Ad Orientem "Just do it"

AD ORIENTEM - JUST DO IT

There has been much discussion about "ad orientem" celebration, far too much in fact.  Everything has already been said on the issue in the main, but has anything really changed?  Yes.  Three things: 

1.  The issue is actually being discussed for the first time in 2 generations.

2.  The liberals have responded vigorously and coming out  of the closet as complete rubricists (rigid and unbending in fact -all the things they have accused traditionalists of for years) and have made themselves look utterly ridiculous by relying on an erroneous english translation of a section of the The General Instruction of the Roman Missal(GIRM) relating to the building of freestanding altars - pretty poor show if your entire case can be dismissed by a quick glance at the latin original whose grammar and meaning are clear. 

3. The head of the Congregation of Sacred Rites (SCR) has clearly expressed his view and encouraged clergy to use introduce "ad orientem" celebration, not over night, but as a gradual, well prepared process in which the laity are catechised and prepared for the transition.

Now before complacency sets in, especially amongst the clergy, fearing reprisals from the local bishops or hostility from other clergy and all the same stuff that has pertained for years - there will not be a "next time" on this issue.  It is important to support Cardinal Sarah the head of the SCR by implementing his suggestions beginning the process in Advent is a good place to start.

It's time for more laity to promote and discuss 'Ad orientem"celebration with their clergy.  Let's have a "Just do it" campaign - perhaps a personal commitment only to attend "Ad orientem celebration from first Sunday of Advent on (Other rites such as the Malakara and Ukrainians still continue to use "ad orientem" celebration).   Put prevarication aside - like I said before it's now or never:

IT'S TIME

LETS DO THIS!

THE MYSTERIES OF THE EAST - A Liturgical glimpse at Asia part I

Solemn Mass at Bendigo Cathedral for Christ The King - Australia

Catholicism in Asia and in particular Southeast Asia is a great mystery to me and indeed for many Europeans and Australians.  I have noted among my co-religionists that thoughts about these areas are infrequent and even rare.

Understandably the North Americans, are more inclined to concern themselves with what their brethren in Latin America are doing before casting their thought towards Asia.  Certainly, it seems reasonable to suggest that Australia and New Zealand should be keenly aware and interested in what their neighbours are up to.

My experiences of the church in Asia are limited but perhaps more than many.  Indeed I have noted that the faith is quite vibrant in some areas, and the laity conduct themselves with great reverence, however the liturgy that I have experience is almost universally poor (by which I mean that there is little or no attempt to adhere to the rubrics and the music is banal) and certainly not transcendent.   Most of the Churches have been badly reordered with little respect for  heritage - the liturgy is reverent as far as it goes but utterly bland some priests seem to regard themselves as a cast who may dispense with the rubrics that they regard as unnecessary without any respect for the right of the laity to have a liturgy that is received rather than spontaneously achieved.

The will of the donors not respected.

Perhaps worst of all is the music.  The "Praise and Worship" genre has spread like wild fire - not as statement against truly sacred music like chant and polyphony but rather because it is accessible particularly for those who have little or no skill and because it has an "upbeat" happy feel about it.   Of course this "upbeat" or happy feeling is incapable of variation thus the same music might be used on Easter Sunday as it might at a funeral or a wedding.

 Is this simply a copying of all the worst aspects of current Western mis-practice?  Or a lamentable misapplication of the Conciliar liturgical reform it's aftermath imposed upon a people who are naturally disposed towards a culture of docility towards those in authority rather than confrontation?  Sadly the two are not mutually exclusive.  At this stage there does not seem to have been as great a loss of faith as in the West, but indifferentism and even syncretism are on the rise.

Below are some photos of  The Church of St Louis in Taiping is typical of the re-orderings that one sees in most places - all the side altars removed, the high altar removed and replaced with a liturgical wall and the a new altar placed close to the top step. The Sacrament is relegated to the side and the walls adorned with overhead projector screens to allow participants to join in the loud and heavily microphoned music - never mind the beautiful acoustic designed for singing gregorian chant.

High Altar replaced by a wall and a forward altar

Empty spaces where altars once where

Screens drawing attention away from the mysteries

Altar wall serves a a billboard for diocesan events

The outside of the building retains its integrity

A fusion of styles based on the Romanesque

One thing is certain if you believe the church's great adage "Lex orandi, Lex credendi" (The way of praying gives rise to the way of believing) then you may expect to see the imminent demise, in a short space of time of what the missioners of yesteryear had toiled over and so diligently achieved as instruments of the Holy Ghost.  I hope, and pray that it is not so and that under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Ghost a genuine an authentic expression of the Catholic faith will be restored with all of it's inherent richness of tradition and the challenges which it casts before the faithful?

