Now that the Roman Rite of Mass has two forms side by side it is important, I think, not only that these forms be celebrated but that they be studied.A classic text which should be central to this is Jungman's The Mass of the Roman Rite. This great book, perhaps more than any other like it, speaks about how the classical liturgy developed and the significance of its elements.
Other necessary texts are Sacramentum Caritatis the recent Apostolic Letter of Benedict XVI which is a magnificent and over-arching presentation of the Liturgy to date, and which seeks to direct organic liturgical development.
Redemptionis Sacramentum is also a necessary document as it defines the reformed Rite of Paul VI, distinguishing clearly its genuine elements from false appropriations.
There are two other essential documents for today's study of the Liturgy: the Council's text Sacrosanctum Concilium which tells us how the Church wishes to embrace the Litugical Movement, and Pius XII's Mediator Dei which originally gave focus to the Liturgical Movement.
These are the texts we should be looking at and discussing today as we endeavour to enter into the Liturgy of the Church in this age. When you've got through this lot, get in touch and I'll give you another reading list!
3 comments:
May I also humble add to this list - The Mass: A study of the Roman Liturgy by Fr Adrian Fortescue.
I am no liturgy buff but I remember Fr. Tim Finigan saying on his blog that the erudite Jungman did get some things wrong, like his argument in favour of mass facing the people - which he later retracted.
"The Spirit of The Liturgy" by Cardinal Ratzinger (may he live to be 100),Ignatius Press, I also found useful, as well as those documents you list, Fr Richard. I still haven`t worked out how to reconcile these writings with reality, though.
I think that it is true to say that the Church, in our part of the world, has, to some extent, lost sight of what the Liturgy is. And also that the Holy Father is looking far ahead to a time when a period of organic liturgical development has taken place. However, those who truly try to engage with the Litugy now will pave the way for a more coherent age in the future.
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