Ok, so, I have decided to attend mass next Sunday...need more advice

[marley333]

You don’t need to prepare and don’t even need to join in with the standing, sitting, kneeling… if you don’t want to. If it feels right copy what everyone else does. If you want to join in with the words pick up the mass book and follow the words in there. That’s what i did. Oh and you can go for a blessing during Communion too. Enjoy.

 

[Ockham]

Oh and you can go for a blessing during Communion too. Enjoy.

Actually, I don’t think you are supposed to although it’s commonly done. If you do wish to receive a blessing for goodness sakes please don’t get it from an EMHC.

 

[marley333]

Actually, I don’t think you are supposed to although it’s commonly done. If you do wish to receive a blessing for goodness sakes please don’t get it from an EMHC.

Is it not? Sorry. Before I was received in to the church my priest told me I could come up for a blessing, as long as I crossed my arms in front of my body to show clearly I wasn’t allowed to receive communion. Also in my church it is only the priest who gives the blessings. Now I am a full member of the church I like to receive communion from my priest only.

 

[jfmarm81]

Is it not? Sorry. Before I was received in to the church my priest told me I could come up for a blessing, as long as I crossed my arms in front of my body to show clearly I wasn’t allowed to receive communion. Also in my church it is only the priest who gives the blessings. Now I am a full member of the church I like to receive communion from my priest only.

I’ve seen this done countless times as well. I was unaware that it was not supposed to be done.

 

[I_Believe]

So yea, what if any, directions/advice should I get before going to mass?

Hi ConflictedBoy, welcome to the TC board.

Larousser gave you the links to fully understand the Traditional Latin Mass(TLM) before you even walk through the door. Thing is, you must have a TLM in your area. If you do, spend some time reading and viewing those pages. One of the most persistent and mis-leading myths that get thrown about on this forum is that Mass, prayed in the vernacular, allows for more active participation by those in the pews. This is false. In the case of the Ordinary Form of the Mass, the Novus Ordo Missae, the vernacular allows for more audible participation. Nothing more.

Another myth that is unceasingly promoted here, is that because of the Latin, those in the pews were/are less likely to participate in the Mass. This is also false. Any 1962 daily missal will allow one to follow, and pray, the Mass in union with the priest. The Mass is a prayer. Again, the links provided by larousser will prepare you very well. Don’t expect to follow along without skipping a beat though. You will get ahead of, or behind, the priest while using the missal the first few times.

The TLM was suppressed from 1969 until Pope JPII provided an indult that allowed priests to pray the TLM, albeit with the local Bishop’s permission. In 2007, our Holy Father BXVI freed the TLM, and now no indult exists. Any priest may pray the TLM. Taking it one step further, BXVI’s Summorum Pontificum encourages clergy to provide the TLM, or Forma extraordinaria as BXVI called it in his SP, to those who request it.

As you read these threads, you will begin to notice bickering over which form of the Latin Rite is “best”. You will also see bickering over the use of Latin versus the vernacular. If you attend the Ordinary form of the Mass, you may find yourself in agreement with those who have suggested the OF is a better choice for an introduction to the Latin Rite. Hearing the Mass prayed in the vernacular, in English in this case, is indeed a much easier way to hear the priest as he prays the Mass. And yes, it’s easier to follow along in the missal.

But…
One other myth that won’t die here on the forum is that one must learn Latin in order to participate in, and pray the Mass in union with the priest. The 1962 Missal has the Latin Prayers and Scripture and also the English translation on each page. Since the laity pray the Mass silently, with the exception of the audible responses in Latin, it isn’t necessary to “learn Latin”. One only needs to learn a few Latin phrases, which are brief. For example, the priest will turn and face those in the pews and say “Dominus Vobiscum.” This translates to “The Lord be with you”. Those in the pews respond, " Et cum spiritu tuo", which translates as “And with thy spirit”. Aside from these responses, the laity can pray the prayers of the Mass in English. Again, we are praying in silence, so the English is fine.

So with the TLM, the only hurdle is some effort, and you will, assuming you have Faith, receive Grace from Him for assisting the Highest Prayer of Holy Mother Church. Chock full of Doctrine, and protected from liturgical abuses by virtue of it’s strict rubrics.

