"During the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, revelation, the mysteries of Faith, the mysteries of the Incarnation and the Redemption, are made real. From the Mass, the liturgical and unbloody re-presentation of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, the efficacy of all good works proceeds."Ì´Ì_--Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
The Mass of All Time is a collection of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre's sermons, classes and notes on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass...a compendium of what he taught on the Mass - its rites, spirit, prayers, theology, spirituality, and grace. Many of these texts have never been published before.
Fr. Patrick Troadec, rector of the Society of St. Pius X's seminary in Flavigny, France, collected and organized the Archbishop's manifold writings and speeches on the Mass and presents them here, in two parts.
Part one is a running commentary, gleaned from all the works of the Archbishop, on the prayers, parts and actions of the liturgy. Part two covers the New Order of Mass promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969 and includes commentary on liturgical history, the liturgical revolution and the history of the SSPX's defense of the old and rejection of the new. Again, the words are those of Archbishop Lefebvre, woven together by Fr. Troadec.
The Archbishop is known for his courageous defense of the Tridentine Mass but never before have his insights been collected in such an accessible and complete format. Especially now, with a renewed interest in the "extraordinary form" due to the Holy Father's motu proprio, this book is ideally timed because it is primarily a "positive" book coming from him who is too often known as the "Rebel" or "Renegade" Archbishop.
Here we see the love and depth of understanding that Marcel Lefebvre had for the Mass of all time. Polemics are not excluded, but they take a back seat in this volume. With the release of the motu proprio, it seems there has never been a more ideal time for traditionalists AND those new to the "Old" Mass to see this side of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre...indeed, the more important side as it was his love of truth and the Mass as handed on to him that fueled his battle to defend it.
The following review by the internationally recognized liturgical scholar, Dr. Alcuin Reid is well worth a read.
Historically and Theologically Important Material, February 11, 2008
by Alcuin Reid
Archbishop Lefebvre has been the great 'persona non grata' of the modern Catholic Church. Now that in the pontificate of Benedict XVI we are more or less 'speaking again' as it were, it may well be time to look anew at what the Archbishop had to say in that tumultuous period of the Church's recent history which was the late twentieth century.
Angelus Press has published a compilation of the writings and discourses of Archbishop Lefebrve on the theology and spirituality of the Mass and on the liturgical reform that followed the Second Vatican Council. The former has value as a compilation of classical spirituality. The latter - of particular interest personally - puts together the Archbishop's observations on the liturgical reform. How many people know that he was in favour of the vernacular for the readings at Mass, and indeed for most of the first part of the Mass called the Mass of Catechumens? And how many know how and when he began to react against the implementation of the reform enacted in the name of the Council, of which he was a Father?
One regret is that the editor has compiled the second part of the book thematically and not chronologically: it would, in my opinion, be more useful as historical material in the latter format for, thematically arranged, it is too easy to read on without noticing that at times the footnotes indicate a jump of many years back and forth.
The Archbishop speaks forthrightly. Indeed, there is language here that is clearly polemical and perhaps even reactionary: the years in which he raised his voice were extraordinary times and we may well find that we do not agree with the words he chose or the decisions he took. We may even quibble with his recollection of events or debate his understanding of theology. Yet, in days when honest dialogue and reappraisal of the events following the Council are now permissible, it is instructive to have Archbishop Lefebvre's words to hand.
Unfortunately Archbishop Lefebvre never lived to see Pope Benedict's liberation of the more ancient form of the Mass in July 2007. But as the usus antiquior gradually claims its rightful place in the Church of today and of tomorrow we would do well to consider that - humanly and historically speaking at least - it may not be able to do so today were it not for the reaction of the Archbishop and of his disciples then. For the Providence of Almighty God we may be thankful.
325pp, softcover, index.
