Sunday 20 May 2012

A Solution to the 'Hail Mary Problem'?

The answer to Bishop Kieran Conry's concerns over the Hail Mary in Mass?
The Catholic Herald this week carried a story that the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton has criticised the use of the Hail Mary in the Mass, I believe because it is a national custom not mentioned in the rubrics of the Universal Church.

English Catholics are, however, fond of the Marian prayer at the end of the bidding prayers in the Mass and many would be sad to see it disappear.

Is His Lordship perhaps hinting that it would be prudent to overcome such innovations and abuses by introducing the Faithful in England and Wales to Mass in the language of the Universal Church, perhaps in the ancient rite? After all, this would bring an end to national customs, the aforementioned and other liturgical abuses such as the use of pottery chalices.  This, I believe, would be a sensitive and pastoral way in which to bring to the Mass in your average parish both a universality in keeping with our communion with our brothers and sisters abroad as well as with those who have gone before us. Problem solved and the Faithful get to say the Hail Mary at the end of Mass during the Leonine prayers, as well as the prayer to St Michael.

2 comments:

Lynda said...

Yes, the ending of the Novus Ordo experiment was, of course, what His Lordship was thinking of!

ORA PRO NOBIS said...

At time in the past we used to have (during separate periods) the Prayer for England and the Prayer to St. Michael.

Both of which we could do with at this moment in history.

Thank goodness the priest in Louth (home of the Lincolnshire Uprising) has started to say the Prayer for England after adoration.

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