Setting up a Latin Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter jesusalright4me
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jesusalright4me

Guest
Hey all! I want to set up a Latin Mass at some point this school year at my college. A few years ago I set up a field trip to one a couple hours away. Only a few came and they liked it! However, the time it took to travel discouraged people I believe. I think if I host it at the local church, and set the time late on a Sunday, more people will come check it out!

After I run it by my Newman Center and the parish and get it approved (hopefully), I will call a priest who celebrates an early morning one in a town an hour away, to see if he would t mind celebrating one at college town one weekend. I need some advice though. First of all, what is needed at a Latin mass that your typical OF parish doesn’t have? I think we should have enough candles (6 total if it is a high mass). Our altar is facing the people, and I might need to get some sort of platform to give the priest more room to stand on the other side than which it was intended. one of our Focus missionaries has a nice stand up crucifix from Rome we can use on the altar in sure. I’m sure I can have the priest bring things like altar cards and missals too, is there anything else I am missing?

I think after attending Latin masses this summer and with the help of online music, I could work with a choir to sing the mass. What, in your opinion, is the easiest chant mass to sing? For more of the summer I’ve been doing Kyrie VIII and Credo IV in my FSSP parish.

Also, how many servers are needed for a high mass typically? I am hopefully gonna get trained in the basics here before summer ends and then I will be studying my missal daily so I am prepared to serve.
 
Oh and do altar servers need to wear a surplice and cassock? Or can they just wear an alb?
 
sounds like a pretty involved project with a lot of facets to it. recruiting and transporting a priest, training choirs and altar servers, securing and preparing a space, promoting the event after its scheduled. you’re going to need a lot of help.

it would seem a lot easier to arrange another field trip to the location 2 hours away.
 
Yeah, you might want to pull back on the reins a little until you get permission and find a priest that is willing and able to do this at your college.
 
jesusalright4me said:
Hey all! I want to set up a Latin Mass at some point this school year at my college. A few years ago I set up a field trip to one a couple hours away. Only a few came and they liked it! However, the time it took to travel discouraged people I believe. I think if I host it at the local church, and set the time late on a Sunday, more people will come check it out!
Click to expand...
This is a great idea! What an excellent experience for the parish also.
First of all, what is needed at a Latin mass that your typical OF parish doesn’t have? I think we should have enough candles (6 total if it is a high mass). Our altar is facing the people, and I might need to get some sort of platform to give the priest more room to stand on the other side than which it was intended. one of our Focus missionaries has a nice stand up crucifix from Rome we can use on the altar in sure. I’m sure I can have the priest bring things like altar cards and missals too, is there anything else I am missing?
Click to expand...
First of all, the priest who will offer the Mass will guide you with what is needed.
But you will have to set up the altar and sanctuary for him.
Altar cards, missal, missal stand, chalice, pall, chalice veil - these are things you might have to find. Yes, you have to orient the altar and make sure the priest and servers have enough room. Some kneeling pads for the servers would help if it’s just wood or marble.
I think after attending Latin masses this summer and with the help of online music, I could work with a choir to sing the mass. What, in your opinion, is the easiest chant mass to sing? For more of the summer I’ve been doing Kyrie VIII and Credo IV in my FSSP parish.
Click to expand...
Mass VIII is the old classic - but I don’t know what the easiest really is.
Also, how many servers are needed for a high mass typically? I am hopefully gonna get trained in the basics here before summer ends and then I will be studying my missal daily so I am prepared to serve.
Click to expand...
You can get away with just two very skilled ones in a Missa Cantata (no incense), but it’s easy enough to find a crucifer and it’s better with incense. So, you could do a minimum of four. Cross-bearer, thurifer and two acolytes. If you can get a guy as master of ceremonies that’s even better.

Good luck and God bless you on this effort!
 
  1. Find a priest who is able and willing to do this,
  2. obtain permission from the Diocese (Bishop)
  3. make inquiries in those parishes who already offer this for the specialized items you will need
  4. where exactly would this take place?
  5. publicize publicize publicize. You’ll need significant interest to get it off the ground
  6. start praying about it.
  7. Take a hard look at the reason why you want to pursue this.
This is a long discussion with the potential priest in charge.

Best wishes!
 
jesusalright4me said:
Hey all! I want to set up a Latin Mass at some point this school year at my college. A few years ago I set up a field trip to one a couple hours away. Only a few came and they liked it! However, the time it took to travel discouraged people I believe. I think if I host it at the local church, and set the time late on a Sunday, more people will come check it out!
Click to expand...
i would think it would be easier to get people to sign on to a field trip, than it would be to get them involved in learning chants, and working on the various aspects of this event.

