Saturday, December 12, 2009

My ideal parish profile

• Catholicized Prayer Book (Rite I-style) rite (p. 230) in the BAS supplemented by the Anglican Gradual and Sacramentary, OR 1962 BCP augmented by the Anglican Missal. The Gregorian Canon is wrapped around Eucharistic Prayer B in the former case; in the latter, around the Prayer of Consecration. If the older sources are used, Intercession, Confession & Absolution, and Blessing are retained, but the Comfy Words, and the Prayer of Humble Excess (or the Humble Crumble, if you prefer). The Preparations and Last Gospel are vestry devotions. Would use whatever authorized Eucharistic Lectionary I inherited.

• Early celebration (BCP, preferably in Latin, or SBH), breakfast, Sung Mattins (Anglican chant) & Litany, Solemn Mass (Asperges before, chanted Angelus after), Solemn Evensong (with Antiphon of Our Lady) & Benediction. Or, if there is an interested neighbouring Roman Catholic congregation, a joint service there according to the rite for Evensong or Vespers authorized by their ordinary.

• Ritual Notes and Fortescue interpretation. The Use of Christminster colour scheme is followed. I lean toward the lay subdeacons in maniples school of thought, but consider it an anomalous point of acceptable difference created by the situation where the diocesan does not ordain subdeacons. I have some Liturgical Movement preferences: I like Gospel processions, for instance, and I like to receive the Sacrament on Good Friday. I am in the process of compiling a supplement to Ritual Notes for the orderly implementation of these practices in congregations where they have become customary, but which otherwise adhere to traditional liturgical customs.

• Mattins, Mass, & Evensong (1962 Office lectionary, 1918 if I can get away with it) seven days a week. Votive of Our Lady on Saturday, weekly requiem. Corporate Confession & Forgiveness (LBW) with individual absolution at the altar rail on Saturday evenings.

• Predominant emphasis on congregational chant. Lots of psalm tones.

• Close relationship with any nearby religious communities, full communion partner congregations (I just realized the other week that Sankt Georg is around the corner from St Mary Mag. Potential? There are two Mar Thoma congregations in the Greater Toronto Area).

• Strong student outreach, Christian Education, Company of Servers.

• Social justice activities; readiness, given the availability of necessary means, to offer the protection of the Lord’s sanctuary to victims of the faulty immigration appeals system. Relationship with Catholic Workers and SCM. Focus on spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

• If I were to find myself in the US, read the following as equivalent. Re-ordered rite = Rite I. 1962 = 1928.

• In an English context, I would be happy to serve any Resolution C parish maverick enough to put up with my concelebrating at both Chrism Masses.

4 comments:

A said...

My Ideal Parish Profile:

*Suburban Catholic Jesuit-Run Parish Church in Middle Class area, with many opportunities for Student outreach.
Roman Missal (Exclusive use of the current Novus Ordo in English)
NRSV lectionary used.

*Vigil Mass 6pm Saturday
Student Mass with 30 mins worship before, Worship Band, LCD Projectors, Alb and Stole, A Charismatic celebration of the Mass.
125 average congregation
Early Morning Mass - 8am
Said celebration of the Mass, no music.
40 average congregation
Family Mass - 9:30am
Family Celebration of the Mass with Family Worship Group, LCD Projectors, Alb, Stole and Chasuble, Altar Servers, Incense on special occasions.
200 average congregation
Evening Mass - 5pm
Quiet Mass with music led by guitar and piano. LCD Projectors, Alb and Stole. Followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction at 6:10pm

*The Divine Office and Holy Mass celebrated daily.

*Strong tradition of Lay-Leadership, many vocations to the permanent diaconate, priesthood and religious orders, especially to the Society of Jesus.

*Modern Worship Music mainly used with emphasis on drawing from the Charismatic traditions.

*Ministries include: Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Student Ministry, Young Adults Groups, Parent Groups, Catholic Singles Groups, OAP Groups, St Vincent de Paul.

*The Church is split up into house groups, 90% of members meet during the week for Bible Study and Prayer.

*The Building is modern and is heated and powered by energy renewable sources. The current building built in 2002 replaced an earlier building of 1830 which suffered from poor upkeep and neglect and now continues life as a restaurant and secular wedding venue and has close ties with the Parish as the owners are members of the congregation who cook for the parish events and give a lot of money to the running of the parish.

*Theology is mainstream Charismatic Catholic. The Church is careful not to lean towards Theological and Social Liberalism as well as Conservatism.

G said...

But the "current Novus Ordo" won't be an option for long, will it? (Although I admit to mixed feelings. I'm glad to see "And also with you" go but much of the poetry seems also to have been lost).

A said...

http://www.whatifwejustsaidwait.org/

A said...

If you look at the featured article on my blog, there is a movement to stop this new missal coming along.