Catholic worship has been transformed in the 175 years since this newspaper was first published in 1840. A leading liturgical scholar explains how both internal and external ideas influenced the changes
Hidden and lacking influence and energy, the Catholic Church in England was tiny in 1840. It was still a largely recusant community, very conscious of its quiet English spirituality, and the typical liturgical diet was centred on the Sunday Mass. Celebrated in Latin in a simple chapel, it would have rarely been sung or have more than one male altar server, and often would have no Communion for the people. The industrial revolution was gradually substituting economic laws for traditional ethical standards, and market forces were subsuming spiritual values to the idols of industry and wealt
19 March 2015, The Tablet
Mass movements
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