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User: crossman
Name: Father Christopher J. Rossman
A Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in KS currently assigned as the Associate Pastor of Prince of Peace parish in Olathe, KS.

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Friday, July 27, 2007

The Tridentine Mass: what does it mean?

In continuing my discussion on the Tridentine Mass, I thought I'd examine what the Motu Propio does and does NOT mean in the life of the Church.

The Tridentine Mass was never banned after the Second Vatican Council. It WAS recognized from then on as the extraordinary form of Mass. This means that it certainly could be celebrated but was NOT to be considered the normal, daily Mass to celebrate except in certain parish communities in which the bishop had established it as a 'Latin Mass' parish. This document does NOT change that. The Holy Father makes it very clear that this Mass continues to be considered an extraordinary form of Mass. He says:

The Roman Missal promulgated by Paul VI is the ordinary expression of the 'Lex orandi' (Law of prayer) of the Catholic Church of the Latin rite. Nonetheless, the Roman Missal promulgated by St. Pius V and reissued by Bl. John XXIII is to be considered as an extraordinary expression of that same 'Lex orandi,' and must be given due honour for its venerable and ancient usage (Article 1, Summorum Pontificum).
He also makes it clear that these are two forms of the Roman Rite and not seen as one being better than the other. Contrary to many unfounded and sometimes purposely misleading opinions, this document is NOT the first step to reversing or negating the Second Vatican Council and its changes to our celebration of the sacraments. Those wishing to go back 50 years to the way the Church was before the Council need to consider building a time machine because the Church is not prepared to nor does it have any intention of moving backward. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 11:44 | link | comments (1) |
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Comments:
#1  27 July 2007 - 12:52
 
Father Rossman, you are correct that some traditionalists wish to eradicate the whole Vatican II era and see Summorum Pontificum as just one step in the battle. Some are quite intemperate in their opinionating, holding attitudes towards women, the world, and more that share more in common with the Taliban than Catholic thinking. They are ready to label anything and anyone evil and enemy who doesn't agree with their distorted view.

But equally, there are Catholics on the 'other side' who deem tradition (big T, little t--doesn't matter which to them) as retrograde, regressive, 'we don't believe that anymore' and totally sneer-worthy. Anything pre-1970 is useless. They are just as ready to marginalize their fellow Catholics as not truly Catholic as the traditionalists do. These are the ones who fear that the Pope is turning back the clock.

Neither of these two groups are representative of the whole. And neither are going to get the point of Summorum Pontificum as it will not fit into their view of Catholicism--what the Holy Father called the hermeneutic of rupture.

I am afraid the onus will be on priests to find the synthesis--bringing together both the authentic richness of our heritage and the beauty and vitality of the new. We can take comfort in knowing that not everyone welcomed the reforms of the Council of Trent, in some places reform took many years.

You've been ordained in 'interesting times' to say the least. I will keep you in my prayers. May God bless you.
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