QUAERITUR: Can “modern” vestments be used for the “Tridentine” Mass?

From a reader:

We are in the final stages of organizing a monthly Tridentine Mass. We have everything but the “traditional” vestments. Can the Tridentine Mass be celebrated by a Priest wearing “modern” vestments? If not, what is the most economical option for obtaining traditional vestments?

Congratulations!  I wish your “stable group” every success.  May your initiative thrive.  “Ut eatis et fructum afferatis”, and all that.

Yes, vestments that are modern in style can be used, provide that the prescribed vestments are included and, then, used.  For example, in the Extraordinary Form the maniple must be used.  It is an option in the Ordinary Form, but it is obligatory in the Extraordinary Form.  Of course if there isn’t a maniple, then Mass goes ahead anyway.  But then reasonable steps should be taken so that the set of vestments are complete.

Also, you are not obliged to use Roman style vestments for the Extraordinary Form.  Roman vestments seem to be the most appropriate for the Roman Rite.  But you can certainly use the fuller, draping, “Gothic” style vestments.  No problem.

Furthermore, I don’t see why the vestments could not incorporate some more modernistic designs, provided they weren’t too obviously secular or weird or jarring or distracting or ugly.  This would go for the music as well.  Just because Gregorian chant and polyphony are to be our first choices in the Roman Rite (thank you, Vatican II!) that doesn’t mean that we cannot include in our choir’s repetoire also music of a modern idiom.  I really like Tomas Luis de Victoria’s Masses, but I have also been celebrant for a Solemn Mass in the Extraordinary Form with the Mass by Igor Stravinsky.  We should have good and worthy new compositions for Mass too!

Holy Church has given two great gifts to all of humanity: saints and art.  In the lives of saints, people see the goodness, truth and beauty of God shining through our human words and actions.  In true art, we also should see goodness, truth and beauty.  When we are dealing with sacred art, appropriate for our liturgy worship, it is absolutely necessary that we see or hear the goodness, truth and beauty of God.  And we have to have true sacred art in every age and culture, just as we hope we will have saints.

I digress.

Yes, you can use all sorts of styles of vestments for the Extraordinary Form.

I will let readers chime in about where to get vestments.

(Perhaps you can also start a group who can make nice vestments!)