This past Sunday, I was privileged to assist at a special diocesan Mass with Bishop Morlino in honor of John Paul II. I was happy to see some elements of continuity, as is usual with Bishop Morlino.
Bishop Morlino's standard altar arrangement
Bishop also sung most of the celebrant’s parts, such as the preface and collects (more on this below…), which is another wonderful step forward. However, he also did something I’ve not seen before: he used two collects: one for the Ascension, directly followed by the one from the common (of pastors, I believe), for John Paul II. He did the same after communion. While in the OF, only one collect is to be used, that of the Mass being celebrated, there’s a wonderful tradition in the EF of praying more than one collect when there are multiple commemorations or overlapping feasts.
What a wonderful way to express continuity with the past, while also celebrating such a wonderful pope! And before you rubricists of you flip out, don’t forget that the Holy Father also occasionally does similar things in Rome, so this is not unheard of.
Some people say that we don’t need to drag the liturgy into the past. Here’s my simple rebuttal: We’re not going backwards, but sometimes when you get off the road, you need to turn around in your seat to see where the road is.
Veil the tabernacle, the chalice and the ladies! Let fiddlebacks abound! Let every priest tie on a maniple! Let every priest wear a biretta (and use a beretta, if needed)! Bring it on, people!
Wonderful! I had no idea the OF Mass even allowed a second Collect. That’s one aspect I’ve always thought is much better in the EF. If two saints’ feast days fall on the same day, celebrate one, commemorate the other. Now the priest just picks one and omits the other (or says the Mass of the feria and omits all optional memorials). And, in Advent and Lent, we can have both the prayers of the penitential season, and still commemorate the saint.
I hope we see a resurgence in this “element of continuity!” We need to pray for the intercession of as many holy saints as possible in this age.
Ok, I’ll be honest, the OF does not envision more than one collect. However, like I mentioned in the post, this is not unheard of for multiple reasons:
1) The Holy Father has done similar things.
2) It’s not like we’re making this stuff up, or pulling it out of thin air. There is a history behind it, unlike some of the many new liberal liturgical practices.
Indeed, the Holy Father has done other similar things — like include the Gradual rather than a Responsorial Psalm (http://wdtprs.com/blog/2011/12/something-amazing-and-revolutionary-during-the-holy-fathers-midnight-mass-which-i-missed/). I have read that His Holiness also has the choir sing the traditional 3×3 Kyrie frequently.
And, now that I think of it, in the Divine Office of Paul VI, during Lent commemorations of Saints (an extra reading in the OOR, extra Collect at MP and EP) can be made in place of memorials. Perhaps the “Reform of the Reform” — if and when it comes — will include more opportunities for commemorations.
True, but the gradual is actually in the rubrics and is allowed per the GIRM. Admittedly, commemorations are not. However, I’m not complaining! Let the commemorations and graduals, Baroque architecture and Roman chasubles rain down wonderfully.