Tuesday, August 15, 2006

"Heresy of Formlessness" from Ignatius Press - Liturgy

Heresy of Formlessness

Many thanks to our readers for pointing out this new title from Ignatius Press. Here is the description:

"Sure to be the subject of much discussion, this new book takes a look at the post Vatican II approach to liturgy through the eyes of a man who says the Church has lost much and gained nothing through the promulgation of the “Novus Ordo” Mass. An accomplished novelist and writer, German author Martin Mosebach gives a plea for a return to the preconciliar Latin Rite, giving a persuasive and compelling argument against what he sees as a jarring break in tradition.
Yet there is another way to approach the Liturgy.

"In his foreword, Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., points out the difference between Mosebach’s approach and “those who, like myself, the Adoremus Society, and—I think I can assert this with confidence—Pope Benedict XVI, advocate a rereading and restructuring of the liturgical renewal intended by the Second Vatican Council, but in light of the Church’s two-thousand-year tradition.”

It is interesting that Ignatius has printed this book, given, as Fr. Fessio notes in the foreword, that they are very reform-of-the-reform minded, and this author is apparently calling for a return to the pre-conciliar rite.

Personally, I am of the school of "co-existence". At least for our time I believe this is the path we are on, with neither the dissolution or marginalization of the classical rite on the one hand, nor the abolishment of the modern Roman rite (or put another way, the universal return of the classical rite) on the other.

Should be an interesting read wherever one's thinking might fall. Kudos to Ignatius for bringing it to the table for discussion and debate.

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