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Formida42
Guest
I will only be able to attend the bilingual mass that my local church has this Sunday. Will it be any different? I don’t speak Spanish; will I be lost? How is a bilingual mass conducted?
Thanks!
Thanks!
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PhilotheaZ
Guest
I have seen it done lots of ways. Here is what I have observed:
Often there are a couple of English hymns, a couple of Spanish hymns, perhaps one or two that have alternating Spanish and English verses.
Same thing for the ordinary parts of the Mass (Lord Have Mercy, Holy Holy Holy, Lamb of God, etc.).
For the Liturgy of the Word, sometimes one reading is done in Spanish (with English translation on the paper handout), the next in English (with Spanish translation on the paper handout), etc. Or perhaps they will be read in both languages.
Homily may be given in one language and then interpreted in the other (line-by-line or the whole homily at once).
General intercessions may alternate English/Spanish.
Just follow along and do the best you can. You will be surprised at how much of the Mass you will recognize by gesture, even if you don’t understand all the words.
We didn’t have to worry about these things when everyone knew the Mass in Latin!
Often there are a couple of English hymns, a couple of Spanish hymns, perhaps one or two that have alternating Spanish and English verses.
Same thing for the ordinary parts of the Mass (Lord Have Mercy, Holy Holy Holy, Lamb of God, etc.).
For the Liturgy of the Word, sometimes one reading is done in Spanish (with English translation on the paper handout), the next in English (with Spanish translation on the paper handout), etc. Or perhaps they will be read in both languages.
Homily may be given in one language and then interpreted in the other (line-by-line or the whole homily at once).
General intercessions may alternate English/Spanish.
Just follow along and do the best you can. You will be surprised at how much of the Mass you will recognize by gesture, even if you don’t understand all the words.
We didn’t have to worry about these things when everyone knew the Mass in Latin!
The way a bilingual Mass is conducted depends on the parish. It usually means the music and responses will sometimes be in one language, sometimes in another. Some of the songs may have words in both languages. The scripture readings will probably alternate between languages. If missals/missalettes are not used you might be given a handout with the translations.
It sounds like you are going to a Spanish/English Mass. Spanish is a Romance language, derived from Latin, so if you know Latin Mass responses you will probably be able to pick out what many of the Spanish words mean.
In any case, the Mass parts will be the same, no matter what the language. And “Amen” and “Aleluya” are the same in both languages, even if sometimes spelled differently.
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Formida42
Guest
Thank you guys so much! I feel better about it now…
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banjo
Guest
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CAROLOFTHEBELLS
Guest
I used to go to quite a few bilingual Masses, especially on Christmas Eve, since the town I live in is a small town and has a large Hispanic population. I really loved hearing Silent Night in Spanish and learning to sing along. Even though you don’t speak Spanish, if you live around Spanish speakers, you will probably recognize a few words and may even be able to follow along. I guess some people might be thrown to hear the word Senor for Lord. I took some Spanish courses in high school, way, way, back, and never felt that I did very well at Spanish. I was actually proud of myself that I could pick out words and even sing along to some songs. I think you will find this an enjoyable experience. And it is an experience that reinforces the universality of our Church. Just think, the two most widely spoken languages in the world coming together!
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dixibehr
Guest
The pope conducts multi-lingual masses all the time. Just today on Holy Thursday in the Lateran Basilica, part was in Latin, part Italian, and part in Greek.
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PacoG
Guest
At my parish, during special occasions (Lent/Easter and Advent/Christmas), we sing the closings of the readings ("Verbum Dominie/Deo Gratia), the preface dialogue, the Sanctus, the Memorial Acclamation, the Pater Noster and embolism, the Peace Rite, the Angus Dei in Latin. The Kyrie is done in Greek.
During the big Masses (Easter Vigil, Christmas Midnight Mass, etc.), our pastor will do the entire Liturgy of the Eucharist in Spanish with the above mentioned parts in Latin. It is almost like attending a Mass in Latin.
The Pope has suggested that the Liturgy of the Eucharist should be in Latin when there is a multi-lingual crowd. I agree with him. Latin brings the element of unity back to the Mass. I hope that as this Pontificate marches on that we re-discover our heritage as Latin Catholics and include more Latin in the Mass.
I have seen Novus Ordo Masses in Latin. When the Novus Ordo is said in Latin and with reverence, there is the historical and organic continuity that the Mass lacks when it is in the vernacular.
During the big Masses (Easter Vigil, Christmas Midnight Mass, etc.), our pastor will do the entire Liturgy of the Eucharist in Spanish with the above mentioned parts in Latin. It is almost like attending a Mass in Latin.
The Pope has suggested that the Liturgy of the Eucharist should be in Latin when there is a multi-lingual crowd. I agree with him. Latin brings the element of unity back to the Mass. I hope that as this Pontificate marches on that we re-discover our heritage as Latin Catholics and include more Latin in the Mass.
I have seen Novus Ordo Masses in Latin. When the Novus Ordo is said in Latin and with reverence, there is the historical and organic continuity that the Mass lacks when it is in the vernacular.
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Pjanecke
Guest
I remember Pope Benedict XVI suggesting that Latin would be preferable to a bilingual Mass, yet I seem to forget where I saw that. Does anyone know the actual source of that statement?
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bpbasilphx
Guest
The public masses he celebrates that are televised are frequently multilingual.
The tradition of the Melkite Church, and Antiochian Orthodox, for that matter, is to mix Greek and Arabic. In the USA, they simply add English to the pot.
But everyone did NOT know the Mass in Latin, for the simple reason that Latin has NEVER been the only liturgical language used in the Catholic Church!
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