My experience at Tridentine Mass

[MikeDunphy]

My parish brought back the Latin Mass two years ago, and a nearby parish a year ago. We were befuddled, too, but have gotten more confident with practice. I’m sure the same will happen with Assumption.

You make a good point about pronunciation being a roadblock. Another CAF poster has some tips here on ecclesiastical Latin pronunciation. The audio guide mentioned here sounds interesting. You don’t have to memorize this stuff, but having some familiarity with the rules of pronunciation will probably help you pick up Latin from the Mass a little faster.

Onegin’s comment about being confused at sung Masses when the chant overlapped the prayers was true for me too. That is something to watch for, for example around the Kyrie. Following the Mass gets easier with time, but it will take time, especially if you don’t go regularly.

…At various points in the Mass, people were looking around at others to see what they were supposed to be doing. And since nobody else knew what they were supposed to be doing, it ended up being the blind leading the blind. At various times you could see some people standing, some kneeling and some sitting. Most were looking around to see if everyone else was as befuddled as they were. And we were.

I came to the realization that having a Latin to English guide book does very little to help you follow the Mass because just having the Latin next to the English isn’t enough. You can’t just pick up Latin from looking at some Latin text next to English text. There are other factors that come into play, such as phonetics, emphasis on certain syllables etc… Often times you could be looking at the Latin text and still not know what’s going on because the pronunciation sounds nothing like the spelling. And the fact that they were chanting the Latin made it doubly impossible to follow.

 

[MikeDunphy]

I wrote Kyrie, but I was thinking more of the Sanctus, where the priest continues on into the canon while the choir continues to chant the Sanctus. When I first started going to a TLM, I would listen to the choir, and when they were done, have difficulty figuring out where the priest was. Finally learning to proceed to the Hanc igitur when I heard a single ring of the bell helped.

Onegin’s comment about being confused at sung Masses when the chant overlapped the prayers was true for me too. That is something to watch for, for example around the Kyrie.

 

[damooster]

To the OP:

I bought the Rosetta Stone series with the same intent you had, and I don’t feel it was worth the money. Rosetta Stone teaches you conversational/classical Latin, and the Church uses Ecclesiastical Latin. There are pronunciation differences, and you would still have to learn all of the “religious” words that Rosetta Stone doesn’t teach you. I still study the course since I spent money on it, but if you really want to learn Latin, I recommend A Primer for Ecclesiastical Latin by John F. Collins. It’s highly recommended by anyone familiar with Ecclesiastical Latin.

 

[jpy15026]

My first Latin Mass was totally strange to me and I thought I would never go again but after I understood it, it is “The most beautiful thing this side of Heaven.”
I downloaded the “Full Mass” from the link below and put it on my mp3 player, to “practice” and tune my ear to the Latin. I followed along reading my missal while listening to it and it really helped me. The readings (Propers) are from June 7 2009 Trinity Sunday
latinmassireland.org/thelatinmass/latinmass_audio.html

Reading Trinity Sunday
uvoc.org/Trinity_Sun/Trinity_Sun.html

Propers for Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days for*** 2009***
uvoc.org/Propers/Propers_2009/Propers_Calendar.html

 

[babochka]

We have a fantastic FSSP parish in our area. The priests are wonderful and the parish life is a true blessing to all involved. I particularly appreciate having one of their priests hear my confession. Having said that, I just can’t figure out the draw of the Mass. I know many, many people who attend the parish and love the Mass. I always feel like I don’t know what I’m doing. I think the problem is that I have young children. I’m always so concerned about their behavior, taking them out when necessary, etc, that I am not able to immerse myself in the Mass. I can’t even follow along in the missal because I constantly have a baby or a 2 year old to deal with. Maybe if I could attend 10-15 times by myself and learn the Mass, I would feel differently. I know that all those people can’t be wrong.

Elizabeth

 

[jpy15026]

This was difficult for me but after a few Masses and some research it became very easy

Around the middle of the missal is the “Main” part that is primarily used during the Liturgy. I put the “Red” ribbon marker there. It begins with the sign of the cross and you just follow along at a “medium” pace reading the missal and follow Father as he prays the Liturgy in Latin.

After the sign of the cross, he recites Psalm 42…Judica Me, then the Confiteor, (His public confession), then the server recites the Confiteor, representing us (our public confession) then the Priest goes up to the Altar as it says in the missal.

The way the missal is used is; you flip from the “Main “part of the Mass to the “Propers of the day” then back again to the “main” section. The “Propers” being, The Introit, Collect, Epistle, Gradual, Gospel, Preface, and *Communion *verses. The Propers change but not the main “Order of the Mass”

After Father goes up to the Altar he goes to the “Epistle” side (The right side) to read the* Introit* and that’s our cue to flip to the propers of the day to the “Introit” That’s where I place my “green” ribbon marker. There are many “visual cues” if you try to be aware of Fathers movements and many audible cues, “Dominus Vobiscum” (The Lord Be with You) “Oremus (Let us Pray) servers responses, and of course the “bells” at the "Sanctus (Holy,Holy,Holy) and at the Elevations.

After the Introit ,you hear Father pray the “Kyrie Elison”,then the Gloria, you just keep reading along as he is reciting in Latin, you eventually learn the pace that Father goes ,so after a few Masses you follow along pretty easily.

After the Gloria, it’s time to flip to the “green" marker again and read the 'Collects" for the day, then the Epistle is read, followed by the "Gradual”.

Father then goes to the "Left "side of the altar to read the Gospel, and when done, Father goes to the Ambo and reads the Epistle and The Gospel in English and gives announcements and a “Sermon”

After the Sermon the Credo is said (back to the Red ribbon)

Then comes the next part of the Mass

“The Mass of the Faithful” Most of the rest of the mass is in the main red ribbon section except for the Preface (I put my Purple marker there) and the Communion verses.

If you just read along the English parts in the missal and be aware of the “cues” after a few Liturgies you’ll be a pro. You will be “Praying the Mass” following Father as he is Praying the Mass in Latin.

Some just use their Missal for the “Main” part of the Mass; others flip only to the Epistle and Gospel readings to follow along but not to the other propers for the day.

As far as standing, sitting, kneeling, just follow what everyone else does, this also will come natural after a while.

                                                       This is a very rough and abbreviated explanation but it will at least get you started on what's going on. My first Latin Mass was totally strange to me and I thought I would never go again but after I understood it, it is "The most beautiful thing this side of Heaven."

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