Should We Just Toll the Death Knell for the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite?

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Oftentimes I see people practically mocking people who attend the EF by stating that only a small percentage of Catholics is remotely interested in the EF

Those posts are uncharitable, sure. But are they true?

Should we just lament the passing of something great? Has the TLM seen its glory days and now it is at the twilight of its years?

It has become the Extraordinary form and never will be the Ordinary again, right?.

Should we just lament over its prominence of old and just be happy that *Ecclesia Universalis *made enough provisions that no one can stop us from having our TlMs?

How much truth is there to the claim that only a tiny, tiny fraction of Catholics who are not able to adapt, hold on to the TLM for dear life.

Anyone have any statistics?

Where do you see the Extraordinary Form going in the next 10 years?
 
No way. Those of us attached to the EF will never concede defeat. They may bury us first, but not without a fight.
We are making slow progress. It may take 30 to 50 years but we will persevere (sp).

You don’t just throw in the towel because progress is slower than desired.

The group at our little OF parish is still about 35-40 people after three years. Just completed 34 months of the old Dominican Rite and now in two weeks we begin our first TLM.

Cheers
 
TrueLight said:
Oftentimes I see people practically mocking people who attend the EF by stating that only a small percentage of Catholics is remotely interested in the EF

Those posts are uncharitable, sure. But are they true?

Should we just lament the passing of something great? Has the TLM seen its glory days and now it is at the twilight of its years?

It has become the Extraordinary form and never will be the Ordinary again, right?.

Should we just lament over its prominence of old and just be happy that *Ecclesia Universalis *made enough provisions that no one can stop us from having our TlMs?

How much truth is there to the claim that only a tiny, tiny fraction of Catholics who are not able to adapt, hold on to the TLM for dear life.

Anyone have any statistics?

Where do you see the Extraordinary Form going in the next 10 years?
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Well, most EF Masses I’ve been to are PACKED, with more young families with kids than I’ve EVER seen at an OF Mass. I’ve heard this is true across the country. Also, traditional and traditional-leaning religious orders are thriving, whereas the others are not doing so well. So, I think there is a bright future for the E.F.
Should We Just Toll the Death Knell for the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite?
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Nah - most newer Churches were built by parishes ashamed of the fact that they are Catholic Churches, so you’d be hard pressed to find one with a bell to toll 😃
 
O.P., it depends where you are in the world. Here in my archdiocese, a small group is just beginning to coalesce. You would be absolutely shocked and highly edified by the number of older people who have secretly whispered their love of the Extraordinary Form to me. So many regular, pious Catholics in our outlying parishes are absolutely sick of the disunity of traditionalists here. Many of them are afraid of being denounced by our fairly liberal bishop and clergy, so I think they’re afraid.

As it is, several members of an amateur Gregorian chant choir are forming an E.F. support society soon. There will be a nuptial Mass in E.F. this Summer. For this archdiocese, at least, we can put the Death Knell in its carrying case, and turn on the OCCUPIED light above the entrance to the Maternity Ward. 👍
 
GloriousOrder said:
O.P., it depends where you are in the world. Here in my archdiocese, a small group is just beginning to coalesce. You would be absolutely shocked and highly edified by the number of older people who have secretly whispered their love of the Extraordinary Form to me
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.

I actually wouldn’t be shocked because as much as I hear young folks love the EF, I haven’t seen many of them.
For this archdiocese, at least, we can put the Death Knell in its carrying case, and turn on the OCCUPIED light above the entrance to the Maternity Ward. 👍
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Ha ha. Love it!
 
TrueLight said:
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I actually wouldn’t be shocked because as much as I hear young folks love the EF, I haven’t seen many of them.
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Where I come from, the vast majority at the Traditional Mass are young, large families. I think most of us were born after the Second Vatican Council. We have a lot of older ones too but we young ones outnumber them.
 
porthos11 said:
Where I come from, the vast majority at the Traditional Mass are young, large families. I think most of us were born after the Second Vatican Council. We have a lot of older ones too but we young ones outnumber them.
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Oh so does that mean I can call myself young too? 😃
 
Please refrain from discussing this topic in terms of battles and wars or in pitting the EF and the OF. Both are contrary to forum policies. The mass is holy in all forms and must be spoken about as such.

Anyone can legitimately like and dislike something and share it without the antagonism toward either form of the mass or toward any group of Catholics who are legitimately trying their best to love God and neighbor.
 
Hi,

Thought I would throw my two cents in. I have seen that more converts are attracted to the EF than the OF. I also am seeing a demand or request that it be implemented in more dioceses from where I am from.

I think as time goes on younger and younger people are wanting to fully experience the traditions of the Catholic Church and one of them would be EF. I think in time, the EF may make a huge comeback.

I converted in 2003 and the longer I have been Catholic the more I am pulling for the EF and attending the EF as much as possible. I don’t think we should toll the death bell for the EF, it actually is making a comeback in many areas. It’s not just those who are stubbornly holding on to it that are requesting for it, many young people and new converts.

I just have not seen the reverenace and sense of mystery in the OF that I have seen and particpated in the EF.

If there is a death bell that needs to be tolling, if I might be so bold to say, it should be on those things that were implemented wrongly post Vatican II, but this is just my opionion, and I will leave it as such.

God Bless.
 
I think the Extraordinary Form is doing very well for itself especially when you consider that it was practically abrogated for 20 years. More and more churches are offering the EF. The numbers overall might be small, but they are moving in the right direction.

In my own Dioceses, 5 years ago there the Tridentine Mass was only said once a month. Today it is said daily in 7 parishes. Everyone in my diocese is at least a 30 minute drive from the EF.

