Old Catholic Missal and Ritual

Rating:
Summary: A piece of history...
Review: 'The Old Catholic Missal and Ritual' is a primary text for worship developed by one of the earliest figures in Old Catholicism in the English-speaking world, Archbishop Arnold Harris Mathew. Mathew had a quite colourful history, recounted by many as well as by his own autobiography, candidly entitled 'Episcopal Odyssey'. Whether Mathew was more sinned against than sinner in his travels through Christendom is a debate better engaged elsewhere; suffice it to say that many Old Catholic jurisdictions trace their lines back to him directly or indirectly, and his work toward establishing standards, including the standards of worship contained in the 'Old Catholic Missal and Ritual', remains a primary cornerstone of Old Catholic history.

A missal is a guidebook or instruction book for leading and participating in worship. Catholics, Anglicans and other high-liturgical traditions have missals; it is a more formal text than the BCP or other such primary liturgical sources. During the medieval period, liturgical worship books included the Sacramentary, used by the celebrant of a service; the antiphonale missarum, for use during mass; the lectionary, a set of readings from scripture for the service; and the missal, which was a fusion of the earlier three.

The 'Westminster Dictionary of Worship' states, regarding Old Catholic worship:

'The liturgy is meant to be celebrated in a clear and pure form, bringing the Christological element, in particular, to the fore. Thus the Old Catholic churches play a lively part in the liturgical renewal that is taking place in both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.'

Mathew's development is very traditional, particularly by today's standard. It was developed at a time of increasing mistrust between Anglicans and Roman Catholics, which is part of the difficulty with Anglican acceptance of Mathew or the churches derived from his bishopric consecrations. This edition is more in the manner of reprint than update, to make the historic text available to the various Old Catholic jurisdictions in the English-speaking world. Minor editing has been done, but for the most part this edition preserves the 1909 text of Mathew intact.

The first pages contain the calendar, with saints and feast/fast days, major and minor distinguished, and instructions for fast and abstinence days. The chart of abbreviations shows the history of the liturgy -- there is still an Emp. abbreviation for the Emperor. Various directions follow, including directions on how to use the calendar, how to hear mass, creeds and prayers, and instructions taken from St. Francis de Sales of what to expect in and from the mass.

The missal proper then begins, first the primary service of the Christian worship, the ordinary of the mass. Many of the elements here are familiar, if in somewhat less elaborate and somewhat different order, to most Christians of any denomination. The ordinary of the mass includes communion for the sick, vespers, and solemn benediction, things that are generally extra or supplemental to the ordinary of most denominations today.

Following this are the propers -- the texts, collects and other liturgical pieces that fit with each particular week. These are arranged according to the liturgical calendar, beginning with Advent. The propers also include the texts for the commons of saints, votive masses, propers of particular saints, and occasional prayers for topics, events and special intentions.

Then follow the more occasional offices -- burial of the dead, baptism, confirmation, marriage, confession, extreme unction, and ordination. The instructions and rituals for confession, to take an example, are quite developed -- there is an examination of conscience that begins with prayer and self-directed questions that place the penitent in relation to God, neighbour, and himself or herself. There are prayers for an act of contrition, thanksgivings for after confession, aspirations and absolutions.

Ordination also contains more traditional forms -- rather than just the three-fold ordained clergy of deacon, priest and bishop, clerical orders take on the more elaborate forms of major and minor orders, including orders of doorkeepers, lectors, exorcists, acolyths, and subdeacons in addition to the three major orders. The instructions for conferring orders not only include liturgical direction, but also the development of clergy instruction, character, and other considerations not often followed today.

'The Minor Orders shall be given to such only as understand Latin at least, observing the appointed intervals between each Order, unless the Bishop shall deem it more expedient to act otherwise; that so they may be the more accurately taught how great is the obligation of this their state in life, and may be exercised in each office, according to the appointment of the Bishop.'

Many Old Catholics leapfrog from layperson to bishop in one giant step; there is much wisdom to be gained by holding an interval between appointments.

Of course, some regulations seem strange to us today:

'Such as are not born in lawful wedlock may not be promoted to the Major Orders without an Episcopal dispensation; neither shall insane persons, slaves, man-slayers, such as are irregular, disfigured by some bodily defect, or maimed, take Orders.'

The language contained in the 1909 Mathew missal is, as one would expect, fairly traditional. It reads in many places like the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. This will appeal to certain people, but may be off-putting to those who seek a more modern and accessible language for their worship.

This book is a bit difficult to use for regular devotional practice. Photocopying the relevant pages or using the text in the printing of liturgical bulletins would be advisable, as a 652-page book is hard to hold, particularly when the pages are not thin.

Bishop Elijah, through the Dry Bones Press, has done a great service to the Old Catholic community by making this volume available. It will be of interest to liturgical scholars of many denominations, and a crucial volume for the library of any Old or Independent Catholic to have another anchor to the history of the movement.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book of traditional Catholic worship
Review: Arnold Harris Mathew, an Archbishop in the Old Catholic tradition, translated the Latin Rite services of the Western Church into English in 1909. Archbishop Mathew wished to faithfully preserve Catholic theology and worship but present it to worshipers in a language they could understand--he did so admirably. This text contains almost all of the major services of the Western Church, in English, from the Mass to the Blessing of Baptismal Waters. Clergy and laity of the Roman and Anglican Churches should have this text in order to know what has been lost in Christian worship over the last several decades.

