Difference between types of TLM

[DAAVEED1590]

Hello CAF members!

God Bless and Ave Maria!

This is kind of an embarasing question for a traditionalist to ask:blush:, but could somebody give me a comprehencive explanation of the difference between High Mass, Low Mass, Requiem Mass, ect.

I understand the basics (High Mass on holidays and Sundays, Low on weekdays, Requiem is a mass for the dead, ect), but if some one could give me a more in depth perspective that would be great.

Thanks,
-DAAVEED1590

 

[Inquiringperson]

Hello CAF members!

God Bless and Ave Maria!

This is kind of an embarasing question for a traditionalist to ask:blush:, but could somebody give me a comprehencive explanation of the difference between High Mass, Low Mass, Requiem Mass, ect.

I understand the basics (High Mass on holidays and Sundays, Low on weekdays, Requiem is a mass for the dead, ect), but if some one could give me a more in depth perspective that would be great.

Thanks,
-DAAVEED1590

I’m wondering too. I feel a little embarrassed asking this too, sine I’m a traditional Catholic too.

 

[Will_S]

A Low Mass is a Mass which is spoken without music and without assisting deacons. (i.e. only the priest celebrant and usually one or more servers)

A Missa Cantata (sometimes called High Mass) is like a Low Mass in that there are no assisting deacons, but everything audible is sung instead of spoken. The kyrie, gloria, creed, sanctus, and agnus dei, along with most of the propers (prayers specific to the Mass being said), are sung by a cantor or choir. The other audible portions, such as the readings, preface, our father, etc. are sung by the priest.

A Solemn High Mass is like a Missa Cantata except the priest is assisted by a deacon and a subdeacon. The epistle is sung by the subdeacon and the gospel is sung by the deacon. Instead of singing them at the altar, as the priest does in a Missa Cantata, they are sung in the sanctuary. There is a procession, with candles, before the singing of the gospels.

Any of these three types of Mass can be celebrated on any day, so there is no reason that Solemn High Masses have to be reserved for Sundays and only Low Masses said on weekdays, although it often works out that way as a practical matter.

 

[corsair]

Don’t forget the Pontifical Solemn High Mass. Very much like the Solemn High Mass but celebrated by the Bishop or Pope. The ceremony is very intricate when done properly. Its a thing of beauty.

The other forms of the traditional Mass have been fairly well answered by others. A Requiam Mass can be done in either the low, High or Solemn High, and Pontifical S.High, as in any other traditional Mass.

Most people these days have never seen some of these forms. They are well worth traveling long distances to see.

 

[Inquiringperson]

A Low Mass is a Mass which is spoken without music and without assisting deacons. (i.e. only the priest celebrant and usually one or more servers)

A Missa Cantata (sometimes called High Mass) is like a Low Mass in that there are no assisting deacons, but everything audible is sung instead of spoken. The kyrie, gloria, creed, sanctus, and agnus dei, along with most of the propers (prayers specific to the Mass being said), are sung by a cantor or choir. The other audible portions, such as the readings, preface, our father, etc. are sung by the priest.

A Solemn High Mass is like a Missa Cantata except the priest is assisted by a deacon and a subdeacon. The epistle is sung by the subdeacon and the gospel is sung by the deacon. Instead of singing them at the altar, as the priest does in a Missa Cantata, they are sung in the sanctuary. There is a procession, with candles, before the singing of the gospels.

Any of these three types of Mass can be celebrated on any day, so there is no reason that Solemn High Masses have to be reserved for Sundays and only Low Masses said on weekdays, although it often works out that way as a practical matter.

What’s a subdeacon?

 

[YoungTradCath]

Don’t forget the Pontifical Solemn High Mass. Very much like the Solemn High Mass but celebrated by the Bishop or Pope. The ceremony is very intricate when done properly. Its a thing of beauty.

The other forms of the traditional Mass have been fairly well answered by others. A Requiam Mass can be done in either the low, High or Solemn High, and Pontifical S.High, as in any other traditional Mass.

Most people these days have never seen some of these forms. They are well worth traveling long distances to see.

