Tuesday, 14 May 1963
The work of the Liturgical Commission: the principles have been retained but, as regards their application, things have gone only half-way. However, the door has not been closed to further applications.
The Office: Prime has been suppressed. Compline retained. Lauds and Vespers are the two principal moments. A pastoral duty can take the place of the Little Hours. Matins: fewer psalms and longer readings.
Communion under both kinds allowed for ordinations and religious professions. So, opportunities for ‘Church’ people. Not for couples at their nuptial Mass (voting: 5 in favor, 21 against). Lay people continue to be the poor relations: it is not allowed for them except in the case of a newly baptized adult.
Concelebration allowed on Holy Thursday. For meetings and conferences of bishops, the diocesan synod, meetings of bishops and priests. THE QUESTION OF RELIGIOUS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A CONVENTUAL CELEBRATION WAS NOT CONSIDERED.
As regards the breviary in the vernacular: it is allowed that bishops may grant a dispensation from the Latin in certain (rare) cases.
Use of the mother tongue: for prayers in common, readings; with the authorization of the episcopal conference for the parts of the Mass sung by the people; with the authorization of the Holy See in some other things. There is a whole scale of permissions.
Yves Congar, My Journal of the Council, p. 287. The 1100-page book can be purchased from Liturgical Press. Pray Tell ran the previous installment of the journal of Yves Congar last Thursday.
Please leave a reply.