Celebrate Liturgical Authenticity

Members of the communities established by the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus rely on a multifaceted gift from God that actualizes in the receptive soul a magnificent life in Christ.  That gift through which God's grace, His very life, flows into the lives of men and women, includes a beautiful form of the Mass and the Office, pillars of the legacy that Ordinariate Catholics call the Anglican patrimony.  Among the Seven Sacraments instituted by Christ, one also finds a sublime form of the Sacrament of Matrimony located in the publication called Divine Worship: Occasional Services.

The Ordinariate patrimony has received into the Church vital elements of the Catholic Faith preserved in the Anglican experience.  The Anglican patrimony has been assessed by members of the Anglicanae Traditiones Interdicasterial Commission with a mind to orthodoxy. The Commission "reviewed and winnowed centuries of Anglican texts dating back to 1549, then assembled the best of them together, in accordance with the Roman Rite (https://ordinariate.net/divine-worship-missal)." All Catholics may attend Ordinariate liturgies.

Mustard Seed: The Miracle of Beauty

There is much talk about the number of young people who have gravitated toward traditional liturgies and who are finding sustenance and completeness therein. At a parish in Victoria, BC, many college-age and thirty-something Catholics passionately embrace the older Latin Mass.  Many diocesan Catholics tend to dismiss the sign that these younger Catholics embody.  All Catholics would be wise to avoid labelling said trend as merely atavistic or a fad, for the same young people drawn to liturgies that are "traditional" are fervent believers who are well informed about Church history and the practice of the Faith.  They are hardly passive pew-warmers.  They intuit the need - the necessity! - to worship God in the beauty of holiness (Ps. 96:9).  They are not hindered by a previous generation's iconoclastic tendencies.  They are responding to the beauty of God working through beautiful liturgy.  Free of the cataracts of the 1970s blinding them to truth, goodness and beauty, they are able to appreciate what is holy, true and good. With quiet zeal, they celebrate that which remains holy.  They are freed by grace to worship God as He desires to be worshipped - in spirit and in truth.

Upon discovering the Mass of the Ordinariates, i.e., the venerable English Mass or Divine Worship celebrated daily at the same Victoria parish location, Latin enthusiasts also find immediate and lasting satisfaction in the Ordinariate Liturgy, a satisfaction that manifests as profound reverence and an appreciation for the accessibility and beauty of the sacred vernacular language of the Ordinariate Liturgy.  The same worshippers discover a fervent devotion to Holy Scripture, which is another patrimonial gift celebrated in the Ordinariate.

The Venerable English Mass: Music

Hymn singing in the Ordinariate Liturgy is not some liturgical add-on or accompaniment to a liturgical action.  Congregational singing is essential to the public worship of almighty God in Ordinariate communities.  Singing is/has a liturgical function in its own right.  In the Mass, our earthly voices join with the heavenly choir of angels praising God.

There is a passion among Ordinariate Catholics for singing beautiful theologically orthodox hymns, hymns brought into the Church by former Anglicans.  The hymns included in Divine Worship are drawn from a vast library of works of art.  Those hymns - and they are many! - offer a robust formation in holiness and evangelization.  The congregational adoration of God and veneration of the saints in or through song enhances unity in doctrine and faith.  Communion, fellowship, spiritual formation, vocation, evangelization: these are true to the Ordinariate charism.

Unlike the songs typically heard in many diocesan liturgies, ordinary hymn texts are theologically orthodox and at ease with mystery.  The traditional hymns of the Ordinariate are not neutered by inclusive language nor sentimentality.  They burn with a fire of love for God and inspire zeal to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They are eminently singable and resonate in the hearts and minds of believers.  Listen to members of the congregation humming the tunes after Mass during fellowship.  

Ordinariate communities:

1. emphasize communion with God
2. foster fellowship among believers
3. provide spiritual formation through traditional devotions
4. offer robust support to parishioners to live their vocation in Christ
5. exist to evangelize

Communion with God and fellowship among believers.

CCC Compendium 274

CCC 1325, 1391

Communion with God is a central theme in Catholic theology, emphasizing the relationship between humanity and the divine.  This communion is rooted in the very nature of God, who is understood as a communion of love within the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The essence of this communion is revealed through Jesus Christ, who invites believers into a personal relationship with God.