Well… popes celebrate the Papal High Mass, not the Pontifical High Mass. There are many differences, including using the sedia gestatoria, the papal tiara and all the other vestments only proper to a pope, and also the fact that many parts are also chanted in Greek. Silver trumpets are also used to signify the pope’s entrance. These things are not present in a Pontifical High Mass.

What’s a subdeacon?

The subdeacons were people who were, I suppose technically, below deacons. Towards their end, they wore essentially the same thing as the deacons. They were ousted in the 70s. So there are no real subdeacons left, but any priest or deacon can act as the subdeacon where one is needed.

 

[Will_S]

Well… popes celebrate the Papal High Mass, not the Pontifical High Mass. There are many differences, including using the sedia gestatoria, the papal tiara and all the other vestments only proper to a pope, and also the fact that many parts are also chanted in Greek. Silver trumpets are also used to signify the pope’s entrance. These things are not present in a Pontifical High Mass.

The subdeacons were people who were, I suppose technically, below deacons. Towards their end, they wore essentially the same thing as the deacons. They were ousted in the 70s. So there are no real subdeacons left, but any priest or deacon can act as the subdeacon where one is needed.

Previously, throughout the Latin Church, there were seven different ranks of clergy, the first four were called minor orders and were (in order): Acolyte, Exorcist, Porter, and Lector. The last three were called major orders are were (in order): Subdeacon, Deacon, and Priest.

The minor orders and the subdeaconate were suppressed following the 2. Vatican Council, leaving only the orders of Deacon and Priest. However, the seminarians of traditional societies in the Church have continued to receive all 7 of the orders, including specifically the order of Subdeacon. Therefore the only Subdeacons you will find today in the Latin Church are associated with traditional priestly societies such as the FSSP, ICRSP, etc.

The subdeacon has a particular role in the Solemn High Mass, distinct from the role of the deacon. For example, he reads the epistle, and holds the paten during the Canon of the Mass.

 

[Irish_Polock]

This is the description found in my missal.

High and Low Mass:
From the viewpoint of external ceremony, we speak of High Mass and Low Mass. A High Mass is sung. A Low Mass is read. A High Mass is called Solemn Mass when it is sung with the help of Deacon and Subdeacon. A High Mass sung by a priest, without the assistance of those Sacred Ministers in known as a Missa Cantata.

Low Mass is one in which the priest, assisted by one server, recites in a speaking tone the parts that are sung in a High Mass. It is in fact the abridgment of the Solemn Mass which, in ancient days, was the normal way of celebrating the Holy Sacrifice. Low Mass was evidently introduced on account of the difficulty of securing the help of Deacon and Subdeacon.

Also, this missal describes a Dialogue Mass:

Dialogue Mass

In recent years the Dialogue Mass or Missa Recitata (which combines features both High and Low Mass) has become quite popular. Its purpose is to join the faithful closer to the priest celebrating at the alter and to each other by the common recitation of certain prayers of the Mass. On September 3, 1958 the Sacred Congregation of Rites issued an instruction greatly urging the use of the Dialogue Mass. To this end, it stipulates that the faithful may participate in a Low Mass in any of the following degrees: (1) by reciting the simple respounse to the priest: “Amen” “Et cum spiritu tou” “Deo gratias,” “Gloria tibi, Dominum,” “Laus tibi, Christe,” Habemus ad Dominum," “Dignum et justum est,” and “Sed Libera nos a malo”; (2) by reciting all the responses said by the server plus the triple Domine nom sum dignus at the Communion of the people; (3) by reciting with the priest the Gloria, Creed, Sanctus-Benedictus and Agnus Dei; (4) by reciting the Introit, Gradual, Offertory and Communion from the proper. (This last is not expected of the laity) In addition, the Our Father may be recited together with the priest but only in Latin. In direct liturgical participation only Latin may be used. (In the Ordinary of this missal the different degrees are indicated by (1), (2), (3))

 

[Aelred_Minor]

The subdeacons were people who were, I suppose technically, below deacons. Towards their end, they wore essentially the same thing as the deacons. They were ousted in the 70s. So there are no real subdeacons left, but any priest or deacon can act as the subdeacon where one is needed.

