No one need concern themselves with my animadversions, particularly on one of the best kept secrets in the known universe (to be revealed in Advent 2015): the actual texts of the Ordinariate Use mass. I have had to rely upon the reports of others.
If the following is indeed true, then there may be some grounds of hope after all (the only variants that interest me being bolded below):
We have identified three basic variants of the Ordinariate Use Mass, each with a different tradition or liturgical background, although it is possible to use other hybrid versions. The three are:
- a Prayer Book inspired variant, including all the Cranmer texts (Collect for Purity, Summary of the Law or Decalogue, Prayer Book intercessions followed by the penitential rite, Comfortable Words, offertory sentences, Prayer of Humble Access and Thanksgiving after Communion (using the offertory prayers from the Ordinary Form and the Roman Canon), but all in traditional sacral language;
- an English Missal inspired variant, including the Asperges, the prayers at the foot of the altar, the traditional offertory prayers, the Roman Canon and the Last Gospel), everything celebrated ad orientem at the altar (with deacon and subdeacon, or rather two deacons)
- a Dialogue Mass, with the prayers at the foot of the altar prayed by priest and people not priest and server, the Liturgy of the Word celebrated at the sedilia, modern-style prayers of the faithful, the offertory prayers of the Novus Ordo, most probably (con)celebrated facing the people where the church architecture is suitable.
There is even a slimmer Low Mass variant (also known as the Parish Church form) which would resemble the Prayer Book variant but without all the optional extras, such as the Summary of the Law, the Prayer Book intercessions, the Comfortable Words, the sentences, and celebrated mid-week with a shorter Eucharistic Prayer (based on EP II of the Ordinary Form).
The Ultramontane variants are fine for those who want them. But, all in all,
Every single Mass I have attended in the new use have been variations of the English Missal / dialogue Mass type, except for one "Prayer Book" Mass celebrated by Msgr Broadhurst. I fear the latter will almost never be used.
ReplyDeleteThe Parish Church form disappoints me because EPII was used - but not because of all the scholarly criticisms about pseudo-Hippolytus, but rather because there was something very much more Anglican ready to hand - why not a reworking of e.g. 1929 Scottish Episcopal rite?