SP: One year on

Today is the first anniversary of Motu Proprio, Summorum Pontificum, and where has it got us? Unfortunately for those who said it would have no effect whatsoever it has got us further than even we could possibly imagine. People up and down the country are demanding Mass in the Extraordinary form from their Parish Priests who are happily providing it for them. More priests, deacons and seminarians are learning the rubrics of the so-called 'old' Mass than ever before. The Archbishop of Liverpool has just provided a personal parish for the sole celebration of the TLM. And of course there have been two instances of history-making Masses in Westminster Cathedral with Bishop John Arnold being the first to say a Pontifical Mass and Cardinal Hoyos being the first to say Mass at the Throne there since 1969.

When coming to the parish I had to bring six months back copies of Faith Magazine and Mass of Ages because I hadn't had time to read them and so after finally getting that time I noticed a change has come to the latter of these journals. A year later it is still revelling in the delights of the Holy Father's generosity but its reputation for being a catalogue for fine vestments and a rag for anti-Novus Ordo liturgists seems to have changed (in the current edition at least) to a fine spiritual journal. The first article is an incredible comparison between the Mass and the Last Supper (the first Mass) that is relevant to both forms of the Roman Rite. Another example is a piece on the reception of Holy Communion in the East and West since the Early Church. Along with a beautiful obituary by Fr Sean Finnegan of Dom Gerard Calvet this quarter made for some very Spiritually uplifting reading, let's hope the editor keeps this up.

So what does the future hold for the the usus antiquior in this country? Access to training and celebrating the Extraordinary Form in Seminaries? Maybe even the option to receive the Ministries or even be ordained in the Traditional Rites?

Keep Praying,

God Bless you all,

The Seminarians