Stupid Times Headline

Pope set to bring back Latin Mass that divided the Church. Oh for heaven's sake! You could just as well argue that the introduction of the Novus Ordo divided the Church. I wouldn't personally support that view entirely - I think that the division goes down to basic doctrine first of all. You could also make a cogent argument that the Classical Rite itself united the Church - that I would go along with.

We are told that the Old Rite was "restricted by most bishops". Actually it was totally outlawed by most Bishops - the ones who allowed restricted use were the more sympathetic ones. Apparently, this
led to the introduction of the new Mass in the vernacular to make it more accessible to contemporary audiences.
Well that's a telling turn of phrase! It is true that a liturgist of some note told seminarians some years ago that they should use Terry Wogan as a model for developing their skills at "presiding". For that kind of celebration, "audience" would be about right.

The article refers to Fr Martin Edwards' meeting with Cardinal Zen and a post on the "Cornell Society blog" (which is in fact called the "The Cornell Society for a Good Time"): Universal Indult Already Signed? Naturally, I am not the only one to have visited their blog in response to this mention. They have an excellent post in response Here Comes Everybody in which they say:
To anyone who has found his way here from any blog or news service, even those of dubious enough reporting quality to rely on rumors in half-named blogs for important news, we offer you our welcome. Our Queen is the Blessed Virgin Mary; our King her Son; our regent the Supreme Pontiff. Please enjoy your time here, be kind if you should choose to comment on our posts, and, before you leave, please take a moment to pray for us and our intentions to the Triune God.
The Times summary of the "Tridentine Mass" is amusing:
The Tridentine Mass is celebrated entirely in Latin, except for a few words and phrases in Greek and Hebrew. There are long periods of silence and the priest has his back to the congregation
Not that "Alleluia", "Amen" or "Hosanna" are in the new rite at all. The priest has his back to the congregation - except when he is speaking to them, of course. And, the Novus Ordo can be celebrated facing Eastwards; and in Latin ... oh why bother!

The journalist, Ruth Gledhill, also has a post on her blog Rite of Return, with a lengthy quote from Cardinal Ratzinger and a YouTube video of Benediction in the St Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Ecuador.

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