Since the point of the essay was that virtually every Novus Ordo Mass is unique because of the 'legitimate' choices, options, and variations, I got to thinking? What is the highest number of possible 'different' Masses according to the Rite of Paul VI?
I'm not a mathematician, but without even looking at my Missal for all the possibilities and using only the most obvious ones (no 'long' or 'short' readings, etc.) I can come up with 1,080.
That's using only the penitential rite, the ten authorised Eucharistic Prayers, the three memorial acclamations, and the four dismissals (3 x 3 x 10 x 3 x 4 = 1,080). There are several other 'options' that come to mind, including the Nicene or Apostles Creed, the length of readings, etc. And how about all the Preface options. I would need an Altar Missal and a copy of the GIRM to understand the possible legitimate permutations of all of them!
Then, of course, we have the 'Prayers of the People'! I'm sure there are at least 'guidelines' in the Missal or the GIRM, but how often are they followed? Not only do they tend to be freeform (so the Pastor or the lector can insert their favourite social justice theme), but especially at daily Mass, it's not unusual for the Celebrant to 'open up the floor', allowing attendees to offer their own intentions.
This sounds cute, but it can cause serious problems. I have a friend who used to be Catholic. Why is he no longer? Well, a number of years ago he was a devout lector and EMHC in his Novus Ordo Parish. He attended daily Mass as often as he could. On one occasion (his last as a Catholic) he was hearing Mass in a Church in Berkeley, CA. The Celebrant opened up the floor on the Prayers of the People. It was during the US action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a female SJW prayed, not for peace, but that the American soldiers would be killed and the enemy victorious!
My friend just happened to have a brother on the front lines. Besides the normal dangers of an artilleryman in a war zone, his brother was also an EMHC, taking Holy Communion to men in the forward firebases who couldn't attend Mass. And a half witted SJW had just prayed that he would be killed!
My friend stood up, walked out of the Church and has never darkened the door of a Catholic Church since!
Well, now that we know that, because of the Prayers of the People, there are an unlimited number of 'different Masses' that can be celebrated in the NO, let me pose the maths problem.
Omitting the Prayers of the People, and ignoring the fact that many (probably a majority) of Priests ad lib and change the prayers of the Mass as they see fit, how many possible permutations are possible, using only the prayers as printed in the Missal and the rubrical directions there and in the GIRM? There must be a finite number under those restrictions, but I'm neither mathematician nor liturgist enough to calculate it. Do I have any mathematically inclined liturgists amongst my readers?
Then, of course, we have the 'Prayers of the People'! I'm sure there are at least 'guidelines' in the Missal or the GIRM, but how often are they followed? Not only do they tend to be freeform (so the Pastor or the lector can insert their favourite social justice theme), but especially at daily Mass, it's not unusual for the Celebrant to 'open up the floor', allowing attendees to offer their own intentions.
This sounds cute, but it can cause serious problems. I have a friend who used to be Catholic. Why is he no longer? Well, a number of years ago he was a devout lector and EMHC in his Novus Ordo Parish. He attended daily Mass as often as he could. On one occasion (his last as a Catholic) he was hearing Mass in a Church in Berkeley, CA. The Celebrant opened up the floor on the Prayers of the People. It was during the US action in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a female SJW prayed, not for peace, but that the American soldiers would be killed and the enemy victorious!
My friend just happened to have a brother on the front lines. Besides the normal dangers of an artilleryman in a war zone, his brother was also an EMHC, taking Holy Communion to men in the forward firebases who couldn't attend Mass. And a half witted SJW had just prayed that he would be killed!
My friend stood up, walked out of the Church and has never darkened the door of a Catholic Church since!
Well, now that we know that, because of the Prayers of the People, there are an unlimited number of 'different Masses' that can be celebrated in the NO, let me pose the maths problem.
Omitting the Prayers of the People, and ignoring the fact that many (probably a majority) of Priests ad lib and change the prayers of the Mass as they see fit, how many possible permutations are possible, using only the prayers as printed in the Missal and the rubrical directions there and in the GIRM? There must be a finite number under those restrictions, but I'm neither mathematician nor liturgist enough to calculate it. Do I have any mathematically inclined liturgists amongst my readers?
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