Saturday, September 5, 2009

Cistercian Novus Ordo

Having consulted a draft translation of the modern Cistercian Ritual, I was interested to note the following approved variations from the Roman Missal that Cistercians are permitted:

Prot.525/70, June 8, 1971: O.Cist. and O.C.S.O.

It is possible to adopt the new Roman Missal taking into account the following:

1. The Cistercian Calendar

2. Certain particular elements coming from the Cistercian tradition that can be freely inserted which are:

2.1 The texts taken from the former Cistercian Missal that are not found in the new Roman Missal and, if necessary, will be duly revised.

2.2 The following rites related to the Ordinary of the Mass:

a. A profound bow instead of the genuflection prescribed in the Roman rite;
b. The custom of making a large sign of the cross at the Gospel;
c. The practice of carrying out certain rites in silence such as kissing the Gospel book and the washing of hands;
d. The ancient practice of preparing the wine and water in the chalice before bringing them to the altar.

I am very interested in 2.2 a-d. The Dominicans in particular ought be annoyed - since they had to dump their age-old custom of preparing the chalice before Low Mass!

2 comments:

Br. Stephen, O.Cist said...

"The Dominicans in particular ought be annoyed - since they had to dump their age-old custom of preparing the chalice before Low Mass!"

Not quite--the Dominicans and others chose to dump their rites. They had the option of keeping and revising them.

Cistercians adopted something vaguely worded enough to allow celebrations that vary from being quite close to the old Cistercian Rite to quite close to the Novus Ordo.

Joshua said...

I stand corrected, Br - thank you for this!