Still very much alive, thank you.

There is a very well-considered article in Catholic World Report on the permission and publication of some  additional prefaces and allowable feast days in the Usus Antiquior just promulgated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Some of the prefaces were already in use in various countries before the Council and there is now a legitimate way to celebrate feast days of saints canonized in more recent years.

What startled me is that there is horror in some quarters that Rome is even bothering to legislate for anything to do with the Usus Antiquior. Such rigid "moderns" apparently ask why Rome would bother legislating for what they see as an obsolete version of the Mass. They are outraged that such legislation gives recognition to the Usus Antiquior and treats it as a living entity rather than a dead letter.

Of course, it is a living entity, proven by the fact that so many pray it and celebrate it with a joy and vigour that gives them spiritual sustenance.

Here on lockdown, I've gone from celebrating the Usus Antiquior three times a week to every day and I suspect that many priests are using the unforeseen opportunity of these strange times to "learn up" the Latin and bring a forgotten ad orientem side altar back into use.

(Though the photo above is not us breaking all the social distancing rules but taken in church here a little while ago. Before someone comments!)

Read the Catholic World Report article here:

https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2020/04/03/the-older-form-of-the-roman-rite-is-alive-and-well/?fbclid=IwAR1ODSeYlLAhqxvfG1PG7yPylu4wp_pIz3dhaAr1_bfBO5PoIbGQvXD6siU