Another lovely first Holy Communion Mass today gives me an opportunity to post photographs of the celebration of Mass in the ordinary form, usus recentior, Novus Ordo, Missal of Paul VI at Blackfen. It is in fact the form of Mass that is used for the vast majority of our Masses at Our Lady of the Rosary. Here is the Offertory Procession:
One of the standard photos of the usus antiquior is when the priest genuflects after the consecration. The photo doesn't quite work in the newer form because the priest disappears, apart from his bald patch:
Here is a good photo of the special moment itself:
Please remember the children and their families in your prayers.
16 comments:
They look so sweet! We will certainly pray for them. I wish our Bemu will also get her first Holy Communion this summer!
Oh my word! They're receiving on the tongue! Novel idea!
Can I have just a teeny whinge, Father? (You don't have to publish it!)
Today I have been to a FHC in another diocese - not yours or mine. Although I really detest Clapping Gloria and - horrors - Shine Jesus Shine WITH Clapping, and Here I am Lord and the hymn with the heretical line "I am with you in this bread and wine" [Consubstantiation, I believe!), nevertheless I tried hard to think charitable thoughts and 'keep my balance', so to speak.
But I do WISH that the FHC children had not been given all the readings, as well as all the prayers of the faithful. The prayers were largely inaudible, as was much of the scriptures. And yes, I do mean the children did read ALL the readings, even the Gospel. This meant that the scriptures were not given their due dignity and purpose in the proclamation of them during the liturgy, and also meant that the children were more concerned about 'performing' than thinking about the significance of receiving Our Lord for the first time.
SIGH.
Thank you for reading this - if you were able to give the time. I just felt very discouraged and the sight of the beautiful photos on your site cheered me up no end! Thank you for posting them.
Elizabeth - this is an interesting question that is arising more and more among priests and catechists. There is a danger that "doing a reading" becomes the focus of attention and the drive for "participation" can actually injure the participation that is the most important.
A couple of priests I know have now arranged that the catechists do the readings rather than the children, leaving the children free to focus on their Holy Communion.
That being said, I must say that the children at Blackfen read very well and were very attentive and devout in receiving Holy Communion.
I prefer to ask older brothers and sisters to read at FHC Masses and have the First Communicants read at the Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi.
Did I hear right Elizabeth? The children read the Gospel? My 10th child Jacinta makes her First Holy Communion 14th June..
Domne,
A quibble...
'The photo doesn't quite work in the NO'...
The fact is that the photo doesn't work with the versus populum set-up. The versus populum set-up, however, is not intrinsic to the NO/OF. Yes, I know that's how people expect it, but it isn't intrinsic.
I also know that you know all this, of course...!
Elizabeth - I think I can go one step further than you I once attended a Mass where the priest read from a childrens bible. After picking my jaw up off the floor I simply looked at my partner in disgust and sat down.
Really does make you appreciate things when they are done properly and the children do look so lovely in their smartly clothes.
I thought no one was allowed to read the Gospel except a priest?
The Gospel may not be read by anyone except the Deacon or Priest so if a child read the gospel, that is a liturgical abuse. (Just to make sure nobody gets confused by not reading the comments carefully enough, the Gospel in my parish is always read by the priest or deacon.)
Liturgeist - point taken.
Yes, Jackie, the children read the Gospel. My chin was on the floor, I think, like Catherine's when she heard the Gospel read from a childrens bible.
I couldn't say or do anything, of course, but I comfort myself by thinking of how the Church has continued despite all the liturgical horrors she must have suffered through the centuries. St Michael the Archangel, pray for us.
Children reading the Gospel? Hey, I can go one better!
I heard during the week about a First Holy Communion ceremony somewhere in Ireland recently (which I did not attend!) where the Gospel was, I am told, not read by the priest, but "acted out" by the children!
The form here is for the children to perform the readings albeit in plain / simple fashion rather than struggling with some of the more obtuse references or names. In that way, dignity can be maintained and the children are better able to understand and maintain their focus on the point of FHC.
Oh yes Brendan - that happens here too. The other week the priest changed the Gospel and read a simple paraphrase of another Gospel - one that the children could better act out. When someone enquired about it they were told that the other 51 weeks of the year have the correct Gospel read, but pastoral reasons (a Mass for the FHC children - not their actual FHC MAss, just one for them) meant it was OK to change it that one week.
Maybe that means that if I pay for my shopping at Tescos every week, but just one week I decide - for good reasons, like I haven't any money, perhaps, I won't pay - I'll take it without paying. That's OK then.
This conversation is both ridiculous and pathetic. First Holy Communion is one part of a long life as a Catholic, let the mass be special or different or acted out, why would this impact on your life or your thoughts. why waste time being angry or upset about a mass that you should just enjoy and take what you can from it. For you to comment that certain masses are a disgrace is so petty. Calling a gospel being read by a child an abuse is just a step too far and those individuals should just relax and spend time enjoying the better things in life like love, sunshine, fresh air. Please everyone just relax.
Helen - as far as I can see, the only comment in this box that is angry or upset is yours. Apart from that, it was a reasonable and polite discussion. Nobody said that anything was a "disgrace".
Post a Comment