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Dear Samer,

Your erudition is like the sweet fragrance from Heaven!

As you know, the King of Portugal was exiled to Brazil and he was declared to be its Emperor within a united Portuguese Kingdom that included the Algarve, Goa, Macau, Angola, Mozambique and Timor (and others).

This Portuguese Empire used the "Rite of Braga" as its liturgical Rite and the Archbishop of Braga was, in fact, a patriarch like other western patriarchs (Patriarch of Venice, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem etc.).

It is nice that the Tridentines here got back together with Rome.

It would have been a great event if the Portuguese decided to bring back their old Western Rite which is older than the Tridentine and has direct Apostolic origins. Recently, the Vatican allowed Spain and other Spanish territories to bring back their Mozarabic Rite, although this wouldn't be an issue for most.

But one can dream, can't one?

Alex

Alex,

If you've got a digital camcorder, please tape those dreams. I'd be intrigued to see what your ideal world would resemble.

Could you describe the Portuguese Rite some more?

I am a strong supporter of the resurrection of all the Western Rites. In my opinion, Rome's big error was its suppression of these liturgical traditions. I'm sure it helped in making the introduction of the Pauline Mass much easier, as the absence of any rite but the Roman in the West helps to bring about a Pian/Pauline polarity and faceoff. Were the Roman Church still replete with these Rites, each having their own history and tradition, they would have helped to diversify the liturgical experience and ethnicize the Roman Church since the presence of such Rites is based on geography, and thus are uniquely situated. This would have provided the faithful with even stronger anchors to their traditions and devotion to their own unique liturgical patrimony (and also culture). Were this the face of the Roman Church during the conciliar period, the "universal" Pauline Mass probably wouldn't have been created or enforced in the whole Roman Church. The faithful would have been especially resistant, being attached to their unique local Rite.

In IC XC
Samer

[ 01-21-2002: Message edited by: SamB ]

Yes, Dave, but as you conclude quoting myself, reconcilation is a minsitry of the Universal Pastor. So it would seem he was fulfulling this ministry, not necessarily the patriarchail ministry.

At andother time, I would also like to raise the matter of western Catholics appreciating the distinction of the east without appreciatign the gifts of the east.

K.

Dear Samer,

Well, you've got your biggest supporter (for the restoration of the Western Rites) right here!!

(In my perfect world, I would keep my mouth shut and Serge would be back here with us.)

There are some independent groups in the U.S. that have resurrected the Western Rites. The journal called the "Orthodox Catholic" represented one such group where a number of Western Rites were practiced including the Ambrosian Rite (very beautiful and close to the Byzantine Riete), the Mozarabic, Celtic, Gallican and some others.

There are the "city Rites" of Italy and France and those of the monastic Orders.

A liturgist discovered the existence of the Scandinavian Rite of Trondheim in the Channel Islands. Apparently, St Anskar (Oscar)of Hamburg was planning to establish a Norther Patriarchate for Scandinavia centred at Hamburg on the basis of this Rite.

Some have suggested that a big issue for the Reformation movement was being able to shape their worship in accordance with their more northern European culture, rather than the more Mediterranean southern European frameworks that didn't work for them.

My big interest is the Celtic Church and its devotional practices that were heavily influenced by Coptic Christianity.

I did have a dream years ago where I was walking along a street lined with many Churches of different Rites. But they were all structurally joined or linked and one could walk from one to another, like from one room to another room, and see the Liturgy served in many, many different ways.

My perfect world - with Serge back here!

Alex

Alex,

Do you have any more information about this? I had read years ago that the Mozarabic Rite was confined to a single tiny chapel in Spain. If the Vatican were to allow it to be celebrated elsewhere, that would be a major development. Can you direct me somewhere for more info?

Thanks,
Anthony

Dear Anthony,

You know, I was afraid someone was going to ask me this . . .

I read this a few years back in a media release and then in an article, which I promise to do my best to locate for you, Defender of the Faith!

Alex

I was in Toledo two years ago (at the Cathedral, for that matter). While the chapel is locked mor eoften than not, Massbooks with the Mozarabic rite were on sale in the gift shop with some notice that is had recently or was about to be allowed on a wider basis (not outside of Spain) with permission of the local ordinary.

K.

Dear Kurt,

Thanks for coming to my rescue, Friend!

If you are a troll, you are worth every penny of your toll!!

Alex