Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
Almost three years ago, in the letter accompanying the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes, Pope Francis asked the bishops of the world “to be vigilant in ensuring that every liturgy be celebrated with decorum and fidelity to the liturgical books promulgated after Vatican Council II, without the eccentricities that can easily degenerate into abuses.” Leaving aside for a moment the truism […]
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It’s a little hard to believe, but Ash Wednesday is just over a week away. Here at Pistachio House, we just took down the last of our Christmas decorations on Candlemas, and here we are practically in Lent already! The modern Roman Missal has a set of rubrics that cover the whole of Lent, before it digs into each day […]
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Happy fifth day of Christmas! Today the Church celebrates the anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket. Over the years, I’ve written many articles on this, one of my favourite saints. I’ve provided links to them below. Many of these articles focus on the saint himself, his life and martyrdom, and others on his legacy to the Church, particularly […]
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Part 6 in an ongoing series of essays on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Section 42 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, though short, represents one of the most important clarifications in the most recent revision of the document. This section gives lie to the assertion that none of the traditional elements of the Roman Rite […]
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Since Archbishop Etienne declared The Year of the Eucharist, it might be time to get back to our ongoing series of essays on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. It seems like a timely project, and the Archbishop’s observation that this is “an appropriate time for parishes to provide additional training for all liturgical ministers, as well as additional […]
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Archbishop Paul Etienne Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle has proclaimed a “Year of the Eucharist” to begin on the external Solemnity of Corpus Christi, this coming Sunday. In his recent pastoral letter The Work of Redemption, he says: During the coming year, I ask every Catholic and every parish community to commit themselves to deepening our understanding and experience of […]
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Today, we begin the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. The modern Roman Missal has a set of rubrics that cover the whole of Lent, before digging into each day separately. Most folks are familiar with number 4, and I’d venture to say that 3 is not exactly unknown to priests and ministers, if not the folks in the pews. […]
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Part 5 in an ongoing series of essays on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. If I had to guess, I’d say that the part of the General Instruction that has been read by the fewest is Chapter II: The Structure of the Mass, Its Elements, and Its Parts. Why? Because when you read it, you quickly come to […]
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Part 4 in an ongoing series of essays on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Now we begin at last to come to the crux of the issue as we move on to Chapter I of the General Instruction: The Importance and Dignity of the Celebration of the Eucharist, which begins to lay the foundations for addressing the rubrics […]
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Part 3 in an ongoing series of essays on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Testimony of an Unaltered Faith The Introduction of the General Instruction is at great pains to place itself, and the Missal that it prefaces, in continuity with the tradition of the Roman Rite. Despite what many modern liturgists seem to think, the Third Edition […]
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Part 2 in an ongoing series of essays on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. What authority does the General Instruction enjoy in terms of the sacred liturgy? That is, for those celebrating the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite according to the Third Edition of the Roman Missal, is the General Instruction normative or advisory? Before we can […]
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Part 1 in an ongoing series of essays on the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. At the 2019 Sacred Liturgy Conference, the question was asked, how do you celebrate the Ordinary Form in a more sacred way? How do you infuse it with the mystery and majesty of the Tradition of the Roman Rite? Monsignor Richard Huneger famously answered, “follow the rubrics”. […]
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