THE new liturgical Use for the Roman Catholic Ordinariate of Our
Lady of Walsingham was due to be launched yesterday with a sung
celebration at Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick
Street, Soho, in London.
The new text for the mass, which includes traditional Anglican
words, was devised for English-speaking Ordinariates, with the aim
of enabling former Anglicans in communion with Rome "to retain
aspects of their spiritual and liturgical traditions". The new
liturgy, drawn up by a commission, includes material from the 1662
Prayer Book, such as the Prayer of Humble Access, as well as from
the Roman Rite.
The Ordinary, Mgr Keith Newton, was due to celebrate, and his
Assistant, Mgr Andrew Burnham, to preach. The Tudor English unison
setting by Merbecke was chosen for sections such as the Gloria and
Lord's Prayer. Other items included pieces by later English
composers such as Howells, Elgar, and Bairstow.
Mgr Burnham said: "For some time, the Ordinariate has had its
own liturgy, approved by the Holy See, for marriages and funerals;
and the Customary of Our Lady of Walsingham already
provides a daily office in the Anglican tradition. But the
introduction of this new Ordinariate Use is very important, because
it means that we now have our own distinctive liturgy for the mass,
which brings to the Roman rite beautiful Anglican words which have
been hallowed for generations. It gives the Ordinariate unity and a
corporate identity."
The Roman Rite in both its ordinary and extraordinary forms
remains available for use by Ordinariate priests, who are not
required to adopt the new Use, although all will be expected to
familiarise themselves with it. It is expected that some will use
it regularly, while others, especially in parishes with many
"cradle" Roman Catholics, may wish to use it only from time to
time.
As in the Customary, traditional language is used
throughout. Much of the service is familiar from Alternative
Services Series 1 and 2, ASB Rite B, and the traditional-language
services in Common Worship. The "Deliver us" prayer
(embolism) at the Lord's Prayer is the old version found in the
English Missal.
The invitation to confession, and the confession, absolution,
and Comfortable Words are close to 1662; and they follow the
Prayers of the People/Bidding Prayers, for which alternatives are
provided, including one close to Series 1/1928, and the prayer for
"all sorts and conditions". Similarly, there are offertory
sentences before the Roman offertory prayers and canon.
The rubrics appear to allow for local variation in, for example,
whether the Introductory Rite is said at the altar or sedilia, and
whether the Gospel is read at the altar or a legilium.
There are a few fresh renderings into "traditional language".
For example, one of the offertory prayers reads: "Blessed art thou,
O Lord, God of all creation, for of thy bounty have we received
this bread which we offer unto thee, fruit of the earth and the
work of human hands: whence it shall become for us the bread of
life."