Do as the altar boys do?

[Snowy]

I’m pretty new at going to Mass and still get confused about what to do and when. In my missal today I read that we are encouraged to “pray the Mass” rather than “pray during Mass”. I’ve been taking my cues from the altar boys to know when to put my hands together to pray, but I seem to be the only one in the pews to do so (most everyone else is holding their missals trying to figure out the Latin). I know just enough Latin to know what’s coming when I hear oremus, confiteor, Kyrie, credo, Domine non sum dignus, pater noster, agnus Dei, etc., and I pray inside my head from there.

Can I go wrong by holding my hands together in prayer when I see the altar boys doing the same?

 

[ASD]

Hi.

1. AFAIK there aren’t really strict rules that dictate what laymen in the nave do during Mass. Possible exception: kneel during Canon.
2. Although I love that old saying of Pope St. Pius X, Don’t pray at Mass but Pray the Holy Mass, there’s really only one thing the faithful must do at Mass: We offer our sacrifice together with the sacrifice of the Priest, which is the sacrifice of Calvary. I love to follow along in the missal, or pray the Mass, but I know that’s not the essential thing.
3. I read recently that EF can be thought of as a kind of polyphony of prayers. (a) The choir, arguably in a clerical role, sings its prayers. (b) The altar boys or other men serving at the altar pray the Confiteor and make various responses for the faithful. (c) The faithful out in the nave are free to assist in whatever way is most comfortable for each individual. (d) The central action is carried out by the Priest celebrant in persona Christi.
4. In OF, all the faithful are like altar servers at EF. We have to see & hear everything the Priest does (or at least notice important cues) so we can make our prescribed little responses. Ironically, in that “active participation” we can end of saying only handful of “prayers” at Mass. More importantly, because the faithful tend to be focused on all those external forms, cues, &c, it’s very difficult to enter into the central action, joining our sacrifice to that of the Priest. I think there was a great deal of wisdom in the old idea that the faithful should be left alone in silence & stillness to try to do what they really need to do in whatever way works best for each person.
5. Maybe someone else will give you a more technically correct answer, but I say: Relax. If you go to Mass & offer your sacrifice with the Priest, you’re doing just fine.
6. Some info:

• Calvary and the Mass
• Two Forms of Roman Rite

ASD​

Traditional Latin Mass: Translation and Grammar

 

[dans0622]

I’m pretty new at going to Mass and still get confused about what to do and when. In my missal today I read that we are encouraged to “pray the Mass” rather than “pray during Mass”. I’ve been taking my cues from the altar boys to know when to put my hands together to pray, but I seem to be the only one in the pews to do so (most everyone else is holding their missals trying to figure out the Latin). I know just enough Latin to know what’s coming when I hear oremus, confiteor, Kyrie, credo, Domine non sum dignus, pater noster, agnus Dei, etc., and I pray inside my head from there.

Can I go wrong by holding my hands together in prayer when I see the altar boys doing the same?

Hello Snowy,

I am in a similar situation as you. However, one of my classmates is a priest of the priestly fraternity of St. Peter so I asked him about this and had the following conversation, more or less:

“So Father, what are we supposed to be doing out there in the pews? Some people are doing different things.”

He just shrugged his shoulders, shook his head, and smiled.

“Well, is it written anywhere, authoritatively, what we’re supposed to do?”

“No.”

“Are we supposed to do what the servers do?”

“No.”

“Well…?”

“Just do what the majority of the people (in the pews) do.”

So, that was his answer. We were talking more along the lines of when to stand and sit and kneel. As far as folding hands…well, you can’t do that if you’re holding a book. And, no, I don’t think you can “go wrong.” Do whatever allows you to more fully offer yourself, with Jesus, to the Father. That’s my philosophy, anyway.

Dan

 

[Snowy]

Thank you very much. I have only been in 3 Masses (OF in English or Latin) where the altar boys do something other than slouch on their chairs when they are done carrying the candles. These more dedicated altar boys fold their hands at some points during the Mass; isn’t that a cue to know when to pray? They don’t fold them during the homily, for example, when we are supposed to listen. How do they know when to do what? They are so smart! (I realize that I’m not obligated to imitate them.)

 

[stbruno]

Rarely do we have altar servers, so if your church has missalettes, usually you can find instruction in them on when to sit or stand or kneel…otherwise, take your cue from the hand gestures if the priest or deacon gives them, or follow the faithful, until it becomes second nature to you. God bless you for even asking.

 

[jmcrae]

My advice would be (and this goes for all forms of the Mass; not just the EF) - read the book thoroughly at home - read it over and over until you have it as well as you can, in your mind.

Then, attend Mass without the book, and follow along as best you can. Because you’re right - it’s physically impossible to enter fully into the mysteries, when you’re holding a book in your hand.

Ultimately, with repetition, memorization, and with continued review of the book at home to pick up on parts that you missed while at Mass, you will soon feel very natural and “at home” with the Mass, whichever form you have chosen to follow.