Reform of the Reform

It is very evident that there was a strong rupture between the liturgy prior to Vatican II and that after Vatican II. I will venture to say that, with all things, some changes were good and some were bad. For example, Ven. Pope Pius XII was a proponent of the so-called "Dialogue Mass" so that people could more actively participate in the liturgy. I, also, am fond of the congregation offering the responses. I am also a proponent of the vernacular in the liturgy. The earliest Mass was in Greek and later in Latin because it was the "language of the day." The Orthodox have largely kept to the custom of translating the Divine Liturgy into the native language of the people, except in cases of Church Slavonic.

On the down side in an effort to make the liturgy "more approachable," the prayers and components of Mass were made to simplistic. Not only in abominable things like the "Eucharistic Prayers for Children," but in many places. The Missal goes from this prayer for the First Sunday of Advent in the Tridentine Missal:

Stir up Thy power, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and come: that from the threatening dangers of our sins we may deserve to be rescued by Thy protection, and to be saved by Thy deliverance. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.

To the following in the 2nd Edition of the Roman Missal:

All-powerful God, increase our strength of will for doing good that Christ may find an eager welcome at his coming and call us to his side in the kingdom of heaven.

It is evident that they are not even remotely related. Fortunately, Pope Benedict XVI reformed the Missal to make it more formalized in language. My personal preference would have been a restoration of the 1968 Missal, with propers matched to the Tridentine Missal as well as one "Eucharistic Prayer." But, my insight really doesn't matter!

Even before the 3rd Missal Edition, there was an effort to promote the "reform of the reform." For many people this was a clear attempt at compromise. There is often objection to the Tridentine Mass, and, to be frank, it doesn't appeal to everyone. The reform of the reform re-created reverent, prayerful liturgies.

Many traditional blogs are now saying that the reform of the reform is "dead." They say that there should have been an effort to restore the so-called "Extraordinary Form." I disagree for the above reasons. Regardless of if people like it, the Mass was changed in 1970. To so radically change things back to the Extraordinary Form would be impossible. However, liturgy has greatly improved in many places because of the efforts of Pope Benedict and others. Devotions have been encouraged, prayerful and reverent liturgies have been promoted, and traditional rubrics have been supported.

Even if Pope Francis breaks tradition with his liturgies, it does not impact the parish life. To be frank, very few Catholics are watching EWTN to examine Papal liturgies. Francis may personally break liturgical customs, but the General Instruction on the Roman Missal is still very clear in the Novus Ordo. Cardinals may eschew their lavish lifestyles under the Francis papacy, and Rome's Congregations may change. However, for life in the parish things can continue to be reverent and prayerful.

"We must have confidence in God, Who is what He always has been, and we must not be disheartened because things turn out contrary to us." - St. Philip