Confusion about all these various forms of the Mass

[Gardenman]

OK… I should probably know this already, but after reading these threads, and because of when I was born (mid 1950’s ) , I am now thoroughly confused about the terms which are used to identify all these various Masses that are discussed here.

There are so many different abbreviations used by people who post here, and references to the mass being different based on history and the relation to Vatican II, that I am completely “lost” as to which is which.

Would someone please list what all these various names and abbreviations mean? (hopefully in chronological order…)

To give you an idea of where I’m coming from, this is what I know, based on my age, experience, traditional Catholic education, and life-long history as a cradle catholic:

Born in the USA in mid 1950’s

Baptized Catholic as an infant, to traditional Catholic parents.

Attended Latin Mass (as was the norm…but WHICH Latin Mass???) ( was an altar boy and had to learn Latin etc. for “whatever” Mass was being used at the time)…priest with his back to the people, all Latin, prayers at the foot of the altar, etc. up until Vatican II took place. According to my now deceased parents, this was the SAME Mass that they and other relatives grew up with. We used the St. Joseph Missal.

Then it all changed to where responses were in Latin, priest still facing away from the people, etc. etc. etc. No more missals…just "missalettes’…

Then, Latin disappeared completely and everything was in English. Altar now facing ther people…no more after Mass prayers, etc. but “High Mass” was still done, only in English…

Early 70’s, High Mass gone…guitars etc. are the norm…traditional hymns etc. now fading away very fast…

Fast forward to 2008 to the “present day” Mass…all English, no reverence, communion distributed by any Tom, **** or Harry…dancing in the sanctuary, tabernacle shoved into a corner…terrible music, sanctuary cluttered with speakers, instruments,banners, too many people and “things”…(major distractions…)

I have since found a church which offers a “Latin Mass” identical to what I was INITIALLY exposed to and loved, and which I now attend…but what is it’s “rightful” name ???

All these terms, and acronyms, ( i.e. Novus Odo, TLM, Indult, etc.,) (I’m sure I left out several others ) are too confusing and difficult to follow when people post about them.

I would deeply appreciate it if someone could list what all these various forms of the Mass are, hopefully from the beginning up to the present.

Thanks in advance !
(Sorry if this is a “tall order”…)

 

[bpbasilphx]

I have since found a church which offers a “Latin Mass” identical to what I was INITIALLY exposed to and loved, and which I now attend…but what is it’s “rightful” name ???
**
EF (Extraordinary form) or TLM (traditional Latin mass) or Mass of Blessed John XXIII (as the recension issued over his signature) or Missal of 1962.

Sorry, but things can rightly have multiple names.

One thing: if they are NOT using the 1962 rubrics, it could well be a sedevacantist group–totally out of communion with the Holy See.**

 

[Gardenman]

Boy ! That was fast ! LOL

Thank you for your response…glad to know that there are terms which are used interchangeably…

This Mass I now attend is celebrated by a Norbertine priest…one of whom, ironically, wasn’t even born yet when this Mass was the “norm”. It takes place at one of the Calif. Historical Missions…Are the Norbertines sedevacantists???

This “rubrics” thing is also confusing…what exactly “happened” in 1962 that changed everything? I was only 6 at the time…too young to remember.

I used to own a book called “The Mass in Slow Motion” which explained everything, but I have misplaced it. I think it was written in the late 40’s or early 50’s.

 

[Tina_in_Ashburn]

All these terms, and acronyms, ( i.e. Novus Odo, TLM, Indult, etc.,) (I’m sure I left out several others ) are too confusing and difficult to follow when people post about them.

It IS confusing.
After about 1970, the Mass changed. This Mass was a result of the Novus Ordo put into effect after the Council of Vatican II. This Mass, for brevity’s sake, is oft referred to as the “Novus Ordo” or the NO. It is also know as the “New Mass”, “Pauline Mass”, “Mass of Paul VI”.

