I am a new Catholic. Catholics 60+ in my parish exhibit certain characteristics and Catholic habits that I find very intriguing and beautiful really.
If I wanted to know what Catholic life was like before Vatican II what books would I read or websites would I visit? As a beginner Catholic I would like to see the differences.
srfnolen
The people of my age group attended the Latin Mass throughout their lives up to the changes imposed after Vatican II. It is still very bewildering to me as to why all these changes came about. Some of the “characteristics and habits” you mention are actually acts of reverence that we have carried over to the New Mass. Genuflection upon entering and exiting the pew in church are do to the reverence we have for the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle. Much as one would kneel and/or bow when meeting a Queen or King. BTW genuflection is when one kneels on one knee, and kneeling refers to going down on both knees.
We also genuflected whenever we passed by the Tabernacle in reverence.
When we prayed the Sanctus, or Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, we kneeled again in reverence and adoration as we were praying in the company of all the angels and saints. I don’t imagine all the angels and saints were standing before the throne of God. We continued to kneel as we prayed “Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us” and we struck our breast with our right hand as we were praying in supplication for mercy.
There was no Sign of Peace in the Latin Mass so the people were not required to turn their backs on Christ truly present on the altar after the Consecration. There were long lines of people going to Confession on a Saturday afternoon as we knew we could not and must not receive Communion with mortal sins on our soul. The Act of Contrition was said immediately after receiving absolution. Penance was said in the church right after confession.
Everyone received Communion kneeling at the altar rail on the tongue. The Church taught at that time that for anyone to touch the Sacred Host with their unconsecrated hands was a blasphemy. Even if the Host fell on the floor we were instructed not to pick it up but leave it for the priest to remove it.
We had Novenas in the churches to various saints and to the Blessed Mother with beautiful prayers and sacred hymns. Very few churches today have novenas I’m sorry to say.
Most of us kept statues of the Blessed Mother, the Sacred Heart or a favorite saint in our homes. We lighted candles and offered prayers in front of the statues, not to the statues themselves, but to the saints they represented.
Children attending Catholic schools learned Latin and learned to sing the responses to the prayers at Mass in Latin. Latin is not very difficult to learn if we put our minds to it.
Many things changed after Vatican II, not all for the better I must say.
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