Attending a Tridentine Mass for the first time

[Padres1969]

I will be attending a Tridentine Mass (Low Mass as I understand it) for the first time in person as part of my personal journey experiencing various Christian masses/services. I’ve attended plenty of Novus Ordo Catholic masses, Anglican Low and High church masses, Lutheran services, a few different non-Denominational and Baptist Services over the years, but never a Tridentine in person.

I’ve seen the Tridentine rite on video before, but as videos so often do they tend to focus on the altar and/or priest presiding rather than the congregation. I’m curious what to expect as a visitor of a congregation performing the Tridentine Rite. What is appropriate attire for a congregant? Is it easy to follow along when to stand/sit/kneel (as I understand it there is definitely more movement so to speak than a modern Mass)? Is there usually an missal to help with these things as there typically is with a Novus Ordo? If there is a missal is it in both English and Latin or is it only in Latin? Is it typical that any of the readings are in the vernacular or are they in Latin (I’ve seen it performed both ways and wonder which is more prominent)? Are non-communicants usually asked to leave during the Mass of the Faithful or are they invited to remain to witness the second half of the mass even if not able to commune?

Any insights into these questions or anything else I should know before hand would be appreciated.

 

[LoganBice]

sanctamissa.org/en/faq/newcomers-to-the-traditional-latin-mass.html

This link should be helpful.

 

[smead2942]

I will be attending a Tridentine Mass (Low Mass as I understand it) for the first time in person as part of my personal journey experiencing various Christian masses/services. I’ve attended plenty of Novus Ordo Catholic masses, Anglican Low and High church masses, Lutheran services, a few different non-Denominational and Baptist Services over the years, but never a Tridentine in person.

I’ve seen the Tridentine rite on video before, but as videos so often do they tend to focus on the altar and/or priest presiding rather than the congregation. I’m curious what to expect as a visitor of a congregation performing the Tridentine Rite. What is appropriate attire for a congregant? Is it easy to follow along when to stand/sit/kneel (as I understand it there is definitely more movement so to speak than a modern Mass)? Is there usually an missal to help with these things as there typically is with a Novus Ordo? If there is a missal is it in both English and Latin or is it only in Latin? Is it typical that any of the readings are in the vernacular or are they in Latin (I’ve seen it performed both ways and wonder which is more prominent)? Are non-communicants usually asked to leave during the Mass of the Faithful or are they invited to remain to witness the second half of the mass even if not able to commune?

Any insights into these questions or anything else I should know before hand would be appreciated.

Most attendees of the Traditional Latin Mass sport “traditional” (pre-1960s hippie era) church garb. Men wear a full suit or dress pants and button-down shirt, women wear dresses and veil (or use an alternate head covering, such as a scarf or hat). The goal is not to one-up those around you with nice clothes, but to serve as an outward sign of respect for Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

It’s fairly easy to follow along, especially being a Low Mass. Sit towards the back (or middle, if you’re feeling ambitious) and do what everyone else does. Most traditional Catholic churches offer Latin-English booklets/missalettes to follow along in, but don’t expect them to contain the Epistle or Gospel readings (typically proclaimed in Latin, though the Gospel is often re-read in the vernacular as well). And yes, you are right about there being more physical involvement in the Mass of Ages than the Novus Ordo. Non-communicants are 100% welcome to remain, and definitely should. You will find that those who attend the traditional liturgy take the Holy Eucharist much more seriously than anywhere else, and people who are not in a state of grace (thus not being able to commune) remain in their pews, kneeling in prayer. Don’t stress out about it.

I don’t know your level of familiarity with the Novus Ordo, but whatever you do, DO NOT outstretch your hands while saying “et cum spiritu tuo”/“and with thy spirit” or attempt to hold hands with anyone during the Pater Noster.

Good luck, and enjoy the Mass of All Time!

 

[Padres1969]

sanctamissa.org/en/faq/newcomers-to-the-traditional-latin-mass.html

This link should be helpful.

Very helpful thank you. But I don’t believe it answers this particular question.

Are non-communicants usually asked to leave during the Mass of the Faithful or are they invited to remain to witness the second half of the mass even if not able to commune?

 

[smead2942]

Very helpful thank you. But I don’t believe it answers this particular question.

Are non-communicants usually asked to leave during the Mass of the Faithful or are they invited to remain to witness the second half of the mass even if not able to commune?

Refer back to my post.

