Standing alone during the Credo?

[JeraldW]

Hey brothers and sisters!

I was traveling a few weeks ago, and it took me through Sunday. I found out the town I was in offered a TLM High Mass at a local parish, so I went. I hadnt gone to TLM in about a month, so I started missing it. It was a VERY small congregation, about a dozen people, all scattered throughout the church. Not that it was bad at all (actually kind of nice, less distractions)

Well, I was fervently praying the Mass all the way up to the Credo, where we of course all stood, kneeled at the incarnation, and stood back up. I was buried in my missal, fervently reflecting and praying the words. I was following the choir-sung creed in terms of when to end my prayer, and I glanced up and saw Father was sitting down, and EVERYONE else was too! In this gigantic empty church, I was the crazy guy standing up when everyone was sitting down. Like having a big long, uncut weed in a freshly mowed lawn! Needless to say I was a bit embarrassed and tried to swallow my pride:blush: and went on.

I guess my question is that should I follow what rate Father is saying the creed , or the choir? I dont remember ever this happening before.
In the past my beloved ex-girlfriend would touch me on the shoulder to give me cues, since then I had just started going to TLM, and needed reminders during the liturgy.

 

[Chatter163]

When the congregation sits, you sit. The choir will not ever sit while they are singing, so you can’t follow them. The priest sits first, then you will see the people sit. Follow what they do. It’s propablt better not to be so engrossed in the missal that you miss the actions in the Mass.

 

[DianaCC]

Hey brothers and sisters!

I was traveling a few weeks ago, and it took me through Sunday. I found out the town I was in offered a TLM High Mass at a local parish, so I went. I hadnt gone to TLM in about a month, so I started missing it. It was a VERY small congregation, about a dozen people, all scattered throughout the church. Not that it was bad at all (actually kind of nice, less distractions)

Well, I was fervently praying the Mass all the way up to the Credo, where we of course all stood, kneeled at the incarnation, and stood back up. I was buried in my missal, fervently reflecting and praying the words. I was following the choir-sung creed in terms of when to end my prayer, and I glanced up and saw Father was sitting down, and EVERYONE else was too! In this gigantic empty church, I was the crazy guy standing up when everyone was sitting down. Like having a big long, uncut weed in a freshly mowed lawn! Needless to say I was a bit embarrassed and tried to swallow my pride:blush: and went on.

I guess my question is that should I follow what rate Father is saying the creed , or the choir? I dont remember ever this happening before.
In the past my beloved ex-girlfriend would touch me on the shoulder to give me cues, since then I had just started going to TLM, and needed reminders during the liturgy.

I’m sure you understand how “time” works in the EF. “Standard Time” is measured by the celebrant, so when he is finished with the creed he goes on to the next step, which is to wait for the choir to finish the creed in their “Daylight Saving Time”. Since the congregation is seeing one thing but hearing another, they can follow either their eyes or their ears as they please. Some people genuflect when the celebrant says et incarnatus est and then a second time with the choir when the same line comes up in the sung version. What people don’t realize is that it only looks like different times. This may help: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativity_of_simultaneity

 

[ProVobis]

I’m sure you understand how “time” works in the EF. “Standard Time” is measured by the celebrant, so when he is finished with the creed he goes on to the next step, which is to wait for the choir to finish the creed in their “Daylight Saving Time”.

Good analogy. The choir may respond and may sing appropriate hymns/readings/etc. but they don’t “say” (or preside at) the Mass.

 

[Warloff]

There are no rubrics for the laity in the TLM. Everything the laity does is simply governed by tradition. And tradition varies from parish to parish. The genuflecting on the part of the laity during the creed was a practice that began with Saint King Louis IX. He always genuflected during the passage describing the incarnation, and as he was the king so did everyone else. But, to this day it’s not required of the laity to do so.

Generally, I think the best advice is to follow the advice Saint Ambrose gave to a Christian who was complaining about different liturgical practices in different areas: “when in Rome do as the Romans do.”