My first EF Mass

[crazzeto]

I’m sure there are a ton of such threads actually, I remember seeing some previously but for some reason search fails me (ironically, I’m bad at searches… an embarresment for a computer programmer). I figured I’d offer some thoughts:

EF Mass
Well one caveot for me, this was not only my first experience but also I have really not had much experience even watching it on TV. Needless to say, I felt a little like a protestant visiting a Catholic Mass, that is to say I was a little clueless with responses and in some (but not all) cases where you would kneel, genuflect etc. With regard to postures, I felt much stronger as it’s not as dissimilar as V/R.

Besides these issues, (which I expect to improve on as my wife and I intend to continue attending every first Sunday of the month, and I plan on making my own misslette) I did in fact generally greatly enjoy the service. Indeed, it just feels more reverent that what we typically get out of Novos Ordo. In particular, the treatment given to communion is far superior, truely we need communion rails to make a comback it N.O. mass. I also greatly appreciate the true genuflect performed for “…who was conseved by the holy spirit…” (etc) durring the creed.

Novos Order:
Well here’s the biggie, since many traditional Catholics take an either/or view with the masses… While I feel EF is generally more reverent, I see no reason why N.O. can’t match it in this regard, and I suspect it will be soon enough with the new Missal. I don’t know if they will go quite as far as I would, but for a good general week in week out mass I think N.O. is terrific for the needs of the masses (and certainly my wife). Personally I love both masses, though I look forward to integrating E.F. into my spiritual life as well.

Anyway, those are my brief views. God bless!

 

[Lycorth]

Deo gratias!

I assisted at my first TLM a few weeks ago; the reverence given especially to the Eucharist was palpable and it stuck with me for days. A week and more later, I was still feeling a sense of awe at what I had seen.

As for the OF, no, there isn’t any reason at all that it can’t be said with as much care for tradition and reverence as the TLM. The problem is that priests are free to be less reverent and experiment more, which invariably leads to less than the Lord should be given. But there isn’t any reason on earth that the OF can’t be said with absolute and unswerving care and reverence, down to the littlest and seemingly insignificant detail.

 

[Gregorianman]

I’m sure there are a ton of such threads actually, I remember seeing some previously but for some reason search fails me (ironically, I’m bad at searches… an embarresment for a computer programmer). I figured I’d offer some thoughts:

EF Mass
Well one caveot for me, this was not only my first experience but also I have really not had much experience even watching it on TV. Needless to say, I felt a little like a protestant visiting a Catholic Mass, that is to say I was a little clueless with responses and in some (but not all) cases where you would kneel, genuflect etc. With regard to postures, I felt much stronger as it’s not as dissimilar as V/R.

Besides these issues, (which I expect to improve on as my wife and I intend to continue attending every first Sunday of the month, and I plan on making my own misslette) I did in fact generally greatly enjoy the service. Indeed, it just feels more reverent that what we typically get out of Novos Ordo. In particular, the treatment given to communion is far superior, truely we need communion rails to make a comback it N.O. mass. I also greatly appreciate the true genuflect performed for “…who was conseved by the holy spirit…” (etc) durring the creed.

Novos Order:
Well here’s the biggie, since many traditional Catholics take an either/or view with the masses… While I feel EF is generally more reverent, I see no reason why N.O. can’t match it in this regard, and I suspect it will be soon enough with the new Missal. I don’t know if they will go quite as far as I would, but for a good general week in week out mass I think N.O. is terrific for the needs of the masses (and certainly my wife). Personally I love both masses, though I look forward to integrating E.F. into my spiritual life as well.

Anyway, those are my brief views. God bless!

Thanks for your views. I agree with some of them, but not all of them. One thing I find puzzling as I read the Traditional threads section, is that quite a few posters frame Traditional Catholics (those who prefer Mass in the EF) as rather fanatic. One poster recently posted that a Traditional group (he did not mention which Tradidional group) told him either attend the EF, or suffer damnation. This post says that many Traditional Catholics take an either/or view with the masses. I attend the EFon a semi-regular basis, and I have not observed any of that. The people who attend my EF mass certainly prefer the mass in the EF, but I have not found any of them telling people they are going to hell, or taking an either/or attitude. Personally, I take quite a beating from the NO crowd when I dodge a NO for an EF. Such has been my experience.

