Using a Missal at Mass

[ServusHumilis]

Uh… manuscripts and books have been used in the liturgy since almost the beginning. Personally I’m sick of seeing peoples’ faces buried in phones and other devices wherever I go. I do not need this in church now as well. How much more impersonal can we possibly get? What’s next… a Kindle altar Missal? And certainly the glare would be quite unmanageable. Just buy the book or use the ones provided and keep such thingamajigs in their place. The liturgy is ancient, sacred, and a sanctuary away from distractions of the outside modern world. It has no place for such ludicrous. Just the thought of people using such devices in Church upsets me… I needn’t think of it any more.

 

[CutlerB]

Here in Germany, the Bishops’ Conference has just put out a new hymn- and prayer book called “Gotteslob”. The original was published in the 70s, I think. It contains hymns, a few chants, the Order of Mass (NO) in Latin and German — though the Latin isn’t used — as well as the Rites for Penance, Extreme Unction, Baptism and so forth. There are some common prayers, incl. the Rosary in a version I’m not familiar with, and other orders of service outside of Mass.

This is what it looks like. gotteslob.de/fileadmin/Redaktion/Bilder/GL_Muenchen_U1_cmyk.jpg

And here’s the table of contents for the version of Munich and Freising under H.E. Reinhard Card. Marx: gotteslob.de/fileadmin/Redaktion/GL_Muenchen_Inhaltsverzeichnis.pdf

I’ll keep my opinion to myself for the time being. Suffice it to say that the image on the front reminds me of this: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Adobe_Acrobat_XI.png

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

The last time I was at Mass in Germany, in a small town near the Austrian border, the Gottesloben were kept on a shelf at the back and everyone took one coming in. The order of Mass and the hymns were in there, much like a Tridentine missal. Just a note about those hymns: some of them had seven or eight verses, all of which were sung loudly during the recessional before a single soul left the church.

 

[CutlerB]

The last time I was at Mass in Germany, in a small town near the Austrian border, the Gottesloben were kept on a shelf at the back and everyone took one coming in. The order of Mass and the hymns were in there, much like a Tridentine missal. Just a note about those hymns: some of them had seven or eight verses, all of which were sung loudly during the recessional before a single soul left the church.

Indeed, very German. Nowadays, though, you’ll find people leaving Mass while the priest leaves the altar.

 

[smichhertz]

My Father bought me a 1962 missal to use at the EF mass. I have used it, but my preference is to just participate in the mass. The missal distracted me too much.

Everyone has their own preference, though. That’s just what helps me!

 

[retire_early]

The last time I was at Mass in Germany, in a small town near the Austrian border, the Gottesloben were kept on a shelf at the back and everyone took one coming in. The order of Mass and the hymns were in there, much like a Tridentine missal. Just a note about those hymns: some of them had seven or eight verses, all of which were sung loudly during the recessional before a single soul left the church.

I belong in a German church. I love singing all the way through the hymns, unlike most Catholics. I grew up in a “hot-bed of Lutherans”, as my mother referred to our neighborhood, and when I attended their funerals or such, I was in awe of their participation of the hymns. You just can’t beat 'em! :harp:

 

[CutlerB]

I belong in a German church. I love singing all the way through the hymns, unlike most Catholics. I grew up in a “hot-bed of Lutherans”, as my mother referred to our neighborhood, and when I attended their funerals or such, I was in awe of their participation of the hymns. You just can’t beat 'em! :harp:

Very true, popular hymns are a strength of the Lutherans. It’s much more developed among them than the Catholic Church. That’s not to say our Church was deficient in some way. Many of the hymns in the Gotteslob are actually Protestant.

 

[jeannetherese]

I have my own missal for the EF Mass but our church also supplies small missalettes with the order of the Mass and handouts with the readings in both English and Latin as well.
I use the church provided Spanish/English missallette at my OF Mass. The English only lacks the readings and i miss not being able to read along.

 

[ProVobis]

I have my own missal for the EF Mass but our church also supplies small missalettes with the order of the Mass and handouts with the readings in both English and Latin as well.

This seems like a growing practice where they celebrate the EF. I feel this is much better than following from the St. Joseph Missal, which doesn’t show the Latin propers. Besides the missalettes along with the handouts are easier to hold. (The missalettes now are available in Latin-Spanish now, by the way.)

I think Una Voce of Orange County provides some of those handouts.

 

[Rich_C]

My Father bought me a 1962 missal to use at the EF mass. I have used it, but my preference is to just participate in the mass. The missal distracted me too much.

Everyone has their own preference, though. That’s just what helps me!

I get this. I usually follow the missal at Latin Mass while my wife usually closes her eyes and prays silently the whole time. But sometimes I just watch the action in the sanctuary and offer my intentions, and other times I pray the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary for father’s intentions. Just depends. I like how in the Latin Mass I can do what works best for me that day.

At the OF it’s the opposite. My wife carefully follows her missal and I just listen.

You don’t go to Old St. Mary’s in Chinatown by any chance?

 

[ProVobis]

To those who are against electronic missals: can you give a logical and compelling reason why you believe these devices have no place at Mass?

