We have a young Anglo Catholic priest appointed to our parish from September. We are a Catholic parish. However I feel my trusty Ritual Notes is a touch out of date. What books, booklets or websites can anyone recommend. 
CR Garway.

REPLIES

David C. Jones - 9/6/09

Dear GSS,

I am the last surviving Master of Ceremonies to Father E. C. R. Lamburn, the author of Ritual Notes. He was the long-time vicar of St. Faith Cowes, where I was born, baptized and confirmed. I now have the eleventh edition of Ritual Notes, which differs a good deal from the ninth edition, which was a personal gift to me .from Fr. Lamburn, when I served him at St. Faith's. In the eleventh edition, he goes to some length to explain the origins of the 1662 canon of the Mass, and also the international variations in the BCP. The eleventh edition can be found on the web by googling. It can be purchased by e-mail. Here, in USA, it is about $35.

Even that edition is not entirely up to date - but it is used in several Catholic-oriented churches, that I know of, in the USA. The Church of the Advent in Boston, is a case in point. It has an extensive web-site with the ceremonies of the liturgies carefully spelled out. It can be googled on the web. It is regarded as a kind of All-Saints-Margaret-Street, here in the USA.

I now live in Northern Virginia, near Washington DC, USA. I attend the Church of the Good Shepherd, in Burke, which is about 6 on a scale of 1-10 re being Anglo-Catholic. We have vestments, Three Sunday Eucharists, two of which are sung, no incense and a Lady Associate Rector. Her husband is also a priest.

In case anyone does not know, the Washington Cathedral services can be seen in their entirety on its web-site, every Sunday, as well as special services. They are not Anglo-Catholic models of perfection but very beautiful nonetheless. My wife and I visited there on our Golden Wedding Day. We were married at St. Mary the Virgin Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight, and persuaded our Church of the Good Shepherd, here in Virginia, to use the 1662 BCP, even facing the altar, for our Golden renewal of vows. In the prayer for the Church, we prayed for "George, our President, Mark our Governor and Elizabeth the Queen!"

Incidentally, I have tried to find services from the UK on-line, even from Canterbury Cathedral but to no avail. Are they available? Information would be appreciated.

Please contact me if I can help you with anything, although, like Ritual Notes, at age 74, I am a bit rusty myself. I am at dcjones2@cox.net.

In my secular life, I am a British Chartered Certified Accountant. However, in my work and travels, I have attended many Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches (and Cathedrals) in the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, as well as being, for seven years, a member, and lay Eucharistic minister, at the Anglican churches in Uganda and Malawi, where we lived.

With Universal Love, Support and Respect. Go in Peace, to Love and Serve the Lord.

From a former GSS member, Isle of Wight Chapter

David C. Jones Lay Eucharistic Minister Lay Intercessor Lay Lector Church of the Good Shepherd, Burke, Virginia, USA.

Home: 4936 Andrea Avenue, Annandale. VA. 22003. USA Tel: 703-978-8564 Fax: 703-978-8014 

Craig Aburn - 9/6/09

"Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite" by Peter J. Elliott Ignatius Press ISBN 0-89870-526-6

Craig Aburn Guild MC

Rick Savage - 9/6/09

I would recommend you purchase Peter J Elliott's "Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite" and his 'Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year' (Publisher Ignatius).

Regards

Rick Savage Secretary, Chapter of the Incarnate Word with St Alban and St Edward

David Todd - 9/6/09

Three book suggestions which I have found useful and a balance for the fussiness of RN. However when in doubt it is the final arbiter !

1. Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite - Fr Peter Elliott (Ignatius Press, San Francisco 1995) 
2. A Priest's Handbook - Dennis G Michno -TEC/USA (Morehouse Publishing, N.Y. 1998) 
3. Celebrating the Eucharist - Gordon-Taylor & Jones (Alcuin Liturgy Guides No 3, SPCK 2005 ) - less comprehensive and occasionally dismissive but still a good quick starter on the Mass

David Todd S. Barnabas Anglican Church Wellington N.Z. 

Fr David Moore - 10/6/09

In reply to C.R.G .... I recommend.. 'Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite'.... Msgr.Peter Elliott published by the Ignatius Press. I have found it invaluable. It was published in1995.

In my copy I found today a photo of Howard Gadd (Sec.General for many years) and me at a G.S.S. weekend pilgrimage to Walsingham and also a press cutting about how the Vatican had issued a directive re-priests not going up and down hugging and shaking hands with all and sundry during the Peace which statement had received ,apparently,'a cautious welcome' from the English R.C.Bishops....a typical response!

David Moore Warden,G.S.S. 

Graham Hayward - 3/7/09

I would suggest purchasing "Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described" by Fortescue and O'Connell. The latest revision is a good introduction to how the Roman liturgies ought to be performed - updated slightly from the older editions but still the proper liturgy. Definitely not the simplified "Modern Catholic" liturgy which removes so much beauty and interest in the interests of apeing Roman "reforms."

Graham Hayward
Nottingham Chapter