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Zorrosuncle
Guest
What does it mean to “assist” at Mass. Is it different from “participating” at Mass or “attending” Mass? The Catechism is nowhere clear on this.
Thank you,
ZU
Thank you,
ZU
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Crusaderbear
Guest
Doing something at the altar. Servers, deacons, etc…
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Cor_ad_Cor
Guest
Actually, no. To be present and praying along is generally what it means.
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Michael85
Guest
I wonder if it comes from the French expression “assister à la messe”, which means “to attend Mass”. Assister in French is a false friend: it means “to attend”, not “to assist”.
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Hoosier_Daddy
Guest
When you participate in Mass, you are assisting.
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Hoosier_Daddy
Guest
Probably not. The French probably luncones from the Latin which would be more accurate in French or Spanish anyway. The English speaking Church has difficulty with translations. A lot of difficulty actually. Which is why we get updated translations years later that are said to be “closer to the original Latin”.
Romance languages don’t have this issue as much. I don’t think… though my opinion is limited, I don’t know much about other languages…
I can order a beer in Cancun…
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Ad_Orientem
Guest
The word “assist” emphasizes the sacrificial character of the rite, and the role of the priest as such. Strictly speaking the laity do not offer the sacrifice, but assist the priest in doing so. To be more precise, Christ offers himself to his Father through the ministry of the priest, and the people join in, both in the offering of Christ as Victim, and by offering themselves as little victims in union with the principal Victim.
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Bonnie
Guest
I remember the first time I came across that word in a book about Matt Talbot. As a new Catholic at the time, I wondered what he was doing at mass. Finally found out it meant attending/participating. It’s an old-fashioned word.
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