 

[OraLabora]

While I feel EF is generally more reverent, I see no reason why N.O. can’t match it in this regard, and I suspect it will be soon enough with the new Missal.

I can’t speak to the new Missal; I attend an OF Mass in French but… the introit, gradual, alleluia and verse (or tract during Lent), Offertory hymn and communion antiphon are chanted from the Graduale Romanum in Latin, in Gregorian Chant; the Kyriale is in Greek/Latin, with the selection appropriate to the season/feast, and the rest is in French plainchant, unaccompanied. The only instrument is a pipe organ before the introit, after the offertory hymn, and for the exit processional; the organ is silent during Advent and Lent except for Gaudete and Laetare Sundays. Incense is used, bells, etc. It is beautiful and reverent. Needless to say I am not inclined to seek out an EF Mass.

The only negative I would say is that there is no communion rail per se, just a rail separating the cloistered monks from the nave with no place to kneel, so at communion two monks distribute communion stand at the entrance of the sanctuary. No biggie, folks who can kneel, or receive on the tongue or both, but I don’t kneel as there is nothing to propel me, and my bad knees, skywards again

However, no worries about receiving from an EMHC. Communion is distributed exclusively by priests, of which there are more than 20 in the community. And if anyone is going to ask, yes, they do concelebrate.

 

[crazzeto]

Thanks for your views. I agree with some of them, but not all of them. One thing I find puzzling as I read the Traditional threads section, is that quite a few posters frame Traditional Catholics (those who prefer Mass in the EF) as rather fanatic. One poster recently posted that a Traditional group (he did not mention which Tradidional group) told him either attend the EF, or suffer damnation. This post says that many Traditional Catholics take an either/or view with the masses. I attend the EFon a semi-regular basis, and I have not observed any of that. The people who attend my EF mass certainly prefer the mass in the EF, but I have not found any of them telling people they are going to hell, or taking an either/or attitude. Personally, I take quite a beating from the NO crowd when I dodge a NO for an EF. Such has been my experience.

I hate to say it, but the sad state is that in fact many traditionalists come off this way… Or let me put it to you this way, the ones that bother publicly opening their mouths do. By no means do I intend to paint everyone who loves the old tradition this way, I’d be painting with a brush so wide I’d paint my self. I will say however, that in many cases it is the traditionalists out there suggesting that there is literally something less about N.O, in fact I’ve had it suggested to me that when I attend mass at N.O. that rather than receiving the body and blood of Christ I’m eating bread and wine because the institution is invalid

Both masses have their place, I still believe that today N.O. is superior for general worship. I have high hopes for the new (english) missal, which I think will spark a revolution of reverence and restored tradition. Sadly I don’t see it getting to the point of communion rails, but I would so love it if it did get to that point!

 

[crazzeto]

I can’t speak to the new Missal; I attend an OF Mass in French but… the introit, gradual, alleluia and verse (or tract during Lent), Offertory hymn and communion antiphon are chanted from the Graduale Romanum in Latin, in Gregorian Chant; the Kyriale is in Greek/Latin, with the selection appropriate to the season/feast, and the rest is in French plainchant, unaccompanied. The only instrument is a pipe organ before the introit, after the offertory hymn, and for the exit processional; the organ is silent during Advent and Lent except for Gaudete and Laetare Sundays. Incense is used, bells, etc. It is beautiful and reverent. Needless to say I am not inclined to seek out an EF Mass.

The only negative I would say is that there is no communion rail per se, just a rail separating the cloistered monks from the nave with no place to kneel, so at communion two monks distribute communion stand at the entrance of the sanctuary. No biggie, folks who can kneel, or receive on the tongue or both, but I don’t kneel as there is nothing to propel me, and my bad knees, skywards again

However, no worries about receiving from an EMHC. Communion is distributed exclusively by priests, of which there are more than 20 in the community. And if anyone is going to ask, yes, they do concelebrate.

