The definitive new Order of Mass for the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham

Yes. It's finally out.

And it's excellent.

The definitive new Order of Mass for the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham is an excellent combination of the old and the new, of the Roman and the best parts of the Sarum use that were preserved by the old Anglican ritual.

The new Order of Mass begins with something very familiar to traditional Latin-rite Catholics:

"I shall go in unto the altar of God.

To the God who giveth joy to my youth..."

Yes, folks! It is Psalm 42, the ancient opening prayer of the traditional rite.

And the new Order of Mass ends with the Last Gospel.

It also retains the "prayer of humble access" so familiar to Anglicans and other such prayers, based upon the Sarum use but significantly amended by Cranmer. Fortunately, they are inoffensive per se despite having origins in the hands of villains like Cranmer. The Catholic Church can turn even what was originally delivered from foul hands into something good and beneficial if it is not intrinsically faulty.

So - it is an interesting but surprisingly harmonious mix.

What will be particularly significant about this new Ordinariate missal is that it will be very important bridge between the ancient and the new and will, I believe, persuade many who now are suspicious of the old Roman rite, why it is, in fact, beautiful and better.

It will also help a lot of Anglicans to see and understand better the beauty and truth of the Catholic Church and will help allay many of their unjustified suspicions and prejudices.

Some will not like it - that's almost inevitable. They'll say it's "too Anglican" or "too Roman", "too trad" or "too new" and some will deplore the use of "thee" and "thine".

I disagree.

I think it will be a useful bridge.

Of course, I prefer the ancient rite of the Church but this is, I believe, a good work in our very troubled times.

Let's not be quick to condemn this.

 

"I shall go in unto the altar of God, to the God who giveth joy to my youth"

 

 

+++