Mass Reading in other countries (Germany)

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Operalan

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Hi,
This has puzzled me for awhile but today more than ever. I’m visiting Germany for work (which I have done many times in the past). On a regular Sunday Mass, in my experience, it has been rare to have more than the First Reading, Psalm, and Gospel as far as readings (I can’t remember ever having a 2nd Reading). Today, however, things were even briefer. There was only the First Reading and the Gospel. With this being a Sunday and even a Holy Day (January 1), I was a bit shocked that the readings were not all given. I have noticed in various other countries that there is often not a 2nd reading on Sunday–i.e., Spain, Netherlands. Can somebody shed some light on why it is so different in other countries? How many readings need to be given in order for things to be “legitimate”?
Thanks for your help!
 
Today there was a 1st reading, Psalm, then a 2nd reading, then the Gospel. I am in southern France.
 
I have no idea about the second reading. I am not aware of any instance in which a reading can be dispensed. However, was there any type of chanting between the first reading and the Gospel? Responsorial psalms aren’t required. Things called “graduals” or “tracts” can replace them. Technically, in the OF the responsorial psalm is replacing the gradual whenever a responsorial psalm is used. In fact, in the EF, there is no such thing as a responsorial psalm, only graduals and tracts.

Perhaps they used a gradual and not the responsorial psalm
 
You must have found a church in a hurry. I have been to Sunday Mass in Berlin and Cologne cathedrals and they had the usual sequence of reading 1, psalm, reading 2, Alleluia, Gospel. Perhaps they are less fussy in Parish churches.

In France and Italy they have the full set of readings.

I was recently on an Italian Cruise ship and was one of 100 or so English speakers among around 3,000 passengers. The ship had a chapel with daily Mass said by a chaplain originating in the Philippines. It was mostly in English with readings in: perm any two from German, Italian, French and Spanish. The peace was interesting. On the two Sundays we all sang Credo III in Latin.
 
No, today there was no gradual or psalm (although, usually, they have a sung piece in-between the first and second reading here in Munich). As I said before, it is often the case where they don’t have the second reading (even on a Sunday Mass) but today they ONLY had the first reading and the Gospel. This is always surprising to me as, generally, Munich and Bavaria seems to be a pretty “conservative” place.
 
It’s not so much that I found a Church in a hurry—I had been planning on attending Mass there since I arrived early last week and have attended Mass there before several times. This same things (with the exception of the Psalm/Gradual being omitted) has happened at multiple churches I’ve attended both here in Munich and in several Churches in Barcelona and Bilbao, Spain.
 
I think you need to ask the priest about it if you feel comfortable doing so.

I’ve been to Mass in many countries, and have never encountered this.
 
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