Dominican Sisters Of St. Cecelia And The Tridentine Mass

[photosynthesis]

While browsing the News section on the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia website, I noticed some interesting pictures of a Jubilee Mass for three nuns who were celebrating the 25th anniversary of their religious professions. I am confused as to the nature of the liturgy. Since there is a nun processing into the sanctuary with a cross, it looks like a Novus Ordo. However, it also looks like there is a deacon and a subdeacon, judging from their vestments.

First, here is a picture of the procession. You will see that there is a Sister in full habit bearing the cross. Is it possible to bear the Cross during the Liturgy and not be an altar server? I know for a fact that none of the Sisters in that order serve during the Mass, and Sr. Mary Bethany, OP was actually the person who convinced me that women should not be altar servers, readers or Eucharistic Ministers. I am not an expert on the rubrics of the Mass by any means; however, I am under the impression that this sort of thing is not allowed.

[img]http://www.nashvilledominican.org/News/Community_News/Photos/25th%20Jubilee/25th-Jubilee-2007-029.jpg[/img]

Now, here are the three Jubilatian Sisters: Sr. Matthew Marie, Sr. John Mary and Sr. Mary Rose. In the background you will see the beautiful Dominican postulants wearing black chapel veils. This is usually a good sign:

[img]http://www.nashvilledominican.org/News/Community_News/Photos/25th%20Jubilee/25th-Jubilee-2007-080.jpg[/img]

Here, Bishop David Choby of the Diocese of Nashville incenses the altar. The men to his right and his left appear to be in vestments that you would ordinarily see in the Tridentine Mass, and it appears that the Bishop is facing [i]ad orientem[/i]. I know that it is possible to celebrate a Novus Ordo Mass [i]ad orientem[/i]; however, the possible existence of a deacon and subdeacon is throwing me off.

[img]http://www.nashvilledominican.org/News/Community_News/Photos/25th%20Jubilee/25th-Jubilee-2007-040.jpg[/img]

Is it possible to do a solemn high Novus Ordo Mass?

[Laudate_Dominum]

He may have just been incensing the altar. I don't see any conclusive evidence in these pictures that they were celebrating the [i]forma extraordinaria[/i]. I have never seen a non-server bearing the cross in a TLM either..

It's possible, but I'm just not sure what kind of Mass that is.

[Resurrexi]

The Book of the Gospels is setting in the middle of the altar while it is being incensed in the above picture. In the Forma Extraordinaria, the chalice and paten are on the middle of the altar the entire Mass until Communion and, moreover, the Gospels are read from the Missal, not from the Book of the Gospels. Therefore, the pictures above are of the Forma Ordinaria.

Edited July 11, 2007 by StThomasMore

[Laudate_Dominum]

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1324616' date='Jul 11 2007, 04:03 PM']The Book of the Gospels is setting in the middle of the altar while it is being incensed in the above picture. In the Forma Extraordinaria, the chalice and paten are on the middle of the altar the entire Mass until Communion and, moreover, the Gospels are read from the Missal, not from the Book of the Gospels. Therefore, the pictures above are of the Forma Ordinaria.[/quote]
Brilliant observations Mr. Holmes!

[shortnun]

Yup, it's a Pauline Liturgy (Novus Ordo).

[tojo]

[quote name='photosynthesis' post='1324575' date='Jul 11 2007, 04:25 PM']Here, Bishop David Choby of the Diocese of Nashville incenses the altar. The men to his right and his left appear to be in vestments that you would ordinarily see in the Tridentine Mass, and it appears that the Bishop is facing [i]ad orientem[/i]. I know that it is possible to celebrate a Novus Ordo Mass [i]ad orientem[/i]; however, the possible existence of a deacon and subdeacon is throwing me off.
[img]http://www.nashvilledominican.org/News/Community_News/Photos/25th%20Jubilee/25th-Jubilee-2007-040.jpg[/img][/quote]

I'm not very well informed with the details of vestments, but these look fairly similar to those worn at my home parish, which, thus far, has never had a TLM (but will soon on occasion!).

