Again, for a college campus Mass I’d expect something on the informal end of things, but really this could be a group of students who are very traditional, and depends somewhat on the kind of worship space they have. You’ll find out on Tuesday.
And if you can “buddy up” with someone you can keep an eye on them, while still listening to your own gut…
malphono has mentioned the music which I’m not sure was mentioned before. Unlike the Divine Liturgy which is sung the NO is not typically sung, especially on a weekday during “Ordinary time” which we are now in. The only music might be an opening and closing hymn and maybe singing of the Responsorial Psalm . The
readings are here and you can see what the Responsorial Psalm looks like. They might sing the Alleluia before the reading of the Gospel, not usually during the week. Everything else is spoken, probably.
Do you think it’d be it’d look terribly odd if I venerated them? It’s hard to see a icon/figure of a saint and not want to venerate!
When an RC arrives late they want to
sneek into their pew, hoping to not be noticed. (I say “they” because I am never late arriving to Mass.
) So you would “look out of place” if venerating a statue once Mass has started. This would be different from an Eastern church. Depending on the ethnic group your fellow students may or may not venerate, kneeling or standing, if there are any statues, but distinctly before or after Mass.
If there is a tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament present (the lamp lit and the chamber closed) it’s quite possible people might be kneeling in adoration there. Depending on whether the worship space has been open for some time before Mass people might well be kneeling praying the rosary, before the Blessed Sacrament on in the regular pews/chairs. They could even be praying the Stations of the Cross around the chapel/church if it’s a space that even has those, a small chapel or a meeting room may not. This all varies because these would be personal devotions, and somewhat dependent on whether it’s a permanent worship space or something they set up weekly for Mass.
It is entirely possible if they are in a small college chapel there is no tabernacle and are no statues, but there may be…
Do we bow when blessed by the priest?.
Do we venerate the cross after Mass?.
There is variation on this and *I really encourage you to do what feels right and respectful for you. *We are expected to bow at the end of the Mass for the final blessing, and many do not bow. In some versions of the blessing at the end of the Mass the priest will say “Bow your heads and pray for God’s blessing” before he invokes the Holy Trinity. Many of us likewise bow at the Introductory Rite, usually the first thing the priest will say at the start of Mass, when the priest begins with invocation of the Blessed Trinity.
During the recitation of the Creed at “by the power of the Holy Spirit He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man .” we are supposed to make profound bow, at the waist, and again, many do, many do not. (A bow of the head is optional for the laity when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.)
If you are standing while the priest is saying the Words of Institution “Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you.” he will genuflect, or should genuflect, after the consecration and the people should, if standing (should be kneeling) make a profound bow at that time and again when he genuflects after saying “Do this in memory of me.” after consecration of the cup. If kneeling the people do not bow their heads there, nor do they bow their heads at the Epiclesis, they should be kneeling (I usually bow my head while kneeling, but it’s not really proper to do so in the Latin understanding.)
One place where you can read more background on “posture” during the Mass is the
General Instruction of the Roman Missal. It’s
not, in my opinion, really a good idea to get into studying this but you can look at it just to see where, in theory, much, not all, of the information is. See “Movements and Posture” section. Sitting during the Mass is never given as a posture for prayer in the GIRM, only standing or kneeling. However, they might sit for praying if there are no kneelers, or they might stand or they might kneel on the floor.
The priest will not have a hand held Blessing Cross.
Does any one happen to know what saints are celebrated by the Latin church on Tuesday?.
Here and
here are some references for saints celebrated by day.
Also, yes, they are having a meal afterward.
Great! I hope you stay and visit with them.
Also, there are no candlestands for the people’s candles in the nave in many parishes; often they are in a side area; … Also, the candles will usually be tea-light sized, not tapers, and are in glass cups upon a table…
Thanks for the reminder of our votive candles, usually in
stands:: “…they have taken away my candles, and I know not where they have put them.” Actually, I do know where they are in my parish and they are … electric light bulbs in little votive cups…
-]/-]