Rating:
Summary: A piece of history...
Review: `The Old Catholic Missal and Ritual' is a primary text for worship developed by one of the earliest figures in Old Catholicism in the English-speaking world, Archbishop Arnold Harris Mathew. Mathew had a quite colourful history, recounted by many as well as by his own autobiography, candidly entitled `Episcopal Odyssey'. Whether Mathew was more sinned against than sinner in his travels through Christendom is a debate better engaged elsewhere; suffice it to say that many Old Catholic jurisdictions trace their lines back to him directly or indirectly, and his work toward establishing standards, including the standards of worship contained in the `Old Catholic Missal and Ritual', remains a primary cornerstone of Old Catholic history.

A missal is a guidebook or instruction book for leading and participating in worship. Catholics, Anglicans and other high-liturgical traditions have missals; it is a more formal text than the BCP or other such primary liturgical sources. During the medieval period, liturgical worship books included the Sacramentary, used by the celebrant of a service; the antiphonale missarum, for use during mass; the lectionary, a set of readings from scripture for the service; and the missal, which was a fusion of the earlier three.

The `Westminster Dictionary of Worship' states, regarding Old Catholic worship:

`The liturgy is meant to be celebrated in a clear and pure form, bringing the Christological element, in particular, to the fore. Thus the Old Catholic churches play a lively part in the liturgical renewal that is taking place in both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches.'

Mathew's development is very traditional, particularly by today's standard. It was developed at a time of increasing mistrust between Anglicans and Roman Catholics, which is part of the difficulty with Anglican acceptance of Mathew or the churches derived from his bishopric consecrations. This edition is more in the manner of reprint than update, to make the historic text available to the various Old Catholic jurisdictions in the English-speaking world. Minor editing has been done, but for the most part this edition preserves the 1909 text of Mathew intact.

The first pages contain the calendar, with saints and feast/fast days, major and minor distinguished, and instructions for fast and abstinence days. The chart of abbreviations shows the history of the liturgy -- there is still an Emp. abbreviation for the Emperor. Various directions follow, including directions on how to use the calendar, how to hear mass, creeds and prayers, and instructions taken from St. Francis de Sales of what to expect in and from the mass.

The missal proper then begins, first the primary service of the Christian worship, the ordinary of the mass. Many of the elements here are familiar, if in somewhat less elaborate and somewhat different order, to most Christians of any denomination. The ordinary of the mass includes communion for the sick, vespers, and solemn benediction, things that are generally extra or supplemental to the ordinary of most denominations today.

Following this are the propers -- the texts, collects and other liturgical pieces that fit with each particular week. These are arranged according to the liturgical calendar, beginning with Advent. The propers also include the texts for the commons of saints, votive masses, propers of particular saints, and occasional prayers for topics, events and special intentions.

Then follow the more occasional offices -- burial of the dead, baptism, confirmation, marriage, confession, extreme unction, and ordination. The instructions and rituals for confession, to take an example, are quite developed -- there is an examination of conscience that begins with prayer and self-directed questions that place the penitent in relation to God, neighbour, and himself or herself. There are prayers for an act of contrition, thanksgivings for after confession, aspirations and absolutions.

Ordination also contains more traditional forms -- rather than just the three-fold ordained clergy of deacon, priest and bishop, clerical orders take on the more elaborate forms of major and minor orders, including orders of doorkeepers, lectors, exorcists, acolyths, and subdeacons in addition to the three major orders. The instructions for conferring orders not only include liturgical direction, but also the development of clergy instruction, character, and other considerations not often followed today.

`The Minor Orders shall be given to such only as understand Latin at least, observing the appointed intervals between each Order, unless the Bishop shall deem it more expedient to act otherwise; that so they may be the more accurately taught how great is the obligation of this their state in life, and may be exercised in each office, according to the appointment of the Bishop.'

Many Old Catholics leapfrog from layperson to bishop in one giant step; there is much wisdom to be gained by holding an interval between appointments.

Of course, some regulations seem strange to us today:

`Such as are not born in lawful wedlock may not be promoted to the Major Orders without an Episcopal dispensation; neither shall insane persons, slaves, man-slayers, such as are irregular, disfigured by some bodily defect, or maimed, take Orders.'

The language contained in the 1909 Mathew missal is, as one would expect, fairly traditional. It reads in many places like the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. This will appeal to certain people, but may be off-putting to those who seek a more modern and accessible language for their worship.

This book is a bit difficult to use for regular devotional practice. Photocopying the relevant pages or using the text in the printing of liturgical bulletins would be advisable, as a 652-page book is hard to hold, particularly when the pages are not thin.

Bishop Elijah, through the Dry Bones Press, has done a great service to the Old Catholic community by making this volume available. It will be of interest to liturgical scholars of many denominations, and a crucial volume for the library of any Old or Independent Catholic to have another anchor to the history of the movement.