Even though I have no problem with the OF Mass when celebrated properly, lately I’ve been feeling more drawn to EF, even though I’m nowhere close to a parish that celebrates the EF or the OF in Latin and/or celebrated reverently. I feel that if I’m going to the Mass in the EF, I know for sure what I’m in for, as opposed to most parishes around here when I have to spiritually prepare to see all sorts of nonsense going on in the liturgy before Mass begins. I’m just tired of being disappointed when I leave Mass, not because of my personal preferences, but because of the attitude of the priest(s) to the liturgy. The EF, to me, is also distinctly “Catholic.” I’ve considered simply attending Divine Liturgy, also distinctly “Catholic,” about a half hour away, but I feel more at home in the Latin Rite.
Are there any other Catholics that find themselves drawn to more “traditional” Catholicism but are in a similar situation? What do you do?
I’m not a good example of a “traditional Catholic,” maybe, but I’ll offer my advice.
Go! You won’t regret it.
I had the same issues you described. It’s all better now, though, because I’m fortunate enough to live in a city that has the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest. I love these people and I’ve never been more drawn to Church as a result.
Go five times, if you go once. If you only go once, and find that it is too foreign for you to get anything out of, it’s because you haven’t been enough yet. Remember, this Mass nourished our Church for centuries.
Here’s some advice for you, to get you started. You can take it or leave it, cause I am not an authority on it. I just know what helped me wife with her misgivings about it (now she loves the EF just as much as me!).
- The first day you go, don’t even try to follow along. You are not going to understand any of it. Don’t worry about a missal the first day. Being Catholic, you can understand basically the “gist” of it, and you can privately pray and assist in that way. This way, you are passive and allow the liturgy to shape your experience, versus the other way around. Keep an open ear for one phrase and one phrase only. “Dominus Vobiscum.” (The Lord be with you). O.nly the priest says this, and whenever he says it, the people say, “Et cum spiritu tuo,” which means “And with thy spirit.” Just focus on that, and take in the sights, sounds, and “feel” of the Mass.
- The second time you go, read from a missal. because you are already use to the “feel” of the Mass. At our Church, they hand out little missal booklets. You can see if they offer them at the Chuch on your first visit. If they do, use one, because they are concise and not too difficult to hold. If they don’t, bring a missal with you. You can download the Missal here- sanctamissa.org/en/
It’s a pdf file, and you can print out the specific parts for the day in question.
- Go again with the missal. this time, identify some aspect of the Mass (the Gloria, Kyrie, etc.) that doesn’t change and memorize it in Latin. It’s a big boost when you can follow it without the Missal.
- Find a different part (like the Agnus Dei) and memorize it.
- Find another part (Sanctus) and memorize it.
Congratulations. Now you can follow a good bit of the Mass without a missal. Over time, you won’t really need one at all to fully assist at the Mass.
Just some suggestions, though. There are other people with more experience than me. It’s been relatively recent that I’ve discovered the EF. I love it though. I can’t imagine not having access to it anymore.
Some more suggestions:
- If you don’t really know what to do, or do something awkard, don’t worry about it. You learn over time, and no one is paying attention to what others are doing during the Mass. One time, my wife accidentally said “Amen” after the sign of the cross, and was a little embarrassed, but nobody cared. It wasn’t a big deal. Don’t let something like that affect your experience.
- Prepare yourself in advance by going to youtube and typing in “Tridentine” and watching a few videos. They really prepare you for what you are going to be a part of.
- Know in advance that virtually all of it (everything but readings of the epistle, gospel, and homily at our Church) is going to be in Latin, and that the priest is going to have his back to you (facing the altar) most of the time.
- It is going to be really quiet in there both before and after Mass. Don’t be put off by that. It is a good environment for prayer.
Just my thoughts. I love the EF. Let us know how it goes if you go.
I highly recommend it!
