Una Voce Jerusalem

6:00 AM this morning I offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the Catholic (Medici) altar on Calvary in the extraordinary form.  Two Missionary of Charity Sisters attended with one other Religious Sister and a couple of laymen.  It was a low Mass for the first class feast today: Saints Peter and Paul.  I offered it for everyone who has asked me to pray for them and everyone for whom I have promised to pray, and especially for the deceased members of my family, most especially one deceased brother.  That Mass on Calvary was the climax and the ultimate purpose of my entire trip and study this month in the Holy Land.

One note on the logistics of offering the extraordinary form here (and perhaps anywhere in the Holy Land): BYOB!  Bring your own book (and cards and anything else you will need) for they are clueless about the Traditional Mass.  When I asked the Franciscan Friar Sacristan if they happened to have a 1962 ritual on hand he had no idea what I was talking about even after explaining the Motu Proprio.  Anyway, thank God I had my pocket daily Missal with me.  In contrast, Santiago de Compostela provided a beautiful and almost unused old Missal and traditional vestments when I was there a couple of years ago.

Although the Latin Patriarchate has expressed it's approval of such Masses (which it has no authority to forbid in any case) it seems that nothing has been done to facilitate it.  The Holy Sepulchre sacristy had myriad Missals in dozens of languages.  I'm sure they have a pre-1962 Missal hidden away in any number of the Patriarchate churches and  houses right here in Jerusalem (as I found in Bir Zeit for my daily Masses there all month).  This is a very warm and hospitable land, I suggest the Holy Places give a little attention to this matter so close to the heart of Pope Benedict.  I noted last night that the beautiful pilgrim procession and benediction led by the Franciscans was done completely in Latin Chant.  The Old Mass makes sense here where the ancient rituals are done in the ancient languages for the glory of God and the benefit of the faithful here from every land.

By the way, the Palestinian funeral of the mother of a priest which I attended in Jifna in the presence of the Patriarch, though moving in many ways, included some blatant liturgical abuses: e.g. the Patriarch himself and other clerics concelebrated with nothing more than cassock and stole!  I was aghast in disbelief.  One more reason for Una Voce in the Holy Land.