 

[Brandon_Cal]

Fair warning, since you’ve indicated that this will be a Low Mass, be prepared to do a lot of kneeling. Come to think of it the only time you wont be kneeling is during the Gospel, Creed, and from the Offertory to the Sanctus. That’s like 90% kneeling!

Otherwise, dress Sunday best (if this is a Sunday liturgy), and try to sit moderately close. You want to be close enough so that you can slightly hear what the priest and server are saying otherwise you’ll be lost throughout the entire Mass. The Low Mass has no music, no chanting, no choir, etc. so it’s difficult to follow along unless you’ve already become well accustomed to the Tridentine liturgy in general. You also might want to leave a couple individuals in front of you so you can follow along with your body, so to speak.

 

[Brandon_Cal]

Very helpful thank you. But I don’t believe it answers this particular question.

Are non-communicants usually asked to leave during the Mass of the Faithful or are they invited to remain to witness the second half of the mass even if not able to commune?

I don’t believe the Catholic Church has done this since the Middle Ages. Every Tridentine Mass I’ve been to has not had such an admonition for the catechumens to leave before the Mass of the Faithful.

 

[Brandon_Cal]

I don’t believe the Catholic Church has done this since the Middle Ages. Every Tridentine Mass I’ve been to has not had such an admonition for the catechumens to leave before the Mass of the Faithful.

Catholic Encyclopedia:
There were, then, a missa catechumenorum and a missa fidelium, both, at first, in the sense of dismissals only. So Florus Diaconus (d. 860): “Missa is understood as nothing but dimissio, that is, absolutio, which the deacon pronounces when the people are dismissed from the solemn service. The deacon cried out and the catechumens were sent [mittebantur], that is, were dismissed outside [id est, dimittebantur foras]. So the missa caechumenorum was made before the action of the Sacrament (i.e., before the Canon Actionis), the missa fidelium is made “-- note the difference of tense; in Florus’s time the dismissal of the catechumens had ceased to be practised --” after the consecration and communion” [post confectionem et participationem] (P.L., CXIX 72).

 

[Padres1969]

Most attendees of the Traditional Latin Mass sport “traditional” (pre-1960s hippie era) church garb. Men wear a full suit or dress pants and button-down shirt, women wear dresses and veil (or use an alternate head covering, such as a scarf or hat). The goal is not to one-up those around you with nice clothes, but to serve as an outward sign of respect for Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

It’s fairly easy to follow along, especially being a Low Mass. Sit towards the back (or middle, if you’re feeling ambitious) and do what everyone else does. Most traditional Catholic churches offer Latin-English booklets/missalettes to follow along in, but don’t expect them to contain the Epistle or Gospel readings (typically proclaimed in Latin, though the Gospel is often re-read in the vernacular as well). And yes, you are right about there being more physical involvement in the Mass of Ages than the Novus Ordo. Non-communicants are 100% welcome to remain, and definitely should. You will find that those who attend the traditional liturgy take the Holy Eucharist much more seriously than anywhere else, and people who are not in a state of grace (thus not being able to commune) remain in their pews, kneeling in prayer. Don’t stress out about it.

I don’t know your level of familiarity with the Novus Ordo, but whatever you do, DO NOT outstretch your hands while saying “et cum spiritu tuo”/“and with thy spirit” or attempt to hold hands with anyone during the Pater Noster.

Good luck, and enjoy the Mass of All Time!

Thanks you for your insights. And for answering my other question above.

Would you recommend a high or low mass for a first in person exposure to Tridentine. I’d scheduled to go to a low mass, but I could always find a high mass. Admittedly every video of Tridentine masses I’ve seen has been high or Pontifical high so my familiarity with the Low Tridentine is nil which is why I’d picked the low mass initially for the difference of experience.

 

[ProVobis]

Thanks you for your insights. And for answering my other question above.

Would you recommend a high or low mass for a first exposure to Tridentine. I’d scheduled to go to a low mass, but I could always find a high mass. Admittedly every video mass I’ve seen has been high or Pontifical high so my familiarity with the Low Tridentine is nil which is why I’d picked the low for the difference of experience.

I would say go to both and see which one provides for a more prayerful environment for you.

What you experienced is a more solemn form of the Mass but it doesn’t mean the quiet Low Mass (with more kneeling) can’t fulfill your spiritual needs.

 

[Padres1969]

I would say go to both and see which one provides for a more prayerful environment for you.

What you experienced is a more solemn form of the Mass but it doesn’t mean the quiet Low Mass (with more kneeling) can’t fulfill your spiritual needs.