The Ordinary Form will bestow God’s loving Grace as well. But know that there are many hurdles to overcome for this form of the Latin Rite to offer fitting reverence to our Father in Heaven. You will hear poor translations of the Latin prayers carried over from the TLM. An example is “Pro multis”. This translates to “for many”. Currently, you will hear the overwhelming majority of priests say “for all”. This is a huge matter. These are the words of Christ the King being changed during the Consecration ! And remember Dominus vobiscum ? The Lord be with you ? Currently the response is “and also with you”, instead of the correct translation, “and with Thy spirit”. This is also a problem. The priest is In persona Christi , a Latin phrase meaning “in the person of Christ”. If Christ would say to one of us, “The Lord be with you”, why would we respond, "and also with you " ? Telling Christ to be with Himself ? No, that isn’t what et cum spiritu tuo means.

The Church is in the process of correcting these poor translations, but it is for this reason, and the various abuses and novelties the OF is currently prone to, that I disagree with those who would suggest the OF would be a better introduction to the Latin Rite. Entering the Church via the TLM is, imo, a superior choice. I firmly believe one will be better prepared to assist both forms of the Latin Rite by learning the TLM first. There is more Doctrine contained in the TLM. It builds Faith. The sancta missa site’s introduction to the TLM is a virtual crash course in rock solid Catholic Doctrine. Even if one reads and leaves sancta missa’s info on the TLM and instead attends the OF,he/she will have a solid understanding of the Holy Sacrifice, and essential Roman Catholic Doctrine.

One last thing about the TLM being a better choice, imho of course. Side by side, you will see a striking difference between the best 1962 missals and the best Novus Ordo missals. The majority of traditional prayers, the Precepts of the Church, the Litanies, Sacramental Rites, and much more are missing in the OF missal. The Baronius, The 1962 Daily Roman Catholic Missal, and the Lasance Missal are, imo, quite possibly the best choice for the first book a convert or revert should be given.

It’s all about saving souls and building Faith. In the case of reverts or converts, there are two choices. RCIA at OF parishes or the TLM. Now, RCIA at an orthodox parish where a reverent and abuse free Mass is prayed, is fine, if you find one. With the TLM, you will always find one. Again, a better choice imo.

 

[jmcrae]

Is it not? Sorry. Before I was received in to the church my priest told me I could come up for a blessing, as long as I crossed my arms in front of my body to show clearly I wasn’t allowed to receive communion. Also in my church it is only the priest who gives the blessings. Now I am a full member of the church I like to receive communion from my priest only.

Some priests permit “blessings” in the Communion line-up for those who don’t receive Holy Communion yet, in certain parts of the world, but it’s not actually part of the Mass (and there is nothing in the Book of Blessings that foresees doing blessings in the Communion line-up, either). Most priests don’t even know about this custom, so it’s best to wait for an invitation before starting to do something like this.

I am thinking that for one’s first time at Mass, it is simply best to remain in the pew when the people go forward to receive Holy Communion, rather than complicate the experience too much.

 

[keepitreal]

I very strongly exhort you to go to a Traditional (Tridentine) Mass, prefarably a High Mass. You can do everything bar receiving Holy Communion, but you can recite the Creed and join in with the chanting. They are listed at the link below:

honneurs.free.fr/Wikini/wakka.php?wiki=ListeEtatsUnis

I presume you live in the United States?

The liturgy of the Mass explained here along with accompaning explanation videos (catechumens comes first and then the faithful):
sanctamissa.org/en/serving/low-mass/mass-of-the-catechumens.html
sanctamissa.org/en/serving/low-mass/mass-of-the-faithful.html

The rubrics of the liturgy are explained here:
sanctamissa.org/en/rubrics/

Here’s a lovely video of a Missa Cantata:
video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1872714663680800365

And, let’s keep it real here, if you go to a Novus Ordo (Ordinary Form) chances are you will run right in to what looks like a Protestant service, with anti-Cathloic doctrines.

 

[ProVobis]

The TLM was suppressed from 1969 until Pope JPII provided an indult that allowed priests to pray the TLM, albeit with the local Bishop’s permission.

