June 17, 2010

Mass for Continence

Today I have noticed something interesting in my 2002 Missale Romanum. Amid the formularies for missae et orationes pro variis necessitatibus vel ad diversa, called in English, "Mass for various needs and occasions," there is a Mass that seems to have been omitted in our current edition of the American English Sacramentary.

There it is, under section three, ad diversa: right in between the Mass pro remissione peccatorum and the Mass ad postulandam caritatem: number 39: ad postulandam continentiam. "For seeking continence." That's sexual continence, for sure

The American English Sacramentary seems to skip this one; it goes right from "For Forgiveness of Sins" to "For Charity."

So...a couple of questions arise...is this Mass formularly new in the 2002 Missale Romanum, or did it exist previously but was omitted in the English language editions? Will it be included in the new one when it appears? Or have we been denied the Mass for praying for continence all this time? Would it not have been a good idea for some priests to have had this Mass available to them?

4 comments:

Tina aka Snupnjake said...

What is continence? I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Contentment?

Brother Charles said...

We are certainly speaking here of physical chastity.

Tc said...

oh my. I don't even know what to say! There's an app for that....

Brother Charles said...

LOL: "There's an app for that..."