Behaviour At Tridentine Mass

[Hmgbrd]

While I was posting I decided to fix it so you did not come off implying that Catholics at EF and OF masses post-Vatican II were not faithful. You did not mean it that way, right?
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Nope. Absolutely not. Just commenting on the depth of tradition of the Tridentine mass. How we walk in the footsteps of thousands before us. Thanks for clearing it up. No “dis” of the OF. Love it too.

 

[TheDoctor]

Nope. Absolutely not. Just commenting on the depth of tradition of the Tridentine mass. How we walk in the footsteps of thousands before us. Thanks for clearing it up. No “dis” of the OF. Love it too.

Thanks for the understanding - I was worried I may have come off more of a smart donkey than I normally am. I love that the Church allows us to worship God in many ways, both Latin and Eastern, and it pains me when I see how we become unloving when we disagree - look at the OP, thinking of not going to Mass worried about how he will be treated when he goes to worship God! Your point about walking in the footsteps and depth of tradition is spot on. Have a blessed weekend my friend.

 

[Nils]

I always thought there is no need to say the responses in this Mass unless you are the altar server. Some friends of mine usually pray the rosary there, and I know some saints usually did spiritual reading while meditating…

Personally I almost always serve the altar, but I also like the meditation model based on the teachings of St. Francis de Sales. In the beginning of Mass, you should try to focus on the childhood of Jesus. After the Gospel, you should reflect on his public ministry. When the chalice is “unclothed”, you should focus on Cross and the Sacrifice. At least that is how I remember it, but please feel free to correct me.

I have noticed that people attending the TLM has the reputation of being snooty, which is very sad indeed, especially if it is true! If someone says something to you in an uncharitable way to proof his own righteousness - forgive him and pray for him, knowing that he is an idiot!

I hope you enjoy Mass, and do not worry too much about the eyes of others! Jesus knows if you are trying your best to show HIM respect or not!

 

[DarkLight]

If someone says something to you in an uncharitable way to proof his own righteousness - forgive him and pray for him, knowing that he is an idiot!

:clapping: Good advice for life, actually!

 

[benjohnson]

I’ve been kindly treated at every TLM - and I’m not even Catholic.

The TLM is a gift, it’s and extraordinary way of worshiping will take you outside this ordinary world - hopefully you won’t even notice if someone (rather unlikely) is not quite acting well.

 

[Mustard]

Ok, thanks for the advice. Went today with a companion who has had trouble with the ‘response police’ in the past, but sat down the back, followed in my ‘order of the Mass in Latin’ guide and had no problems. Mind you, I’m an ugly sod, so maybe nobody was ever going to challange me anyway! And yes, it was incredibly uplifting. To think there was a time when every Catholic in the world could go into any church anywhere and get the same mass as his home parish. What a terrible mistake to give that up.

 

[ringil]

I’ve been to quite a few EF masses and nothing unusual ever happened.

There was an “usher” who met us at the door- I guess to hand us the propers.

I wouldn’t expect anything odd. It’s Mass.

I wouldn’t even worry about following along if you get lost- as you likely will. Just experience it and pray. The relative silence is a nice break from our everyday chaos.

 

[Hmgbrd]

To think there was a time when every Catholic in the world could go into any church anywhere and get the same mass as his home parish. What a terrible mistake to give that up.

I agree with you. It is a great unifier. But why not have both? I would even suggest introducing a TLM regularly in every Diocese as one of the masses offered each Sunday. Think of how wonderful this would be when traveling abroad without knowledge of the local language. It would be like coming home anywhere in the world and not missing a beat! There is a church in my Diocese that offers a TLM high mass Sundays at noon as part of the regular worship schedule. I have to drive about 35 minutes in traffic, but it is worth it.

 

[ringil]

Ok, thanks for the advice. Went today with a companion who has had trouble with the ‘response police’ in the past, but sat down the back, followed in my ‘order of the Mass in Latin’ guide and had no problems. Mind you, I’m an ugly sod, so maybe nobody was ever going to challange me anyway! And yes, it was incredibly uplifting. To think there was a time when every Catholic in the world could go into any church anywhere and get the same mass as his home parish. What a terrible mistake to give that up.

The Holy Spirit moves the Pope and he decided that it was a good thing, thus it was a good thing.

Both the EF and OF and valid expressions of our liturgy.

 

[philial]

Can anybody give me the heads-up here? I’m preparing to attend my first Tridentine Mass, and naturally, I’m quite shaky on the responses, etc; although I have been studying them. However, I’m told that the people who habitually attend this form have a holier-than-thou attitude and are quite likely to take it upon themselves to berate me if I stand, kneel or whatever at the wrong moment. Since a) it will of course take a considerable number of visits until I have internalized the form and b) I believe communion in the Catholic Church (in whatever form) is between the individual and God, not amongst the congregation, any such interference is likely to elicit a short answer from me. Since I don’t go to Mass to pick fights, can anyone tell me if I have been misinformed about the attitudes of the regulars? Should I stick the vernacular, or will I be welcome?

