Taking my wife to her first EF mass

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After months of me going occasionally by myself, this Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, in a nod to the new liturgical year, my wife and I will both be attending EF mass (a missa cantata, as far as I know) – it will be her first EF mass ever.

I’ve planned a small introduction for her a few nights this week using some of the resources I’ve seen out there, including N.A.M. Bayliss’s amazing Synopsis Ritus Romanus and video from EWTN’s televised solemn high mass which I still have on the DVR. She’ll have her own hand missal to refer to during mass and during the lessons I’ll be helping her through the exact mass we’ll be attending. Yeah, pretty much an ideal situation.

I think I’ll do a fine job at preparing her for it. I’m fairly well versed in the differences and the similarities.

My main hope is that it won’t be as much of a shock to her as my first EF mass (when I didn’t even know the priest said many parts of the mass very quietly, and often with the choir singing over him! an easily understood idea for me today, but to the uninitiated me, very new and strange).

It would be nice to be able to go with her to an EF mass on occasion (even though we’re very blessed to have orthodox priests at our usual parish), simply in order to be more in touch with our Church’s ancient roots.

So, the question is: do you have any tips or suggestions for my lesson plans? Are there any small documents or online resources that you’d particularly recommend? PDFs or something I can easily print would be preferred. Or maybe even just tips if you’ve done or thought of doing something like this yourself for a loved one.

I’m going into teacher mode here. 🙂
 
Oh wow…how nice of you!

My first EF mass, a few months back, wasn’t really that much of a shock. As long as she goes in expecting it to be totally different…she’ll be just fine.
 
Wow, how great of you to want to help her out so much! My first EF Mass was a High Mass a year ago and, as I am not yet Catholic and back then didn’t know the order of the Mass yet, I was completely lost. Now, I went to a Low Mass a week ago and I loved it. I don’t know any Latin, nor can I receive Sacraments yet, but its still wonderful. I hope you both have a great experience!
 
I think it’s good that it’s a missa cantata so she can get the “full experience.” The only tip I would have is to tell her not to worry too much about trying follow along perfectly in her missal. Rather she should just enjoy the experience. Of course, you could always flip the missal pages for her.
 
I think it’s good that it’s a missa cantata so she can get the “full experience.” The only tip I would have is to tell her not to worry too much about trying follow along perfectly in her missal. Rather she should just enjoy the experience. Of course, you could always flip the missal pages for her.
I agree about the missal. I always get lost with the missal and get frustrated. I like it better just listening and paying attention to what is going on.
 
Wow, how great of you to want to help her out so much! My first EF Mass was a High Mass a year ago and, as I am not yet Catholic and back then didn’t know the order of the Mass yet, I was completely lost. Now, I went to a Low Mass a week ago and I loved it. I don’t know any Latin, nor can I receive Sacraments yet, but its still wonderful. I hope you both have a great experience!
I just noticed, your story above (not to mention your background) sound a lot like mine! 👍 God Bless!
 
I just noticed, your story above (not to mention your background) sound a lot like mine! 👍 God Bless!
Thanks! Definitely similar, I was raised Southern Baptist as well. Take care, God Bless, and hope you are having fun in RCIA!🙂
 
Help out a poor, struggling, Presbyterian here. What is an “EF” mass? Also, what does RCIA stand for. I see it a lot on the postings. Thanx…
 
Help out a poor, struggling, Presbyterian here. What is an “EF” mass? Also, what does RCIA stand for. I see it a lot on the postings. Thanx…
EF = Extraordinary Form. Also know as the Tridentine or Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). OF = Ordinary Form. Also known as the Novus Ordo (NO) or Pauline Mass. Both are valid uses of the Roman Rite.

See the youtube link I posted a couple of posts back for a visual of a Traditional Latin Mass, or this link if you want to see a more recent video of a TLM:

youtube.com/watch?v=xK8jPgJeGuA (This is video 1 of 8 in the series)

If you have EWTN, you can see a good Novus Ordo offered daily.

RCIA = Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Basically they’re classes and Rites an adult participates in when one wants to convert to the Church. I am currently three months into RCIA right now in fact.
 
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