Rubrics followed in Masses outside of the USA?

[David_B]

Last year l went on a trip to Hong Kong and attended Mass at a couple different churches. The rubrics of the Mass seemed to be followed, including some variations such as standing after the Consecration of the Wine (but I think that is allowed)…but kneeling for the consecration and “this is the lamb of God” were done.

People also intincted their Hosts in the Precious Blood themselves, but I’m not sure if this was some holdover from the SARS paranoia.

How about other countries and places around the world? It seems like on blogs and in these forums here a lot about practices here in the States but what about the rest of the world? Our Church is Universal, afterall!

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

While I’ve had extensive experience in Austria, I’m not sure if the rubrics actually were followed or not because of the possibility of a different set of particular law for those dioceses. My gut tells me they were not followed because of the wide variety of practices from parish to parish, but I wouldn’t know exactly which deviations were abuse and which were approved exceptions.

 

[Brendan]

I’m in Korea on a business trip and did Mass yesterday (It’s Monday now here)
I went to Mass the Myung-Dong Cathedral in Seoul

Some thoughts

1.) Myung Dong Cathedral is very, very nice. Brick Neo-Gothic. Inside is simple, grey brick gothic arching with white walls. The Marian side features a stature of Our Lady of Naju. There is also a very large painting of the Korean Martyrs on one of the side chapels. On the other side was a well done statue of St. Andrew Kim Taegon. There were candles in front of each, but no kneelers.

All the architecture was very Neo-Gothic.

2.) Mass was very well attended, and I seemed to be the only Causain in the place. What was really interesting was almost 90% of the women wore mantillas and about 1/3 were wearing the traditional kimono style korean dress (the only time I have seen someone wearing one)

A (very long) homily was given by a deacon who read it off of some sheets from the ambo. Needless to say, since it was in Korean, I can’t offer an opinion on the orthodoxy of the preaching.

3.) Interesting Oriental aspects.

-No kneeling at all. We sat for the Readings, Psalms and Homily, but otherwise everthing was done standing.

• A lot of bowing. When faithful did their responses, they did a quick, oriental style bow. Everytime they said “Amen”, they bowed. The Kiss of Peace was also bows to those nearby. Except for the really long bows at the elevation, all were quick, archtypically oriental bows.
• instead of ushers with baskets for the collection, everybody went up to a basket at the foot of the communion rail. And I mean everybody went up. Each person did a bow before the altar, and most (but not all, deposited money into the basket).

-The bell at the elevation was a single bell, rung once and very deep in sound. The priest did a very deep bow instead of a genuflection after each elevation.

• After communion, people returned to their seats and did a very, very long bow, then sat down. Did I mention there was a lot of bowing?

There were two altar “boys”, meaning they were really college age men. Possibly seminarians, as the cassocks they wore under their surplices were very clerical (and the seminary is right next door). These two men also served as EMHC’s. Only 1 species was offered.

There was no intinction, in fact everybody recieved in the hand (which made sense, because everybody did a quick head bow when they said ‘Amen’, if that’s the culture, it would be interesting to get folks to remember not to bow when the priest is placing the Host on your tounge)

Except for the differencs I outlined, it seemed very much according to the rubrics. I presume the differences are indults approved by the ArchBishop, as it was his Church I was in

 

[David_B]

Brendan:

I’m in Korea on a business trip and did Mass yesterday (It’s Monday now here)
I went to Mass the Myung-Dong Cathedral in Seoul

Some thoughts

1.) Myung Dong Cathedral is very, very nice. Brick Neo-Gothic. Inside is simple, grey brick gothic arching with white walls. The Marian side features a stature of Our Lady of Naju. There is also a very large painting of the Korean Martyrs on one of the side chapels. On the other side was a well done statue of St. Andrew Kim Taegon. There were candles in front of each, but no kneelers.

All the architecture was very Neo-Gothic.

2.) Mass was very well attended, and I seemed to be the only Causain in the place. What was really interesting was almost 90% of the women wore mantillas and about 1/3 were wearing the traditional kimono style korean dress (the only time I have seen someone wearing one)

A (very long) homily was given by a deacon who read it off of some sheets from the ambo. Needless to say, since it was in Korean, I can’t offer an opinion on the orthodoxy of the preaching.

3.) Interesting Oriental aspects.

-No kneeling at all. We sat for the Readings, Psalms and Homily, but otherwise everthing was done standing.

• A lot of bowing. When faithful did their responses, they did a quick, oriental style bow. Everytime they said “Amen”, they bowed. The Kiss of Peace was also bows to those nearby. Except for the really long bows at the elevation, all were quick, archtypically oriental bows.
• instead of ushers with baskets for the collection, everybody went up to a basket at the foot of the communion rail. And I mean everybody went up. Each person did a bow before the altar, and most (but not all, deposited money into the basket).

-The bell at the elevation was a single bell, rung once and very deep in sound. The priest did a very deep bow instead of a genuflection after each elevation.

• After communion, people returned to their seats and did a very, very long bow, then sat down. Did I mention there was a lot of bowing?

There were two altar “boys”, meaning they were really college age men. Possibly seminarians, as the cassocks they wore under their surplices were very clerical (and the seminary is right next door). These two men also served as EMHC’s. Only 1 species was offered.

There was no intinction, in fact everybody recieved in the hand (which made sense, because everybody did a quick head bow when they said ‘Amen’, if that’s the culture, it would be interesting to get folks to remember not to bow when the priest is placing the Host on your tounge)

Except for the differencs I outlined, it seemed very much according to the rubrics. I presume the differences are indults approved by the ArchBishop, as it was his Church I was in

That sounds pretty interesting, I’d love to visit Korea someday to experience that!

 

[MikeWM]

I’m in Cambridge (UK) so we get a lot of international students and academics, so you get to see a few different things going on…

The Mass as a whole is very similar to that in the US, but with a few minor differences. We stand up as soon as the priest starts the Orate, Fratres and later we kneel down as soon as the Agnus Dei finishes.

Some people bow at the appropriate point in the Creed, but not many!

We certainly don’t do anything like hold hands during the Our Father! I do see a few people in the orans position, but they are few.

When it comes to the sign of peace, we all shake hands happily, as far as I can tell. *

Most people take communion in the hand, though some take on the tongue, and I have seen people kneel to receive - the priest just carried on unfazed… Most people take the Precious Blood too (though I don’t for medical reasons).

After communion we kneel or sit until the priest calls us to stand to pray the prayer after communion. I must say that the idea of standing after communion seems bizarre to me.

I am fortunate to attend a beautiful Church in Cambridge, it can be seen for miles around, quite a landmark. There are five masses on Sunday, including a Polish mass and a sung Latin mass. There are quite a few priests. It is an excellent parish.

Mike*

 

[David_B]

MikeWM:

I’m in Cambridge (UK) so we get a lot of international students and academics, so you get to see a few different things going on…

The Mass as a whole is very similar to that in the US, but with a few minor differences. We stand up as soon as the priest starts the Orate, Fratres and later we kneel down as soon as the Agnus Dei finishes.

I’ve seen lots of variation with the Orate Fratres dialogue part of the Mass…it seems to vary parish to parish in any given diocese (speaking of the Archdiocese of Boston and the Diocese of Springfield-both MA, USA). Lots of places still have retained the previous standing at the conlclusion of “May the Lord Accept this…”. I haven’t encountered any parishes, other than those with a temporary worship space without kneelers that haven’t practiced kneeling at the conclusion of the Agnus Dei.