Well mind you I’m going for more of an academic interest than anything else. I’m quite spiritually contented with my own church (High Anglican/Episcopal). That’s not to say I don’t expect to get something spiritual out of this visit. I typically do when I visit other faiths.

I’m always interested in how other Christians worship (and indeed even non-Christians) as I’ve always felt the more you understand how you neighbor experiences their faith, the more you’ll understand your neighbor. To that end I’ve always tried to experience all sorts of different faiths primary worship in person, both Christian and not. As I said I’ve been to many Catholic and non-Catholic Christian services, I’ve been to Buddhist temples in Tibet, Hindu temples, I’ve been to a Sunni mosque once. One of these days I’m sure I’ll find myself visiting a Synagogue. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my primary interest has always been with Christianity seeing as that’s always been my “home” faith group seeing as I’ve always been nominally Christian even when I veered off into borderline agnosticism for a while.

But I will likely take your advice. Since I’m already scheduled to visit a Low Tridentine I’ll stick to that for now. And perhaps visit a High Tridentine when I find the opportunity arises. I’ve also been trying to schedule an in person Byzantine Rite visit that doesn’t run into my own church’s mass schedule.

 

[1crazybusydad]

Well mind you I’m going for more of an academic interest than anything else. I’m quite spiritually contented with my own church (High Anglican/Episcopal). That’s not to say I don’t expect to get something spiritual out of this visit. I typically do when I visit other faiths.

I’m always interested in how other Christians worship (and indeed even non-Christians) as I’ve always felt the more you understand how you neighbor experiences their faith, the more you’ll understand your neighbor. To that end I’ve always tried to experience all sorts of different faiths primary worship in person, both Christian and not. As I said I’ve been to many Catholic and non-Catholic Christian services, I’ve been to Buddhist temples in Tibet, Hindu temples, I’ve been to a Sunni mosque once. One of these days I’m sure I’ll find myself visiting a Synagogue. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say that my primary interest has always been with Christianity seeing as that’s always been my “home” faith group seeing as I’ve always been nominally Christian even when I veered off into borderline agnosticism for a while.

But I will likely take your advice. Since I’m already scheduled to visit a Low Tridentine I’ll stick to that for now. And perhaps visit a High Tridentine when I find the opportunity arises. I’ve also been trying to schedule an in person Byzantine Rite visit that doesn’t run into my own church’s mass schedule.

If you are ever up in Irvine, you should also check out Blessed John Henry Newman Catholic Church. Their Mass is the Anglican Use liturgy, which is quite interesting.

 

[Padres1969]

If you are ever up in Irvine, you should also check out Blessed John Henry Newman Catholic Church. Their Mass is the Anglican Use liturgy, which is quite interesting.

Not a bad idea, thanks for the tip. I’ll have to add it to the list . If not there then I believe there’s an Anglican Use liturgy in San Diego’s North County as well. I know there’s a Byzantine Rite church in the heart of SD I’ve been trying to work my schedule around as well. That and I’ve been hunting around for an Orthodox church to visit along with the visit to the Eastern Catholic church. I’ve admittedly not been as attentive to adding Eastern Christian Religions to the list as I have Eastern religions or Latin Rite churches in the east (I visited a beautiful Catholic church in Beijing several years back (Xuanwumen Church)).

 

[1crazybusydad]

Not a bad idea, thanks for the tip. I’ll have to add it to the list . If not there then I believe there’s an Anglican Use liturgy in San Diego’s North County as well. I know there’s a Byzantine Rite church in the heart of SD I’ve been trying to work my schedule around as well. That and I’ve been hunting around for an Orthodox church to visit along with the visit to the Eastern Catholic church. I’ve admittedly not been as attentive to adding Eastern Christian Religions to the list as I have Eastern religions or Latin Rite churches in the east (I visited a beautiful Catholic church in Beijing several years back (Xuanwumen Church)).

I have yet to attend a Divine Liturgy - either Orthodox or Eastern Rite Catholic. It’s on my todo list.

 

[1crazybusydad]

Not a bad idea, thanks for the tip. I’ll have to add it to the list . If not there then I believe there’s an Anglican Use liturgy in San Diego’s North County as well. I know there’s a Byzantine Rite church in the heart of SD I’ve been trying to work my schedule around as well. That and I’ve been hunting around for an Orthodox church to visit along with the visit to the Eastern Catholic church. I’ve admittedly not been as attentive to adding Eastern Christian Religions to the list as I have Eastern religions or Latin Rite churches in the east (I visited a beautiful Catholic church in Beijing several years back (Xuanwumen Church)).

