Hard to Hear the Latin

[Neil_Anthony]

When I’ve gone to indult Latin Mass before, I found it very hard to hear the priest, he was talking in a low voice and quite rapidly and almost mumbling. When I asked a friend about this, I was told that this is how the TLM is meant to be said, in a low prayerful way.

But I’ve heard Latin mass on the radio and it wasn’t like that. Is that standard or was it something particular to that parish or priest? I found it makes it even harder to follow in the missal.

 

[Pax_et_Caritas]

When I’ve gone to indult Latin Mass before, I found it very hard to hear the priest, he was talking in a low voice and quite rapidly and almost mumbling. When I asked a friend about this, I was told that this is how the TLM is meant to be said, in a low prayerful way.

But I’ve heard Latin mass on the radio and it wasn’t like that. Is that standard or was it something particular to that parish or priest? I found it makes it even harder to follow in the missal.

In the Traditional Mass, most of the prayers are said in a low tone. If you read the council of Trent, one of the anathemas is for those who say that the prayers should not be said in a low tone (that was one of the arguments the Protestants were making at the time).

With respect to the Mass you heard on the radio, it may have been a Novus ordo in Latin, in which the prayers would have all been said aloud, or maybe in was a Traditional Mass with the priest was wearing a microphone? I have been to a few Traditional Mass where the priest did that.

 

[parvenu74]

With respect to the Mass you heard on the radio, it may have been a Novus ordo in Latin…

The only time the entire traditional Mass is said aloud is the Mass of priestly ordination because the newly ordained priests are concelebrating – without the bishop saying all of the prayers aloud the new priests won’t necessarily know on which precise prayer and at which precise point the celebrant happens to be. I suppose it’s possible to mic the celebrant and record that for a radio broadcast, but it’s not like there are traditional ordinations happening every day.

 

[Genesis315]

The canon was usually said in a low voice. What the Protestants argued was that this was contrary to the faith because they did not believe the Mass was valid by the priest’s action alone independent of that of the faithful. It doesn’t mean that it is evil to pray the canon aloud, just that you can’t condemn as evil praying it in a low tone.

I do believe the rubrics require the canon in the 1962 Missal to be prayed in the low tone. Some priests, however, pray it lower than others. But it should be lower than the rest, if not completely inaudible to the faithful.

If you get lost in the missal, pay attention to the ringing of the bells at certain times. That will alert you to the place in the canon that the priest is and you can catch up if need be.

 

[kleary]

When I’ve gone to indult Latin Mass before, I found it very hard to hear the priest, he was talking in a low voice and quite rapidly and almost mumbling. When I asked a friend about this, I was told that this is how the TLM is meant to be said, in a low prayerful way.

But I’ve heard Latin mass on the radio and it wasn’t like that. Is that standard or was it something particular to that parish or priest? I found it makes it even harder to follow in the missal.

A lot of the prayers, like the prayers at the foot of the altar at High Mass, are intentionally said in a low tone so that you CANNOT HEAR THEM. The same with the Canon of the Mass- it is considered so sacred and holy it is prayed in a low tone so the people in the congregation cannot hear what is being said. (In the Eastern Church the doors or the Iconostasis are even closed during the consecration so that you cannot even see the priest when he consecrates)

There are other times also, that the priest speaks in an inaudible tone. As I said, at High Mass the priest and MC, or priest and deacon/sub deacon pray the prayers at the foot of the altar in a low voice. This is because the cantors are chanting the Introit at that time.

Ken

 

[kleary]

The only time the entire traditional Mass is said aloud is the Mass of priestly ordination because the newly ordained priests are concelebrating – without the bishop saying all of the prayers aloud the new priests won’t necessarily know on which precise prayer and at which precise point the celebrant happens to be. I suppose it’s possible to mic the celebrant and record that for a radio broadcast, but it’s not like there are traditional ordinations happening every day.

This is wrong. Concelebration is not allowed in the Traditional Mass. And never is the entire TLM allowed to be said “aloud”. There are specific times where the words are to be in an inaudible tone for certain reasons.

Ken

 

[tradcathconvert]

Those ordained Priests then kneel on the ground behind the Pontiff – here or there, wherever will be more convenient. Let them have their Missals before them, so that they might say Receive, Holy Father, etc., and all the other parts of the Mass along with the Pontiff. Yet the Pontiff may well consider that he should say the Secret slowly, and slightly louder, so that those ordained Priests might be able to say everything with him – especially the words of consecration, which ought to be said at precisely the same moment by the ordained as they are said by the Pontiff. The Secret for the ordained, which is said with the Secret of the Mass for that day with a single Through our Lord, etc.:

The above, for what its worth, is from angelfire.com/nj/malleus/ordines/prtradpriests.html

 

[kleary]

The above, for what its worth, is from angelfire.com/nj/malleus/ordines/prtradpriests.html

You could say the words of consecration along with the celebrant also- so may any priest in the Sanctuary or wherever- Not that it is the proper thing to do, or even allowed…

Still there is no concelebration- as it is forbidden in the TLM. They are not as per the Novus Ordo standing there at the altar with their hands extended and praying aloud the words of consecration and intending to do what the Church does.

Ken

 

[otjm]

You could say the words of consecration along with the celebrant also- so may any priest in the Sanctuary or wherever- Not that it is the proper thing to do, or even allowed…

Still there is no concelebration- as it is forbidden in the TLM. They are not as per the Novus Ordo standing there at the altar with their hands extended and praying aloud the words of consecration and intending to do what the Church does.

Ken

It is not forbidden in the EF, it isimply is not part of the rubrics. There is a difference.