Western Iconography

Much is written about iconography, but very little about the differences between the two schools of the East and the West.  I have always found it distressing that so often one sees in Latin Rite churches Easterern Icons rather than Western ones as if there where no differences.  I suspect that there are some people who do not know the difference.

I do not propose to write here about it at length but only to raise the matter - it is not proper to Latinise the Eastern rites and it is equally improper to Easternise the Latin Rites.  Surely it erodes their integrity?

Ordinations

I have attended at least 4 ordinations over the last weeks and sent apologies to at least 2 others - never have I been aware of so many - this is the first harvest of the all too short reign of Pope Benedict who truly inspired these men and valued their response.

Chief among the factors that inspired this new wave was Benedict's teaching on the liturgy - something evident at all the first masses of these young priests.  But despite these happy scenes there was a somber tone in the background, a note of concern at the recent appointments to the Congregation for Divine Worship (Pierro Marini a liturgist not known for his support Pope Benedict's reforms)reforms - a return to a time many of us had rather preferred to forget. 

It Seems that these will have to be the warriors who finally overthrow the liturgical nightmare that has engulfed the Church for 45 years. Surely in the Holy Father's choice of Marinni there has been a failure to read "the signs if the times" - harkening back to people and practices who can only have appeal to an elderly If not almost senile generation is a retrograde step and will lead to another generation of liturgical confusion.

Thankfully the Holy Father has led by example; legalism and rubricism are the terms we may use of those who are inflexible liturgically since Maundy Thursday last

There can now no longer be any serious imposition without the obvious accusation of legalism being levelled against those who would impose liturgical practices upon the entire church such as Marinni.

MATERNAL HEART LATIN MASS COMMUNITY COMES OF AGE

A LAY MOVEMENT

Two weeks ago the Latin Mass Community at Maternal Heart Chapel, Lewisham in Sydney Australia finally after 20 years was erected as a Personal Parish under the auspices of the Fraternity of Saint Peter.  This is a significant milestone.  A good time to reflect on how it all came about.

Indeed it is more significant when we consider the oft forgotten fact that Lewisham (as it is generally known) is the direct result of a lay response to Ecclesia Dei adflicta.  One of the most important and vigorous societies in Australia - the Ecclesia Dei Society (EDS) founded at Lewisham in 1989, saw a great flourishing of the Traditional liturgy through the organisation of it's annual liturgical conference and assistance and defence of those who looked to establish communities in different regions.  Three significant characters, Glen Tattersal (now priest), Garry Scarrabalotti and Stephen Smith came together at the suggestion of Fr Harry Jordan MSC giving impetus to this new society.

Mass before the Inaugural meeting of the EDS - Lewisham 1989

Glen Tattersal and Stephen Smith had already embarked on learning as much as they could about the naiscent movement for the restoration of the Traditional Mass and inspired by their recent visit to the Monasteries of Fontgombault and Le Barroux not to mention Wigratzbad.  A small schola was formed to learn the chant for a monthly Missa Cantata at St Michaels College, City Road, Darlington (this community ultimately moved to St Marys, Cathedral, Sydney).  It became apparent that the monthly Sung Mass was not welcomed by some members of the community and so the schola looked for another opportunity - this presented itself in the form of a weekly thursday Mass at the church of St Joachim at Lidcombe where the kindly Mons. Meeny made them welcome and the recently ordained Fr Terence Naughtin a conventual Franciscan began to celebrate the Traditional Mass regularly.  Here two things happened - free to learn and perform the liturgy, a small community began to develop and those involved in the liturgy developed a greater competence at performing it.  

Mass before the 1st annual meeting of the EDS - Lewisham 1990

With the the death of Mons. Meeny (RIP) and the arrival of a new priest whom one might have thought sympathetic to their cause instead asked them to move on.  It was then through a connection with the St Vincent de Paul Society and it's bookshop that an awareness of the abandoned chapel of the Lewisham Hospital began to arise.  The Chapel was however in a shocking state as a result of the buildings nearby having been pulled down the inside of the chapel was covered in a fine dust which in some places was an inch deep.  This was diligently cleaned by a band of enthusiasts from the Lidcombe group. And thus the Thursday Mass formerly at Lidcombe was officially transferred to Lewisham.

