Small changes to novus ordo

[MagdalenaRita]

Although yes, the priest says Mass and is therefore up in the sanctuary preaching from the pulpit and consecrating the Sacred Host at the altar, there is so much more to the priesthood, so many more jobs

What an awesome testimony to what all our priests do. Makes you want to appreciate them so much more than we do.

I don’t understand how, in the OF of the Mass, serving at the altar is a gateway to the priesthood.

It isn’t always a gateway to the priesthood but it does help. Many priests will say one of the things that made them consider the priesthood was being an altar boy, whether in the OF or EF, but yes, you are correct, not all altar boys go on to be priests.

I, agree in the EF Mass the altar boy does much more.
In either the OF or the EF, though, it is the young man knowing he is at the altar aiding the priest in a job only another male can do that has the possiblity of stirring his heart toward the priesthood.

It is the PARENTS who have the responsibility of bringing up their sons to be open to the Call of God to the priesthood. The PARENTS are with their sons

Absolutely. Yes, which is why it is so important that young men be the ones encouraged to serve at the altar, encouraged by their parents. Parents pointing them in that direction.

I don’t think that serving at the altar is the primary path for young men to hear and answer the Call to the priesthood. I think it has more to do with proper upbringing and exposure to many settings where Christian service is done by clergy and lay people.

It may not be the primary path, for sure, as all those things you mention help, but young men serving side by side a priest at the altar, is certainly one way to encourage a young man in the priesthood.

Plus a lot of prayer on the parents part helps also.

God bless.

 

[MagdalenaRita]

I do the same thing

 

[prayerrider]

“″Ordinands of the Class of 2013 have been active in parish ministries.Two-thirds indicated they served as an altar server”

Source: http://www.usccb.org/news/2013/13-080.cfmhttp://www.usccb.org/news/2013/13-080.cfm

Extrapolating from this study, the data suggests that while not all altar boys become priests, most priests have been altar boys.

 

[babochka]

Why couldn’t the three or so that remained just plainchant the Mass? Heck, why couldn’t the faithful in the pews, many of whom would be perfectly capable of chanting in three or four simple notes chant the Mass they already have memorized by exposure?

Yes, yes, yes. I cannot agree with you more enthusiastically. If you want a “instant solemnity”, just add chant. If you can’t imagine how an untrained congregation could pull that off, visit a Ruthenian parish.

 

[Mtdobbs]

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[prayerrider]

Chant is easy on the voice, but gorgeous to the ear and heart and soul.

Parenthetically, last Lent in a local parish, the pastor introduced Latin sung prayers. Just the prayers. The choir obviously worked hard, the parish school children obviously practiced hard. The melodies were wonderful, and easy to sing. But apparently the pastor may have felt some heat because he came out before each Mass one Lenten weekend and said that, in response to communications he’d received during the week, he felt he needed to explain why Latin is appropriate during Lent. I’m very curious to see if he calls for chant again this year.

Some people will hate chant no matter what, because it’s… Latin!

 

[Fauken]

in response to communications he’d received during the week, he felt he needed to explain why Latin is appropriate during Lent.

Why Latin is appropriate in a Latin rite church.

Latin in a Latin rite church.

Latin rite church.

L A T I N

 

[prayerrider]

And Fauken, I have a hunch that those who are most triggered by Latin are boomers like me.

 

[AlmaRedemptorisMater]

I am coming to the Catholic Church, in a small part because I am running away from the praise band style rock style. Maybe some people are drawn to it, I don’t know.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

I am coming to the Catholic Church, in a small part because I am running away from the praise band style rock style. Maybe some people are drawn to it, I don’t know.

Yes, I’ve never been a big fan of “Christian rock” at Mass. I feel like it’s a time to tone things down a bit and be able to reflect. Seeing a Christian rock artist in town on a Friday/Saturday night is different. That’s good clean social fun.

