Sunday After Pentecost - Or Sunday in Ordinary Time?

We've begun the Sundays after Pentecost in the traditional Liturgical Calendar. For the Novus Ordo (or as we like to call it "newfangled") calendar, we're in "Ordinary Time." Of course, today being Trinity Sunday, that kind of overrides the "after Pentecost" as well as the "Ordinary" label. But eventually, as these "special" Sundays after Pentecost taper off, we'll get down to the more "regular" names.

Here, we prefer naming Sundays "after Pentecost." The idea was - and still is - that Pentecost is such an centrally important event in the history of Holy Mother Church, the it remains a kind of bedrock of the Church founded by Jesus Christ. Being reminded of this week after week maintains the "status" of Pentecost, especially for us ordinary Catholics. When the newfangled calendar switched to its "Ordinary Time" regimen, Pentecost was, in a sense left behind once it was over.

Oh, and one more point on this: The newfangled dropped the Octave of Pentecost as well. For centuries, Pentecost had a designated Octave. The Octave - true for all Octaves - kind of "extends" the commemoration and celebration of Pentecost. That alone elevates this feast. Combined with the Sundays of "after Pentecost" I think we can see how Pentecost was regarded for centuries, and how it is now "demoted."

The question of why the demotion remains unanswered - far as I know. Perhaps you have an answer.

Why bring all this up? Because the old way is, frankly better. Pentecost really is a big deal. Stomping on it (Exaggeration? I don't think so.) by eliminating the Sundays "after Pentecost" label has gained us nothing. Conversely, we're lost a lot.

But it doesn't have to be so.

Even if we're not attending the traditional Mass (the Mass we Catholics celebrated for millennia before the changes instituted in 1970) we can still keep the "after Pentecost" in our hearts and minds. 

For example, you can follow the traditional calendar online. I found one (HERE). You can find one that suits your needs.

In fact, I follow both calendars. Each morning I check in with the newfangled and the traditional. Checking the newfangled helps me stay in touch with what most Catholics are observing. The traditional is one of various methods I've found help keep me grounded in the centuries of teaching and believing that our forefathers handed down to us.

As an aside, isn't it interesting how many of us go out of our way to research our "ancestry" but wouldn't think of doing the same when it comes to knowing and understanding the "ancestry" of our dear Holy Mother Church? Even those of us who prefer the Novus Ordo and all other manner of newfangled ideas and practices should take some interest in all that came before. 

Isn't that sort of obvious?

Oh, and guess what, if we're observing Sunday as some form of day of rest (and shouldn't we?), we might squeeze out a few minutes here and there to learn a thing or two about our beautiful Catholic heritage. It's what got us here and keeps many of us steady and hopeful in the face of all the falsehoods and dysfunction that have steadily, even disastrously, seeped into our Church.

If noting Sundays as "after Pentecost" from today until the first Sunday of Advent helps encourage a knowledge and understanding of our ancient ways, it will have served a noble and salutary purpose.

And that's why I brought this up this Sunday.

Happy Trinity Sunday 

and

Happy Sunday after Pentecost!