14 May 2014

But are Cuckoos' Eggs Roman? (3) (WARNING Contains some irony)

Fr Aidan suggested that the 1969 Missal should be renamed the Ritus Communis instead of the Ritus Romanus, since it "contains more features of Oriental provenance than the Roman rite has ever known historically"; he thinks it might be useful  for "new ritual families" in, for example, India; or for converted Western Evangelicals (who, unlike former Anglo-Catholics, do not share a passion for the Roman Canon). But, as my favourite liturgist, Lenin, would put it, what is to be done? It is obviously important to do something fast, before the Advertising Standards people realise that they should be prosecuting the publishers for printing a misleading description on the spines of all our ROMAN MISSALs. Perhaps the simplest solution would be to use small razors to cut the cuckoos' eggs, Eucharistic Prayers II, III, and IV, out of this sadly invaded (and overcrowded) nest. Probably Mr Cameron would be glad to take Fr Aidan's advice and ship the cuttings out to India as part of his Foreign Aid programme. When visiting a strange church, keep a razor handy.

FOOTNOTE: WHEN THE ROMAN MISSAL IS NEXT REPRINTED ...
(1) It will have to contain the Cuckoo Canons, so as to conform canonically with the Editio Typica. But their pages should be perforated at the inner edge, so as to make them easily removable without any need for a razor.
(2) Could it, please, have bound in with it, as the previous translation did, the Missale Parvum: which comprised Latin texts of the Ordo Missae with a basic working minimum of Latin propers? This was for priests finding themselves celebrating in countries where they had no knowledge of the dominant language used liturgically. It would also be useful for clergy who, in accordance with the clear expectation oSacrosanctum Concilium para 54, wish to celebrate in a mixture of Latin and the vernacular. Our old English Missal, dear old volume, had the Offertory prayers, and everything from Te igitur onwards, in both Latin and English on facing pages or columns.
(3) The tabs are wrongly placed. For example, as you move on from the Preface to the Te igitur, the relevant tab ought to be on the left page, the one with the picture. And so on.


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