[Prof. Laszlo Dobszay, author of "The Bugnini-Liturgy and the Reform of the Reform" has written a piece for the NLM which looks at the reform of the Roman Office. This is actually not the study I had referred to a few weeks back pertaining to the reform of the Breviarium Romanum, which will still be forthcoming, but his piece serves as an added bonus in that discussion. I thank Prof. Dobszay for sending in this piece for the NLM. I am grateful. Here are some excerpts of the opening and concluding paragraphs...]
(Comments to Shawn Tribe’s article
on the New Liturgical Movement website)
by Prof. László Dobszay
(author of The Bugnini-Liturgy and the Reform of the Reform)
It is impossible to offer a survey on the past, present and future of the Divine Office, and either if it aims at practical-liturgical and not scientific conclusions. (I tried to explain what I know and think about the theme in the 3rd chapter of my book 'The Bugnini-Liturgy and the reform of the Reform', which has been also published in periodical Musica Sacra.) Here only theses can be presented without a detailed argumentation.
First I wish to call your attention to the importance of the theme. In the broad discussion on the liturgical problems of our day participents speak – almost without exception – on the Mass (or even more restricted, to some points of the Mass ordo), but few on the real great loss of the reform, like the Mass proper, the system of readings, the Holy Week rite), and the Office is discussed nearly never. Even in this blog, practically no comment came to the theme 'Reform of the Roman Breviary' initiated by Shawn Tribe. I guess, it is because most people does not pray and know the Office at all, though we all know that the Office constitutes just so important part of the liturgy, as the Mass (yet, in some sense – what I cannot explain now – still more important).
[Prof. Dobszay also treats us to a little insight into what might be coming down the road from him at the very end of this treatment:]
This consideration is intended no more than to demonstrate that the Roman Office could be resituted in a way, were its core remain intact, while the requirements of our day are respected. I am going to explain the potentiality of this method in the second volume of my book on 'Reform of Reform'.
To read the entire piece by Prof. Dobszay: The Reform of the Roman Office