I also second that the people that show up for the EF tend to be younger than those that show up at the OF.
 
As a convert, I can say authoritatively that it was the E.F. that drew me to convert. Once issues of the various “denominations” and theology had been settled in my mind, worship of this “new God” seemed paramount. My own style of thought, imagination, and belief lends itself very heavily to the E.F., so I was very happy when I found many videos of it. When I actually visited a local Catholic parish, you can imagine how shocked I was at the difference! 😛
 
Love the EF. I used to attend daily, but the FSSPs got their own Church and now they are too far away. :crying:
 
Hey all! Well as a young Catholic (18) I find my peers and I have been hungering for TLM!! 🙂 just yesterday I was at my youth Bible study and we were talking about where we might be able to attend a TLM on a sunday! I along with many of my friends never knew there was a TLM!!! 😦 we just knew it as english mass… but I assure you, if offered we will attend!! I personally have never been to a TLM and i’ve been a “serious” Catholic for over 5 years now!!! so ya… if anything, i feel a revival coming! God willing of course :amen: :signofcross:
 
Michael0993 said:
Hey all! Well as a young Catholic (18) I find my peers and I have been hungering for TLM!! 🙂 just yesterday I was at my youth Bible study and we were talking about where we might be able to attend a TLM on a sunday! I along with many of my friends never knew there was a TLM!!! 😦 we just knew it as english mass… but I assure you, if offered we will attend!! I personally have never been to a TLM and i’ve been a “serious” Catholic for over 5 years now!!! so ya… if anything, i feel a revival coming! God willing of course :amen: :signofcross:
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Some links that might interest you 🙂

sanctamissa.org/en/

unavoce.org/chapters/

newliturgicalmovement.org/
 
There are 400 Extraordinary Form locations in the US (not counting the SSPX and independents etc), in an average 2 or less masses in a weekend. After the original surge the increase slowed down it not stopped. An average priest offering EF masses gets about 200 people as attendance

There are close to 30,000 Ordinary Form locations in an average 3 or more masses in a weekend. An average priest offering OF masses gets over 300 people as attendance.

The Extraordinary form changed significantly since the pre vatican times, naturaly not as it is defined, but as it is celebrated. The change moved toward the active participation of the people. Most masses are Missa Cantata with chant, and even the silent Masses last 40 minutes or aver (as it opposes to the pre Vatican II schedule for every 30 minutes)

The Ordinary form still has to be changed back to the defined form, about what Blessed John Paul II wrote, that of it would be celebrated in Latin most people would not be able to say the difference from the EF. I attend such masses every Sunday, full with reverence, and they are the gathering of the people not just something between the priest and God where people sing together.

The Church expected the effects of secularization, and with the OF significantly diminished the effect of that.
 
I will relate a story here. Shortly after Pope John Paul 2 allowed the Traditional Mass to be celebrated, the people of San Diego requested that they be allowed to have one. A Priest was assigned by the Diocese to celebrate the Masses. He did so out of obedience, but told people that he had no special love for the Traditional Form of the Mass. However as the years went by he stated that he saw just the exposure to the Traditional Mass led him to celebrate the Ordinary Form more reverently. At first there was no set place for the Mass to be held. Sometime later the Diocese permitted the Mass to be celebrated at the cemetary chapel at St. Josephs Cemetary. This Chapel is inside of the mauseleum itself… The Chapel was very small and the crowds large. Standing room only to be exact. The overflow of people spilled over into the halls and among the crypts themselves, which I actually thought vividly brought home th realization that we are one Church, the living and the dead.

Anyway, every Sunday a rosary was said asking the Blesssed Virgin for intercession for help in getting a permanent Church so that the Mass could be properly celebrated. This went on for many years, during which time the members of the congregation steadily grew in number. Young people, families, singles, old people, white, black, Hispanic, Asian you name it. When the Priest that had been celebrating the Mass retired a new priest from the Norbertine Abbey at Silver Lake, California was assigned. The Masses continued unabated. On occasion the Mass was allowed to be celebrated at other area churches. On several occasions the Arch Bishop himself stopped by and celebrated the Mass there.

In 2008 the prayers of the faithful were answered and St Annes Church, that had been shut down in 2006 due to declining membership, was assigned to be a fully traditional Parish run by the FSSP. Now they celebrate Traditional Masses twice daily as well as four a day on Sundays. I think that the San Diego experience is more typical of what is really going on with the Traditional Mass then what you see posted on here by those who want to see it gone for good

…stannes-sandiego.org/
 
I’ve been attending the EF for the last 15 years in Melbourne’s diocese. I, and many others who attend, have to travel over an hour to get to this Mass. I believe it has its place, it isn’t a replacement for the OF, but there are people who feel drawn to the EF. I think a lot of graces come from this devotion.

Our Priest has mentioned that he receives a lot of visitors from the seminaries, who come because they are interested in the EF. It’s not part of their training, and if they want to go they have to do it in their own time.

I will happily attend a OF Mass, but I will not stop attending the EF, because for me it is a great, reverent, totally Catholic Mass.
 
Err, my local EF place is always packed, mostly young educated couples with 3+ kids
 
I see it as the gold standard of the Latin Rite Mass. Though many don’t like to exchange gold or pretend it’s not there, nevertheless it does impact everything else too IN THE LONG RUN. It’s already had a profound effect in bilingual parishes who offer them. In fact it has saved a few parishes. The right-intentioned pastors and bishops (and the Pope) look at the whole picture, sum of all people attending, happy to see crowds at both, not just pit one group vs another.
 
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