I know how to find the libretti on the Vatican News Service. What puzzles me is the small amount of information they ... or the tv commentators ... give.
I would have liked information about the two vernacular hymns.
I would have appreciated information about which community supplied the Greek Deacon, and who he was. From one of the Roman colleges? From Grottaferrata?
The Greek Gospel on Sunday morning struck me as just about the only part of the service, where I felt quite at home! I recall that at the Inauguration of Benedict XVI, it looked as though some of the Separated Byzantine Representatives turned their backs on, or looked away at a 90 degree angle, at his point. But, as ever on these occasions, the pious Commentariate Voice droned condescendingly on imparting obvious 'information'. It would be nice, just occasionally, to be told something not-so-obvious. But I get the impression that Vatican TV are terrified of anything unscripted.
Last Sunday's Commentatrix just kept saying that the Greek Gospel happened because that was the original language ... actually, I partly agreed with her. It's about forty years now since I stopped believing in all the rubbish about the Lord habitually using Aramaic!
The Roman Pontiff was awkwardly fitted into an angle on the altar-platform. I seem to recall that, in the first millennium, he sat on his throne and the Most Blessed Sacrament was solemnly brought to him there for him to receive sitting. I wonder how intelligently they're coping with having an infirm pope.
The poor old celebrating bishop seemed to have no idea ... for example ... what to do with his hands. I think we have now moved beyond and outside the period in which such stand-ins know vaguely what they're supposed to be doing because in their green youth they experienced the Authentic Roman Mass.
According to the libretti, the Eucharistic Prayer at both the Liturgy in nocte, and the Liturgy in die, avoided the use of the Roman Canon. Is this now usual?
Dear father Hunwicke,
ReplyDeletealso watching the transmission of the mass in die, I think the omission of a homily and the choice of if I got it correctly the second canon with the interjection for easter was due to the fact that His Holiness wanted the mass as short as possible, probably due to his health.
The german commentator on TV, a prelate, gave this as a reason.
The poor old cardinal celebtrating in die was in fact the dean of the college, His Eminency Cardinal Re. If I remember correctly about his birthday and the day of his ordination, he had about 12 years of the old ritus romanus before the novus ordo came....
At least he got the latin correctly, if a little italian.
On EWTN there is an infuriating commentatrix who prattles on so that you can hear nothing being said.
ReplyDeleteI thought the Roman Canon was compulsory on days with a proper Communicates.
How young is cardinal Re? I "got in "16 years of the Ritus Romanus Authenticus (4 more thsn Re), before the Novus Ordo was introduced, and happily, in that same year entered a collegio where the Novus Ordo was not welcome. That must make me older than Cardinal Re! PS. I never watch the televised happenings - liturgical or otherwise - of Jorge Bergoglio: much too depressing.
ReplyDelete@Albertus
ReplyDeleteGiovanni Battista Cardinal Re was born January 30th, 1934.
He had his ordination March 3rd, 1957.
@vetusta ecclesia
ReplyDeleteWhat would be the point in printing the interjections to the second and third canon in an approved roman missal in the vernacular, if they could not be used?
The forth canon (which of course always goes with its proper prefation) should not be used on days with proper Communicantes....
The EWTN commentators are also being heard over radio, and thus have been inculcated to have a horror of "dead air." Unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteThere are better ways to do commentary, and without allowing dead air. But they really need some old school guy to demonstrate it.