On 15th January 2022 Professor John Morrill, Deacon of the diocese of East Anglia, presented a study day entitled ‘The Evolution of the Mass’. The day was livestreamed.
Professor John began with a presentation of the account of the Mass in the second-century First Apology of Justin Martyr, explaining that all the elements referred to there were part of the Mass we now celebrate.
The intention of the Second Vatican Council, which drew on the tradition and the insights of modern liturgical scholarship, was that all the faithful should enjoy a conscious, active participation in the Liturgy. This is at the heart of the Council’s Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium. Whenever the immutable elements of the Liturgy have become obscured steps must be taken to renew the Liturgy.
In his introduction to the 1969 edition of the Roman Missal St Paul VI spoke of the liturgical renewal which began with Pope Pius XII, and which led to the work of revising and enriching the formulas used. He also warned: ‘One ought not to think that this revision has been improvident.’
Professor John went on to examine all the different components of the Mass.
In the questions which followed the following topics were included: the July 2021 document of Pope Francis Traditionis Custodes; the instruction of Justin Martyr that the president should ‘give thanks to the best of his ability’ in the prayers; the practice of regularly using pre-consecrated hosts for the faithful at Mass; the use of archaic language in the recent translation of the Missal; Communion on the tongue or in the hand; the value of live-streamed Masses. Due to time constraints it was not possible to address all the questions sent in.