"Liturgy", "Mass" and "Service"

[Digitonomy]

We don’t have a ‘weekly service schedule’ we have a Weekly Events schedule.

That would be another way to do it. Of course “event” is an even more general term, so such a listing could include the parish picnic, the youth group meeting, scripture study, parish directory photos, etc, in other words much more than just worship services.

 

[ElizabethPH]

Does not calling them “services” keep them from being services?

To me, they are not ‘services’ any more then the Mass is a ‘service’. there are a few exceptions that have already been mentioned earlier in the thread.

 

[Digitonomy]

I thought of this thread in reading De Musica Sacra, when I came upon this sentence:

However, such machines may be used, even inside the church, but not during services of any kind, whether liturgical or private…

So what would constitute a private, non-liturgical service?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

On the radio this afternoon, one of the callers asked for the distinction between “Liturgy” and “Mass”

I understand the answer, even if I can’t relate it back to others (There are various Liturgies. Mass is a Liturgy of the Eucharist)

But what about ‘Service’? I personally HATE it when I hear Catholics say, 'What time is ‘Service’. We don’t have “Service”. We have Mass.

What is the difference? Is it just that every one is asked to participate in the Mass, where ‘Service’ suggest a spectator role? How can I suscinctly say the differences.

Or am I wrong to say we don’t have ‘Service’ (at least not when we are having Mass)?

Liturgy is the public worship/prayer of the Church.
Mass is the Latin Rite term for the Divine Liturgy, the Rite within which Holy Communion is usually celebrated. This is why you will also hear the term “Roman Rite” or “Latin Rite”.
Service is usually used for a para-Liturgical gathering such as “Communion Service” is the distribution of Holy Communion outside of Mass.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I thought of this thread in reading De Musica Sacra, when I came upon this sentence:So what would constitute a private, non-liturgical service?

A Prayer service, a Retreat, a Day of Reflection.

 

[sedonaman]

Liturgy is the public worship/prayer of the Church.
Mass is the Latin Rite term for the Divine Liturgy, the Rite within which Holy Communion is usually celebrated. This is why you will also hear the term “Roman Rite” or “Latin Rite”.
Service is usually used for a para-Liturgical gathering such as “Communion Service” is the distribution of Holy Communion outside of Mass.

You never hear the phrase “Holy Sacrifice of the Liturgy”. Mass consists of two liturgies: The Word and the Eucharist. Mass is Mass. Period.

 

[Evan]

You never hear the phrase “Holy Sacrifice of the Liturgy”. Mass consists of two liturgies: The Word and the Eucharist. Mass is Mass. Period.

Apparently you are Latin Rite. For you never hear of the Mass in any other Rite. It is always the Divine Liturgy (or that’s all I’ve ever heard it called).

I suppose we could start calling the mass in my parish the eight_o_clock and in a 100 years we would talk of the ‘Holy Sacrifice of the eight_o_clock’. The eight_o_clock is the eight_o_clock. Period.

Sort of provincial to think the Mass (used only in one Rite of the church) is the only way to refer to the Divine Liturgy. Of course I’ve never heard it, but it would be approriate to refer to it as the ‘Holy Sacrifice of the Divine Liturgy’ or the ‘Celebration of the Divine Liturgy’ (which I may have heard).

Other services that are private include Stations of the Cross, Adoration, Benediction, Retreats, Missions, Rosary, Divine Mercy, Blessing of Throats, Distribution of Ashes, Processions, Installation of a Priest or Bishop.

 

[sedonaman]

Apparently you are Latin Rite. For you never hear of the Mass in any other Rite. It is always the Divine Liturgy (or that’s all I’ve ever heard it called).

I suppose we could start calling the mass in my parish the eight_o_clock and in a 100 years we would talk of the ‘Holy Sacrifice of the eight_o_clock’. The eight_o_clock is the eight_o_clock. Period.

