Monday, December 18, 2006

Full active participation

Today I came across this video of a Missa Cantata from the church of St Nicholas du Chardonet in Paris which is run by the Society of St Pius X. It is one of the most beautifuly produced films of the traditional Mass I have seen (and I`ve seen a lot!). I`m not too keen on the reader for the epistle or the vernacular hymns but it is a wonderful example of what a parish Sunday Mass can be. However the interior of St Mary`s Forest Hall might need a bit of work to come up to this standard! Let`s hope there is some reconciliation with the Society and the Holy See before too long.

7 comments:

Monica said...

I've just watched this video and it is superb. Wonderful choir singing the plainchant and a beautiful motet 'Dextera Domine'; lots of devout servers; great sermon (a woman seemed to be writing it down while the priest preached); large congregation, many of them young people and families.

A few oddities, which must be quite liberal for the SSPX - no Gradual and truncated Alleuia and Gospel by the celebrant (might have been due to video editing, I suppose); post-Consecration motet; woman taking the collection; singing the 'Salve Regina' during the Last gospel. But none of these interfered with the beauty and solemnity of the Mass itself.

Let's hope that if the Motu Proprio does what it is rumoured to do and also reconciles the SSPX, we might occasionally get back to the beautiful transcedence of the Roman Liturgy in our parishes Churches.

Fr Michael Brown said...

I thought it was exceptional too. I didn`t watch every minute and fast-forwarded at times, but will come back to it.

Anonymous said...

What has the world come to when a woman taking the collection has to be seen as liberal!!

roydosan said...

I attended an evening weekday sung Mass there about six months ago. The church was absolutely packed. A largely female choir sang polyphonic motets and another choir (I believe - as I was sat at the back of this rather large church) sang the propers and ordinary. The most amazing thing though, was seeing several members of the congregation, liber usualis in hand, singing the propers! Now that is what I call active participation of the faithful!

Fr Michael Brown said...

Roydosan, that is quite amazing.I have been there a couple of times but not for Mass as yet. I may be in paris next year and hope I`ll get to call in for Mass.

Fr Michael Brown said...

Dear anonymous, if you were familiar with the views on women expressed by some members of the SSPX then I think you would be surprised by this.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry,but I'd have to disagree with your comments about the Paris Mass.It's a sad day when a priest of the Society of Saint Pius X doesn't seem to know what a biretta is!They also seem to think it is acceptable for men and women (with uncovered heads)to be sitting with each other during the Holy Sacrifice.And to crown this sorry spectacle a black altar boy!
They are obviously Commie Pinkos or at least Freemasons.