Category Archives: Liturgy Science Theatre 3000

Especially for discussion of liturgical abuses and wacky ideas

In the ancient Roman Church today, Wednesday “in mediana” was a big day for catechumens.

In the ancient Roman Church today was a big day for catechumens. Last Sunday, Laetare, was “midpoint” Sunday because before Lent was lengthened, it was the midpoint before Easter. Hence, Wednesday is called “in mediana” and the Roman Station is … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity |
2 Comments

Such wealth and depth we have in the traditional Roman Rite

Before Lent was lengthened, yesterday, Laetare Sunday, was the mid-point of Lent. Another nickname for the 4th Sunday in Lent is “Mediana“. In this week the fast, but not abstinence, was somewhat relaxed as a kind of refresher before Passiontide. … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Save The Liturgy - Save The World |
Leave a comment

A Roman Station, Saintly Parallels, a Prayer over the People, and a Painting by Raphael

For the Roman Stations during Latin there are often reasons why particular readings were chosen for particular places. The ancient compilers of the Roman Mass formularies – back to the 7th c. and likely before – did not usually arrange … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged
1 Comment

WDTPRS – Collect of Ember Wednesday of Lent (TLM & Novus)

I’m sure you know that only a tiny percent of the orations of the Vetus Ordo made it into the Novus Ordo unmolested. Well… maybe that isn’t quite the right word in every case. In some cases the Novus changed … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, WDTPRS |
1 Comment

ASK FATHER: Why are Sunday “of Lent” in the Novus Ordo and “in Lent” in the TLM?

From a priest reader QUAERITUR: I noticed that in the Traditional Latin Mass calendar we have Sundays IN Lent and in the Novus Ordo we have Sundays OF Lent.  What’s going on? In the 1962 Missale Romanum today is called … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged
4 Comments

The Blessing of Ashes – Novus Ordo v. Vetus Ordo – Could there be differences?

In the Vetus Ordo, Usus Antiquior, there are four prayers for the blessing of ashes. In the Novus Ordo there is one, split into one of two … yes… options (aka a defining characteristic of the Novus Ordo). The business … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill | Tagged
3 Comments

“for the grace of dying well”

Lately to my Masses I’ve been adding orations from the Votive Mass “pro infirmo proximo morti… for a sick person close to death”. The prayers are staggeringly beautiful.     Like to them are the prayers from the Votive “ad postulandam gratiam … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Save The Liturgy - Save The World | Tagged ,
8 Comments

WDTPRS: Septuagesima Sunday

The Collect of the Mass for Septuagesima Sunday is bracing.  It has a different feel than many of our Sunday orations.  Bl. Ildefonso Schuster observes, that this prayer “betrays the deep affliction which weighed on the soul of St. Gregory … Read More

Posted in LENT, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, WDTPRS | Tagged
3 Comments

Sunday “in the seventieth” – Septuagesima

We have already come to Septuagesima Sunday, so early this year thanks to the vagaries of the Moon. Pre-Lent is here.   With the traditional calendar of the Roman Rite, in the Vetus Ordo, you cannot be surprised by Lent sneaking … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged
3 Comments

More commentary on The Roche Report

At Crisis Magazine my good friend Msgr. Hans Feichtinger, who was a theologian for the CDF during the Ratzinger years, examined The Roche Report. Liturgical Terrorism At its core, liturgical tensions point to deeper issues in theology, the transmission of tradition, … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Save The Liturgy - Save The World, SESSIUNCULA, The Drill | Tagged , , ,
4 Comments