FREE THE GENIUS OF THE ROMAN RITE: THE RECEPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW MISSAL PDF SJ Keith F. Pecklers | 160 pages | 29 Dec 2009 | Continuum Publishing Corporation | 9781441104038 | English | New York, United States The Genius of the Roman Rite, by Keith Pecklers SJ - PrayTellBlog It developed in the Latin language in the city of Rome and, while distinct Latin liturgical rites such as the Ambrosian Rite remain, the Roman Rite has over time been adopted almost everywhere in the Western Church. In medieval times there were very many local variants, even if they did not all amount to distinct rites, but uniformity grew as a result of the invention of printing and in obedience to the decrees of the — Council of Trent see Quo primum. Several Latin liturgical rites that survived into the 20th century were abandoned voluntarily in the wake of the Second Vatican Council. The Roman Rite is now the most widespread liturgical rite not only in the Latin Church but in Christianity as a whole. It is now normally celebrated in the form promulgated by Pope Paul VI in and revised by Pope John Paul II inbut use of the Roman Missal remains authorized as an extraordinary form under the conditions indicated in the papal document Summorum Pontificum. The Roman Rite is noted for its sobriety of expression. Concentration on the exact moment of change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ has led, in the Roman Rite, to the consecrated Host and the chalice being shown to the people immediately after the Words of Institution. If, as was once most common, the priest offers Mass while facing ad apsidem towards the apsead orientem towards the east if the apse is at the east end of the church, he shows them to the people, who are behind him, by elevating them above his head. As each is shown, a bell once called "the sacring bell" is rung and, if incense is used, the host and chalice are incensed General Instruction of the Roman Missal Sometimes the external bells of the church are rung as well. Other characteristics that distinguish the Roman Rite from the rites of the Eastern Catholic Churches are genuflections and keeping both hands joined together. We find the prayers of our Canon in the treatise de Sacramentis and allusions to it in the 4th century. So our Mass goes back, without essential change, to the age when it first developed out of the oldest liturgy of all. It is still redolent of that liturgy, of the days when Caesar ruled the world and thought he could stamp out the faith of Christ, when our fathers met together before dawn and sang a hymn to Christ as to a God. The final result of our inquiry is that, in spite of The Genius of the Roman Rite: The Reception and Implementation of the New Missal problems, in spite of later changes, there is not in Christendom another rite so venerable as ours. Eastern rites have been modified later too; some of them quite late. No Eastern Rite now used is as archaic as the Roman Mass. In the same book, Fortescue acknowledged that the Roman Rite underwent profound changes in the course of its development. His ideas are summarized in the article on the "Liturgy of the Mass" that he wrote for the Catholic Encyclopedia published between and in which he pointed out that the earliest form of the Roman Mass, as witnessed in Justin Martyr 's 2nd-century account, is of Eastern type, while the Leonine and Gelasian Sacramentaries, of about the 6th century, "show us what is practically our present Roman Mass". In the interval, there was what Fortescue called "a radical change". He quoted the theory of A. Leo I began to make these changes; Gregory I finished the process and finally recast the Canon in the form it still has. In the same article Fortescue went on to speak of the many alterations that the Roman The Genius of the Roman Rite: The Reception and Implementation of the New Missal of Mass underwent from the 7th century on see Pre-Tridentine Massin particular through the infusion of Gallican elements, noticeable chiefly in the variations for the course of the year. This infusion Fortescue called the "last change since Gregory the Great" who died in Before the high Middle Agesseveral books were used at Mass: a Sacramentary with the prayersone or more books for the Scriptural readings, and one or more books for the antiphons and other chants. Gradually, manuscripts came into being that incorporated parts of more than one of these books, leading finally to versions that were complete in themselves. The version of the Mass in the s edition became known as the Tridentine Mass. Various relatively minor revision were made in the centuries following, culminating in the edition promulgated by Pope John XXIII. The edition of the Roman Missal was promulgated by Pope Paul VIissued in response to the council, introduced several major revisions, including simplifying the rituals and permitting translations into local vernacular languages. The version of the Mass in this missal, known colloquially as the Mass of Paul VIis currently in use throughout the world. The Roman Rite no longer has the pulpitumor rood screena dividing wall characteristic of certain medieval cathedrals in northern Europe, or the iconostasis or curtain that heavily influences the ritual of some other rites. In large churches of the Middle Ages and early Renaissance the area near the main altar, reserved for the clergy, was separated from the nave the area for the laity by means of a rood screen extending from the floor to the beam that supported the great cross the rood of the church and sometimes topped by a loft or singing gallery. However, by about the Roman Rite had quite abandoned rood screens, although some fine examples survive. Gregorian chant is the traditional chant of the Roman Rite. Being entirely monophonic, it does not have the dense harmonies of present-day chanting in the Russian and Georgian churches. Except in such pieces as the graduals and alleluiasit does not have melismata as lengthy as those of Coptic Christianity. However, the music of the Roman Rite became very elaborate and lengthy when Western Europe adopted polyphony. While the choir sang one part of the Mass the priest said that part quietly to himself and continued with other parts, or he was directed The Genius of the Roman Rite: The Reception and Implementation of the New Missal the rubrics to sit and wait for the conclusion of the choir's singing. Therefore it became normal in the Tridentine Mass for the priest to say Mass, not sing it, in contrast to the practice in all Eastern rites. Only on special occasions and in the principal Mass in monasteries and cathedrals was the Mass sung. The Catholic Church sees the Mass or Eucharist as "the source and summit of the Christian life", to which the other sacraments are oriented. The ordained celebrant priest or bishop is understood to act in persona Christias he recalls the words and gestures of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper and leads the congregation always "we", never "I" in praise of God. Although similar in outward appearance to the Anglican Mass or Lutheran Mass, [6] [7] the Catholic Church distinguishes between its own Mass and theirs on the basis of what it views as the validity of the orders of their clergy, and as a result, does not ordinarily permit intercommunion between members of these Churches. Within the fixed structure outlined below, which is specific to the Ordinary Form of the Roman Ritethe Scripture readings, the antiphons sung or recited during the entrance procession or at Communion, and certain other prayers vary each day according to the liturgical calendar. For many variations and options not mentioned here, see the complete Order of the Mass. As regards those of other Christian faiths receiving Communion from a Catholic priest, Canon allows that the sacrament may be shared with those "who cannot approach a minister of their own community", provided they believe in the real presence and are in the state of grace". This is frequently the case with the incarcerated. The priest enters, with a deacon if there is one, and altar servers who may act as crucifercandle- bearers and thurifer. The priest makes the sign of the cross with the people and formally greets them. Of the options offered for the Introductory Rites, that preferred by liturgists would bridge the praise of the opening hymn with the Glory to God which follows. On Sundays and solemnities, three Scripture readings are given. On other days there are only two. If there are three readings, the first is from the Old Testament a term wider than " Hebrew Scriptures ", since it includes the Deuterocanonical Booksor the Acts of the Apostles during Eastertide. The first reading is followed by a psalm, recited or sung responsorially. The second reading is from the New Testament epistles, typically from one of the Pauline epistles. A Gospel acclamation is then sung as the Book of the Gospels is processed, sometimes with incense and candles, to the ambo; if not sung it may be omitted. The final reading and high point of the Liturgy of the Word is the proclamation of the Gospel by the deacon or priest. On all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligationand preferably at all Masses, a homily or sermon that draws upon some aspect of the readings or the liturgy itself, is then given. The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the preparation of the altar and gifts, [20] while the collection may be taken.