This new compulsory memoria is to be observed on the Monday after Whit Sunday. The fact that the Decree establishing it has emerged from the CDW and not from Ecclesia Dei makes clear that it applies to the Ordinary and not at all to the Extraordinary Form. This is confirmed beyond any doubt by the phraseology of the Decree and the details of the Propers issued. Incidentally, the Decree should have provided (as the law does with regard to the - also movable - memoria of the Immaculate Heart) what happens in years when this movable memoria coincides with an immovable compulsory memoria.
The intelligent thing about this innovation is, of course, that it associates our Lady's Motherhood of the Church with the Day of Pentecost, when she sat in the midst of the Apostles as they received the empowering Spirit. But I hope it will not be misused to draw our blessed Lady into the promotion of Bergoglian ecclesiological errors regarding the alleged role of the Holy Ghost in daily inspiring the Roman Pontiff to espouse or disseminate new doctrine.
More broadly ...
Whit Monday, Monday in the Octave of Pentecost when we celebrate with Paschal joy the Gift of the Spirit, is one of the great days in the Traditional Christian Year. Indeed, it is only comparatively recently that it ceased to be a Public Holiday in my own Country. According to my diary, May 21 is still in this year 2018 a Public Holiday in Austria, Belgium, Canada ('Victoria Day'), Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Holland; and, in Byzantine Rite countries, Cyprus, Greece, and Romania.
Gradually, followers of the Roman Rite have been edging back to a proper observance of the Octave of Pentecost. I regret any initiative which contradicts this tendency. I regretted, a few years ago, the creation of a Feast of Christ the High Priest on the Thursday of Whit Week (happily, this Feast is not universally obligatory). I regret all initiatives which go directly against the hope of Pope Benedict XVI that the two forms of the Roman Rite would gradually (painlessly and organically) converge.
In the Ordinariates, the Days in the (restored) Pentecost Octave rank higher than Obligatory Memorials in the General Calendar, so, most fortunately, the new memoria will be permanently occluded. I very much hope there will be no tinkering with this laudable provision!!
Pentecost Monday is also treated with respect in the Byzantine Rite.
And in the Extraordinary Form we already have two feasts of our Lady's Maternity. I would set no diriment impediment to the festival on October 11 having 'and Mother of the Church' added to its title!
I sha'n't consider Comments until I've published the three parts of this. Tomorrow, I shall offer a little background about B Paul VI and Vatican II; and, on Saturday, some words about problems offered by the Hymns.
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6 comments:
Canada: the diary should say Grenada, perhaps. I'm pretty certain Whit Monday has never been a public holiday in Canada. We have celebrated "Victoria Day" since 1901 and since 1950 something on the last Monday in May, which is within a week of Whit Monday about half the time.
I regret all initiatives which go directly against the hope of Pope Benedict XVI that the two forms of the Roman Rite would gradually (painlessly and organically) converge.
If fecund Tradition is forcibly betrothed to Frankenstein she will become a TransLiturgy, a mutant service incapable of regeneration, materially or spiritually.
Keep the Real Mass and The LIl' Licit Liturgy separate and let the Real Mass develop organically and let the Lil' Licit Liturgy die on the artificial vine.
The Traditional Orders are for the average Catholics invisible but their Real Masses are creating little Pelayos who will one day reconquer the Church and restore Tradition although one prays it won't take the 8 centuries it took beginning for Spain to recapture its country from Muslims.
Make no mistake, the young males being raised in the Traditional Orders will become the Don Pelayos (Caves of Covedonga) of Tradition.
The Octaves have (had?) a purpose. That is my objection to this new festival, and also to 'Divine Mercy Sunday' occurring on the Octave of Easter...Quasimodo Sunday, was it? I don't expect the whole world to stand still so that I may enjoy the holidays and observances of my youth. This is certainly more than that. If I am wrong, please correct me.
Mrs. Jones from Oregon
Mary Kay, at least in the case of Divine Mercy Sunday, all that was changed was adding "seu de divina misericordia" to the title of the Sunday in the Missal – the Ordinary Form propers were otherwise unchanged. I don't like the placement of this memorial, but then again, the Octave has been absent from most Catholics' consciousness for decades.
Well, we in Canada do celebrate 24th May, or the Monday preceding it, as Victoria Day. It is also the official observance of Her Majesty The Queen's birthday in this fair Dominion. I've no idea what we celebrate on the last Monday in May - I'd love to know!
Also, in a way, the octave of Easter runs only until Saturday. The same is true of Pentecost. Notably, the dismissal with the double alleluia isn’t used at Vespers on Saturday before Low Sunday.
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