Very quiet Latin Mass

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St_Francis

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I went to a Latin Mass with my daughter and it was a little tricky because the priest said everything so quietly no one could hear. I felt like I had little notice the consecrations were about to occur because the bells rang so quickly.

So… what do people do during Latin Mass when it is so quiet? I was trying to keep up in the missal as I had at other Latin Masses where the priest spoke more loudly but ended up just skimming and turning pages as I tried to figure out what was happening :o

Thanks for any advice
 
You can generally figure out where he is by the visuals, where the priest stands, the bows, the crosses, the genuflections, etc. Some of the better handmissals explain this a little more in detail.
 
Very definitely a low Mass. There are certain “keys” that ID where you are at in the Mass.
If the priest is very quiet perhaps next time sit down front where you can hear him better.

Watch closely, if you want to follow along. Confiteor, Kyrie, Epistle, Gospel. Then after the sermon he will approach the Altar and put the maniple back on, then the Credo, then the offertory. The lavabo is another good check point. Right after the Preface comes the Sanctus. 3 bells should ring then. The Hanc Igitur is a single bell. Then the Consecration is another single bell, priest genuflects, elevates the Host, triple bells, genuflects single bell. This is repeated for the Precious Blood. The Pater Noster and the Agnus Dei are the priests prayers. Not to be said out loud by the congregation. He should say them loud enough to be heard. The nex:t bells are for the Domine non sum dingus which the priest says 3 times, each time accompanied by a bell. After the priest truns to us, he holds up the Host and says the Ecce Agnus Dei. Then we say with him the Domine non sum dingus three times.

If you can follow all that you’ve made it to communion. 😃
 
You’re experience mirrored my own. It took me about 5 times going to the Latin Mass until I got the hang of it. I’m glad I stuck with it because I have found it a source of great peace (when I can get to a TLM).
 
St_Francis said:
I went to a Latin Mass with my daughter and it was a little tricky because the priest said everything so quietly no one could hear. I felt like I had little notice the consecrations were about to occur because the bells rang so quickly.

So… what do people do during Latin Mass when it is so quiet? I was trying to keep up in the missal as I had at other Latin Masses where the priest spoke more loudly but ended up just skimming and turning pages as I tried to figure out what was happening :o

Thanks for any advice
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The other comments here are helpful. Just resign yourself to the fact that you can’t force understanding, you’ll just have to wait for it to come. 😛

I had the same experience as you; it seemed impossible to follow the mass for even five minutes without being far behind and lost.

Never fear; with time, you’ll be able to follow with ease. I’ve gotten to the point where I can glance in at a mass at any point in its progression and instantly know what prayers the priest is silently praying, simply by his position at the altar, the position of his hands, and the positions of the missal and servers.

Just be patient. 🙂 You’ll learn to love it.

Oh, and if you can, find a friendly old-timer to help you along, and sit with the person. We find joy in guiding a newbie through the mass. 🙂
 
corsair said:
Very definitely a low Mass. There are certain “keys” that ID where you are at in the Mass.
If the priest is very quiet perhaps next time sit down front where you can hear him better.

Watch closely, if you want to follow along. Confiteor, Kyrie, Epistle, Gospel. Then after the sermon he will approach the Altar and put the maniple back on, then the Credo, then the offertory. The lavabo is another good check point. Right after the Preface comes the Sanctus. 3 bells should ring then. The Hanc Igitur is a single bell. Then the Consecration is another single bell, priest genuflects, elevates the Host, triple bells, genuflects single bell. This is repeated for the Precious Blood. The Pater Noster and the Agnus Dei are the priests prayers. Not to be said out loud by the congregation. He should say them loud enough to be heard. The nex:t bells are for the Domine non sum dingus which the priest says 3 times, each time accompanied by a bell. After the priest truns to us, he holds up the Host and says the Ecce Agnus Dei. Then we say with him the Domine non sum dingus three times.

If you can follow all that you’ve made it to communion. 😃
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Well explained.
 
Thanks, everyone 🙂 Unfortunately, I can only get there rarely, so at this rate it may take a few years! So everyone gets used to what is happening when, and they read along in the missal as it is happening? Or do they do somethng else (is this why people used to pray the Rosary?)

