Low Mass

[JillianRose]

hi!

In all my 34 years as a Catholic I Never have been to a Low Mass. Weekends, during the Week, NEVER. I was told that during the weekday Mass our Priest wants us to have a Low Mass. I went tonight and it was all of 20 minutes. I was shocked. Although my 4 and 7 year old loved it. So, why is it so different? Why is it called Low mass? Does that make you a “bad” Catholic if you like to attend the Traditional Mass better?

God Bless you,

Jill

 

[otjm]

When I was young and an altar server, the 6:30 a.m. Mass sometimes was shorter than that. Long story, and a sad one. I started serving in 1958.

 

[liturgyluver]

hi!

In all my 34 years as a Catholic I Never have been to a Low Mass. Weekends, during the Week, NEVER. I was told that during the weekday Mass our Priest wants us to have a Low Mass. I went tonight and it was all of 20 minutes. I was shocked. Although my 4 and 7 year old loved it. So, why is it so different? Why is it called Low mass? Does that make you a “bad” Catholic if you like to attend the Traditional Mass better?

God Bless you,

Jill

Technically the term no longer exists since Vatican II - mass is mass, though Sunday masses are often longer as the expectation is that the mass will be sung. Low mass used to mean when a priest celebrated alone, as opposed to a sung mass (with Deacon) and solemn mass (with full ministerial team). Most people attended low mass prior to Vatican II. Nothing wrong with you attending this type of mass - most masses on weekdays will follow this format, but Sunday will be different with music, creed, homily, notices, and more ceremonial.

 

[LiveLoveProsper]

Strictly speaking mass times vary as the priests vary. However, because there is no singing in low mass, and most of the time no homily, the mass is shorter. Unlike a Missa Cantata or High Mass, in which they sing and process in slowly and out slowly. Plus there is a homily. In general Low Mass is always shorter than High Mass in most cases because of those reasons. :hey_bud:

Personal Experience:
High Masses/ Solemn High Masses range from 1 hour and 30 minutes, to 2 hours and 10 minutes. :stretcher: WOW long time huh?

Low masses range from 30-50 minutes for my parish,

 

[petronus]

When I was young and an altar server, the 6:30 a.m. Mass sometimes was shorter than that. Long story, and a sad one. I started serving in 1958.

I started serving at Mass a few years before you .

I remember serving the Masses of a priest one Christmas Day , about 1956 . They were “private” Masses , three Masses consecutively .

It took him half an hour for all three Masses .

And some people wonder why the Liturgy needed reforming .

And this incident was not an exception . It was typical of the norm .

 

[malphono]

I started serving at Mass a few years before you .

I remember serving the Masses of a priest one Christmas Day , about 1956 . They were “private” Masses , three Masses consecutively .

It took him half an hour for all three Masses .

And some people wonder why the Liturgy needed reforming .

And this incident was not an exception . It was typical of the norm .

We’re all in the same age group, and I wouldn’t say that. One cannot make a comparison between a “private Mass” and a public one. It’s like comparing apples and pears. They’re both in the pomme family, but that’s just about where the similarity ends.

A “private Mass” is always shorter than a public one. That’s as true with the Novus Ordo as it was in pre-conciliar days.

 

[YoungTradCath]

I imagine it doesn’t take long at all to say a OF privately. Perhaps ten minutes.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

I prefer the Low Mass. I haven’t been to a High Mass or Solemn Mass. Yet.

The E.F. Mass I go to is about 50-60 minutes but it feels like about half that time.

 

[ProVobis]

I imagine it doesn’t take long at all to say a OF privately. Perhaps ten minutes.

Without a sermon and only a few people, probably less than that. Unless EP1 is used.

 

[holyfamily1]

Technically the term no longer exists since Vatican II - mass is mass, though Sunday masses are often longer as the expectation is that the mass will be sung.

Actually, by virtue of Summorum Pontificum the term still does exist because the Holy Tridentine Mass was never abrogated and can be sacrificed by any priest. This includes Low Masses. So, yes the term Low Mass still does exist; not for the Novus Ordo per se but, it intrinsically exists with the Tridentine Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

[holyfamily1]

hi!

In all my 34 years as a Catholic I Never have been to a Low Mass. Weekends, during the Week, NEVER. I was told that during the weekday Mass our Priest wants us to have a Low Mass. I went tonight and it was all of 20 minutes. I was shocked. Although my 4 and 7 year old loved it. So, why is it so different? Why is it called Low mass? Does that make you a “bad” Catholic if you like to attend the Traditional Mass better?

You should try to attend a Missa Cantata or sung Holy Mass. They are extremely beautiful. They can run a little longer ( one hour - one hour 1/2 ) but, they are surely worth it. You can try to find a Latin Mass Society by you that might have one here: Latin Mass Locator Good Luck!! :yup:

 

[Gidge]

Strictly speaking mass times vary as the priests vary. However, because there is no singing in low mass, and most of the time no homily, the mass is shorter. Unlike a Missa Cantata or High Mass, in which they sing and process in slowly and out slowly. Plus there is a homily. In general Low Mass is always shorter than High Mass in most cases because of those reasons. :hey_bud:

Personal Experience:
High Masses/ Solemn High Masses range from 1 hour and 30 minutes, to 2 hours and 10 minutes. :stretcher: WOW long time huh?

Low masses range from 30-50 minutes for my parish,

This sounds about right. The time seems to fly by at High Mass and does not feel like 1.5-2 hours (Shouldn’t be surprised as you’re with God and He’s outside of time).

The Solemn High Mass is the model all Masses should strive towards (as the more solemn, the more our poor efforts please God).

Many think low Mass is the standard, and in some cultures it is treated as such
(Take the Irish, for example – they tend to associate High Mass with Anglicanism, and therefore only tend to have High Mass on High Holy days).

Bottom line – as others here have said-- Mass is Mass; learn to love both the silence of the low Mass and the solemnity of the High Mass.