[photosynthesis]

[quote name='tomasio127' post='1326517' date='Jul 13 2007, 01:28 AM']I'm not very well informed with the details of vestments, but these look fairly similar to those worn at my home parish, which, thus far, has never had a TLM (but will soon on occasion!).[/quote]
what parish is that?

[tojo]

Christ the King, Ann Arbor,

On second thought, maybe they aren't all that similar, like I said I don't know much about vestments.

What do you think?

[img]http://photos-a.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sctm/v64/13/117/708350301/n708350301_62840_8060.jpg[/img]


I think there's another piece he wears sometimes that looks more like the ones above....

Edited July 13, 2007 by tomasio127

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

[quote name='photosynthesis' post='1324575' date='Jul 11 2007, 05:25 PM']While browsing the News section on the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia website, I noticed some interesting pictures of a Jubilee Mass for three nuns who were celebrating the 25th anniversary of their religious professions. I am confused as to the nature of the liturgy. Since there is a nun processing into the sanctuary with a cross, it looks like a Novus Ordo. However, it also looks like there is a deacon and a subdeacon, judging from their vestments.

First, here is a picture of the procession. You will see that there is a Sister in full habit bearing the cross. Is it possible to bear the Cross during the Liturgy and not be an altar server? I know for a fact that none of the Sisters in that order serve during the Mass, and Sr. Mary Bethany, OP was actually the person who convinced me that women should not be altar servers, readers or Eucharistic Ministers. I am not an expert on the rubrics of the Mass by any means; however, I am under the impression that this sort of thing is not allowed.

[img]http://www.nashvilledominican.org/News/Community_News/Photos/25th%20Jubilee/25th-Jubilee-2007-029.jpg[/img]

Now, here are the three Jubilatian Sisters: Sr. Matthew Marie, Sr. John Mary and Sr. Mary Rose. In the background you will see the beautiful Dominican postulants wearing black chapel veils. This is usually a good sign:

[img]http://www.nashvilledominican.org/News/Community_News/Photos/25th%20Jubilee/25th-Jubilee-2007-080.jpg[/img]

Here, Bishop David Choby of the Diocese of Nashville incenses the altar. The men to his right and his left appear to be in vestments that you would ordinarily see in the Tridentine Mass, and it appears that the Bishop is facing [i]ad orientem[/i]. I know that it is possible to celebrate a Novus Ordo Mass [i]ad orientem[/i]; however, the possible existence of a deacon and subdeacon is throwing me off.

[img]http://www.nashvilledominican.org/News/Community_News/Photos/25th%20Jubilee/25th-Jubilee-2007-040.jpg[/img]

Is it possible to do a solemn high Novus Ordo Mass?[/quote]

Those are just deacons, not sub and and deacon. Yes, it is very possible to have a Pauline Missal Mass with much solemnity! You might notice the Masses at the Vatican :-)

About the Sister who is Crossbearer. As far as I know, that is perfectly OK. She's not serving, she's just carrying the Cross. In the monastery the Nuns are the Crossbearer and alcoytes (candles) for all processions: Feb 2nd, Palm Sunday, Funerals. The procession starts in the Chapter Hall and goes into the Choir and the 3 stand at the grille and Father who is behind us, then goes out into the sanctuary. This has been part of our custom for centuries!

MY problem is that she is holding the cross the wrong way! The Dominican custom is to hold it with the corpus FACING the people processing. :-)

While, I'm not keen on female altar servers at all the Church allows it. In regard to readers and EM's there is nothing theologically wrong with it. I read recently something that B16 is actually rather positive about more lay participation at Holy Mass in these areas. I wish I could find the article. Personally, there are just too many EM's! We have Sisters who are EM's for the Precious Blood which we receive everyday. If priests are here, though, they give us the Precious Blood.

Please, don't jump on us for receiving the Precious Blood. It is a wonderful privelege and I think especially appropriate for His brides!

[kateri05]

[quote name='Sr. Mary Catharine' post='1328391' date='Jul 14 2007, 10:44 AM']receiving the Precious Blood. It is a wonderful privelege and I think especially appropriate for His brides![/quote]

what a beautiful, wonderful sentiment sister :