Comments on: The Last Gospel

By: Rob Stoltz

Rob Stoltz — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 19:23:34 +0000

Others have well described the Last Gospel as it was used in the various Altar Missals that have been used in the Episcopal Church. The Church of England, in its “Common Worship” series, has made an interesting provision, “The Dismissal Gospel.” The Dismissal Gospel for Christmas is here. Of course, the responses in the American BCP would be preferred. Scattered around “Common Worship” and “Times and Seasons,” the CofE has made provision for other seasonal Dismissal Gospels, which could be interest to some. Returning to the Prologue of Saint John’s Gospel, The Roman Rite, in the “Lectionary for Mass” provides a shorter form for Christmas Day, John 1:1-5, 9-14. If the Last Gospel, or Dismissal Gospel, were something entirely new, this short from might useful in some pastoral situations.

By: Christopher R. Seitz

Christopher R. Seitz — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 13:11:59 +0000

I should add, my dad’s father was professor of liturgics and parish administration at Bexley Hall, Kenyon College. He served a parish in Granville, Ohio, as well. He was in the tradition of (the then popular, in pockets) tractarian movement, which was to be distinguished from the “ritualist” movement in the Biretta Belt.

Christ School had an ascetic, cistercian like feel. It was not “high church vestments and preoccupation with ritual” in the way that would mark the “underground railroad” of high church parishes stretching from Boston to DC in the 60s and 70s (many still in that mode today).

The history of the emerging “diocese” of Western North Carolina is its own fascinating tale. Christ School both existed within certain trends that marked the diocese, and was its own world as well.

By: Christopher R. Seitz

Christopher R. Seitz — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 13:01:54 +0000

Christ School was in a tradition of early morning HC after the rung Angelus (7 a.m.), but it was optional. There had to be a server, and the boys were on a rota. Rarely were there more than a handful of attendees.

You could swap and barter if you did not want to serve. I would often be a candidate. It was typically dark, especially in the short months. The service also started with the “I will go unto the altar of God” recitations, a card slid under the carpet with the text for the server.

It is not hard to imagine why this very mediaeval ambiance stays lodged in consciousness. My dad had attended the school himself, during the waning years of WWII. These practices (including non-communicating Mass on Sundays! some of this was simply architectural expedience, as well as theological conviction, and it is hard to understand why at the time it did not seem to matter much).

When I was on the staff at Christ Church, New Haven, in the day, this was also their general practice (though lacking Last Gospel). I’m not sure when the Anglican Missal was set aside. I left there in 1985 and when I came back on the faculty, I think it was no longer in use.

By: Michael Cover

Michael Cover — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 00:57:38 +0000

In reply to Christopher R Seitz. Thank you, Professor Seitz. This is almost exactly how I've begun practicing it, kneeling at the "et verbum caro factum est" (of course in English). Lovely to have your personal reflection.

By: Christopher R Seitz

Christopher R Seitz — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 19:15:30 +0000

At Christ School (NC) the tradition of the Last Gospel was in place until the liturgical changes that brought about the 1979 BCP. My father, the chaplain, processed to the back of the chapel, and to one side, he faced the acolyte and began “In the beginning….” At “and the Word became flesh” we knelt and the final words were said, we stood and exited the back chapel door. I can easily recite the words to this day. The distance from my face to his was about a foot, eye to eye. I suspect I will see him like this when I cross into larger life.