Father says

At two other liturgical blogs there is a great debate going on between two liturgists of different perspectives, each claiming infallibility at it concerns the current day liturgical landscape.

The progressive thinks that the reformed Mass of Pope Paul VI is far superior to the Mass celebrated during Vatican II and before.

The traditionalist thinks that the Mass celebrated during Vatican II and before is the better format for the Mass.

I won't go into the details because some of it is like trying to count the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin.

Let me just say that the major principles of Vatican II's Sacrosanctum Concilium and to a certain extent the other documents of Vatican II apply to the whole Church and the liturgy in terms of whatever form is chosen.

That's the change all of us must accept. Today the Church in the Latin Rite has up to three variations from official policy. The Ordinary Form, the Extraordinary Form and the Anglican Use. Get use to it!

The theology that the Church, Head and members gathers for the liturgy applies to all the liturgies there are in the Church both east and west. That's the way it is. That's our ecclesiology, each doing what is prescribe for each in the liturgy, bishop, priest, deacon, acolyte, lector, choir member, laity.

All liturgies of the Church are communal, bar none!

All liturgies of the Church make visible the Church (Militant, Suffering and Triumphant) in the various visible gatherings of the Church wherever that gathering is!

All Liturgies of the Church contain the Word of God, some have more, some have less. The EF has more, the OF has a broader lectionary but less Scripture per Mass than the EF!

BOTTOM LINE: The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass make present in an unbloody, sacramental way, the Passion of Our Lord, broadly understood as the Paschal Mystery. And the Sacrificial Banquet is shared in the Rite of Holy Communion in the worthy reception of the Body and Blood of the Lord at the Priest's communion and the Communion of the laity.

Full, conscious and actual participation is required in all forms of the liturgy, the three official ones now in the Latin Rite and of course in all the different forms of the Divine Liturgy in the East. This is required no matter the language used, with Latin preeminent common, neutral sacral language in the Latin Rite.

All liturgies when prayed as prescribed, with attention to detail, art, movement, beauty and with scrupulous attention to the full, conscious and active participation of both the clergy and laity are equal in majesty, doctrine, dogma, ecclesiology and finally the most important, the salvation of souls!

We have many forms on the one Latin Rite and more forms in the Eastern Rite! Get use to it and get over it!