Oh…also in Orange County - St Michael’s Abbey has a “Novus Ordo” or Ordinary Form Mass in Latin with chant. I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to hear a good Schola Cantorum or a Mass at an Abbey, where the monks chant alternating parts, but it is also an interesting and beautiful experience.

 

[Padres1969]

Oh…also in Orange County - St Michael’s Abbey has a “Novus Ordo” or Ordinary Form Mass in Latin with chant. I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to hear a good Schola Cantorum or a Mass at an Abbey, where the monks chant alternating parts, but it is also an interesting and beautiful experience.

If you ever have a chance I’d also recommend a mass conferring Holy Orders. I’ve had the opportunity to be present for both Anglican and Catholic (Jesuit) Holy Orders and both were pretty amazing and the same but different from the typical Anglican/Episcopal Rite I/II or Catholic Novus Ordo. The supplication and prostration of those receiving the orders in particular is hard to put into words other that to call it moving.

 

[Brandon_Cal]

Would you recommend a high or low mass for a first in person exposure to Tridentine. I’d scheduled to go to a low mass, but I could always find a high mass. Admittedly every video of Tridentine masses I’ve seen has been high or Pontifical high so my familiarity with the Low Tridentine is nil which is why I’d picked the low mass initially for the difference of experience.

I think this will depend on your familiarity with the Tridentine liturgy in general. My first Tridentine Mass was a Low Mass, and I happened upon it accidentally. I had done zero reading prior to attending. I got lost within minutes despite trying to follow along with those small red missalettes some parishes provide, and I remained confused all the way until the end. My second EF Mass was a Missa Cantata (a sort of hybridized low and high liturgy) and it was much easier to follow along.

The Low Mass has since grown on me, and now that I’m more familiar with the Extraordinary Form generally speaking it’s not difficult to follow along. If I get lost all I have to do is look up at the priest to see which part of the altar he’s facing, what his body is doing, and where the server is at and I can gauge where in the Ordo we are. Without knowing these subtle little differences it’s quite easy to have no idea what the heck is going on. As I mentioned in my previous post, the Low Mass has nearly zero external cues to give you a hint as to where you are in the Ordo. A bell is rung at the beginning, at the end, and when the priest elevates the Eucharistic species. Otherwise, there’s no singing, no chanting, no music, no other bells, no incensing, and the priest nearly whispers the Mass. I very much disagree with the poster who said you should take a seat near the back.

 

[Padres1969]

I think this will depend on your familiarity with the Tridentine liturgy in general. My first Tridentine Mass was a Low Mass, and I happened upon it accidentally. I had done zero reading prior to attending. I got lost within minutes despite trying to follow along with those small red missalettes some parishes provide, and I remained confused all the way until the end. My second EF Mass was a Missa Cantata (a sort of hybridized low and high liturgy) and it was much easier to follow along.

The Low Mass has since grown on me, and now that I’m more familiar with the Extraordinary Form generally speaking it’s not difficult to follow along. If I get lost all I have to do is look up at the priest to see which part of the altar he’s facing, what his body is doing, and where the server is at and I can gauge where in the Ordo we are. Without knowing these subtle little differences it’s quite easy to have no idea what the heck is going on. As I mentioned in my previous post, the Low Mass has nearly zero external cues to give you a hint as to where you are in the Ordo. A bell is rung at the beginning, at the end, and when the priest elevates the Eucharistic species. Otherwise, there’s no singing, no chanting, no music, no other bells, no incensing, and the priest nearly whispers the Mass. I very much disagree with the poster who said you should take a seat near the back.

Ah so that is e big difference, the low mass is more or less quiet with just the kneeling, sitting, standing and priest position on the altar differentiating what is going on from a congregation POV?

 

[Elizium23]

Ah so that is e big difference, the low mass is more or less quiet with just the kneeling, sitting, standing and priest position on the altar differentiating what is going on from a congregation POV?

It is mostly kneeling. Frankly, there aren’t a lot of calisthenics at a Missa Lecta. Less so than Mass in the Ordinary Form.

By the way, Low Mass and High Mass are colloquial terms. The terms the Church uses are “Missa Lecta” “Missa Cantata” and “Missa Solemnis”.

 

[thebigbang]

I’ve seen 2 Latin Masses when visiting St. Paul’s Church in Cambridge, Mass. And I feel that it’s the most beautiful experience. I know how my parents and grandparents felt when they attended the Mass when they were growing up.