The USCCB has an unofficial translation of Pope Benedict XVI's Motu Proprio, Summorum Pontificum, and the accompanying explanatory letter to bishops, as well as a Q&A section on the Motu Proprio. You can read all three here.
When all the world seems gripped by hate, bombings and terrorists I can't help but feel that the timing of this treasure and gift of the Catholic Church is just right. During this chaotic time when we could simply 'run' through this blessing, taking it for granted, we have this gift of an opening up, if you will, the significance of what the traditional Mass means to the believers.
To celebrate this day, below is a Traditional Latin Mass filmed on Easter Sunday in 1941 at Our Lady of Sorrows church in Chicago. The film presents the ceremonies of the Missa Solemnis or Solemn High Mass in full detail with narration by then-Mgr. Fulton J. Sheen. Celebrated by Rev. J. R. Keane of the Order of Servites (hence the white habits and cowls), the ceremonies are accompanied by a full polyphonic choir, orchestra, and fifty Gregorian Chanters.
Trady posted this film on You Tube and had the following comments.
The attention to detail in the ceremonies is impressive. Notice, for example, how the servers and ministers always take great care to move in order. Notice too that the servers are all almost identical in height. The Ordinary of the Mass, composed by Rev. Edwin V. Hoover, while pleasant in places, is very much a reflection of its time. The Proper on the other hand is timeless and sung admirably by a healthy throng of Seminarians from Mundelein, Illinois.Another tip of the hat to Catholic Video of the Day for the video.
Unfortunately due to size restrictions at Youtube around 20 mins have been cut from the original, ... In addition to the cuts I have added new captions and edited the opening credits which had deteriorated in the original. Other than this the film remains largely unchanged. Apologies for the error in the captions for the two parts of the Mass (software). The first part is of couse the Mass of the Catechumens, the second is the Mass of the Faithful.
1 comment:
Nice scoop, Aramis. Bravo!
I'm of a mind with Mark Shea re: the Holy Mass in Latin. It is the language of the Church and never should have been spurned the way it was by "reformer-wreckovators". That said, however, the Holy Eucharist in the vernacular is all I've ever known as a convert. To think the Eucharist is somehow "holier" because of Latin usage is -- how can I say this gently? -- balderdash (okay, not so gently).
What it does, however, is the following:
(a) it creates a unity for all Catholics,
(b) it will reignite an interest in Latin, since the faithful already (now) know the meaning of the words of the Mass; sort of a "aha! So that's what 'sursum corda' means! Lift up your hearts!"
(c) it may create a bit of a doubling effect with Arabic; after all, 'they' have a language 'we' don't understand -- now we have one too (that we don't understand very well either), and
(d) the reform-wreckovators will squeal like all get out, but, hey, they're in their 70's and 80's anyway, so "reform the reform" along with the Holy Father. What ho and anon!
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