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Geremia
Guest
I know a couple instances at my Extraordinary Form (EF) parish of a husband preferring the EF and the wife the Ordinary Form (OF). Why is this?
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Bob_Aliano
Guest
This is so in our house but I have to say there appears to be more women at the daily Masses than men. The Sunday Masses are pretty evenly split.
I prefer the quiet of the Low Mass while my wife really enjoys the congregational participation afforded in the OF, she’s a long-time choir member. Since she is in the choir and I am not we never get to sit together at Mass anyway which is one of the reasons I decided it was OK to split off, I would otherwise recommend that couples attend Mass together.
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floresco
Guest
I know of cases in which the opposite is true. Within my personal experience, these “mixed” marriages seem pretty evenly divided in which spouse is the one who prefers the EF.
(Yes, I know they are not really mixed marriages. I just don’t know of another term for it.)
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ProVobis
Guest
It appears to be. There is a good explanation of why in Leon J. Podles book, *The Church Impotent, The Feminization of Christianity. *
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Barbkw
Guest
What is the Novus Ordo ?
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Bob_Aliano
Guest
It’s a somewhat popular term for the Ordinary Form of the Liturgy, the Vatican II Mass.
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Sarah25
Guest
I don’t think there’s a hard and fast yes or no answer to this, considering everyone has different styles and opinions. I am a woman and I prefer the EF.
However, IMO, more women like to sing and unless you are in the choir for the EF then there’s really not many singing opportunities for you there. I think there’s somewhere around 4 or 5 times one could sing during an OF.
Also, and this is a divisive topic to be sure, but there are not the opportunities at an EF for “female ministry” like there are at the OF. So for those women who feel they should be able to lector or serve as an EMHC, that obviously isn’t an option for them at the EF.
However, IMO, more women like to sing and unless you are in the choir for the EF then there’s really not many singing opportunities for you there. I think there’s somewhere around 4 or 5 times one could sing during an OF.
Also, and this is a divisive topic to be sure, but there are not the opportunities at an EF for “female ministry” like there are at the OF. So for those women who feel they should be able to lector or serve as an EMHC, that obviously isn’t an option for them at the EF.
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Barbkw
Guest
I like to sing as well and wouldn’t enjoy the Mass as much if that experience was dedicated to a choir.
I see choir dedicated Mass’s celebrated in Rome. The choir sings, the people sit there and listen.
Which is fine, on high occassions to be treated to excellent singing voices. That’s a beautiful experience, almost like an opera experience at Mass.
I see choir dedicated Mass’s celebrated in Rome. The choir sings, the people sit there and listen.
Which is fine, on high occassions to be treated to excellent singing voices. That’s a beautiful experience, almost like an opera experience at Mass.
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Barbkw
Guest
Do they have the holy smoke at all the EF Masses?
I do miss the bells.
I do miss the bells.
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MarkThompson
Guest
Sadly no, not at all. It’s forbidden at your usual low Masses, required at a Solemn High Mass. If memory serves, it is also now permitted (since sometime in the 1930’s?) as an option at a Missa recitata, which is a sort of hybrid. Likewise the famous Asperges can only be done before the principal Mass on a Sunday, which somehow never happen when I go.
The idea with the revised Mass was that, if incense is so great and people love it so much, then by making it an option at all Masses no doubt it would be used all the time. That didn’t really happen.
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laszlo
Guest
Interestingly, at least in the Chicago suburbs the genders are equally distributed in either of the three typed of Masses:
- liberal Mass
- reverend Ordinary form
- Extraordinary form
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Tarpeian_Rock
Guest
On the other hand, I have heard it argued that the EF is a more “feminine” rite in that it is usually characterized by highly-ornamented vestments, lace albs, and a relative liturgical “fussiness,” versus the OF which tends to be plainer and less elaborate. But it is true that males probably don’t join in the OF singing to the same degree. Just sayin’.
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Tantum_ergo
Guest
Not this woman. . .and I love to sing and have been singing in choirs and playing the organ since I was 10 years old.
I don’t find the OF ‘more appealing’ than the EF. I am perfectly happy with a valid and licit OF. Certainly I enjoy the chant in our regular OF, and I enjoy singing hymns and sacred songs, but that is only a part of Mass. When I was quite young I often read (and in fact, was a very popular reader as I mistakenly thought that the readings benefitted from a ‘dramatic’ voicing and I’m a pretty talented voice actor, so the unfortunate people who were subjected to my 20-something self got readings that I cringe in remembering today, mea culpa). However, I certainly appreciate anyone, man or woman, who reads appropriately–in a clear and non-dramatic, yet not ‘monotonous’ voice. And I certainly appreciate the voices–male or female–raised in chant, song, or vocal acclamation in the parts of the liturgy where such are called for.
