Saturday, September 08, 2007

Another Seminary Introducing the Usus Antiquior into Seminary Liturgical Life

Recently it was reported on the NLM that Holy Apostles Seminary has introduced a weekly Mass in accordance with the usus antiquior.

In addition to that seminary, Kenrick Seminary in the Archdiocese of St. Louis is also offering Holy Mass in Latin weekly, alternating between the Missal of Pope Paul VI and the Missal of Blessed John XXIII. (Mass is also celebrated in Spanish weekly to prepare the seminarians to meet the needs of the growing number of Hispanic faithful.) In light of the recent Motu Proprio, the seminary desided to expand the its use of liturgical Latin and to integrate the classical liturgy in the liturgical life of the seminary.

A part of the philosophy behind this is quite pragmatic: just as in the case of the growing need for American parish priests to have the ability to celebrate the Mass in Spanish, so too will there be a greater need to have the ability to celebrate the Mass in Latin, both in the Pauline missal and in the usus antiquior. But in order for this to most effectively happen, the seminarians need to receive some exposure in the seminary to this. (Quite sensible.)

The first celebration of the 1962 Missale Romanum will be a Solemn High Mass on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Sept 14th. Father Karl Lenhardt of the ICRSS will be the celebrant and Kenrick seminarians will perform all the other roles. It is also reported that some of Kenrick's transitional deacons have become familiar with the roles of deacon and subdeacon for example.

Kenrick seminarians will also form the schola that will execute the Gregorian Chant -- and I am told they should do so quite nicely, already having a strong program in sacred music there.

In preparation, I am also told that the seminarians are already in the process of receiving basic instructions in the classical liturgy.

The NLM will be providing photos of this first Solemn Mass in the seminary, so stay tuned for that.

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