Want to attend my first Latin Mass

[Irish_Girl_68]

Hi there…I am a lifelong Catholic but have never been to a Latin Mass. I’ve always been curious. In researching, I found a church about 30 miles away that offers the Tridentine Mass. Question I now have…can you please tell me what I should wear to Mass there? I expect to wear a dress, but is a headcovering required or optional? If so, does it matter if it’s a hat or veil (I presently have neither). Anything else I should expect? Being new to this, I don’t want to offend anyone. Also, is there anyone here who grew up with the Mass in the vernacular who later changed? If so, what prompted this? Although my own Archdiocese is by no means liberal, I am drawn to the consistency and constancy of the Tridentine Mass. I’m just a little scared to try it for the first time! Thanks and God Bless.

 

[Milesius]

I advise you to cover your head that is the preference of many people who attend that kind of mass, what you cover it with is not really important, a hat will be fine but most women prefer a chapel veil and chapel veils can be a sacramental unlike a hat which is used for profane uses unlike a chapel veil which is used only in worship.

Despite that there will probably be women there without their heads covered, but people sure will appreciate your consideration a lot more when you make an effort to respect the norms.

Other than dressing modestly just go along and soak it up, you might find yourself been confused a lot the first time.

The biggest mistake first timers make is they try to hard to follow in the missal that they forget to pray, and because it is a much more individual and internal type of prayer you use at the EF sometimes they are so unused to it that they forget to pray altogether and come away thinking how because they didn’t feel the interior peace etc and that it is not for them.

So remember to pray, if you lose your place in the missal don’t panic just pray your own prayers, gradually you will pick up how things work more and more and then the EF really starts to go the the next level.

 

[floresco]

Also, is there anyone here who grew up with the Mass in the vernacular who later changed? If so, what prompted this? Although my own Archdiocese is by no means liberal, I am drawn to the consistency and constancy of the Tridentine Mass. I’m just a little scared to try it for the first time! Thanks and God Bless.

I’m a convert but I spent almost 30 years attending vernacular Mass exclusively. I changed because I had been reading what Pope Benedict writes about liturgy and reverence and it seemed to me to follow from that. My first traditional Latin Mass was on the day that Summorum Pontificum went into effect. So for me, my move to the Latin Mass (often called the “Extraordinary Form”) is closely connected with my great respect and admiration for the Pope.

I found it helpful to look through the Sancta Missa site to learn about this Mass: sanctamissa.org/en/ It has videos, tutorials and lots of useful information.

 

[legendashmore]

Someone lese has alluded to this but if I have one suggestion for you, it is to:

1. On the first day, look at the missal and read it before mass. Once mass starts, put it down and don’t pick it up. The important thing is to sit and absorb the beauty the first time. Listen to the latin. Listen to the music. Listen to the silence. Watch the servers. Watch the Priest. Wat their movements. Be like a sponge and absorb everything. Don’t worry about reading the missal, this time, it will only confuse you.
2. On 2nd mass do as you did the first time. Be try to be more attentive and really study before hand and afterward. Start reading a book about it.
3. On the 3rd mass, if you have followed the last two steps, you may follow along in the missal. You will be confused.
4. Keep going and you will get the hang of it. As time goes on though, you will be less and less confused and this will help your spiritual life immensely. You won’t want to go back!

God Bless you on your Journey!

 

[MarkThompson]

Hi there…I am a lifelong Catholic but have never been to a Latin Mass. I’ve always been curious. In researching, I found a church about 30 miles away that offers the Tridentine Mass. Question I now have…can you please tell me what I should wear to Mass there? I expect to wear a dress, but is a headcovering required or optional? If so, does it matter if it’s a hat or veil (I presently have neither). Anything else I should expect? Being new to this, I don’t want to offend anyone. Also, is there anyone here who grew up with the Mass in the vernacular who later changed? If so, what prompted this? Although my own Archdiocese is by no means liberal, I am drawn to the consistency and constancy of the Tridentine Mass. I’m just a little scared to try it for the first time! Thanks and God Bless.

There have been endless threads (you can run a search for them) about the merits of women wearing a headcovering to Mass. Whatever you decide is fine by me, but as a factual matter headcovering is not required to attend Mass in either form. In fact, if you ever find a church where it says (e.g., in a “dress code” section on their website) that women must cover their hair, that is a very, very strong indicator that that church is operated by some breakaway sect, unrecognized rogue priest, or otherwise not in perfect communion with the Church. While commendable, headcovering is not required.

That said, I would say that in my experience it varies, but I expect to see somewhere between one quarter and three quarters of the women at a Latin Mass wearing a headcovering of some sort. As to what kind of covering one can wear, it’s literally pretty much anything: from a shawl, kerchief, mantilla, or lacy little veil all the way to a big monstrosity of an Easter hat. Women who were in Catholic school in the 40s and 50s will tell you the stories about being forced to clip a Kleenex to their hair with a bobby pin if they forgot their regular covering. So don’t feel like you have to go out and buy something expensive to try out the Latin Mass for the first time; either wear a kerchief or something that you already have, or go au naturel, and you definitely won’t be the only one.

 

[floresco]

There have been endless threads (you can run a search for them) about the merits of women wearing a headcovering to Mass. Whatever you decide is fine by me, but as a factual matter headcovering is not required to attend Mass in either form.

I agree that it is optional. However, I would certainly recommend it to a woman who has expressed her wish “not to offend anyone”. She is unlikely to offend anyone by covering her head, but risks doing so by going uncovered.

