First EF Mass

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Wannabe_Monk_16

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Hello CAF,
I plan on attending my first EF Mass this Sunday. Is there a good resource anybody would recommend for first time attendees at an EF Mass for someone who has only attended Mass in the ordinary form? I was thinking a general outline of differences besides the obvious language change.
Thanks and God bless!
 
Sanctamissa.org has a fantastic outline of the Mass, as well as a ton of information about traditional worship in general. It’s actually intended as an online tutorial for priests, so there are clickable embedded links to hear the audio.
 
The best advise is if you can get there early and ask someone to help you through it. We do that at our Mass and are always excited to help.

Do you have a missal or do you know if they are provided? Here is a link to one you can get for $10.00. It will have the ordinary parts of the Mass in english and Latin but it doesn’t have the propers.

Here is a link to a you tube video that is for training priests. It walks you through the entire Mass that you may also find helpful.

If your interested feel free to PM me a phone number or I’ll get you mine and I’ll try to help as best I can.
 
Wannabe_Monk_16 said:
Hello CAF,
I plan on attending my first EF Mass this Sunday. Is there a good resource anybody would recommend for first time attendees at an EF Mass for someone who has only attended Mass in the ordinary form? I was thinking a general outline of differences besides the obvious language change.
Thanks and God bless!
Click to expand...
Hi!

About 1 year ago, I attended my first EF Mass and it was amazing. I only went to 5-6 Low Masses and no Solemn Masses.
At first I was a little lost, since there were so many parts, even with the Missal.

If the church you are attending is an FSSP parish, then there is probably a Missal provided

I would not use the missal too much. I did that in my first EF mass, and I just ended up as a translator rather than actually praying. You can outline, like every different part of the Mass keep track with the Missal.

If you are attending the Low Mass, you may very surprised at great amount of silence.

BTW, here’s a step by step demonstration of the Mass by an FSSP priest
 
Wannabe_Monk_16 said:
Hello CAF,
I plan on attending my first EF Mass this Sunday. Is there a good resource anybody would recommend for first time attendees at an EF Mass for someone who has only attended Mass in the ordinary form? I was thinking a general outline of differences besides the obvious language change.
Thanks and God bless!
Click to expand...
Hi!

About 1 year ago, I attended my first EF Mass and it was amazing. I only went to 5-6 Low Masses and no Solemn Masses.
At first I was a little lost, since there were so many parts, even with the Missal.

If the church you are attending is an FSSP parish, then there is probably a Missal provided

I would not use the missal too much. I did that in my first EF mass, and I just ended up as a translator rather than actually praying. You can outline, like every different part of the Mass keep track with the Missal.

If you are attending the Low Mass, you may very surprised at great amount of silence.

BTW, here’s a step by step demonstration of the Mass by an FSSP priest
youtu.be/ZUCa0pkPBhs
BTW again, the priest offering the Mass in that video used to be assigned at our local FSSP parish. He’s a very holy man
 
Wannabe_Monk_16 said:
Hello CAF,
I plan on attending my first EF Mass this Sunday. Is there a good resource anybody would recommend for first time attendees at an EF Mass for someone who has only attended Mass in the ordinary form? I was thinking a general outline of differences besides the obvious language change.
Thanks and God bless!
Click to expand...
Starting about 6:10 on this video you will get some good advice…

youtube.com/watch?v=pGOC384CvVU

It’s a good show that was aired on EWTN…here is part two about the EF in Chicago…

youtube.com/watch?v=boYUIEvG6Eg

Once you get more comfortable here is an excellent resource to learn more about it…

youtube.com/watch?v=boYUIEvG6Eg
 
Wannabe_Monk_16 said:
Hello CAF,
I plan on attending my first EF Mass this Sunday. Is there a good resource anybody would recommend for first time attendees at an EF Mass for someone who has only attended Mass in the ordinary form? I was thinking a general outline of differences besides the obvious language change.
Thanks and God bless!
Click to expand...
Go with someone you know who is a regular attendee.

The first time I attended Latin mass back in the day, I didn’t have any special pre-instruction except a warning from my mum to stay quiet in church.