Your expereince sounds less that typical, I’ve attended mass in Cathedral’s and have yet to run across anything even approching a commuion rail for instance (other than last weekend where make shift ones were used). I’m sad to say typically most N.O. masses tend towards the contemporary, though I’m happy to say that my regular mass at
St. Michael the Arch Angel in cary NC is usually very well put together.

 

[Peter_Gabriel]

What a coincidence, I went to my first Latin Mass this past Sunday also. Did you go to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh?

 

[crazzeto]

What a coincidence, I went to my first Latin Mass this past Sunday also. Did you go to the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh?

I sure did, to my knowlege the only place to experience E.F. What an experience, truely I wish I had Father’s Latin skills! I have a personal goal of learning enough Latin to fully (or at least almost fully) appriciate the expreince. I aboslutly loved the mass, I’m a history nut and all I could think was “this is the mass Charlemagne celebrated!!!”.

 

[OraLabora]

Your expereince sounds less that typical, I’ve attended mass in Cathedral’s and have yet to run across anything even approching a commuion rail for instance (other than last weekend where make shift ones were used). I’m sad to say typically most N.O. masses tend towards the contemporary, though I’m happy to say that my regular mass at
St. Michael the Arch Angel in cary NC is usually very well put together.

It’s a Benedictine monastery of the Solesmes Congregation; the Solesmes Congregation are known to be sticklers for correct liturgy.

“The Congregation focuses particularly on the traditional Latin liturgy and on Gregorian chant.”

 

[crazzeto]

It’s a Benedictine monastery of the Solesmes Congregation; the Solesmes Congregation are known to be sticklers for correct liturgy.

“The Congregation focuses particularly on the traditional Latin liturgy and on Gregorian chant.”

Interesting… I think I might see if it’s possible to petition my Bishop for more regular access to the Tridentine liturgy, though I’m afraid my wife might not like going any more than once a month. One gigantic caveot is that the Cathedral has terrible kneelers =(

I’m half seriously considering bringing some form of extra padding for mass there!

 

[giuseppeTO]

Interesting… I think I might see if it’s possible to petition my Bishop for more regular access to the Tridentine liturgy, though I’m afraid my wife might not like going any more than once a month. One gigantic caveot is that the Cathedral has terrible kneelers =(

I’m half seriously considering bringing some form of extra padding for mass there!

One of the things I see frequently in our chapel is young people (ages 15-30ish) putting up the kneelers and kneeling on the floor for a bit of extra penance. I saw a young mother with a new-born baby do it after Confession last week and it had a profound affect on me. It’s obviously not something one can do during Mass since the entire pew shares a kneeler, but they do it after Confession and when praying after Mass. It sets a great example for the younger people and for us older folks also.

 

[crazzeto]

One of the things I see frequently in our chapel is young people (ages 15-30ish) putting up the kneelers and kneeling on the floor for a bit of extra penance. I saw a young mother with a new-born baby do it after Confession last week and it had a profound affect on me. It’s obviously not something one can do during Mass since the entire pew shares a kneeler, but they do it after Confession and when praying after Mass. It sets a great example for the younger people and for us older folks also.

There is no need to do so, at Sacrade Heart Cathedral in Raleigh. You’re pretty much kneeling on the floor already.

What you suggest is a wonderful form of pennance, but I’m a married man with an entire family to consider. For me to seek penance this way, forcing my family to follow suite may be selfish… Which to my mind, negates the act.

If I was a single man, I might well have considered it.

 

[OraLabora]

I usually sit in the first pew at the abbey. No kneelers, so I do have to kneel on the floor. But if my knees or back are bothering me, I use the second pew and kneel on the kneeler. I usually get there early enough to have the choice, except recently when I have been helping my spiritual director with a software problem before Mass.

 

[crazzeto]

I usually sit in the first pew at the abbey. No kneelers, so I do have to kneel on the floor. But if my knees or back are bothering me, I use the second pew and kneel on the kneeler. I usually get there early enough to have the choice, except recently when I have been helping my spiritual director with a software problem before Mass.

If there is no kneeler available to me (typically if I"m in the “cry room”) then I have no problem kneeling on the floor. Of course St. Michael’s carpeted floor is actually less hard than Sacrade Heart’s kneelers