Launch of scholarly journal: Usus Antiquior

A quarterly academic journal dedicated to the Sacred Liturgy was launched at a reception at The London Oratory of St Philip Neri, on Friday.

Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei welcomed the launch of a new scholarly journal, Usus Antiquior in a message to the editors.

The Cardinal said: "launching of the journal Usus Antiquior which is intended for the promotion of the study of the classical Roman rite from historical, philosophical, theological and pastoral perspectives" he expressed his desire for the success of the Journal, and its concern for all forms of the Roman Rite in current use because "as our Holy Father has indicated, the two forms of the Roman rite 'can be mutually enriching'."

Opening the event, Dr Susan Parsons of the Society of St Catherine of Siena said: "It is of course on this Feast, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, that Benedict XVI's Summorum Pontificum was promulgated one year ago. No day could be more appropriate than this to set out upon this venture'.

The Journal has already more than 350 potential subscribers including UK seminaries.

The editors of Usus Antiquior are Laurence Paul Hemming and Alcuin Reid Hemming, an academic philosopher, is recently the author of 'Worship as a Revelation' (London, Continuum) as well as a brief study of Benedict XVI: Reid, a contributor to The Tablet and The Catholic Herald, published the seminal 'The Organic Development of the Liturgy' in 2005 and is presently working on a successor volume discussing the liturgical reform beginning with
Vatican II.

At the launch Reid said: "Usus Antiquior will make a significant contribution to the "new liturgical movement" which is gaining increasing momentum.' Hemming added 'we have contributions promised from liturgists of international standing and unsolicited material of the highest calibre. For a venture so traditional and unashamedly ecclesial we have had an embarrassment of ecumenical interest".

Source: Society of St Catherine of Siena