Letters

Using the missal at Mass

Charles M. Shann

Contents - Oct 2014 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Let's help desperate Middle East Christians - Peter Westmore Pope Francis' pastoral focus in visit to South Korea - AD2000 Report News: The Church Around the World Do we construct the Church in our own image? - Fr Ken Clark The implications of Anglican women bishops - Fr Dwight Longenecker Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint: What's the difference? - Andrew Sholl Art: Sacred art: window into eternity - Tommy Canning Dissent: Bishop Bill Morris: gone but not forgotten - Peter Westmore 'The Mother of Jesus' in St John's Gospel - Anne Lastman Students: Young adult ministry on Australian tertiary campuses - Br Barry Coldrey Letters: Using the missal at Mass - Charles M. Shann Letters: Use and misuse of language - Anne Lastman Letters: Evangelii Gaudium speaks to Victoria - Pat Shea Support: Support the Fighting Fund! Books: INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIANITY, by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI - Helena Pasztetnik (reviewer) Books: PRAYER FOR BEGINNERS, Peter Kreeft - WAYS OF PRAYING, John Edwards SJ - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: A POSTCARD FROM THE VOLCANO: A novel of pre-war Germany, by Lucy Beckett - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: The Lord hears the cry of the poor - Fr Paul Glynn SM

With regard to Anne Lastman's letter in AD2000 regarding reading from the missal during Mass, I would contend that for the most part, people who read from their missal pay more attention to the Mass than those who do not.

It is not at all uncommon when one makes a remark about a reading to someone after Mass, that they cannot tell you what it was about, but one will find that those who read their missal will be able to recall it.

When the Mass was in Latin, one always read the English version on the opposite page, and quite frankly I believe that greater attention was given to the Canon then, than is now case, and the priest is obliged to read from the missal for the whole of the Canon.

If Anne Lastman has EWTN and watches the Pope saying Mass, as I often do, she will note that he always reads from the missal, and if it is good enough for him, it is good enough for the rest of us.

Fifty odd years ago when I converted to Catholicism, I had only schoolboy Latin, and if it hadn't been for the missal, I would have found it very hard indeed. As it was, I picked it up quickly, and when travelling overseas, I found it wonderful that the Mass, worldwide, was in Latin.

As for apps: they have their place too, and I think that they usually encourage better singing, especially if one has some decent hymns – which is somewhat rare these days.

CHARLES M. SHANN
Warwick, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 27 No 9 (October 2014), p. 15