Low vs. High

[Cruikshank_s]

So tell me, are you a Low mass fanatic or High?

Both admittedly have their immense beauty to back them up, but whenever I sit down and see six lit candles, I breathe a sigh of discontent. I love the silence, the simplicity is amazing. Give me latin, give me silence, give me my well loved low mass!

Is it just me or do you sometimes just get distracted and lost during high mass? I’ll be caught up in the polyphony, look up and the priest is two pages ahead of me!

In all good and honest charity, with personal experience and preference, which do you like best? High or Low? Why?

 

[Kielbasi]

Back during the traditional era, when the Latin mass was the only Catholic mass, low masses outnumbered high masses by a wide margin in the US.

The only sung masses I attended as a kid- I’m not sure whether they were strictly speaking high masses or missa cantata (sung low masses) were at funerals.

 

[JPUSC]

High Mass, of course. I like the music and grandeur.

The first Tridentine Mass I went to was a Low Mass at St. Peter Chanel. I arrived some time around the Consecration (just came from an English Mass at a nearby parish and wanted to check it out). I saw a clear contrast attending the New Mass and the Low Mass back-to-back.

I was a little surprised at the fact that it was so quiet for more than 40 minutes. I don’t know if I’d be able to sit there every single Sunday to barely hear a priest mumbling for more than an hour. I can see why people use to say rosaries during Low Mass pre-Vatican II. It almost felt like everyone in the congregation was a spectator as the priest appeared to be praying by himself.

On the other hand, it truly did look like real adoration as everyone had their focus on the altar the whole time.

I think the one at St. Thomas More is a Missa Cantata. Since their building is a fairly small one, it has a more intimate feel and you can hear everything the priest is saying. The priest encouraged everyone to participate in the prayers as it was a learning experience for most people there.

Pope Benedict XVI did say the two forms should complement each other. At a High Mass I recently attended at St. John the Baptist, they threw in a modern hymn (Christ, Be Our Light, Farrell) for the recessional.

 

[Cluny]

The High Mass is supposed to be the norm.

The Low Mass is a mere concession to human weakness and not having the singers and other personell needed.

Back during the traditional era, when the Latin mass was the only Catholic mass, low masses outnumbered high masses by a wide margin in the US.

The Latin Mass was NEVER the only Catholic Mass. To say so is to ignore the various Eastern Catholic Churches. Just because you didn’t know about them doesn’t mean they weren’t there.

The only sung masses I attended as a kid- I’m not sure whether they were strictly speaking high masses or missa cantata (sung low masses) were at funerals

“Sung low mass” is a contradiction in terms, like neat garbage.

A Missa Canata is a simplification of High Mass, not a fancied up Low.

 

[Chatter163]

The Latin Mass was NEVER the only Catholic Mass. To say so is to ignore the various Eastern Catholic Churches. Just because you didn’t know about them doesn’t mean they weren’t there.

Wow. Why was this type of response needed?

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

If I’m going to do something, I want to do it all out, so my natural predilection is for high Mass - the higher the better. But sometimes I just want the silence and freedom of a low Mass, which truly does have its own allure. Thus I voted for both equally - I may favor high over low, making that technically inaccurate, but I would never want to give one or the other up.

 

[Rawb]

I love the Low Mass. As others have said, the silence and simplicity of it are very, very reverent to me.

I only went to the High Mass once. It was nice, but I like the Low Mass more.

 

[Cluny]

Quote:
The Latin Mass was NEVER the only Catholic Mass. To say so is to ignore the various Eastern Catholic Churches. Just because you didn’t know about them doesn’t mean they weren’t there.
Wow. Why was this type of response needed?

Because there are people who think that the Latin Church is the only form of Catholicism, or at least the default.

You’d be surprised how many people are TOTALLY unaware of Eastern Catholic Churches–even clergy.

 

[Chatter163]

Quote:
The Latin Mass was NEVER the only Catholic Mass. To say so is to ignore the various Eastern Catholic Churches. Just because you didn’t know about them doesn’t mean they weren’t there.
Wow. Why was this type of response needed?

Because there are people who think that the Latin Church is the only form of Catholicism, or at least the default.

You’d be surprised how many people are TOTALLY unaware of Eastern Catholic Churches–even clergy.

No, I would not, as I am totally aware. My point was that the sharp, rude post was uncalled for, given the exchange that was takign place.

 

[malphono]

I always had (and still have) mixed feeling about Low Mass (missa lecta). One thing that can be irksome is that the experience often depends on the celebrant (cf: the “speed demon” thing from another thread a few weeks back). In the “old days” I rarely attended Low Mass, although I have recently met a priest who does it very nicely. Less celebrant-dependent is missa recitata. The “speed issue” is mostly absent because of the “dialogue” and at the same time it allows a bit of active participation. To me, at least, it’s a decent mix.

