Strange event at Latin Mass on the feast of the Holy Family

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On Sunday, the feast of the Holy Family, I went to TLM as usual and saw that, while the mass was being said as it normally is at the altar directly in front, another priest, accompanied by one server, was doing something at the left-hand side altar. If he was praying it was completely inaudible, and they didn’t continue for the entire mass, but I was confused and didn’t know what was going on. Is this just a Holy Family thing? I’d never seen it before.
 
Silyosha said:
On Sunday, the feast of the Holy Family, I went to TLM as usual and saw that, while the mass was being said as it normally is at the altar directly in front, another priest, accompanied by one server, was doing something at the left-hand side altar. If he was praying it was completely inaudible, and they didn’t continue for the entire mass, but I was confused and didn’t know what was going on. Is this just a Holy Family thing? I’d never seen it before.
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I noticed Fr B. on the side too. I could hear him praying though. I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on… I figured maybe because of the amount of families there that Fr B was just Consecrating more Hosts for Fr S… anyone that was there Sunday know what Fr B was doing on the side? I have him on Facebook so maybe I’ll just ask 😉
Edit- I sent him a message on Facebook so when I get a reply I’ll let you know.
 
Rachel said:
I noticed Fr B. on the side too. I could hear him praying though. I wasn’t sure what exactly was going on… I figured maybe because of the amount of families there that Fr B was just Consecrating more Hosts for Fr S… anyone that was there Sunday know what Fr B was doing on the side? I have him on Facebook so maybe I’ll just ask 😉
Edit- I sent him a message on Facebook so when I get a reply I’ll let you know.
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Thanks a bunch! It does make sense that he would be consecrating more hosts…it was really full on Sunday, wasn’t it? It was extremely hot in there; I was wearing a veil when I came in but had to take it off because I felt dizzy. My dad ws confused and asked me what was going on when he noticed, since I can usually answer his questions, but unfortunately I couldn’t this time.
He’s on facebook? That’s awesome! 🙂
Were you sitting in the little section of pews to the left of the church? It seems like that’s the only way you could hear him; he was so quiet.
 
Silyosha said:
On Sunday, the feast of the Holy Family, I went to TLM as usual and saw that, while the mass was being said as it normally is at the altar directly in front, another priest, accompanied by one server, was doing something at the left-hand side altar. If he was praying it was completely inaudible, and they didn’t continue for the entire mass, but I was confused and didn’t know what was going on. Is this just a Holy Family thing? I’d never seen it before.
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In the good old time, when there were abundant number of priest, this was the regular situation: priests celebrated private masses at the side altars. Usually no extra hosts was consecrated, not even for the server. The Mass is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered in His name by the priest.
 
Silyosha said:
Thanks a bunch! It does make sense that he would be consecrating more hosts…it was really full on Sunday, wasn’t it? It was extremely hot in there; I was wearing a veil when I came in but had to take it off because I felt dizzy. My dad ws confused and asked me what was going on when he noticed, since I can usually answer his questions, but unfortunately I couldn’t this time.
He’s on facebook? That’s awesome! 🙂
Were you sitting in the little section of pews to the left of the church? It seems like that’s the only way you could hear him; he was so quiet.
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I was on the little section to the right (over by the Blessed Virgin Mary statue), which is where I normally sit. YES it was SUPER crowded there Sunday, I was nearly sitting in some other ladies lap lol. Anyway, here’s what Fr B said:

*Hi Rachel,
You’re question isn’t all that crazy…! This past Sunday I hadn’t had the opportunity to celebrate a Mass yet that day, and Fr. S was scheduled to have the 12:30. I took the opportunity to celebrate a Mass on my own on the side altar, and then after I finished my Mass I helped with distribution of communion for Fr. S’s Mass. This used to be a common practice back many years ago (thus you see older churches that have side altars): the principal Mass would take place on the main (high) altar, and various other (essentially private Masses) would be celebrated by the other priests present on the side altars.

Hopenthis helps. Sincerely,

Fr.pb*
 
Rachel said:
I was on the little section to the right (over by the Blessed Virgin Mary statue), which is where I normally sit. YES it was SUPER crowded there Sunday, I was nearly sitting in some other ladies lap lol. Anyway, here’s what Fr B said:

*Hi Rachel,
You’re question isn’t all that crazy…! This past Sunday I hadn’t had the opportunity to celebrate a Mass yet that day, and Fr. S was scheduled to have the 12:30. I took the opportunity to celebrate a Mass on my own on the side altar, and then after I finished my Mass I helped with distribution of communion for Fr. S’s Mass. This used to be a common practice back many years ago (thus you see older churches that have side altars): the principal Mass would take place on the main (high) altar, and various other (essentially private Masses) would be celebrated by the other priests present on the side altars.

