Patrimony

We deny to claim "any Superiority to ourself
to defyne, decyde, or determyn any Article or Poynt
of the Christian Fayth and Relligion,
or to chang any Ancient Ceremony of the Church
from the Forme before received and observed
by the Catholick and Apostolick Church."

Norman Simplicity

Norman Simplicity
Click image for original | © Vitrearum (Allan Barton)

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Underwhelmed

I know this will seem like unmitigated gall (to some) but I find myself mostly underwhelmed by the following accomplishment:

What undoubtedly has been achieved is the resurrection of a sort of English Missal rite. Subtle changes in words and phrases are nonetheless immediately recognizable to any who know this material by heart. Some changes are not subtle at all: a particularly grotesque example is the Gloria. It's impossible to tell, in addition, just where some of these actions and events actually take place.

What's not there? More than can be mentioned here. The Decalogue, an epiclesis that calls down the Holy Spirit upon people and not things, etc. etc. However, all in all, it is no more sad than any other contemporary reality and certainly superior to either a praise band or a Novus Ordo clown mass. Civilization is nevertheless on its last legs: the barbarians are now storming the citadel.

In what language will you say "I surrender"?

1 comment:

  1. The Ordinariate rite does have the Decalogue as an option - Our group uses it on occasion; typically in Lent and Advent.

    I'm not quite sure what you are talking about regarding the epiclesis - The Canon of the mass is the Gregorian canon - perhaps the oldest used today.
    http://liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2010/09/epiclesis-of-roman-rite.html

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