James MacMillan at EF Mass in Amsterdam


Last week I wrote about the canonical establishment of the FSSP house in Amsterdam. Today, James MacMillan tells of his visit to the St Agneskerk during a trip to Amsterdam to conduct at the Concertgebouw. This was only the third time that he had attended the usus antiquior Mass but the title of his blogpost does not convey any ambiguity concerning his feelings: An Extraordinary Form Mass in Amsterdam – much more inspiring than the usual trendy rubbish.

Musicians who have worked hard to help people participate actively at Mass are usually struck by the way in which the people in the congregation at the older form of the Mass sing the parts of the Mass that pertain to them. James MacMillan also noticed this in Amsterdam: his observations would be borne out by a visit to any parish that regularly celebrates the extraordinary form.

This is exactly what Vatican II asked for:
"... steps should be taken so that the faithful may also be able to say or to sing together in Latin those parts of the Ordinary of the Mass which pertain to them." (Sacrosanctum Concilium 54)

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