Less time and commitment involved
 
Kielbasi said:
sounds like a pretty involved project with a lot of facets to it. recruiting and transporting a priest, training choirs and altar servers, securing and preparing a space, promoting the event after its scheduled. you’re going to need a lot of help.

it would seem a lot easier to arrange another field trip to the location 2 hours away.
Click to expand...
And I am considering that as well. However, if I could get it off the ground it would be even better. It would take work, but I have a whole school year ahead of me to plan. Not only that, but I may have some connections with the faculty at the college who love polyphony, and may be willing to help with a choir.
pianistclare said:
  1. Find a priest who is able and willing to do this,
  2. obtain permission from the Diocese (Bishop)
  3. make inquiries in those parishes who already offer this for the specialized items you will need
  4. where exactly would this take place?
  5. publicize publicize publicize. You’ll need significant interest to get it off the ground
  6. start praying about it.
  7. Take a hard look at the reason why you want to pursue this.
This is a long discussion with the potential priest in charge.

Best wishes!
Click to expand...
Thanks a bunch for the good wishes:) it would take place in the parish church. It’s a smaller parish, but I think it could be done. The significant interest part may be the biggest challenge. However, if I could convince the parish priest to let it happen there, and if that other priest doesn’t mind coming (it would be very gracious of him to do so), I think it would be doable. Right now it could just be a pipe dream, but dreaming never hurt anyone. It is definitely something I’m taking to prayer.

Also, I think if I could get some of the music faculty I mentioned to help some, I could see some potential adveritisig to students in the music department (especially music history students). What better way to hear ancient music than in its original context?
 
The biggest reason I’m wanting to do this is simply that the Latin mass has deepened my spirituality, and I want to share this with everyone I can. Sure, not everyone might enjoy it (many probably won’t). But some will I am sure, and if I can help one person experience Christ more in the Eucharist through the extraordinary form, well I will be a happy man.

Also, I’m sure there would be some general curiosity amongst some of the students if the event was actually going to happen.
 
Back in 2008 we started the search for a priest and authorization from the Archbishop. Couldn’t find one for a TLM BUT did find a traditional Dominican priest. The Abp. finally gave his consent. Started with low Masses as all we could muster was two very green Altar boys. we lasted 3 years. The Dominican was transferred so we had to find a priest. and we did. I failed to mention that our Masses were only monthly. So the new priest worked with us as we slowly grew. After a year and a half, he too was transferred.

Its been over since May 2012 locally, however, a retired Jesuit got permission to say the Mass in a rented church. That lasted another 3 years. Finally the Archbishop invited the FSSP in and gave them a church, as he had no replacement for that parish.

Working on completing 2 years this October.

It’s a huge job for even a monthly Mass. Nobody but me knew how to even dress the altar or where to get the missallets. We had to raise money for candles and vestments.

But it was worth every penny and ounce of energy we put into it.
 
jesusalright4me said:
The biggest reason I’m wanting to do this is simply that the Latin mass has deepened my spirituality, and I want to share this with everyone I can. Sure, not everyone might enjoy it (many probably won’t). But some will I am sure, and if I can help one person experience Christ more in the Eucharist through the extraordinary form, well I will be a happy man.

Also, I’m sure there would be some general curiosity amongst some of the students if the event was actually going to happen.
Click to expand...
That’s a beautiful thought. I know the Latin Mass has changed the spiritual lives of many people for the better. I count myself as one of those!
 
corsair said:
Back in 2008 we started the search for a priest and authorization from the Archbishop. Couldn’t find one for a TLM BUT did find a traditional Dominican priest. The Abp. finally gave his consent. Started with low Masses as all we could muster was two very green Altar boys. we lasted 3 years. The Dominican was transferred so we had to find a priest. and we did. I failed to mention that our Masses were only monthly. So the new priest worked with us as we slowly grew. After a year and a half, he too was transferred.

Its been over since May 2012 locally, however, a retired Jesuit got permission to say the Mass in a rented church. That lasted another 3 years. Finally the Archbishop invited the FSSP in and gave them a church, as he had no replacement for that parish.

Working on completing 2 years this October.

It’s a huge job for even a monthly Mass. Nobody but me knew how to even dress the altar or where to get the missallets. We had to raise money for candles and vestments.

But it was worth every penny and ounce of energy we put into it.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a success story – congratulations! Yes, very much worth the cost and effort.
 
jesusalright4me said:
What, in your opinion, is the easiest chant mass to sing? For more of the summer I’ve been doing Kyrie VIII and Credo IV in my FSSP parish.
Click to expand...
The absolute easiest would be Kyrie XVI, Sanctus/Agnus XVIII, Gloria XV, Credo II.

Not sure if you can “mix and match” at the Extraordinary Form Mass but you can in the Ordinary Form. The words are what matter, the melody is what folks can handle, you won’t be training a monastic schola 😉

You could rev it up a notch though and try for Mass XI; the Kyrie variant A is the easiest. The B is more recent and more melodious but very nice and fairly easy to chant.

I personally am not all that fond of Mass VIII, as much of it is neo-Gregorian. But whatever works.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top