar and sings the preface. The schola and congregation sing the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy).

Then is begun the canon of the Mass (Eucharistic prayer). It is offered in silence, the consecration whispered as a sign of reverence. The voice is only raised at the phrase ‘Nobis quoque pecatoribus’ (To us your sinful servants) in order to incite humility.

After the Amen Father sings the ‘Our Father’, the schola and congregation joining at the phrase ‘sed libera nos a malo’, (but deliver us from evil).
The ‘Agnus De’ is sung, responses are made, and communion is distributed.
Communion is received while kneeling at the altar rail and on the tongue. If you were never taught to receive on the tongue , here is how: A server will place a plate under your chin, the priest will hold up a host and say ‘May the body of Christ preserve your soul to life everlasting’ (in Latin). Don’t say ‘amen’, but tilt your head back slightly and part your mouth, extend your tongue so that it covers your bottom lip. Father will place the host on your tongue. That’s it.

After communion concluding prayers are said, the blessing is given, and then the ‘last gospel’ is read, which is always the first chapter of the Gospel of John.
Sometimes postures are different. Take a cue from what the regulars are doing. At low Mass in most places congregants do what the servers do.

The Bread of Life

2009-06-21T23:19:00.000-04:00

Upcoming Latin Mass in Belfast, NY

2009-06-15T10:09:00.002-04:00

St. Patrick's in Belfast, NY has a Latin Mass. At the August 23 Mass some friends will be singing there. I'm going. Anyone else want to go?

Do Watch

2009-06-01T21:10:00.001-04:00

Mass in the Extraordinary Form

2009-06-01T13:24:00.002-04:00

Jeff over at The Cross Reference notes an upcoming Mass in the Extraordinary Form in Philadelphia on June 28. Read here. It would be wonderful to go. Anyone interested?

Latin Missal

2009-05-22T18:33:00.003-04:00

A friend just handed me a copy of the Latin-English Booklet Missal for Praying the Traditional Mass, put out by the Coalition in Support of Eclesia Dei (www.eclesiadei.org).

It is a simple and simply beautiful little booklet that gives clear explanations and takes you right through the Low, High, or Solemn High Mass.

Thank you, friend. I think this would be mighty handy when attending a Latin Mass.

Interlinear Mass

2009-05-14T08:21:00.002-04:00

Here is an interlinear translation of the TLM. Very helpful. It's from the L.P.H. Resource Center. They have classes for Church Latin--for elementary children, but I've always found it helpful to go to children's resources when I am just being introduced to a subject. The explanations are often much clearer than in adult texts. I'm thinking. Does anyone have any ideas? Look in the left-hand column for more resources on learning Latin. I'd love to get a class started around here. Any suggestions are most appreciated.

Images of the Catacombs

2009-05-05T09:01:00.001-04:00

Take a look at these 3D images of the Roman Catacombs. (h/t to The Anchoress).

On the Eucharist

2009-05-01T08:21:00.004-04:00

The early Church was already well aware that the bread once changed remains changed. That is why they reserved it for the sick, and that is why they showed it such reverence, as is still the case today in the Eastern Chruch. But now, in the Middle Ages, this awareness is deepened: the gift is changed. The Lord has definitively drawn this piece of matter to himself. It does not contain just a matter-of-fact kind of gift. No,the Lord himself is present, the Indivisible One, the risen Lord, with Flesh and Blood, with Body and Soul, with Divinity and Humanity. The whole Christ is there. In the early days of the Liturgical Movement, people sometimes argued for a distinction btween the "thing-centered" view of the Eucharist in the patristic age and the personalistic view of the post-medieval period. The Eucharistic Presence, they said, was understood, not as the presence of a Person, but as the presence of a gift distinct from the Person. This is nonsense. Anyone reading the texts will find that there is no support anywhere for these ideas. How is the Body of Christ supposed to become a "thing"? The only presence is the presence of the whole Christ. Receiving the Eucharist does not mean eating a "thing-like" gift (Body and Blood?). No, there is a person-to-person exchange, a coming of the one into the other. The living Lord gives himself to me, enters into me, and invites me to surrender myself to him, so that the Apostle's words come true: "[I]t is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal. 2:20). Only thus is the reception of Holy Communion an act that elevates and transforms a man. (From The Spirit of the Liturgy by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger)

A Very Helpful Book

2009-04-21T19:54:00.004-04:00

If you are at all interested in the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite, Thomas E. Woods, Jr., has written Sacred Then and Sacred Now. The book includes a brief guide to the Extraordinary Form, aka the Traditional Latin Mass (from here on out referred to as the TLM), and some of its important features. The text of the moto proprio Summorum Pontificum is also included, as well has Benedict XVI's Letter to Bishops, July 7, 2007.

Rite or wrong?

2009-04-21T19:34:00.002-04:00

"I am of the opinion, to be sure, that the old rite should be granted much more generously to all those who desire it. It's impossible to see what could be dangerous or unacceptable about that. A community is calling its very being into question when it suddenly declares that what until now was its holiest and highest possession is strictly forbidden and when it makes the longing for it seem downright indecent." (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Salt of the Earth: The Church at the End of the Millenium)

The Roman Rite

2009-04-16T18:35:00.002-04:00

Apostolic Letter "Summorum Pontificum"

issued Motu Proprio Benedict XVI

From the letter:

"It is, therefore, permissible to celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass following the typical edition of the Roman Missal promulgated by Bl. John XXIII in 1962 and never abrogated, as an extraordinary form of the Liturgy of the Church."

The TLM!

2009-04-13T21:31:00.000-04:00

Mother Angelica's Take on the Traditional Latin Mass from Raymond Arroyo's blog.