EF Mass Questions

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I couldn’t find this answer in another thread. I have only been to a few EF Masses (I am only 29) and am curious, as I enjoy praying the EF Mass.

Is there a way to know if an upcoming EF Mass will be High, Sung, or Low? I don’t mean once you arrive and can oberve if there are deacons, # of candles, etc, I mean a week beforehand, for example.

Also, is an EF Mass celebrated on a Holy Day of Obligation (such as tomorrow) usually a High Mass or does it matter?

My non-Catholic spouse, who almost never attends mass with me, is interested in the EF Mass and I am praying she will connect with it in some way and she will become more open to Catholicism. 🙂 I am not sure which EF Mass she might enjoy the most and it may be a one time deal.

Thanks.
 
High and Sung generally amount to the same Mass. If you know that there will be a choir singing, it’s a good indication it will be a High/Sung Mass or Solemn High. Solemn High Masses are rarer and probably will be advertized.

But I’d like to hear other thoughts.
 
Many times, the parish bulletin will say. Ours had a little note that we’ll have high Masses on the next two weeks. Our EF group also has a website, so you can check there on the calendar to see who’s celebrating, serving and singing.

Of course, you can also tell. There’s a bishop near me who almost always either celebrates low Masses with music or pontifical high Masses. You can also look at habits like that.

But no, there’s no concrete way to tell.
 
Our local FSSP parish always has a high mass each Sunday at the same time. The only way to know would be to check the bulletin or parish website.

As for days of obligation that depends on the parish. Our FSSP parish has 2 low masses tomorrow in the morning and at lunch. They then have a high mass tomorrow evening.
 
Usige said:
Our local FSSP parish always has a high mass each Sunday at the same time. The only way to know would be to check the bulletin or parish website.
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Same here, except right now being the summer, you can’t even be certain it’ll be a high Mass, as it depends on if there are enough choir members, etc. They’ll set up for a High Mass, but then re-set it for a low Mass.
 
If the bulletin or website doesn’t have the information, you can always call the parish office. In our FSSP parish, our priest answers the phones himself. Low masses are the norm at present and high masses will resume this fall. (our choir/schola is taking a well deserved summer break.)
We had a solemn high mass in which our archbishop assisted this spring; it was wonderful.
I’m coming to really appreciate the Low mass as well because I can hear so much more of the Latin, but I’m glad I started out with the high mass. Perhaps your wife could visit for a minute during adoration some day. Being in the presence of the Eucharist is so powerful and she doesn’t need to say or do anything. Grace abounds.
May God bless you and your wife. Amen.
 
According to the 1962 liturgical books, High Masses are either Sung or Solemn. In other words, a Sung Mass is a High Mass without a deacon and subdeacon.

(In fact, the 1960 rubrics stopped using the term Solemn High Mass and simply said Solemn Mass, along with Sung Mass and Low Mass.)
 
In the UK, the Latin Mass Society publishes a PDF document on their website with collated information of all EF Masses of which they have been informed in the country. The final column indicates what type of Mass it will be (although I was pleasantly surprised today to get a Dominican Rite Mass, which isn’t usually advertised separately). Maybe they have something similar where you live.
 
Thanks to those who responded, turns out it was a Missa Cantata.
It must have made a good enough impression, because she said she would go again. First time she has said that about any religious service that I can remember. 🙂
 
jeannetherese said:
If the bulletin or website doesn’t have the information, you can always call the parish office. In our FSSP parish, our priest answers the phones himself. Low masses are the norm at present and high masses will resume this fall. (our choir/schola is taking a well deserved summer break.)
We had a solemn high mass in which our archbishop assisted this spring; it was wonderful.
I’m coming to really appreciate the Low mass as well because I can hear so much more of the Latin, but I’m glad I started out with the high mass. Perhaps your wife could visit for a minute during adoration some day. Being in the presence of the Eucharist is so powerful and she doesn’t need to say or do anything. Grace abounds.
May God bless you and your wife. Amen.
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Thanks. I doubt she would be open to adoration right now as she seemed surprised when I explained that Catholics believe in the Real Presence, even when I cited John 6, etc.

She does carry a rosary sometimes and I ask her to join me every night when I pray it. She hasn’t yet but I will keep asking.

Her Church of Christ upbringing makes it difficult for her to accept Papal authority and other matters. I may turn into a good apologist just by trying to teach her about the Church.
 
Crowbar said:
Thanks to those who responded, turns out it was a Missa Cantata.
It must have made a good enough impression, because she said she would go again. First time she has said that about any religious service that I can remember. 🙂
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Wonderful news! The best of luck to you as you commence your crash course in apologetics. The Lord knows what He’s doing.😃
 
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