Saturday, September 29, 2007

Whaddyacallit?

Father Zuhlsdorf at his popular and useful site, "What does the Prayer Really Say?" has a survey on the best terminology to distinguish the two forms of the Roman Rite, or Roman Mass, now in use.

Two forms, you say? Yes--the usual, "ordinary" form that is most familiar is according to the Missal adopted after Vatican II, what you experience in most parishes.

The "extraordinary" form, or usage, is according to the Missal revised by Blessed John XXIII, the pope who summoned the Second Vatican Council. This older, longstanding form of the Mass is called by many names, most frequently (but somewhat misleadingly) "Tridentine." I consider that somewhat misleading because very many mistakenly suppose it originated with Trent; when, in fact, it long predated the Council of Trent in the mid-1500s, back at least as far as the 600s. Of course, there have been some changes all along the way, even up to 1962, as noted (it came to be called Tridentine because Trent regularized the normal form of Mass for almost all Roman Catholics).

Well, anyway, what shall we call this older form of the Mass?

Father Z has a survey--go vote if you wish. You can find comments there to see what people advocate; you will find my arguments for a particular vote if you really want to know.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

well i'm finding it all quite divisive so have deleted all those posts...

albert cooper said...

The Tridentine Rite should be referred to as "The Mass" as it was before the council.and let the liberal/left reformers find a title, for their invention