Understanding our Faith

Mass: Sixteenth to Twentieth Centuries

These centuries were marked by the follow-through from the Council of Trent (1545-63). That Council was called to set forth a Catholic response to the Protestant Reformers especially Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin. It was also strongly preoccupied to reform the deficiencies of the church during the Late Middle Ages. This Council shaped the life of the church over the centuries up to the Second Vatican Council. 

The details of the reform of the liturgy were not dealt with by the Council but were left to the Pope and his aides to organise and promulgate. So, a new Roman Missal was produced, a new version of the Breviary, and new rites for the various sacraments. These were published throughout the sixteenth century. They were not substantially new but involved a lot of tidying up and clarifying. These new books were largely based on the books that were already in use in the Roman Curia.

As mentioned last week, there was a good deal of variety in the liturgies of the various parts of Europe. Some of this variety was left alone so long as it had a history of 200 years or longer, but more recent additions and practices were to be set aside. Such approved liturgies remained in use until the 19th century when most, but not all, disappeared to be replaced by the Roman liturgy.

There was very little direct participation of the people throughout this time. Altar servers were given the task of replying to the words of the priest in sometimes vaguely correct Latin. Devotions of one kind and another became popular and devotions regarding the reserved Eucharist were prominent among them.

During the nineteenth century, various new movements arose which put the practices common in this period in the context of the long history of the church. Much of this was stimulated by the discovery and availability of many ancient documents that had not been known beforehand. Scripture studies advanced among Catholic scholars and a much deeper and more accurate understanding of the Scriptures was coming to the fore. 

There was a liturgical movement which beginning with the more available ancient documents on the liturgy, was bringing to light a different understanding of the liturgy, particularly where the participation of the people was concerned. This was part of the patristic renewal which involved the more widespread study of the Fathers of the Church which gave insight into the life of the church of the first several centuries.

Another important and gradually emerging movement was the ecumenical movement in which Catholics began to listen to Protestants and Protestants to Catholics. This was gradually replacing the earlier situation in which never did the twain meet. Such scholars began to study together and groups grew up in parishes which sought to bring Catholics and other Christians together.

These movements flowed into the Second Vatican Council and became sources of light for it.

There were two notable reforms concerning the liturgy throughout this period. Firstly, Pope Pius X in the first decade of the twentieth century, published documents urging Catholics to go to communion more frequently and lowering the age at which children could make their first communion.

In the 1950’s Pope Pius XII, issued a reform of the Holy Week liturgy which began to restore the more original and expressive form of the liturgies of the holy days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil.

This period saw the growing of the seeds which would flower in the Second Vatican Council. 

By Fr Frank O’Loughlin