The older priests were still allowed to say it after 1969, in some cases. And there was also the Agatha Christie Indult.

And, if you have read the recent SP from our current Pope, the TLM was never suppressed at all. Except by the various bishops.

 

[Cat]

And, let’s keep it real here, if you go to a Novus Ordo (Ordinary Form) chances are you will run right in to what looks like a Protestant service, with anti-Cathloic doctrines.

This is an insult to all of the priests who celebrate reverent and orthodox OF Masses.

And it is obvious that you don’t know much about Protestant worship services. The OF Mass does not in any way, shape, or form even vaguely resemble a typical evangelical Protestant (the largest groups of Protestants in the U.S.) worship service.

You know, I try very hard on this board to be charitable. But it really bothers me immensely when people say such bad things about the OF Mass.

 

[Ockham]

And it is obvious that you don’t know much about Protestant worship services. The OF Mass does not in any way, shape, or form even vaguely resemble a typical evangelical Protestant (the largest groups of Protestants in the U.S.) worship service.

There is much more to Protestantism than Evangelical Americans. Consider a Lutheran, Presbyterian or Anglican service. The Protestant phenomena was started in Europe, not the Mid-West. The NO Mass was a ‘spirit of Vatican II’ ecumenical outreach to the Protestants most likely to put down their divisional sword and return to the true Church.

 

[keepitreal]

There is no need to roll your eyes. Over 40 years have passed since the implementation of the “new” Mass. A lot has changed.

I believe that in the decades before the 1960s and the advent of the OF Mass, a regular high school education in any public school, including the one-room schoolhouses in the country, included at least a basic introduction to the classics–Latin, Greek, history, culture, etc. Also back then, people did not disdain tradition, antiquity, and history, as they so often do now.

As for those who did not attend high school–and that number was quite large back then–they at least had a little classical education in grammar school or in their church, and those who did not receive this education respected those who did have it.

And most Protestant churches of that time were at least somewhat simliar to a Mass in that they used a liturgy of sorts and many of the same hymns and responses as the Catholic Church…

So back then, even a convert would have some clue as to what was going on in a Latin Mass, and if they didn’t, they respected that which they did not understand.

But today, so few people have any knowledge whatsoever of Latin and classical history and tradition. And many people have no respect for that which makes no sense to them. (I am not implying that the OP is someone like this.)

And today many Protestant Christians have never, ever experienced any kind of liturgical worship. Just last week, my brother-in-law was describing his non-denominational church in California, which makes a point of planning a totally different worship service every single week, and advertises this “variety” as a reason for people to attend their church.

The cultural norms of today are very very different than they were pre-Vatican II. So my advice to the OP stands.

Of course, if the OP has the kind of education that has given him/her a knowledge and love of classical tradition, than yes, by all means, he/she should visit the Traditional Latin Mass. It is up to the OP, of course.

And no matter which Mass form he/she decides to visit, JESUS will be Truly Present and that’s what’s important. It’s not about the language, the music, the vestments, the responses–Mass is about Jesus.

Jesus is truly PRESENT in clown, rock ,polka, teen, gay, feminist, illicit etc. Masses as well. So you would send a convert to these Masses since Jesus is truly PRESENT and that’s all that really matters??

 

[jmcrae]

And, let’s keep it real here, if you go to a Novus Ordo (Ordinary Form) chances are you will run right in to what looks like a Protestant service, with anti-Cathloic doctrines.

Get serious. The OF Mass is nothing at all like any Protestant service of worship I ever attended, in the 39 years I spent as a Protestant.

The first Mass I attended, I couldn’t even tell what gender the priest was, because it was the first time in my life I’d ever seen a man wearing a brightly coloured robe. I’d seen men in robes before, but the robes were either midnight blue, or charcoal black - not brightly coloured. (The Latin Mass would have been even worse, with all that lace.)

 

[jmcrae]

Jesus is truly PRESENT in clown, rock ,polka, teen, gay, feminist, illicit etc. Masses as well.

The OF Mass has nothing to do with any of this.

So you would send a convert to these Masses since Jesus is truly PRESENT and that’s all that really matters??

Certainly not, since Jesus is not “really Present” in Episcopalian churches. But if you want to mistake the stuff that goes on in Episcopalian churches for the OF Mass, that is surely your loss; nobody else’s.

 

[Traditional_Ang]

I mean, doing that much couldnt hurt right? If my parents find out I’m just going to say i “want to see what its about”. My mom certainly won’t mind that, in fact she was saying she’d like to go to a Russian Orthodox service sometime (“Just to see what it is about” lol)

Anyway here’s the deal, sometimes we would attend mass in my Dad’s parents town during Christmastime (where everyone is catholic), but its been like a few years since Ive been to one. All I really remember was that presenting youself for communion as a non catholic is a no-no, as is reciting the Nicene creed? idk, I do remember kneeling down a lot for a long time, and how beautiful the church looked., and wondering why our church wasnt elaborate like that

So yea, what if any, directions/advice should I get before going to mass?

Conflicted:

So I can give you my best :twocents:, which religious tradition do you and your parents come from? When you attend church, where do you go? and, How often?

I’m asking that because some here were suggesting the BEAUTIFUL Tridentine Latin Mass, and others the ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy… but, As a couple of posters said, if you don’t have some basic understanding of the Mass/Divine Liturgy, these may either be lost on you like a Bach Cantata on a “Rock ‘n’ Roll Groupie”, or they may :bigyikes: you out altogether.

I also didn’t catch where you lived. and, If you lived in any of the areas where the Bishops have allowed for the Anglican Use, I’d say a good compromise might be to attend one of those Masses if that’s Available…

Anglican Use Society
anglicanuse.org/

I can assure you that you will have no problems with reverence with these people.

Meanwhile, find Catholics on this forum from where you live and P/M them to see which parishes they recommend… My suspicion is they won’t steer you wrong.

Your Brother and Servant in Christ, Michael

 

[Traditional_Ang]

Jesus is truly PRESENT in clown, rock ,polka, teen, gay, feminist, illicit etc. Masses as well. So you would send a convert to these Masses since Jesus is truly PRESENT and that’s all that really matters??

Keepitreal:

Please don’t lump polka (which involves a CULTURE), rock, teen and possibly gay (which involve outreach to groups the Catholic Church needs to evangelize) with clown (which involves disrespect of the Sacrament), gay (as in legitimizing the sin and the lifestyle), feminist, illicit etc. which all have NO PLACE in the worship of any Christian Church, Catholic or otherwise. Illicit Masses are an Abuse of the Ordinary Form, just as much as the “40 Minute Express” on Sundays was an Abuse of the TLM.

I’m sure of 2 things - 1) ConflictedBoy doesn’t need to hear our intramural fighting about the problems in the Novus Ordo. 2) One of us can be trusted to lead him to a reverent OF where our Lord will be treated with the Reverence and Respect He deserves.

I hope that ends that discussion and allows me to take my shower and pick up my cat’s meds.

Your Brother and Servant in Christ, Michael

 

[Tezza]

:clapping:

Keepitreal:

Please don’t lump polka (which involves a CULTURE), rock, teen and possibly gay (which involve outreach to groups the Catholic Church needs to evangelize) with clown (which involves disrespect of the Sacrament), gay (as in legitimizing the sin and the lifestyle), feminist, illicit etc. which all have NO PLACE in the worship of any Christian Church, Catholic or otherwise. Illicit Masses are an Abuse of the Ordinary Form, just as much as the “40 Minute Express” on Sundays was an Abuse of the TLM.

I’m sure of 2 things - 1) ConflictedBoy doesn’t need to hear our intramural fighting about the problems in the Novus Ordo. 2) One of us can be trusted to lead him to a reverent OF where our Lord will be treated with the Reverence and Respect He deserves.

I hope that ends that discussion and allows me to take my shower and pick up my cat’s meds.

Your Brother and Servant in Christ, Michael

 

[keepitreal]

Keepitreal:

Please don’t lump polka (which involves a CULTURE), rock, teen and possibly gay (which involve outreach to groups the Catholic Church needs to evangelize) with clown (which involves disrespect of the Sacrament), gay (as in legitimizing the sin and the lifestyle), feminist, illicit etc. which all have NO PLACE in the worship of any Christian Church, Catholic or otherwise. Illicit Masses are an Abuse of the Ordinary Form, just as much as the “40 Minute Express” on Sundays was an Abuse of the TLM.

I’m sure of 2 things - 1) ConflictedBoy doesn’t need to hear our intramural fighting about the problems in the Novus Ordo. 2) One of us can be trusted to lead him to a reverent OF where our Lord will be treated with the Reverence and Respect He deserves.

I hope that ends that discussion and allows me to take my shower and pick up my cat’s meds.

Your Brother and Servant in Christ, Michael

You mean to tell me that since a “40 minute TLM Express” and a gay, feminist Novus Ordo are both “abuses” you would just as soon tell a convert to go to a gay, feminist Mass as a “40 minute TLM Express” since thee "abuses have equal value? ? Are you really listening to yourself??

 

[jmcrae]

You mean to tell me that since a “40 minute TLM Express” and a gay, feminist Novus Ordo are both “abuses” you would just as soon tell a convert to go to a gay, feminist Mass as a “40 minute TLM Express” since thee "abuses have equal value? ? Are you really listening to yourself??

He was saying that neither of these is appropriate to send anyone to.

When I was Protestant, my friend who was trying to convert me was wanting to prove to me the superiority of the TLM over the OF, because I had been telling her about the music and reverence at my Protestant church, and contrasting it with the guitars and folk music at the OF Mass that I happened to be attending at the time.

So she took me to my very first TLM, and while we were there the priest’s cell phone went off in the middle of the words of the Consecration, and he answered it.

She was absolutely furious with him - I think she would have strangled him right then and there, if she could have.

I poured salt into her wound by mentioning that cell phones were not permitted in my Protestant church at all - they were to be left at home or in one’s car outside. I suggested in all wide-eyed innocence that perhaps they should implement such a rule at her TLM church.

What I learned from that experience was that abuses and lack of reverence are not “features” of the OF; they are “features” of the human race, and the TLM is not always quite the remedy that it is advertised to be. (Things were also not always rosy at my Protestant church either - one time, somebody got the bright idea to use non-standard foods for Holy Communion, which caused something of an uproar at Session - another time, the Communion cloth was not properly ironed, and people could see the creases in it from all the way at the back of the Church. That one took a few weeks to die down, too.)

 

[keepitreal]

He was saying that neither of these is appropriate to send anyone to.

When I was Protestant, my friend who was trying to convert me was wanting to prove to me the superiority of the TLM over the OF, because I had been telling her about the music and reverence at my Protestant church, and contrasting it with the guitars and folk music at the OF Mass that I happened to be attending at the time.

So she took me to my very first TLM, and while we were there the priest’s cell phone went off in the middle of the words of the Consecration, and he answered it.

She was absolutely furious with him - I think she would have strangled him right then and there, if she could have.

I poured salt into her wound by mentioning that cell phones were not permitted in my Protestant church at all - they were to be left at home or in one’s car outside. I suggested in all wide-eyed innocence that perhaps they should implement such a rule at her TLM church.

What I learned from that experience was that abuses and lack of reverence are not “features” of the OF; they are “features” of the human race, and the TLM is not always quite the remedy that it is advertised to be. (Things were also not always rosy at my Protestant church either - one time, somebody got the bright idea to use non-standard foods for Holy Communion, which caused something of an uproar at Session - another time, the Communion cloth was not properly ironed, and people could see the creases in it from all the way at the back of the Church. That one took a few weeks to die down, too.)

Of course tney are both abuses but if you had the cbhoice, which would you send a convert to??

And second of all, the N.O. is much much much more easier to make “abuses” by it’s very NATURE, whereas the TLM is not.

 

[jmcrae]

Of course tney are both abuses but if you had the choice, which would you send a convert to??

It’s an impossible choice - I wouldn’t send a convert to either one.

And second of all, the N.O. is much much much more easier to make “abuses” by it’s very NATURE, whereas the TLM is not.

Well - it’s a lot easier to get caught, in the OF. When the priest is praying rapidly in Latin under his breath, we trust that he is saying Mass according to the rubrics, but we don’t really know that for a fact - he, too, could be ad libbing here and there.