Liturgically-minded readers will easily note the similarity in Mass postures with the Novus Ordo and wonder why I’m advocating them; I am not. The similarity here [...] reflect rather the influence of the pre-conciliar Roman liturgy on the development of the Novus Ordo and not vice versa, since these postures predate the Novus Ordo: Fortescue’s Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described was published in 1917; Lasance [...] O’Connell [...] Sheen [...] McManus [...] None of these authors could possibly have been influenced by the Novus Ordo, which was introduced only in 1969.
[...]
Although Bugnini may have fabricated the liturgy, he cannot be accused of making up laity Mass postures, for the evidence shows they are same as those espoused by pre-conciliar experts dating as far back as 1917 and perhaps even earlier. Rather, as far as Mass postures are concerned, I submit that the Novus Ordo postures (the licit ones described in the General Instructions of the Roman Missal) should serve as our historical reference when rethinking our own Mass postures because they reflect the postures prevailing at the time when the 1962 Missal was in force.
I’m truth, this should probably have little bearing on whether or not we do so. (Easy to say, I know. I have two men in my choir who are very dutiful about this, and they always warn me when it happens during rehearsal (deacon comes for viaticum or some such thing) and we briefly pause rehearsal, kneel, and then resume.)but we have been excoriated by some who think we should not do so
isn't really much of a defense of a practice, right?Yet it happens often… during the N.O. very often
To participate in the discussions on Catholic church music, sign in or register as a forum member, The forum is a project of the Church Music Association of America.