The Extrordinary Mass at St. Jane's in Abita Springs is doing very well

I got to attend my second EF Mass today at St. Jane's; the first full Mass I have been able to attend since the EF returned to our parish the first week of Advent.  I hope to highlight some of the things I have learned or think will be helpful to share.  First let me say that the EF Mass, which takes place every Sunday at noon, is very healthy.  Attendance seems to be well over 200 and has hit 300 over the course of the 7-8 weeks since it's return.  The worship remains sublime with an outstanding choir, incredible altar servers and the dedicated effort of our pastor Fr. Ken Allen.  In addition to Fr. Ken, several other area priests have volunteered to help with the EF Mass and are equally dedicated.

Since my last article let me share a few random thoughts.  Although I knew this, attending Mass in the EF reminds you that this Mass follows the 1962 Missal, that means it also follows the calendar attached to that Missal.  Today the EF Mass celebrated the Holy Family, something celebrated in the Ordinary Form a few weeks ago.  The celebration of the Holy Family is part of the Epiphany, which in the EF was celebrated on January 6th.  Today in the OF we celebrated the baptism of the Lord; in the EF that will be January 13th.  For Catholics who attend both forms of the Mass, a practice highly recommended by Pope Benedict XVI when he promulgated Summorum Pontificum, one should keep abreast of the "ordo" of both the OF and the EF.

On a personal level, as ordained clergy, I have been practicing the formula for the words that must be spoken at the distribution of Holy Communion.  At some of the EF Masses at St. Jane, the Presider has been assisted by another Priest, including our Parochial Vicar, Fr. Kevin Delerno.  I was prepared today to assist Fr. Ken but was happy to see Fr. Kevin ready to help.  Naively, since we simply say "Body of Christ" in the OF Mass, I assumed we said Corpus Christi in the EF.  Indeed not!  Here are the actual words said by the Priest, and a Deacon when assisting, in distributing Holy Communion to the faithful:

 

 

"Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam tuam in vitam aeternam.  Amen.

 

Translated to English this means:

 

May the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve your soul unto life everlasting. Amen.

 

Notice that the Priest(or Deacon) says the Amen, not the communicant.  Also Priest(or Deacon) makes the sign of the Cross with the consecrated host at the words Jesu Christi.

 

Finally I'd like to expand on some of the comments from my first post about the EF Mass at St. Jane's.  I am still impressed by the visual of large, young families, all dressed in their "Sunday best" attending Mass and fully participating.  I'm not saying I've never witnessed this at an OF Mass but it's dominant at the EF I am witnessing in Abita Springs.  Also, the beauty of the Mass comes from the fact that all the worship is oriented to God, Priest, servers and people together.  I think I would be a fan of ad orientem worship even for the OF. 

 

One last point; a probably well intentioned parishioner asked me(told me I guess) that my last post indicated that I am "changing".  I'll admit I am changing but my admission is not on the same page as the intended comment.  I have changed in my appreciation of the EF because I have now actually worshipped in the EF a few times and I desire, as a Deacon, to be able to assist as/when needed.  I also have admired the efforts of Fr. Ken to learn the intricacies of the EF and his desire to welcome the entire EF community to our home; their home.  But I fear the comment was more along the lines of you've changed, you are going backwards, you are no longer "with it".  Here is my response.  The Church has given us, in our particular Latin rite, the opportunity to worship in the Ordinary and Extraordinary Form.  The OF, for now, is going to be available much more often than the EF.  Pope Benedict has stated that both of these forms of worship or valid and equal in beauty and dignity.  The problem with any Mass is if it is not done well, if it is not directed to true worship of God, it will disappoint.  I am happy to say that I have been at many OF masses that were beautifully worshipped and sadly, have been to a few that were poorly presented.  I imagine that years ago there were EF Masses not well done too.  All I can tell anyone who wants to know is that all the EF Masses I have attended here at St. Jane's and previously in Lacombe, were beautiful liturgies.  Having both the OF and the EF available to the faithful helps many to simply "pray as they can, not as they can't".  I will say here, to be able to worship God in liturgy under either form is a good thing.

 

I am so very happy that the EF Mass is one of the 7 weekend liturgies offered at St. Jane, including the one OF Mass offered at our mission at St. Michael's in Bush.  This is a robust faith community.  I continue to be so pleased and somewhat in awe that the parish I joined 20 years ago that had 3-4 masses, now has 7 masses, including the EF and the mass offered in Spanish.  And attendance is more than good at all 7.  For that I say, Deo Gratias; thanks be to God!

 

Non nobis Senior, non nobis, tamen ut vestri nomen existo palma.