medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear John
Many thanks for this most informative posting. I have a particular interest
in the whole question of the clericalization of monasticism and found this
very helpful. I am familiar with Landini's work on the clericalization of
the Friars Minor. Do any similar studies exist for the monastic order?
Yours
Colmán O'Clabaigh, OSB
Glenstal Abbey
Ireland
----- Original Message -----
From: "Howe, John" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: [M-R] masses per day
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
I recently looked at the question of limits on the number of Masses
per day in regard to the pre-Gregorian era. Here are a few thoughts:
This question presupposes the possibility of a private or
semiprivate Mass service. If the devotional requirements of congregations
are what requires services, then there are limits based upon local market.
Most places in medieval Europe had enough priests so that one or two
services per day would more than suffice for the worshippers available.
From the Carolingians onward, there is more acceptance of private
services and hence the need to ask if there is some other limit. Monk
priests celebrated their private Masses in addition to the community Mass.
Although according to the formal language of the monastic customaries this
extra altar service was voluntary, in practice monk priests found themselves
bound by community pledges to perform large numbers of votive Masses, by
obligations to celebrate memorial Masses for their deceased brethren, and
by other similar duties. Doubts about how many Masses a priest might
celebrate in a day are suggested by the way that Archbishop Wulfstan of York
wrote Ćlfric of Eynsham to request information on this question.
Although Ćlfric's reply cited his beloved master Ethelwold's preference for
a single celebration per day, Wulfstan must have found that standard
ill-fitted to his own generation, since, in the Canons of Edgar which he
seems to have helped write, he was much more lenient: "And it is right that
no priest celebrate mass more than three times in one day at very most."
Piety could explain this proliferation, since multiple Masses were
seen as effective in saving souls. Or, as some commentators hinted,
priests might multiply Masses for money or fame. The end result was such
an increase that the tenth and eleventh centuries have been dubbed "the
blossoming time of the private Mass" (die Blütezeit der Privatmesse).
This development subtly divided the monastic world, marginalizing to some
extent the non-ordained monks and the nuns. However, one way to keep them
involved in the world of Eucharistic piety was to encourage daily communion.
Movement in this direction had already been part of Carolingian Eucharistic
devotion. In England, around 970, the Regularis Concordia became the
first customary to insist that all religious should take communion daily.
A century later, Gregory VII would attempt to promote this practice for
pious laymen.
--John Howe, Texas
Tech
-----Original Message-----
From: medieval-religion - Scholarly discussions of medieval religious
culture [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cormack,
Margaret Jean
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 3:50 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [M-R] masses per day
medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
Dear list members,
on behalf of a colleague, I am writing to ask about the history of
legislation concerning
how often priests were permitted to say Mass on a single day. I have a vague
recollection
that more than one Mass per day should not have been allowed, but that
exceptions were
allowed for areas with few priests. Also that one of the things Martin
Luther objected to
was priests who spent their entire lives reciting successive Masses paid for
by benefactors.
Any help, especially bibliographical references to canon law texts or
episcopal statutes,
would be helpful (especially if in English!)
thanks in advance,
Meg
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