Being a traditional Catholic in a Novus Ordo parish

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It can be difficult without a car in many suburban areas. Do you know where you will be working? Perhaps a parish near your workplace has a First Friday service? Or a parish you can get to with public transportation might have some of the other devotions you miss. When you get home, ask the parish office about groups like Legion of Mary, find out if there is any adoration times, etc. The people who attend those, might also be interested in supporting prayers and benediction on First Friday, First Saturday Mass, and other devotions you are used to.

It does take time to get used to a new parish, so give yourself that time. You’ll also see that different Mass times have different “personalities”. Usually the earliest Mass is the quietest, but the mid-morning Mass is when most of the special events will happen (choir, introduction of catechumens, etc.) Also, where you sit will affect you too. I usually find that it is noisier in the back and harder for me to concentrate. Finally, if you are used to weaing a veil, keep doing it, just pick one that is simple and unobtrusive (since you aren’t trying to call attention to yourself anyway). I assure you that we think people arer watching us much more often than is the case! 😉
 
Monica4316 said:
I just can’t get used to Novus Ordo 😦 I’m having a lot of difficulty with it. I can’t wait to be able to go to Latin Mass again. 😦
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I appeciate your brutal honesty in this post. It serves as a reminder as to the advantages of offering the TLM. There are those that really benefit from the spirituality of that form. I hope all of us here that do not share your opinion on this matter will help support a wider offering of the TLM for the benefit of those in the family that desire it.
 
Monica4316 said:
Hi everyone,

well the time has come and I have moved back home, and can’t attend the FSSP parish anymore. Today I went to the Novus Ordo for Divine Mercy Sunday. I didn’t go to my home parish but another church, that was holding a Divine Mercy celebration. The church was beautiful, the Mass was good, so was everything about the Divine Mercy Sunday… however… I couldn’t get past some things… I realized I got so used to the Latin Mass that it was very difficult to concentrate… i almost knelt for the Sanctus and other parts, kept on messing up the order of things, etc, - I was really distracted by the fact that a lady read the first 2 Scripture passages… I know that might sound critical but the thing is - I’m so used to the priest doing everything in the Latin Mass. It was a huge distraction for me. I kept on getting tempted to uncharitable thoughts and that distracted me from the Divine Mercy message and Communion, - I’m even afraid I received unworthily or at least without proper recollection 😦 my last Communion at the Latin Mass church was so beautiful. In addition, I felt really uncomfortable without my veil, but when I put it on, I felt like everyone was staring at me and that i was a distraction for people, so I took it off…

I’m really disappointed, because I love Divine Mercy, it’s one of my favourite devotions, I was really looking forward to this Feast Day, and the church was beautiful… I just can’t get used to Novus Ordo 😦 I’m having a lot of difficulty with it. I can’t wait to be able to go to Latin Mass again. 😦
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Hi Monica,

I sympathize with your situation. I’m so fortunate to have a daily TLM near my home. A few times a year I assist at an OF Mass when travelling, and it’s usually a bit uncomfortable since I worry that I’ll look stupid because I don’t know the OF missel very well. But then I remember that most folks there don’t really notice others as much as I think they do.

It’s good that you can see that you’re getting tempted to uncharitable thoughts…surely you’ll benefit from trying to resist those temptations, even if you’re unsuccessful at times in doing so.

I recall that when I assisted at an OF Mass last year, I felt quite upset when I saw there were altar girls who were helping the priest, which I’d never seen at a Mass before. However, it occurred to me that I should ask, or pray rather, to Our Lord and Our Lady for help to not get upset over it…and it worked!

Of course we all prefer beautiful things over not-so-beautiful things, but a good thing to keep in mind is the story of St. Francis and the leper. St. Francis had a strong aversion to lepers (I think it was before his reversion) until he realized that Jesus appeared to him in the form of one! Remember that Our Lord is still there and present at the Mass, even if the situation isn’t so beautiful.
 
pnewton said:
I appeciate your brutal honesty in this post. It serves as a reminder as to the advantages of offering the TLM. There are those that really benefit from the spirituality of that form. I hope all of us here that do not share your opinion on this matter will help support a wider offering of the TLM for the benefit of those in the family that desire it.
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I found a parish that offers a daily, 6PM TLM. In light of this thread, I feel blessed.
 
