The admirable Lord Bishop of the diocese in which I am domiciled (although, of course, I am incardinated in the Ordinariate) has asked his priests and people to observe October 23 as a day of Reparation for the babies killed since the Abortion Act was passed in this country on that day in the year 1967. He asks clergy to use the Votive (NO) for the Progress of Peoples and to wear the purple vestments of penance.
He suggests, for that day, fasting since midnight the night before Communion and making use of silence at Mass. He particularly suggests that the Offertory Prayers be said secreto. Nice points.
Admirable. I feel strongly inclined to clamber on board his initiative. I wonder which EF Votive one might use ... Salus Populi, perhaps?
How blessed are we to have such a great Pastor.
ReplyDeleteSince that part of the City of Oxford south of the river is in True Berkshire and thus Portsmouth diocese whereas the other part is in Birmingham it is unclear of whom you speak. My guess would be the former
ReplyDeleteVotive of the Holy Innocents?
ReplyDeleteI don't have it in front of me, but I believe the FSSP ordo proposes the Votive Mass for Peace on the parallel observance of January 22 in the United States.
ReplyDeleteNot the Mass of the Five Wounds, from our own Ordinariate Missal?
ReplyDeleteHow about the Mass "Misereris"? The colour would be violacea as indicated by the rubric for the Mass, and it can never be wrong to ask God for forgiveness of sins.
ReplyDeleteNow what would be even more impressive is if the bishop in question ordered that Communion was to be received in his diocese only after fasting from midnight and, if it were deemed necessary for evening Masses on days of obligation, that the distribution of Communion was forbidden at them.
ReplyDeleteThat would show real respect for the Eucharist.
A stalwart lady of my acquaintance, having come into full communion with Rome from the Anglican Church of Australia, told me that, if planning to receive Holy Communion at morning Mass, she kept to the old rule of fasting from midnight, but, by analogy, if it were an evening Mass she fasted from noon instead. Observing such a would seem more reasonable than utterly forbidding Communion at an evening Mass - consider that those seeking to communicate in the days when one had to fast from midnight would attend an early morning Mass at 6 am or 7 am; it would thus seem reasonable to fast from noon if one wished to communicate at an evening Mass at 6 pm or 7 pm.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Eucharist was instituted ut sumatur, so I would not wish to encourage Masses at which those assisting are forbidden to communicate. There was a debate in the eighteenth century as to the propriety of communicating at Requiem Masses, but after some wavering the Congregation of Rites wisely ruled that it was not forbidden. The very prayers of the Mass referring to the reception of Communion, being in the plural, indicate the Church's expectation that those present communicate - as the Holy Council of Trent, lawfully assembled in the Holy Ghost, piously wished were always the case, if only the people be properly disposed.
The Pro remissione peccatorum seems like a good option.
ReplyDeleteI do have the FSSP Ordo in front of me, and yes, it proposes the Votive Mass for Peace.
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ReplyDelete"... if it were an evening Mass she fasted from noon instead."
I have been told, although I have never investigated the matter, that back when Vigil celebrations of the Divine Liturgy actually took place in the Byzantine tradition - one finds Vigil liturgies appointed in various typical, but they are, so far as I am aware, seldom or never served in the evening among the Orthodox (while Eastern Catholics all seems to follow the "one-hour fast" rule) - a fast from midday was what was expected of celebrants and intending communicants alike.
Whilst Bishop Egan's initiative is obviously to be commended, I'm not quite sure why he has chosen 23 October as the date since the Abortion Act 1967 received Royal Assent on 27 October 1967 and came into force on 27 April 1968.
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