Your theology of Holy Communion is seriously not catholic!!! You really need to brush up on that.

 

[odile53]

To think there was a time when every Catholic in the world could go into any church anywhere and get the same mass as his home parish. What a terrible mistake to give that up.

Yes. This.

My late father, God rest his soul, was in the Normandy Invasion, I believe, the eighth Army division. He and some of his comrades-in-arms attended Mass after their unit overtook a French village. Dad told me they stacked their rifles in the back of the half-bombed church, took off their helmets, and were able to assist at Low Mass same as they could back in the good old USA. It was one of the few memories of that time that he shared with me.

They left their firearms in the back of the church out of respect for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, but maybe that French pastor would have just as soon they kept their rifles at the ready!

 

[Mrs_Sally]

The Holy Spirit moves the Pope and he decided that it was a good thing, thus it was a good thing.

Both the EF and OF and valid expressions of our liturgy.

Yes. And we can still go to any parish in the world and attend Mass. The Sacrifice is the same, the readings and responses are the same. It is wonderful being Catholic!

To the OP: I’m glad the Mass was a good experience.

 

[Faithdancer]

I am sure you will get about the same response you would at any Mass - basically that no one will notice or comment upon your behavior.

If you aren’t sure about what to do, sit at least half way back, so that you can follow others in front of you.

I hope you find the Mass fulfilling.

Very sound advice. And I would add, use the missal- everyone else is! It really helps to follow along as closely as possible. Of course, when the priest says an extended inaudible prayer it’s easy to lose track, but when I look around half the congregation is also trying to figure out where they are, just like me!

 

[Faithdancer]

I attended an SSPX Mass for the first time this morning. I will be attending a Novus Ordo Mass later today to fulfill my Sunday obligation.

I found the congregation at the SSPX Chapel to be very traditional (head scarves and dressed up), reverent, and in no way concerned with me. The one lady I spoke to before the Mass was very helpful in getting me to the right door for the chapel (I almost sat in the cry room, lol!) . No one seemed to notice if I softly responded with “Et cum spiritu tuo” on a couple of occasions. I won’t advocate for SSPX here- I know that is not allowed- but suffice it to say that there was not a word said against the Novus Ordo. The homily was a how-to on living a prayerful life and was very reminiscent of the norms of piety of Opus Dei. Overall, if I hadn’t known I was in an SSPX Chapel, I could have easily thought I was in a small diocesan church at a diocesan EF Mass.

 

[DarkLight]

So I went to my own first Tridentine Mass today. People were very polite, and I much appreciated the depth of the homily, Only comment I got was an elderly couple pointing out to me after Mass where I could find the bulletin with the daily Propers. OTOH, the dress was a bit indimidating - I felt like I really stood out, even in very conservative clothing. And it felt a little pushed to come back there, even though I indicated that I was attending Mass regularly at another parish.

 

[MissRose73]

My first few times I went to the EF Mass, I sat near the back of the congregation. When they stood, I did the same, same for kneeling and sitting parts. I’ve been to a variety of churches in 2 different dioceses for the EF Mass, and some of them, the congregation does more of the server’s responses compared to others where they do very few of them. No one gave me a hard time at all for being new to that form, in fact I emailed a priest before my first EF Mass and he only says that form of the Mass - he was very helpful in his email response with a few hints like sit near the back, dress nice yet conservatively, and do as the other faithful do among a few things.

Its best to use the red missalette a few times as it does show some of the postures and explains things a bit. If you plan to go more often and you are confident enough to use it, then invest in a good Daily/Sunday Missal by a publisher such as Baronius Press or Angelus as examples.

 

[Faithdancer]

My first few times I went to the EF Mass, I sat near the back of the congregation. When they stood, I did the same, same for kneeling and sitting parts. I’ve been to a variety of churches in 2 different dioceses for the EF Mass, and some of them, the congregation does more of the server’s responses compared to others where they do very few of them. No one gave me a hard time at all for being new to that form, in fact I emailed a priest before my first EF Mass and he only says that form of the Mass - he was very helpful in his email response with a few hints like sit near the back, dress nice yet conservatively, and do as the other faithful do among a few things.

Its best to use the red missalette a few times as it does show some of the postures and explains things a bit. If you plan to go more often and you are confident enough to use it, then invest in a good Daily/Sunday Missal by a publisher such as Baronius Press or Angelus as examples.

Again, I agree with the use of the red missalette, it’s quite helpful. And another thing I love about the EF Mass- the thanksgiving prayers after the Mass. I find it really hard to focus on these prayers in some NO masses at times, when the congregation gets noisily social immediately after the Missa. However, when everyone stays in their pews for the thanksgiving prayers, they are beautiful and communal and then I feel the Mass is complete.