I went to Sunday mass for the first time yesterday-i’m still learning about Catholicism-and i was very dissapointed. It was very “modern”, with 4 people guitar band, and for some reason they sung “Our Father” instead of saying it out loud? i went to morning mass before during the week and that wasn’t done. Everyone were dressed in jeans, ripped up stuff and number of women were wearing really low cut, sexy outfits more suitable for nighclub. Mind you, i was trying to concentrate on the prayer but i was sitting way in the back and it was hard not to notice everyone passing in the front of me. Very dictracting and unappropriate. All in all, very dissapointing. Perhaps i’ll try another church next Sunday. I’m was checking online before and didn’t see even one church that didn’t offer NO Mass. 😦
 
So is this Latin mass, where they say the wholething in another language that you cant understand?

ive talked to a few people if thats the case.

My first and really only reason is why would you sit through a whole mass that you couldnt understand? I love to attend mass and actually understand the first and second readings, and of course the Gospel.

I dont see how one could just sit throught it just completely blank minded on what they are saying. I love to hear the priest explain things and make them clear, some things i clearly dont like but that doesnt make me run to another place and sit through something im clearly not understanding.

Of course if i sopke latin and understood it i would clearly be in those parishes no doubt, It would be like me sitting through a vietnamese session of mass and not understanding a single word they are saying, i would love to but i would like to understand the readings and the gospel…

Just my take on it, if its what you are reffering to, because in my hometown of mexico, alot of people attend latin mass but dont understand clearly what they are saying
 
351inside said:
So is this Latin mass, where they say the wholething in another language that you cant understand?

ive talked to a few people if thats the case.

My first and really only reason is why would you sit through a whole mass that you couldnt understand? I love to attend mass and actually understand the first and second readings, and of course the Gospel.

I dont see how one could just sit throught it just completely blank minded on what they are saying. I love to hear the priest explain things and make them clear, some things i clearly dont like but that doesnt make me run to another place and sit through something im clearly not understanding.

Of course if i sopke latin and understood it i would clearly be in those parishes no doubt, It would be like me sitting through a vietnamese session of mass and not understanding a single word they are saying, i would love to but i would like to understand the readings and the gospel…

Just my take on it, if its what you are reffering to, because in my hometown of mexico, alot of people attend latin mass but dont understand clearly what they are saying
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it’s not true that we don’t understand the Latin Mass, there’s a missal with the English translation that mostly everyone reads during the Mass
 
well then there you go, keep attending it if its what you desire, i was just giving an example.

People seem to forget that Catholicism is the universal church as so we call it in spanish, So it doesnt matter what language you attend mass in, it represents the same thing. Understanding it is all that matters, Choosing because you dont like the way its performed on other parishes doesnt make it right or wrong, but if anything you should get involved to the one in your community and try to work together with the rest of the people that are involved and try and make it better so to speak of. you have to remember you have to get involved with your parish, not just attend mass on Sunday.
 
351inside said:
well then there you go, keep attending it if its what you desire, i was just giving an example.

People seem to forget that Catholicism is the universal church as so we call it in spanish, So it doesnt matter what language you attend mass in, it represents the same thing. Understanding it is all that matters, Choosing because you dont like the way its performed on other parishes doesnt make it right or wrong, but if anything you should get involved to the one in your community and try to work together with the rest of the people that are involved and try and make it better so to speak of. you have to remember you have to get involved with your parish, not just attend mass on Sunday.
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it’s not the language… it’s the reverence, etc. that is why I prefer the TLM…
 
Monica4316 said:
it’s not the language… it’s the reverence, etc. that is why I prefer the TLM…
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Well thats all left to individual choice i guess, Like i said you could be a great influence in your parish from home if you just get involved more.
 
351inside said:
Just my take on it, if its what you are reffering to, because in my hometown of mexico, alot of people attend latin mass but dont understand clearly what they are saying
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Hhmm I did not know there was a town call Mexico? Is it in Mexico as well?
 
archangel04 said:
Hhmm I did not know there was a town call Mexico? Is it in Mexico as well?
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Well my hometown is in Mexico, so how does my hometown of Mexico reffer to me calling Mexico a town?