But as a whole, I prefer High Mass, hands down. And most especially Solemn Conventual Mass in an Abbey or Priory. (I’d be even more thrilled if it were according to ancient Carmelite usage, but I know, that’s wishful thinking, at least for the present). For me the ideal setting is full chant, without any polyphany or classical settings. (I know many people love those latter two, but I get totally swept away with full chant.)

 

[Cluny]

No, I would not, as I am totally aware. My point was that the sharp, rude post was uncalled for, given the exchange that was takign place.

---

What’s rude is saying that the only Catholic Mass was the Latin Mass. This is not only rude, but not true.

Just one question: What did I say that was rude?

 

[WhollyRoamin]

I used to say that I’d like a Solemn High Mass. I’ve even had the opportunity to worship at a Pontifical High Mass offered by the bishop of the diocese. It was neat!

But all in all, my vote is for a low Mass. I love the quiet dignity, the orderly tidiness of it all. There is a sense of sacred space-- not only in the sanctuary, but also in the measure and tempo of a low Mass. It lends itself to stillness and contemplation. It presents itself for no other purpose than the worship of the Almighty; there’s no theatrics, no pomp & circumstance, no grandeur other than the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is for Him alone.

If I had only one day left to live and only one Mass to ever attend again, I’d love to be a layman altar boy to private Mass in a Monastery crypt.

 

[dove51]

I like low masses more, I suppose; it is easier for me to pray, and there are fewer people, which I like. But there is something wonderful about high mass. It’s the only celestial, beautiful thing in my mundane week sometimes. So I marked ‘both’.

 

[daeve]

I like the high Mass.

I’m old enough to remember the Masses from before VII, and we went to Mass every day in grade school, and I sang at a wedding or funeral most Saturdays too. We sang, and that’s what I expect to do at Mass. I feel like an observer instead of a participant if I don’t pray out loud and sing.

I normally sing in the choir at a regular NO Mass, but occassionally catch the 3pm Latin Mass too.

 

[JuanCarlos]

As an altar server, I prefer High Mass.

Up on the Altar, High Mass is very different- it feels like a Low Mass amplified with chant and incense. You hear and respond to the prayers at the foot of the altar, you respond to the priest’s quiet Kyrie (he prays it in a low voice in High Mass while the choir chants it), and depending on the priest you can still hear the Last Gospel during the closing hymn.

However, being in the pews, High Mass is very different- you sing the Propers and sometimes intersect with the Priest’s prayers at times like the Epistle and Gospel.

 

[Chatter163]

Just one question: What did I say that was rude?

Answer:

The Latin Mass was NEVER the only Catholic Mass. To say so is to ignore the various Eastern Catholic Churches. Just because you didn’t know about them doesn’t mean they weren’t there.

While you are at it, you may wish to learn how to use the quote function (by clicking the QUOTE icon at the bottom of a post). It would make following your multicolored posts a bit easier.

 

[JPUSC]

While you are at it, you may wish to learn how to use the quote function (by clicking the QUOTE icon at the bottom of a post). It would make following your multicolored posts a bit easier.

LOL, I was thinking of suggesting that too. It’s a little hard to read posts without the quote feature.

 

[malphono]

Cluny:

Just one question: What did I say that was rude?

Answer:

Cluny:

The Latin Mass was NEVER the only Catholic Mass. To say so is to ignore the various Eastern Catholic Churches. Just because you didn’t know about them doesn’t mean they weren’t there.

While you are at it, you may wish to learn how to use the quote function (by clicking the QUOTE icon at the bottom of a post). It would make following your multicolored posts a bit easier.

I really cannot speak for another poster, but frankly I didn’t find Cluny’s post to be rude at all. Perhaps a bit overly didactic, but (a) that’s a much lessor offense and (b) I can’t criticize since I’m sometimes accused of the same.

 

[JPUSC]

The High Mass is supposed to be the norm.

The Low Mass is a mere concession to human weakness and not having the singers and other personell needed.

Yes, I think the High Mass is the one that resembles the ancient Mass the most.

The Ge’ez Rite Liturgy from the 4th Century looks like a cross between the Tridentine Mass and something from the time of Christ. It looks like the mantillas women use in the Latin Rite are derived from ancient dress:

youtube.com/watch?v=H-Li7tBtbfQ&

youtube.com/watch?v=nauD9In6PAM&

This Eastern Rite Liturgy also resembles the High Mass:

youtube.com/watch?v=hRCrgLC7hxk

When an Eastern Rite Bishop was asked to do a Latin Rite English Mass in our diocese, he chanted everything with a sort of Arabic tone.

I think it would be neat if we had a Tridentine Mass that resembled one of the Eastern Rite liturgies with bells, drums and all.

By the way, what is the term that describes the sound the people are making with their mouths in the first video of the Ge’ez Rite? I recall reading about it, but the word has escaped me at the moment.

 

[Cruikshank_s]

High is winning by an ironically high margin! (If only I could have rigged the poll! ) But yes in a more serious note, I do understand the reasonings you all gave, keep up the participation! I want to know what EVERYONE thinks (that way my views have a better chance of winning! )

So many views, so little posts/votes :sad_yes: