P
palmas85
Guest
A Layman cannot “pray” the Mass.
- Therefore, they are to be praised who, with the idea of getting the Christian people to take part more easily and more fruitfully in the Mass, strive to make them familiar with the “Roman Missal,” **so that the faithful, united with the priest, may pray together in the very words and sentiments of the Church. They **also are to be commended who strive to make the liturgy even in an external way a sacred act in which all who are present may share. This can be done in more than one way, when, for instance, the whole congregation, in accordance with the rules of the liturgy, either answer the priest in an orderly and fitting manner, or sing hymns suitable to the different parts of the Mass, or do both, or finally in high Masses when they answer the prayers of the minister of Jesus Christ and also sing the liturgical chant.
Somewhere along the way, the idea of the laity actually praying the Mass got misplaced in the mad crush to always be doing something physical so that we could say that we are “actively participating” Someone who prays the Mass along with the Priest is most definitely participating and at a high level also.
I do not agree with taking the Traditional Missal to the Ordinary Form of the Mass or vice versa however and it could be seen as problematic or possibly even disrespectful.