Hopenthis helps. Sincerely,

Fr.pb*
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I didn’t make it there Sunday, went to another Mass. Wonder why it was so crowded ? Holiday guests perhaps. I’ve gotten quite a few pm’s asking about Fr Charles and St Martins lately. I saw a lot of new faces Christmas day there at the 12:30 TLM but it wasn’t all that packed.
 
At_Trent said:
I didn’t make it there Sunday, went to another Mass. Wonder why it was so crowded ? Holiday guests perhaps. I’ve gotten quite a few pm’s asking about Fr Charles and St Martins lately. I saw a lot of new faces Christmas day there at the 12:30 TLM but it wasn’t all that packed.
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I didn’t make it there on Christmas b/c of the snow/ice… so I went here instead, and went there on Sunday.
I think it was crowded b/c of all the extra families members that went. I know in the section I normally sit in, me and one other couple were the only ones that weren’t part of this one family lol (which the grandmother is the person that I was nearly sitting on, she was pointing out her kids and grandkids to me and telling me their names lol).
 
Thanks so much for your replies, and to Rachael for asking Fr. B. I’m glad to have found out!
I’ve definately noticed a lot of new parishoners lately…which is a very good thing! Also…did anyone else notice the insane number of babies in church on Sunday? They were so adorable…and so talkative!
 
Note that in the EF last Sunday was not the feast of the Holy Family, but the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas. In the EF the feast of the Holy Family is the Sunday after the Epiphany.

Also, there is no such thing as simply “consecrating extra hosts.” The consecration of hosts can occur only within the context of a complete Mass.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Since the priest is saying a private Mass, isn’t that a complete Mass?
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Of course it is. One of the posts here, after someone else had already suggested that it was a private Mass, asked if “maybe because of the amount of families there that Fr B was just Consecrating more Hosts for Fr. S.” Such a question implied that the priest he could be doing so without actually saying Mass.
 
Chatter163 said:
Of course it is. One of the posts here, after someone else had already suggested that it was a private Mass, asked if “maybe because of the amount of families there that Fr B was just Consecrating more Hosts for Fr. S.” Such a question implied that the priest he could be doing so without actually saying Mass.
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Okay, thanks for clearing it up. But I did understand the first time around that a private Mass was being said to consecrate more Hosts, so I understood it was a complete Mass from the beginning. But of course its not clear for everyone else who might not understood it the way I did 👍
 
Chatter163 said:
Of course it is. One of the posts here, after someone else had already suggested that it was a private Mass, asked if “maybe because of the amount of families there that Fr B was just Consecrating more Hosts for Fr. S.” Such a question implied that the priest he could be doing so without actually saying Mass.
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I think the intention of the comment/ question was that the mass was being said to consecrate. It wasn’t my comment, though, so I don’t know. Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut–I was pretty perplexed. 🙂
 
Silyosha said:
Thanks so much for your replies, and to Rachael for asking Fr. B. I’m glad to have found out!
I’ve definately noticed a lot of new parishoners lately…which is a very good thing! Also…did anyone else notice the insane number of babies in church on Sunday? They were so adorable…and so talkative!
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LOL the one that kept saying “book” was in front of me 😉
 
Silyosha said:
Thanks a bunch! It does make sense that he would be consecrating more hosts…it was really full on Sunday, wasn’t it?
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The priest at the “main” Mass could simply bring out more ciboria of hosts if they needed additional consecrated hosts. If it’s a matter of realizing that there are not enough consecration of hosts after the consecration, I doubt if any side altar priests could say Mass fast enough from the beginning to consecrate more in order to get them in time for the people’s communion. They can always break some of those consecrated hosts in half or quarters and the people will still receive the whole Body and Blood of Christ.

I would guess the priest is simply offering another Holy Sacrifice for those in attendance. It was not that uncommon before Vatican II. I even served two Masses at one time. No reasons were given. The priest is simply performing his ministry.
 
ProVobis said:
The priest at the “main” Mass could simply bring out more ciboria of hosts if they needed additional consecrated hosts. If it’s a matter of realizing that there are not enough consecration of hosts after the consecration, I doubt if any side altar priests could say Mass fast enough from the beginning to consecrate more in order to get them in time for the people’s communion. They can always break some of those consecrated hosts in half or quarters and the people will still receive the whole Body and Blood of Christ.

I would guess the priest is simply offering another Holy Sacrifice for those in attendance. It was not that uncommon before Vatican II. I even served two Masses at one time. No reasons were given. The priest is simply performing his ministry.
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I’ve seen priests break hosts many times near the end of Communion due to necessity.

A good sign imo 😉
 
Concelebration occurs in the Extraordinary Form Masses at Masses of Ordinations and the Chrism Mass; in concelebrating the concelebrants whether they be priests or the newly ordained at an ordination would be vested in chasubles and would recite the Canon with the Celebrant and would also genuflect and bow with him in unison at the appropriate times.
 
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