I remember the smells of incense of the people’s cologne, the draft as it was a cold day, the young men coming in “standing room only” near the line of confessionals, the irish brogue accent the priest spoke latin in, and being impressed with the skill the altar servers used in lighting the candles.
 
Don_Ruggero said:
It is the Mass as it was offered before the reforms mandated by the bishops of the world at the Second Vatican Council.
Click to expand...
Does the (Church approved) EF incorporate any of the developments over the last 50 years? Do they use the same pre-Vatican II, one-year cycle of readings, as opposed to the 3 year cycle now used in the OF? Do they use the same 1960 calendar of saint days and feasts, or do they add on the Feast of Divine Mercy, and recently canonized saints?

It seems like there were mild changes in what we now call the EF, in the 50 years prior to Vatican II; add a feast here or there, dialogue Masses, Holy Week changes, etc. Are there mild changes in discipline or format of the EF in the 50 years since?
 
commenter said:
Does the (Church approved) EF incorporate any of the developments over the last 50 years? Do they use the same pre-Vatican II, one-year cycle of readings, as opposed to the 3 year cycle now used in the OF? Do they use the same 1960 calendar of saint days and feasts, or do they add on the Feast of Divine Mercy, and recently canonized saints?

It seems like there were mild changes in what we now call the EF, in the 50 years prior to Vatican II; add a feast here or there, dialogue Masses, Holy Week changes, etc. Are there mild changes in discipline or format of the EF in the 50 years since?
Click to expand...
No, the 1962 missal is used in the same way that it was at that time.

Divine Mercy is not actually a liturgical day; it is a devotional feast. In both OF and EF venues, one may or may not encounter its observance outside of Mass. The kalendar does not include recently canonized saints, but they can certainly be observed using the common of saints.
 
commenter said:
It seems like there were mild changes in what we now call the EF, in the 50 years prior to Vatican II; add a feast here or there, dialogue Masses, Holy Week changes, etc. Are there mild changes in discipline or format of the EF in the 50 years since?
Click to expand...
The possibility of adding prefaces was included in the 2007 SP. I don’t know if any have actually been added since then.
 
There are no Propers written for modern Saints, as yet. Perhaps someday. We often get by using Votive masses.
 
I went to my first EF Mass this morning. My best advice is to try and not follow along the first time. Follow what others are doing as to when to kneel, sit and stand. But most of all, enjoy it! Soak up the richness and traditional that is the EF Mass <3
 
Thank you all for your replies and resources!
I was really impressed with the reverence of the priest, the altar boys, and the laypeople in the pews. The Gregorian chanting was beautiful. The priest’s homily was very informative which included quotes from St. Thomas Aquinas’s Summa and he spoke about avoiding sins of omission and their consequences (sheep vs. goats). I was able to follow along almost most of the liturgy. The Extraordinary Form is so different from the Ordinary Form…
 
Glad you enjoyed the Mass and it’s “Smells and Bells” . Must have been a High Mass, what with the chant. Low Masses are normally silent.

I live 80 miles from our FSSP parish. It’s a financial struggle to go more than twice a week. So we have pretty much been Sunday goers for nigh on to 4 years now.

This November we get our second FSSP priest. He’ll celebrate All Saints and All Souls with us. At least one is going to be a Solemn High Mass (All Saints, I believe).

Our parish has doubled in size in the last year and our pastor has not had a day off. Talk about dedication, wow! Masses seven days a week. Wished I live closer.
 
The chapel I have attended in my city for the EF provides a small blue-covered handbook that contains the Order of the Mass; including Rites or actions specific to either the Low Mass or High Mass.

It also includes suggestions for prayers before Mass, Pre and Post Communion, as well as prayers said after Mass by the congregation. Interestingly, the booklet includes prayers omitted from the 1962 Missal - which are ‘bordered’ and captioned as relevant to the older Rite. I’m not sure whether they can be optionally said or not.

Also provided are printouts of all the Prayers specific to that day, as well as the day’s readings. Latin and English on the same page, for ease of understanding.

Overall, I think it is truly worthwhile getting to know our Mass - as we are “Latin Catholics.” It is a real shame that a number of lay people, clergy or religious are so “wary” and even spiteful towards those who choose to attend such services… So be prepared to answer questions if you choose to disclose your attendance to other family or friends.
 
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