 

[AlmaRedemptorisMater]

I’ve had the immense privilege to be a part of my parish’s choir. Slowly we have been introducing more and more chant, or at least pre-baroque polyphony. In addition to that, we’ve started a proper Novus Ordo Mass every month, in Latin, Ad Orientum, and I get to participate in the Schola Cantorum! I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for me this is the pinnacle of reverent worship. Hopefully this Easter I’ll be confirmed and can partcipate fully.

 

[Peeps]

I don’t hate chant because it’s Latin. I just don’t think it’s pretty at all. It’s so…plain. And I personally like sacred music to be lovely and melodic and soaring, not just prolonged speaking, which is what I think chant sounds like.

I guess I think that God deserves more than a few notes. .

I’m not saying everyone has to agree with me or do it my way. What I’m saying is that as long as I have the choice, I will seek out the Masses with the gorgeous music from many different genres, using instruments and glorious (or at least trying to sound glorious!) voices using their full range. To me, it’s more conducive to worship and contemplation. But I have no objection if you want something else.

 

[AlbertDerGrosse]

If you can’t imagine how an untrained congregation could pull that off, visit a Ruthenian parish.

I was just talking to a friend about this the other day. It never ceases to amaze me when I visit some tiny Eastern Catholic or Orthodox parish (usually a mission parish) they’re able to do so much with so little. Some tiny store front of a church with very modest icons and modest chant that are nevertheless utterly breathtaking! I’m not sure what’s more embarrassing, some of the pathetic examples that are passed off as solemnity in our Latin churches these days or the absurd excuses offered for why it must be so. “We just can’t afford nice vestments/linens/instruments/choirs in our parishes!” Bullpuckey!

 

[prayerrider]

I’ve never had any interest in seeking out the eastern worship style,
though I’m sure the services are lovely. I would love to assist at an Anglican Ordinariate Mass sometime, as that is in line with my heritage and background. I understand the masses are gorgeously done and the music is classically English. I pray they will start one close by some day. I would probably love a Celtic flavored Mass too, since I have probably 60+ generations of Irish Catholicism on my maternal grandmother"s side.

 

[OraLabora]

Chant is easy on the voice, but gorgeous to the ear and heart and soul.

I’m blessed. I go to Mass on Sunday (and on Wednesdays) at a Benedictine abbey, where it is all chant, all the time, for the Mass and the Divine Office.

A small foretaste of heaven. And being of the Solesmes congregation, they do it well in fact our choirmaster was choirmaster at Solesmes for many years, a “coals to Newcastle” story where a monk from the colonies went to the source of the Gregorian chant we know today (Solesmes) to direct their monks!!!

 

[prayerrider]

All chant, all the time–heavenly!

 

[dochawk]

What I honestly can’t stand is the modern tendency to split up any given ordinary part of the Mass in a sort of versicle/response format as if a segment of it were an antiphon to the larger whole. The Gloria is the worst example of this that I’ve seen, where “Gloria! Gloria! In excelsis Deo! Gloria! Gloria! In excelsis Deo!” becomes some trite made up antiphon to the remaining parts of the Gloria, which is in all actuality not a composite prayer.

This.

It is painful when a prayer is destroyed for the sake of making a “better” performance.

Although the newer translation means the music mafia can no longer split “Lord of Power and Might” into separate “Lord of Power” and “Lord of Might”, changing the meaning–even worse verse-dicing.

And I’m horrified at the sing-song nature of the Responsorial Psalms as usually performed, and shudder every time.

 

[OraLabora]

I don’t hate chant because it’s Latin. I just don’t think it’s pretty at all. It’s so…plain. And I personally like sacred music to be lovely and melodic and soaring, not just prolonged speaking, which is what I think chant sounds like.

In chant, the highlight is supposed to be the word, and not the melody; the melody serves to enhance the word.

That said, some of the Introits, Graduals and offertories are anything but plain, and are very melismatic. Some of the Mass settings are simple, like Kyrie XVI or XVIII, others are more complex. Most parishes would be using the simpler settings because the complex ones are rather out of reach of smaller volunteer choirs. But abbeys like the one I am attached to do the whole repertory.