Tuesday, February 5, 2019

A Novus Ordo Mass in the Ordinariate?

St. George is an Ordinariate Parish. This means that we are not a part of the local diocese, but under the authority of a different jurisdiction within the Catholic Church. Our Bishop is in Houston, Texas, where our Cathedral -- Our Lady of Walsingham -- is located. As you probably know, our normal form of the Mass is called, "Divine Worship". This form of the Mass is Latin Rite (as are the Extraordinary and Ordinary forms), but it is a descendent of the ancient Sarum Missal in England (which was originally developed by Augustine of Canterbury in the 7th century).

Our rules and norms that were given to us by Rome, also state, however, that we can say the Ordinary Form (a.k.a. the Novus Ordo) in our parishes. I gave this some thought recently. It would be an understatement for me to point out that I prefer the Divine Worship Form, but I contemplated what a Novus Ordo would look like when done according to the Ordinariate rules for celebration of the Mass. I also contemplated what it would be like if I were to observe the Novus Ordo exactly according to the rubrics that are listed in the Missal.

It would definitely not look like the way that it is being celebrated in a large percentage of Catholic parishes today. There are a number of practices that are used in parishes these days that have been "grandfathered" in, though they are not what was technically a part of the original plans. I am not trying here to criticize those practices (I have done that before), but I am saying that in the Ordinariate we have a different way of doing things, and those practices would be fully maintained. Also, I have some traditional practices that I prefer in the Mass (many of which come from the Extraordinary Form). What, therefore, would a Novus Ordo Mass done like that look like?

Here are some of the details (in no special order) that I came up with--though there could be more:
1) Although some parts would be in English, the Canon (i.e. the "Eucharistic Prayer") would be said in Latin.
2) Since here at St. George there is not a "freestanding" altar (it is always and only attached to the back wall) it would be said "ad orientem" (with the priest facing the tabernacle when he speaks to God, and facing the people when he speaks to them).
3) There would be only altar boys (girl-altar-boys are not allowed in the Ordinariate).
4) There would be no Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (here at St. George I always serve by intinction, and the laity are not allowed to assist with communion served that way).
5) Communion would be received kneeling, at the rail, and on the tongue.6) There would be no "peace greeting" that is allowed in the Novus Ordo, except the initial priest to people, "the peace of the Lord be with you always...and with your spirit".
7) There would be no "carrying the gifts forward" that is allowed in the Novus Ordo.
8) The singing for the Mass would be done in Anglican Plainsong Chant (a form of Gregorian Chant), with no hymns or pop-tunes.
I was not there when the original decisions were made to develop the Novus Ordo form, but I wonder how much of what is done today was a part of their expectations. I do know that one Cardinal who was present at Vatican II was said to have commented about the Divine Worship Mass as "this is what we thought we were getting with the Novus Ordo". If Pope Francis is correct when he commented that the Novus Ordo "is here to stay", then I wonder if this description above is what it would look like after a century of corrections. It is certainly something to think about (and pray about).