Subdeacons still exist in the Eastern Catholic Churches, though there they are still a minor order, not a major order. In the Latin Rite Church the subdiaconate was raised from a minor order to a major order (mandatory celibacy for example) in the Middle Ages, though it was still not a level of Holy Orders, which can confuse some people. In the 1970s the subdiaconate was suppressed and what functions remained for it in the new liturgy divided between lectors and acolytes (both previously minor orders, but lowered to non-ordained ministries in the same document that suppressed the subdiaconate).

I thought though that both the traditional minor orders and the subdiaconate were retained in communities devoted to the mass of the 1962 Missal, like the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, so technically there are still clerics in minor orders and subdeacons in the Latin Rite Church.

Edit: Will S beat me too it. Oh well, I’ll leave this up since it gives some information he didn’t include.

 

[ProVobis]

A Solemn High Mass is like a Missa Cantata except the priest is assisted by a deacon and a subdeacon. The epistle is sung by the subdeacon and the gospel is sung by the deacon. Instead of singing them at the altar, as the priest does in a Missa Cantata, they are sung in the sanctuary. There is a procession, with candles, before the singing of the gospels.

Also, there usually are the MC (Master of Ceremonies), the Thurifer (the censer handler) and the acting Acolytes (the candle holders), all which can now be the lowly servers, albeit well-trained for the roles.

 

[Inquiringperson]

Well… popes celebrate the Papal High Mass, not the Pontifical High Mass. There are many differences, including using the sedia gestatoria, the papal tiara and all the other vestments only proper to a pope, and also the fact that many parts are also chanted in Greek. Silver trumpets are also used to signify the pope’s entrance. These things are not present in a Pontifical High Mass.

The subdeacons were people who were, I suppose technically, below deacons. Towards their end, they wore essentially the same thing as the deacons. They were ousted in the 70s. So there are no real subdeacons left, but any priest or deacon can act as the subdeacon where one is needed.

Do you need Holy Orders to be a subdeacon?

 

[Paxvobis]

Do you need Holy Orders to be a subdeacon?

No. Holy Orders start with Deacons. One could be a subdeacon, quit the seminary, and then get married.

 

[YoungTradCath]

No. Holy Orders start with Deacons. One could be a subdeacon, quit the seminary, and then get married.

Couldn’t one also rescind one’s Holy Orders and then marry? Just wondering.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

No. Holy Orders start with Deacons. One could be a subdeacon, quit the seminary, and then get married.

Mandatory celibacy started with becoming a subdeacon, because subdeacons were clerics in Major Orders (though admittedly not sacramental Holy Orders). I don’t know if it was easier to be declericalized as a subdeacon than as a deacon or as a priest, but some such process would have had to have taken place.

 

[Will_S]

PaxVobis:

No. Holy Orders start with Deacons. One could be a subdeacon, quit the seminary, and then get married.

Mandatory celibacy started with becoming a subdeacon, because subdeacons were clerics in Major Orders (though admittedly not sacramental Holy Orders). I don’t know if it was easier to be declericalized as a subdeacon than as a deacon or as a priest, but some such process would have had to have taken place.

Celibacy and Holy Orders are two separate issues. In the past, Subdeacons were clergy obligated to celibacy, but the ordination to the subdeaconate, while a “major order” did not involve the reception of the sacrament of Holy Orders.

Today, I don’t know for sure, but I do not think that subdeacons are obligated to celibacy – or perhaps a better way to say it: I don’t think that subdeacons (of the traditional priestly societies) have to be dispensed from celibacy should they leave the seminary before their ordination to the deaconate.

 

[malphono]

Mandatory celibacy started with becoming a subdeacon, because subdeacons were clerics in Major Orders (though admittedly not sacramental Holy Orders). I don’t know if it was easier to be declericalized as a subdeacon than as a deacon or as a priest, but some such process would have had to have taken place.

It should be noted that “mandatory celibacy” for the subdiaconate applied(s) to the Latin Church. In the East & Orient, where the subdiaconate still exists, it is (and has traditionally been) a Minor Order, and no such “mandatory celibacy” rule has ever been imposed.

In any case, the process of laicization in the Latin Church for anyone not in Holy Orders (i.e., starting with the diaccontate) was always but a formality, similar to any minor cleric.