More on Liturgical Aberration....

As I continue a conversation with a priest friend, the following came up for discussion:


"We nonetheless got a liturgy that was manufactured by the committee Pope Paul VI established."

Actually, "the committee" was formed in 1948.  And it was the brainchild of Bugnini.  (I would hate to think that anyone would think there is revisionist history going on.)

"...what can be done within the liturgical norms of the normative Mass apart from a total revision..."

Nothing.  I think that the horse is so far out of the barn that there is no bringing her back.  I think that it will take a total revision of the Mass.  I think that is what Benedict thinks as well, but doesn't have the gumption to do anything about it.  He doesn't know how to move it out of the realm of the hypothetical and it remains largely an academic exercise, for now.  Sure he's made some cosmetic changes, but mostly they are non-starters.

The Novus Ordo or Missa Normativa (if you would like to call it that) is such an aberration from that which was intended that there is no way to "really" save it.  Too many liberties have been taken.  Too many abuses have be normalized.  To simply turn the altars around and put boys in cassock and surplice is to simply put lipstick on a pig at this point.

I am all for an authentic "reform of the reform."  But...and this is a very big BUT...there must actually be a reform.  Not academic, not hypothetical or even theoretical, there must be an actual reform.  That Father, must come in a total revision of the Novus Ordo and re-application of the 1962 Missale.

So, my thoughts would be very simple.

1.  Abrogate the Novus Ordo
2.  Return to the TLM.
3.  Engage in truly scientific methodology with regard to the Mass (characterize, hypothesize, predict, and experiment) which can work, assuming that the premise is valid in order to begin.
4.  Act upon the methodology in a way which is shares true continuity with the TLM.

There you have it.  Easy peasy.  Except that the liberals won't allow it to actually happen, because their "hard work" to undermine the liturgical life and ultimately the entire life of Holy Mother Church would be dashed.

This is by and large the problem with the whole of the so-called liturgical movement.  It was based upon a false premise.  There was never a "renewal," but rather a revisionist attitude from the start.  When we admit this as being true, then we can start the real work of restoring and reforming the Mass.