Why do the priests speak so quietly? I don’t think anyone at the front could have heard either.

Thanks for all this great information !
 
St_Francis said:
Why do the priests speak so quietly? I don’t think anyone at the front could have heard either.

Thanks for all this great information !
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From Trent Session 22
CHAPTER V.
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On the solemn ceremonies of the Sacrifice of the Mass.
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And whereas such is the nature of man, that, without external helps, he cannot easily be raised to the meditation of divine things; therefore has holy Mother Church instituted certain rites, to wit that certain things be pronounced in the mass in a low, and others in a louder, tone. She has likewise employed ceremonies, such as mystic benedictions, lights, incense, vestments, and many other things of this kind, derived from an apostolical discipline and tradition, whereby both the majesty of so great a sacrifice might be recommended, and the minds of the faithful be excited, by those visible signs of religion and piety, to the contemplation of those most sublime things which are hidden in this sacrifice.
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St_Francis said:
Thanks, everyone 🙂 Unfortunately, I can only get there rarely, so at this rate it may take a few years! So everyone gets used to what is happening when, and they read along in the missal as it is happening? Or do they do somethng else (is this why people used to pray the Rosary?)

Why do the priests speak so quietly? I don’t think anyone at the front could have heard either.

Thanks for all this great information !
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I haven’t been to a Latin Mass since before Vatican II but I do have an idea. How about if you look at the you tube video, for example, and make a cheat sheet from it? That way, you can bring it to Mass to refer to. Or borrow someone’s Missal and make notes from it.
 
St_Francis said:
Thanks, Pro Vobis. I guess I am steeped in our noise-filled culture and am unfamiliar with silence…
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As the nuns used to tell us, “Empty heads make the most noise.” I guess we have a tough time understanding that God is not hard of hearing.
 
Another aspect to the quietness is that it symbolizes the priest going alone into the holy of holies (as in the old Temple) to make atonement on behalf of the people. In the Eastern churches, they will even have a big wall (an iconostasis) setting off the sanctuary from the congregation. In the West, they formerly used somethong similar called a rood screen.
 
St_Francis said:
I went to a Latin Mass with my daughter and it was a little tricky because the priest said everything so quietly no one could hear. I felt like I had little notice the consecrations were about to occur because the bells rang so quickly.

So… what do people do during Latin Mass when it is so quiet? I was trying to keep up in the missal as I had at other Latin Masses where the priest spoke more loudly but ended up just skimming and turning pages as I tried to figure out what was happening :o

Thanks for any advice
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I highly suggest you read “The Hidden Treasure : Holy Mass” by St. Leonard.

I believe it is published by TAN, you should be able to get it from them or Amazon, I think I might even have seen an electronic version on amazon in the past which would probably be even less expensive. But even as a book form its still cheap, under $10. And it is definitely worth it imo if you are struggling to attend the EF well. Honestly, its an excellent book for any Catholic to read, but especially those attending the EF as the advice about how to attend Mass in the book is tailored specifically to the EF.
 
QNDNNDQDCE said:
Another aspect to the quietness is that it symbolizes the priest going alone into the holy of holies (as in the old Temple) to make atonement on behalf of the people. In the Eastern churches, they will even have a big wall (an iconostasis) setting off the sanctuary from the congregation. In the West, they formerly used somethong similar called a rood screen.
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Oh, very interesting. I knew about the iconostasis but not the symbolism. And I thought rood screens were Anglican (having read about them in British mystery stories). So, the rood screens were Catholic? Did all churches have them?
 
thewanderer said:
I highly suggest you read “The Hidden Treasure : Holy Mass” by St. Leonard.

I believe it is published by TAN, you should be able to get it from them or Amazon, I think I might even have seen an electronic version on amazon in the past which would probably be even less expensive. But even as a book form its still cheap, under $10. And it is definitely worth it imo if you are struggling to attend the EF well. Honestly, its an excellent book for any Catholic to read, but especially those attending the EF as the advice about how to attend Mass in the book is tailored specifically to the EF.
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This looks very good, and I did find it online 🙂 Thank you very much!
 
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