The community consisted of a about 15 people including Glen Tattersal the Chairman of the EDS, Fr Terence was the principal priest and a Schola Cantorum Sanctae Crucis of about 5 led by Stephen Smith.  Here was a new community which asked of it's priests only to sing the Mass, vestments, plate, altar where all provided and of course a generous stipend which Fr Terrence always refused to accept.  In time Fr Terrence became the principal celebrant to the liturgies - other priests had also played a part in sustaining the community at various times not to mention Fr Spora, Fr Spillane, Fr John Hogan, Fr John O'Neill, Fr Ephraim Chifley OP, Fr Dowd OP, Fr John Smith.  

After the 1st annual meeting Mass Lewisham 1990

Thus the community steadily grew as did its commitment to the Solemn celebration of the liturgy.  In time the community through a Novena to St Francis of Assisi was permitted to celebrate the liturgy every Sunday thus arose a tradition of Solemn Mass on Thursdays, Sundays and Major Feasts. 

Through the Monastic influences of the many Tyburn Benedictine oblates amongst the founders of Lewisham a particular liturgical style developed which reflected the European monasteries.  Amongst those most influential where Michael Sternbeck (now of St Bede Studios) who furnished the chapel with many fine vestments both gothic and conical, supplemented by William Lawrence from Brisbane who made many of the full classical surplices.  In the early photographs the presence of the hood worn over the surplice is frequently visible.  Some of these influences survive in that the offices of terce (before mass) and sext (after mass) on Sundays is still sung according to the Monastic Antiphonal.

After a golden period of 15 years many young men had left Lewisham to try their vocations in religious institutions. A disproportionately high number of priestly vocations have emanated from that time.  Unfortunately it was about this time that Fr Terrence began to experience significant problems whith-in his own order which culminated in his not being able to guarantee his continued ministry at the Chapel.   The Praesidium (or Governing Council as it was then) had the daunting task of trying to find someone else to replace him.  It seemed that prayers where answered when Fr Laurence Gresser FSSP recently ordained and returned from the U.S. approached the Cardinal (George Pell) who according to Fr Gresser was happy to appoint him as Chaplain to the Community.  On the one hand the Community where officially a chaplaincy but on the other the failure of FSSP to allow Fr Terrence (who was under their authority) to continue as the principal pastor was the cause of some ill will!  Perhaps more significantly this in reality marked the end of the lay organisation of the Chapel and within 12 months the structures which had sustained the place for so long where discarded.  

The arrival of the Fraternity of St Peter, sadly does not mark the high point of the chapel's liturgical life, rather a certain decline - while the FSSP moved swiftly to turn its interest to a house of formation which is stationed nearby, Fr Terence's distinctive pastoral ministry was sorely missed.

Perhaps with the establishment of this new parish might mark a new period for this community - one which embraces it's founding principals "the performance of the liturgy whenever possible in it's fullest expression" (from the original charter of the community) and one in which the pastors make a new commitment to the people to whom they minister.  One thing was astounding about Lewisham in its first 15 years apart from its achievement liturgically - It was marked by an understanding that without the co-operation of clergy and laity such a venture would not be possible.  Perhaps this principal will be rediscovered.

   

A CURIOUS IMBALANCE

The blog Rorate Ceali dramatically declares that Summorum Pontificum is abrogated!  Is it really?
Surely a most distressing headline for any traditional Catholic!

Franciscans of the Immaculate after High Mass at St John Lateran

Ones first reaction is to think surely not!  Perhaps there is some mistake! The evidence produced makes a good case that in this specific instance there is some truth in it, indeed corroboration is found in the comments of some members of the Franciscans of the Immaculate but put in such a way as to suggest that it is a welcome imposition because of internal strife within the order and assures us that it applies to the order alone. Well that sort of calms things a bit but one is still a bit weary?

After all for a Vatican decastery to wade into such an internal struggle with papal backing is heavy handed to say the least.  Especially since there has been little or no word on the continuing saga of the dissident female religious of the US.  Should we expect the same level of papal interest.  Seems a curious imbalance to me.

As ever we shall have to wait and see.

Oremus pro invicem.

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013

Somewhat saddened at the lack of the sense of the sacred and the decline of the standard of the music at World Youth Day - but neither am I surprised.

Papal liturgies just ain't what they used to be...