I believe that they are wrong if the devices draw unnecessary attention to the person holding them. (Novelty items tend to do that.) We have enough distraction at Mass.

 

[dee_burk]

I still have to use the ones in the pews to follow along and i will read the readings as the lecture or deacon is reading.

I think our deacon needs glasses, he chops the Gospel readings up so badly (misreads the words, jumps or misses some lines entirely), i feel sorry for him and would in no way approach him about it but surely he has got to know how bad it is…

 

[TimothyH]

Oy! Last thing I want to see in Mass are people with “smart phones” or “iPads” out. In fact if I started to see this I would probably complain to the priest, who to begin with likely wouldn’t allow such a thing. Mass is about the last safe haven away from such annoyances, until inevitably someone’s cell phone in their pocket rings.

It is becoming more common. I have made an effort to get used to seeing it.

A very devout and pious man in my parish, a member of Opus Dei, uses an iPhone. If it helps him grow in holiness than who am I to question?

An iPad might be a bid much, but at the end of the day I’m not praying and paying attention to the Mass the way I ought if I notice anything other than the people directly in front of me. As a very holy man on these forums once said, “You could drive a train through the sanctuary and I wouldn’t notice.” That’s my goal.

-Tim-

 

[Joan_M]

Hello all,

I was wondering,what percent of you that attend the Novus Ordo mass use a missal or the little misslete in the pews? I know it is pretty recommended and widespread that you use the missal in the Latin mass as I use my 1962 missal when I am graced by that opportunity for Latin.

Also, if you use the missal, do you have your own or use the missalete? Do you still use the missal from pre-mass change of a few years ago or have a brand new missal with the new prayers and responses?

Would it be okay if I used a missal from before the change? I bet those are going for far cheaper than the brand new ones.

**By the way, I would love a copy of the old daily missal to have the mass readings in book form daily like that. If any of you have an extra copy of the daily missal or like the weekday missal, please let me know and I would love to put it to good use! **

Thank you all and God bless!

I have the New NO Roman Missal with both Latin and English. I use it all the time, including during the readings. I see no problem with that - I am not reading instead of listening. I am reading while listening. I have, sometimes, tried to not read and it was impossible - too many readers are not at all good. They have no idea of where pauses should be, have no control on their breathing, most do not practice beforehand and do not sound good at all. Also many have poor diction and swallow part of their words, making it most difficult to clearly hear them.

 

[Brigid34]

I prefer to listen rather than read. The missals usually have poor renditions of the mass, where I live, anyway. OCP is usually preferred and that has a shorter version of the Mass. My listening doesn’t get confused like my reading does.

 

[johnmann]

The USCCB recommends against using a missal. I used to follow that recommendation until I reached the conclusion that they were wrong. Far from distracting, I find that following along with the missal focuses my mind.

I don’t bother with using it for the entrance and Communion chants. I might if it were sung but current practice is chaos and more distracting than helpful.

I’ve always used a missal at the EF but I think I’ll try going without it next time.

I have absolutely no problems with electronic missals. I use my phone when there’s no pew missal or it doesn’t have the day’s readings. If I were a woman with a purse, I would bring along a tablet.

 

[snowflakeinlove]

I have a missal and I use it. It really helps me follow along and stay focused. And sometimes the lector is hard to hear and I can never remember the response to the psalm. Missals help with all of that. And I like to read and reflect on the readings before Mass starts.

I don’t use my phone during Mass because I have hard copy of a missal but I don’t have a problem with it. I use my phone in adoration though. Sometimes even our priests have their phones out at Mass. And airplane mode is the solution to preventing distractions.

 

[smichhertz]

I get this. I usually follow the missal at Latin Mass while my wife usually closes her eyes and prays silently the whole time. But sometimes I just watch the action in the sanctuary and offer my intentions, and other times I pray the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary for father’s intentions. Just depends. I like how in the Latin Mass I can do what works best for me that day.

At the OF it’s the opposite. My wife carefully follows her missal and I just listen.

You don’t go to Old St. Mary’s in Chinatown by any chance?

Hi Rich C,

No, although I used to go there occasionally for daily mass when I worked nearby. Such a beautiful church! I’ve moved around a bit, but all the EF masses I’ve attended have been in Northern Virginia.

You’re right to note the freeing element of the EF mass. It allows you to pray silently or focus on your own personal devotion during mass. Wonderfully intimate!

God bless!

 

[CB_Catholic]

Well, since we are so opinionated around here, my opinion as far as electronic devices go is that as long as they don’t make noise, they are fine. My iPad Air is smaller than the missalettes, does not have the sound of pages being flipped, does not glare, and the only reason it would bother anyone is if they were not paying attention to what they are supposed to be paying attention to and disliked electronic devices. They don’t interfere at all with Mass.

So there.

 

[ProVobis]

…and the only reason it would bother anyone is if they were not paying attention to what they are supposed to be paying attention to …

Not fair. If it’s an interesting piece of technology no one has seen before, it WILL attract attention. If everyone has seen how it works, then your argument is valid. But don’t presume they have. At one time the ringing of a cell phone would turn heads. Now they’re just a nuisance.