“Novus Ordo” means “New Order”. It was so named because they wanted to make it very obvious that the new customs were so different, that it was like a completely new order of things. Everything changed: rites of ordination, baptism, confirmation, general blessings [like for holy medals, rosaries, houses and things]. Monasteries’ methods of singing changed: times and frequency of chanting were shortened, and instead of singing the entire 150 psalms a day, only a fraction are now done daily. Sacramentaries and the General Instructions changed. The calendar of Feasts and observances was re-written, removing some saints off the calendar or moving observances to other days. Fasts and requirements were changed, such as Ember Fast Days which used to occur every quarter, and meatless Fridays were fewer. - it was truly a “New Order”. [sorry if that was long-winded, but in other words, it means all the changes, not just the Mass, strictly speaking].

The New Mass originally was said facing the Tabernacle, and somehow, later, the priest was turned around with his back to the Tabernacle. This had something to do also with the appearance of the Table and ignoring the old big altars.

The Indult Mass was instituted to allow some old Masses to be said in certain parishes. Although the old Mass was never officially abrogated, bishops told their priests they couldn’t say it. The Indult [like a ‘favor’ to ‘indulge’ those who really really missed the old Mass] was allowed for a way to get around this odd peer pressure. So for instance, some sympathetic bishops allowed the old Mass to be said licitly in their diocese as an Indult.

As a result of Pope Benedict’s Summorum Pontificum, Indults are no longer required for a priest to say the old Mass.

For some reason the common name of the old Mass has become “TLM” [Traditional Latin Mass]. This is really incorrect as both the old Mass and the New Mass can be said in Latin.

Since the Summorum, the New Mass is referred to as the Ordinary Form [the OF] because it is the ordinary, or more commonly-said Mass. The old Mass is now referred to as the Extraordinary Form [the EF]. The Summorum defines the EF as using the last version of the old Mass JUST before it changed, so it is the 1962 version of the old Mass. This is because in the 50s and 60s, there were some variations to the old Mass, such as the option for the vernacular, adding St Joseph to the Canon, deletion of the second Confiteor just before Communion, and so forth. Another term is the Tridentine Mass, so called because the old Mass was based on the last changes way back at the Council of Trent.

Norbertines are an old order and not viewed as sedevacantes. I can’t comment on how liberal or conservative they are. You are lucky to have found such a Mass. Just be sure the parish submits to a bishop [local ordinary and/or vicar general of the order].

 

[Gardenman]

Thank You, Tina for a perfect explanation to all my questions !!!
It is now MUCH easier to understand.

 

[preV2tradcath]

For some reason the common name of the old Mass has become “TLM” [Traditional Latin Mass]. This is really incorrect as both the old Mass and the New Mass can be said in Latin.
].

Traditional Latin Mass does not deny that both the OF and the EF can be said in Latin. However, of the two, the EF is the traditional one. The term to me just means that it is the older, more traditional way to say Mass in Latin in the Western (Latin) rite of the Church.

 

[tee_eff_em]

For some reason the common name of the old Mass has become “TLM” [Traditional Latin Mass]. This is really incorrect as both the old Mass and the New Mass can be said in Latin.

For that matter…

It IS confusing.
After about 1970, the Mass changed. This Mass was a result of the Novus Ordo put into effect after the Council of Vatican II. This Mass, for brevity’s sake, is oft referred to as the “Novus Ordo” or the NO. It is also know as the “New Mass”, “Pauline Mass”, “Mass of Paul VI”.

“Novus Ordo” means “New Order”. It was so named because they wanted to make it very obvious that the new customs were so different, that it was like a completely new order of things.

…It was not “so named”.

The Ordinary of the Mass, the *Ordo Missae *was described as “new” (novus) precisely twice, in a speech given by the Servant of God, Pope Paul VI. It was not intended to be the *[Novus Ordo] Missae *but rather novus [Ordo Missae]. Why people insist on continuing to use the term when the *novus *bloom is 40 years off the rose is beyond me. (You’ll not find an official Vatican document using the term, though a prelate or two may let it slip now and again)

:twocents:
tee