I guess i need to study some more english grammar 👍

But just for your sake, in my home country, Mexico…
 
351inside said:
Well my hometown is in Mexico, so how does my hometown of Mexico reffer to me calling Mexico a town?

I guess i need to study some more english grammar 👍

But just for your sake, in my home country, Mexico…
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My post above was a joke, since I knew what you meant – but yes, it is an idiomatic grammar issue. “My hometown of Mexico” means the same as “My hometown, Mexico.” What you wanted was “My hometown in Mexico.” Obviously you were thinking “de México,” but in this idiom the “de” does not translate directly into “of.” 🙂
 
In the old rite, the readings are first prayed by the priest. The translation comes later.

With vernacular readings only, by laypeople, the new rite is skewed further towards the impression that it’s a performance directed towards the congregation. Catholics really think that, now.
 
InquisitorMax said:
In the old rite, the readings are first prayed by the priest. The translation comes later.

With vernacular readings only, by laypeople, the new rite is skewed further towards the impression that it’s a performance directed towards the congregation. Catholics really think that, now.
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As I have previously remarked and asked:
Do you have any traditional reference for this, or is this your own modern interpretation? Note of course that it is quite permissible for the Epistle or Lesson and Gospel to be sung from ambos facing the people, see Caeremoniale Episcoporum II.VIII.40 & 45. Moreover, clearly the readings have neither the form nor the function of any kind of prayer, the Missale does not call them prayers nor follow them with “Amen,” and they were not put into the Mass in the first place to serve as a prayer. Recall that Justin Martyr speaks of reading from Scripture “as long as there was time.”

I’m curious who invented the idea that the readings are somehow supposed to function as prayers.
 
MarkThompson said:
As I have previously remarked and asked:
Do you have any traditional reference for this, or is this your own modern interpretation? Note of course that it is quite permissible for the Epistle or Lesson and Gospel to be sung from ambos facing the people, see Caeremoniale Episcoporum II.VIII.40 & 45. Moreover, clearly the readings have neither the form nor the function of any kind of prayer, the Missale does not call them prayers nor follow them with “Amen,” and they were not put into the Mass in the first place to serve as a prayer. Recall that Justin Martyr speaks of reading from Scripture “as long as there was time.”

I’m curious who invented the idea that the readings are somehow supposed to function as prayers.
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Perhaps it was me. The Gospel and Epistle can be chanted, can’t they? I got the idea that they were a reminder to God of His Word, and thus a prayer. i.e. “Here is Your revelation quoted back to You, we’re trying to live up to the Convenant, have mercy on us”.

I think vernacular readings by lay lectors, versus populum, help to dilute the idea that Mass is special.
You can tell people until you’re blue in the face that it’s a holy rite directed at God, but if you then start changing or removing things that demonstrate this … 🤷
 
Monica4316 said:
it’s not true that we don’t understand the Latin Mass, there’s a missal with the English translation that mostly everyone reads during the Mass
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I agree. My mother and I were talking today about the changes coming up in the NO mass and she started to tell me about the TLM she grew up with. (She is 80years old).
There were many things she told me but as far as understanding the Latin she said everyone had their missal and you followed along and so you always knew what the priest was praying. She was telling me how today she sees almost no one opens the missal in their pews to follow along with the readings or prayers and that was just not the norm before. People were there to pray.

I understand how you feel. When I hear about how reverent things were and see how irreverent things are at mass today, it makes me sad.
 
Monica4316 said:
it’s not true that we don’t understand the Latin Mass, there’s a missal with the English translation that mostly everyone reads during the Mass
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I only wish this were the case. Unfortunately, it seems that most don’t read along in the Latin or the English, EF or OF. My parish even passes out folded hand-outs with the current propers and very few take them. It seems most are just content to fulfill their Sunday obligation, receive communion like they’re supposed to, and then enjoy the rest of the day.

Or maybe my observations are incorrect and they’ve got it all memorized.
 
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