But the EF-- I have to say that for me, personally, I find the contemplative focus and the need to ‘concentrate’ and to pay attention not to what I am doing ‘vocally’ but rather to what the priest is doing, to give me a kind of experience in liturgy that I prefer, because it ‘supplies a need’ that I have for that type of calm and focus. As I’m a fairly ‘active participant’ in most activities, including the OF, I find that I have neglected a more ‘contemplative’ part of my life. I think that in order to be well balanced we need to have both in our lives. Again, speaking for me personally, I’ve had a more ‘active’ and participatory life and so I really need the balance that the EF liturgy offers. Now, some people may have had a more contemplative kind of life and so they ‘need’ the more active OF liturgy to balance THEM out. And of course, we all grow and change, so that after some months or years of ‘activity’ people might find themselves needing ‘contemplation’ (and vice versa). Just because in November 2010 we need one ‘style’ over another doesn’t mean we will continue this need for the rest of our lives. (We may indeed, but we are not ‘predestined’ to do so. It depends on the individual IMO).
I don’t find the OF ‘more appealing’ than the EF. I am perfectly happy with a valid and licit OF. Certainly I enjoy the chant in our regular OF, and I enjoy singing hymns and sacred songs, but that is only a part of Mass. When I was quite young I often read (and in fact, was a very popular reader as I mistakenly thought that the readings benefitted from a ‘dramatic’ voicing and I’m a pretty talented voice actor, so the unfortunate people who were subjected to my 20-something self got readings that I cringe in remembering today, mea culpa). However, I certainly appreciate anyone, man or woman, who reads appropriately–in a clear and non-dramatic, yet not ‘monotonous’ voice. And I certainly appreciate the voices–male or female–raised in chant, song, or vocal acclamation in the parts of the liturgy where such are called for.
But the EF-- I have to say that for me, personally, I find the contemplative focus and the need to ‘concentrate’ and to pay attention not to what I am doing ‘vocally’ but rather to what the priest is doing, to give me a kind of experience in liturgy that I prefer, because it ‘supplies a need’ that I have for that type of calm and focus. As I’m a fairly ‘active participant’ in most activities, including the OF, I find that I have neglected a more ‘contemplative’ part of my life. I think that in order to be well balanced we need to have both in our lives. Again, speaking for me personally, I’ve had a more ‘active’ and participatory life and so I really need the balance that the EF liturgy offers. Now, some people may have had a more contemplative kind of life and so they ‘need’ the more active OF liturgy to balance THEM out. And of course, we all grow and change, so that after some months or years of ‘activity’ people might find themselves needing ‘contemplation’ (and vice versa). Just because in November 2010 we need one ‘style’ over another doesn’t mean we will continue this need for the rest of our lives. (We may indeed, but we are not ‘predestined’ to do so. It depends on the individual IMO).
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Holly3278
Guest
Honestly, I doubt it. Us women tend to like fancy things like what we find in the Traditional Latin Mass (aka Extraordinary Form). 
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Geremia
Guest
The Novus Ordo is the most commonly celebrated form of the Catholic mass today. See, e.g., the Wikipedia article.
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Annabelle_Marie
Guest
Maybe that explains it…I’m a tomboy and don’t really care for the fancy…Honestly, I doubt it. Us women tend to like fancy things like what we find in the Traditional Latin Mass (aka Extraordinary Form).
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HCC
Guest
It reminds me of women who fall in love with people on death row or when women found Bill Clinton attractive. That kind of thing…
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rben20
Guest
I think so. The women are the ones that complain about not participating in the Mass. I guess they have a need to talk even at Mass. The men are not as talkative therefore the EF is not much to complain about as far as participating.
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basinite
Guest
Great question! I’ve often thought yes, but my personal circumstances have said no. My wife is so disgusted with the Novus Ordo Mass that she doesn’t want to go to Mass unless it’s the Traditional Latin Mass. I don’t blame her because I’m the same way just not as extreme.
I guess I’m blessed that my wife and I both love the Traditional Latin Mass and the FSSP, SSPX and ICK priest that keep it alive. I feel sorry for families that are split where the husband wants X liturgy and the wife wants Y liturgy. It must be tuff.
I guess I’m blessed that my wife and I both love the Traditional Latin Mass and the FSSP, SSPX and ICK priest that keep it alive. I feel sorry for families that are split where the husband wants X liturgy and the wife wants Y liturgy. It must be tuff.
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