Sort of provincial to think the Mass (used only in one Rite of the church) is the only way to refer to the Divine Liturgy. Of course I’ve never heard it, but it would be approriate to refer to it as the ‘Holy Sacrifice of the Divine Liturgy’ or the ‘Celebration of the Divine Liturgy’ (which I may have heard).

Other services that are private include Stations of the Cross, Adoration, Benediction, Retreats, Missions, Rosary, Divine Mercy, Blessing of Throats, Distribution of Ashes, Processions, Installation of a Priest or Bishop.

I guess poor Sister Mary Elizabeth who taught me the Catechism in 1949 went to Hell for misleading all her students, and I guess I’m going to Hell also for referring to it as “Mass”. Whenever my parish priest says “liturgy” in lieu of “Mass”, he gets only blank stares. I guess we are no longer “sent” [missa] out to the world to do Christian deeds.

I think the question remains as to what meaning is conveyed by “liturgy” that is not by “Mass”.

P.S. “Calling a horse’s tail a leg doesn’t make it one.” – Abraham Lincoln.

 

[Evan]

I guess poor Sister Mary Elizabeth who taught me the Catechism in 1949 went to Hell for misleading all her students, and I guess I’m going to Hell also for referring to it as “Mass”. Whenever my parish priest says “liturgy” in lieu of “Mass”, he gets only blank stares. I guess we are no longer “sent” [missa] out to the world to do Christian deeds.

I think the question remains as to what meaning is conveyed by “liturgy” that is not by “Mass”.

P.S. “Calling a horse’s tail a leg doesn’t make it one.” – Abraham Lincoln.

I’m truely sorry you and Sr Mary Elizabeth are going to hell. I don’t think you read my 3rd paragraph carefully

Sort of provincial to think the Mass (used only in one Rite of the church) is the only way to refer to the Divine Liturgy.

Missa… Sent… works best if you speak Latin or your vocabulary has Latin roots (ie Spanish, French, English, Italian… you know. Countries in the west. Where the western church developed).

I always refer to the mass in my parish as the Mass. But when I go to “the mass” at the local Byzantine Catholic Church, I ALWAY refer to it as the Divine Liturgy.

 

[Evan]

I forgot my PS

PS calling a horses tail a fly swatter is accurate, but not the best description.

And “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

 

[sedonaman]

…
Missa… Sent… works best if you speak Latin or your vocabulary has Latin roots (ie Spanish, French, English, Italian… you know. Countries in the west. Where the western church developed).
…

You can tell by my name that I’m in Arizona. Can’t get much Westerner than that.

I might add that the hoi polloi [of which I am part] don’t usually understand the fine points of the attempts to intellectualize everything, so I think the question still remains as to what meaning is conveyed by “liturgy” that is not by “Mass”. Most Catholics I would wager are in the Third World where education is quite limited. What about them?

 

[Digitonomy]

I think the question remains as to what meaning is conveyed by “liturgy” that is not by “Mass”.

I don’t agree that the question remains. It was addressed way back at the top of the page, in post #5. I might quibble a bit with some of what baltobetsy said, but her explanation addressed your question pretty well.

 

[sedonaman]

I don’t agree that the question remains. It was addressed way back at the top of the page, in post #5. I might quibble a bit with some of what baltobetsy said, but her explanation addressed your question pretty well.

From Post # 5: “Mass is a liturgy.”

So there is nothing that is conveyed by “liturgy” that is not conveyed by “Mass”. Sounds like change for the sake of leaving a mark by those who want to.

 

[Digitonomy]

From Post # 5: “Mass is a liturgy.”

So there is nothing that is conveyed by “liturgy” that is not conveyed by “Mass”.

Not true. If that were so, you could call the liturgy on Good Friday, or the Liturgy of the Hours, a mass.

Liturgy has a broader meaning; mass is more specific.

 

[sedonaman]

Not true. If that were so, you could call the liturgy on Good Friday, or the Liturgy of the Hours, a mass.

Liturgy has a broader meaning; mass is more specific.

Good point. Then why is Sunday Mass called liturgy instead of Mass?