Communion with God encompasses a profound relationship that is initiated through Christ, nourished by the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist, and expressed in the unity of the Church.  This communion invites believers to live in love and solidarity with one another, mirroring the divine communion of the Trinity.

Fellowship among believers.

CCC 960
CCC 2182

Fellowship among believers is a vital aspect of the Catholic faith, reflecting the communal nature of the Church as the Body of Christ.  This fellowship is rooted in the understanding that all members of the Church are united through their shared faith and participation in the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the Church as a "communion of saints," emphasizing that this expression refers to the unity of believers who are brought together by their participation in holy things, especially the Eucharist.  This sacramental communion fosters a deep bond among the faithful, allowing them to support and strengthen one another in their spiritual journeys.

Spiritual formation through traditional devotions.

The Daily Office is chief among the Ordinariate's many offerings that support the spiritual growth of the individual.  Matins (morning prayer) and Evensong (evening prayer) are typically communal, involving clergy and laity in the recitation of psalms and canticles, responses and the proclamation of Holy Scripture.

The Holy Rosary, devotions to our Lady of Walsingham and the English saints, the Five Wounds of Jesus, prayer guilds dedicated to the welfare of souls, religious processions unique to the Ordinariate, and the veneration of relics of the saints, are integral to the Ordinariate patrimony.

Vocation Centric

Everyone has a vocation in Christ.  Ordinariate Catholic communities are keenly aware of the necessity of shared purpose and complementary service.  Men and women have distinct roles that complement one another and contribute to the building up of the community in love.  Boys serve as altar servers, and this service brings them into close proximity to the Holy Eucharist.  They become part of a culture oriented to selfless service and they learn how to be models of prayer and how to embody the worship of Almighty God.  They discover the possibility of priesthood.  Young women discover their call to motherhood or religious life.  Their feminine genius raises in a community an awareness of the motherhood of Mary and the saints.

Evangelization

Everyone, in ways manifested by God, has a share in the mission to announce the Gospel for the salvation of souls.  Every person, immersed in the Sacred Liturgy, may discover by listening to the voice of God revealed in and through His word, Holy Scripture, a calling to launch out into the deep beyond comfortable religion.

The seed that fell on good soil.

The more the Mass resembles contemporary entertainment, the more it tends to stimulate sentiment and distraction. The more the Mass is true to the vision of Jesus stewarded by the Apostles, the more people see it for what it truly is—an icon of salvation in Christ and the union of heaven and earth.

Eucharist as Anticipation of the Kingdom. | The Eucharist is described as a sacrificial memorial that not only perpetuates the sacrifice of the cross but also serves as a sacred banquet that unites the faithful with Christ.  This celebration is directed towards the intimate union of the faithful with Christ, which is a key aspect of the Kingdom of God.  The Eucharist is seen as a sign of the ultimate realities of the Kingdom, already present in the Church and pointing towards its fullness in the future.

Eschatological Significance | Each Eucharistic celebration is viewed as a real foretaste of the final banquet, often referred to as the "marriage-feast of the Lamb" in the New Testament.  This eschatological gathering of the People of God during Mass reflects the hope and expectation of the Kingdom's fulfillment at the end of time.  The Mass invites participants to remember their future in Christ and to be prepared for His return.

Unity and Mission | The Eucharist not only unites individuals with Christ but also with one another, creating a bond that transcends natural unions.  This unity empowers the faithful to bear witness to God's love in the world, thus preparing for the coming of the Kingdom.  The celebration of the Eucharist is a call to action, encouraging believers to engage in works that promote development and peace, reflecting the values of the Kingdom.

Present and Future Kingdom | The liturgy expresses the already-present Kingdom of God while simultaneously invoking its future manifestation.  The faithful are reminded that the Kingdom is both a present reality and a future hope, as articulated in the prayers and responses during the liturgy.  The Eucharist serves as a bridge between the present experience of God's grace and the anticipated fulfillment of His promises.

Sources

1. CCC 1382
2. General Audience of 2 December 1998
3. The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one another 99
4. Sollicitudo Rei Socialis 48
5. Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church: Christ – Our Pascha 338
6. Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church: Christ – Our Pascha 358
7. The Eucharist: Communion with Christ and with one another 15

Many non-Catholics are attracted to the origin story of Ordinariate communities.  The foundation of each and every Ordinariate community rests firmly on Jesus Christ and on the faithful witness of those who have given up everything in their former protestant communities to follow the will of God in the home the Lord Jesus Himself founded.