Report from Russia

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mmboys07

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Just returned from a month in Russia (Moscow and Volgograd). Spent most of my time in Volgograd (Stalingrad from the war).

Had the opportunity to attend Sunday and daily Mass at a re-constructed Catholic Church in Volgograd. I hope some find this interesting. This particular church was destroyed before the war and never rebuilt under communist rule; until now.

Form of Mass: Novus Ordo

Sunday Mass:
  1. Use of incense at all appropriate times.
  2. Bell rings at Priest entrance
  3. People chant entrance antiphone at entrance
  4. Altar boys only
  5. Priest sings or chants all parts appropriate
  6. People chant all responses
  7. Single cantor leads congregation in chants and hyms at appropriate times.
  8. No popular musical instrucments in evidence
  9. Choir sits in first rows of pews and faces altar (It appeared to me this is only temporary. Work is being done on the loft in the rear of the church
  10. bell rings 3 times at the Consecration
  11. Priest elevates the host and chalice as high as he can (chalice extended from finger tips)
  12. EEM not used at Communion
  13. Everyone approaching for Communion knelt before receiving.
14 Communion given by instinction
  1. Most who approach cross their arms and father blesses them without giving Communion. I took this to mean they felt not worthy; perhaps did not have a recent confession? This was very moving to see this public display of humility.
  2. The priest was clearly connected to his people and conducted himself in a holy manner at all times.
  3. TEMP ALWAYS 95 TO 100 F AND I NEVER SAW ANYONE AT MASS WEARING SHORTS OR GYM SUITS. AND NO ONE LEFT EARLY
18 Sign of peace was warm and sincere but not over done.

Daily Mass:

All of the above except incensing of the Altar!

Some Conclusions:

The chants were intricate. I don’t accept the argument the people can’t learn chant. There was never a problem with kneeling before Communion. People didn’t stumble over each other.

No childrens liturgy of the word or any other anomaly was noted.

Finally, Orthodox churches are springing up everywhere I went. AND; What a joy to hear church bells ringing out all over the city every day!!

Back home to the Archdiocese of ______________. How long Lord???
 
Mahalo for posting this information!!! I would love to hear more about the Church in Russia as I believe Sr.Lucia and JPII (of Fatima fame)!
God bless and keep you safe!
Like (Lee-K), your brother in Christ
 
mmboys07 said:
Just returned from a month in Russia (Moscow and Volgograd). Spent most of my time in Volgograd (Stalingrad from the war).

Had the opportunity to attend Sunday and daily Mass at a re-constructed Catholic Church in Volgograd. I hope some find this interesting. This particular church was destroyed before the war and never rebuilt under communist rule; until now.

Form of Mass: Novus Ordo

Sunday Mass:
  1. Use of incense at all appropriate times.
  2. Bell rings at Priest entrance
  3. People chant entrance antiphone at entrance
  4. Altar boys only
  5. Priest sings or chants all parts appropriate
  6. People chant all responses
  7. Single cantor leads congregation in chants and hyms at appropriate times.
  8. No popular musical instrucments in evidence
  9. Choir sits in first rows of pews and faces altar (It appeared to me this is only temporary. Work is being done on the loft in the rear of the church
  10. bell rings 3 times at the Consecration
  11. Priest elevates the host and chalice as high as he can (chalice extended from finger tips)
  12. EEM not used at Communion
  13. Everyone approaching for Communion knelt before receiving.
14 Communion given by instinction
  1. Most who approach cross their arms and father blesses them without giving Communion. I took this to mean they felt not worthy; perhaps did not have a recent confession? This was very moving to see this public display of humility.
  2. The priest was clearly connected to his people and conducted himself in a holy manner at all times.
  3. TEMP ALWAYS 95 TO 100 F AND I NEVER SAW ANYONE AT MASS WEARING SHORTS OR GYM SUITS. AND NO ONE LEFT EARLY
18 Sign of peace was warm and sincere but not over done.

Daily Mass:

All of the above except incensing of the Altar!

Some Conclusions:

The chants were intricate. I don’t accept the argument the people can’t learn chant. There was never a problem with kneeling before Communion. People didn’t stumble over each other.

No childrens liturgy of the word or any other anomaly was noted.

Finally, Orthodox churches are springing up everywhere I went. AND; What a joy to hear church bells ringing out all over the city every day!!

Back home to the Archdiocese of ______________. How long Lord???
Click to expand...
This is the kind of Novus Ordo Mass, I’ve been longing for! Now WHY isn’t it celebrated in this exact way in America? Something’s amiss with American Churches that celebrate the Novus Ordo!
 
ravenonthecross said:
This is the kind of Novus Ordo Mass, I’ve been longing for! Now WHY isn’t it celebrated in this exact way in America? Something’s amiss with American Churches that celebrate the Novus Ordo!
Click to expand...
AMEN! If the NO was celebrated this way, maybe some would not object to the NO.👍
 
There are some American Churches that do, indeed, celebrate Mass as you described. But its rare. So keep searching.

The church could have saved itself a whole lot of pain if they had done the NO Mass reverently to start with.
 
Trident59 said:
There are some American Churches that do, indeed, celebrate Mass as you described. But its rare. So keep searching.

The church could have saved itself a whole lot of pain if they had done the NO Mass reverently to start with.
Click to expand...
I’m fortunate enough to attend an American parish that celebrates this way. In my limited experience outside the U.S. in “non-Western” countries, what you describe is the typical N.O. celebration. At the Mass I attended in Thailand there was even Confession before Mass, and dozens and dozens of people went(in a congregation of one or two hundred).

It’s amazing how beautiful the N.O. actually is when done faithfully. I have no taste for the TLM due to my regular experience of truly reverent N.O.s (not that I’m against the TLM, nor that I don’t support a universal indult).

Peace and God bless!
 
Of course, many who support the TLM do so for reasons that go beyond the dignity of the celebration. Many, including myself, believe some prayers in the N.O. are inadequate in representing the Catholic faith about the Mass. So, the N.O. falls short regardless of how it is celebrated.
 
I believe he meant communion by intinction. :rolleyes:

No two people will ever agree on how the Mass should be celebrated. That is why for centuries we had an invariable form (the people follow the form, not the other way around), and should have one again now.
 
What was the average age of Catholics and for how long have they been Catholic? Obviously, such a public display of Catholicism was formally forbidden for a long time there.
 
I pray every day for the re-entry of the Orthodox Churches into union with the Catholic Church. What beauty they could enrich us with! Still, it seems that Roman Rite Masses in Russia are what they should be here. Maybe the Orthodox are keeping them to a higher standard.
 
Cavaille-Coll said:
I pray every day for the re-entry of the Orthodox Churches into union with the Catholic Church. What beauty they could enrich us with! Still, it seems that Roman Rite Masses in Russia are what they should be here. Maybe the Orthodox are keeping them to a higher standard.
Click to expand...
Nah, it’s really the non-American/Western thing, I think. 😛

Peace and God bless!
 
I pray for the RE UNION of the churches! Not the reentering of one of the churches into the other but a full RE UNION!! I would think that the Orthodox have had a very good influence on how the Mass is said in Russia!
 
ravenonthecross said:
This is the kind of Novus Ordo Mass, I’ve been longing for! Now WHY isn’t it celebrated in this exact way in America? Something’s amiss with American Churches that celebrate the Novus Ordo!
Click to expand...
My church celebrates Novus Ordo this way. Well, with one exception – we do have EMHCs. But we’re a large (6000 and growing) parish with only one priest. All of our EMHCs seem very humble and reverent.
 
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