 

[FirstCalled]

Hi there…I am a lifelong Catholic but have never been to a Latin Mass. I’ve always been curious. In researching, I found a church about 30 miles away that offers the Tridentine Mass. Question I now have…can you please tell me what I should wear to Mass there? I expect to wear a dress, but is a headcovering required or optional? If so, does it matter if it’s a hat or veil (I presently have neither). Anything else I should expect? Being new to this, I don’t want to offend anyone. Also, is there anyone here who grew up with the Mass in the vernacular who later changed? If so, what prompted this? Although my own Archdiocese is by no means liberal, I am drawn to the consistency and constancy of the Tridentine Mass. I’m just a little scared to try it for the first time! Thanks and God Bless.

Dress nice. A dress would be great. A head-covering is definitely recommended. Most I’ve seen wear veils. And a sign stated a dress code is certainly NOT an indicator it is a breakaway sect!!! No more than if it stated slacks and shoulders covered, a certain community is welcome to enforce a dress code of some kind, don’t like it, they can go somewhere where they don’t care that they go to meet the LORD as if he is a fellow bum on the street.
I’m 26 and just started going to the Tridentine for the past month and a half at a nearby parish, prior to a few months ago I didn’t even know they offered it. I have been searching to embrace my Roman Catholic faith and I started researching Vatican II and the switchover. I wound up on some traditional sites where they described all the symbolism in the mass. I craved being able to celebrate mass in such a way. I took my bro and now we hope to attend exclusively.
Don’t be scared, they’ll probably be a couple people at least who have never been, so you may see some in the congregation sortof looking confused. Just pick someone in front of you, probably an older woman with a veil and do what she does. Works for me.
Get there early and look over the missal. It will have the english on the right and latin on the left. Keep in mind that what the priest says quietly tends to go fast, so you may be all the sudden 10 pages further than you thought.
Watch the altar as best you can.
Don’t worry about saying anything the first time. Just follow along in the missal as best you can. And appreciate the solemnity and reverence that comes with the Tridentine form.

 

[GwenL]

Question I now have…can you please tell me what I should wear to Mass there? I expect to wear a dress, but is a headcovering required or optional? If so, does it matter if it’s a hat or veil (I presently have neither). .

If this is a good-sized parish, they probably have a basket full of chapel veils such that you can borrow one for the Mass. It might be sitting in in the foyer or even in the ladies’ room. Ask one of the local women. Headcovering is totally optional, but you will probably worry less about people staring at you if you wear one. Your plan to wear a dress is fine, but I think modest is more important than formal.

I went to a High Mass at an FSSP parish; quite beautiful and definitely worth going to. Be ready for up to two hours. I’ve also attended a Low Mass at a local small mission church and I wouldn’t go back. At the FSSP Mass, probably 75% of the women wore some sort of headcovering. At the mission church, every woman but me wore a veil. I was still in the RCIA process and had no idea and I got a lot of stares.

 

[ljubim]

Just go You don’t need to cover. It is a beautiful devotion but if you’re heart isn’t in it then it makes no difference whether you cover or not.

As for dress code, just take it from the Vatican. Shouldn’t see knees or shoulders

Enjoy your first TLM!! I pray that your spiritual life improves as a result too!

 

[FirstCalled]

Just go You don’t need to cover. It is a beautiful devotion but if you’re heart isn’t in it then it makes no difference whether you cover or not.

I disagree, I think our outward actions and dress impact our spirit in positive or negative ways. So even if she doesn’t feel a particular pull right now or before ever wearing a head-covering, it may affect her when she actually does, and it could make the experience far more memorable and close to her heart.
But, it is not necessary, but “traditional” Catholics who prefer to attend the TLM understand the meaning and significance of it and if that is what you are looking for than I recommend the full experience of transporting yourself back to a time that we were “Roman” Catholics.

 

[kamaan]

Hi there…I am a lifelong Catholic but have never been to a Latin Mass. I’ve always been curious. In researching, I found a church about 30 miles away that offers the Tridentine Mass. Question I now have…can you please tell me what I should wear to Mass there? I expect to wear a dress, but is a headcovering required or optional? If so, does it matter if it’s a hat or veil (I presently have neither). Anything else I should expect? Being new to this, I don’t want to offend anyone. Also, is there anyone here who grew up with the Mass in the vernacular who later changed? If so, what prompted this? Although my own Archdiocese is by no means liberal, I am drawn to the consistency and constancy of the Tridentine Mass. I’m just a little scared to try it for the first time! Thanks and God Bless.

You sound like me

I went to my first Latin Mass five months ago, and I was so afraid of not dressing right. I didn’t have a hat or veil, either. I actually borrowed one of my grandmother’s babushka’s because I didn’t want to be bare-headed

Once I got to Mass I realized that I didn’t need to worry that much; only 3 other women had a head-covering I’m not saying that you shouldn’t wear one, just that you shouldn’t obsess about it. Like other people have said, some churches have some veils near the entrance (mine didn’t). Have you checked the church’s website for some sort of dress code? Some churches mention if they provide veils or not.

As for other advice… this site: fisheaters.com/TLMinstructions.html has some tips and shows the Order of the Mass. It also links to a video of a Latin Mass. Fisheaters has lots of information on veiling and proper dress, as well as many other things. Check it out

 

[kamaan]

So even if she doesn’t feel a particular pull right now or before ever wearing a head-covering, it may affect her when she actually does, and it could make the experience far more memorable and close to her heart.

Just had to say that I 100% agree with this. I can’t really describe it, but I just feel so much more… “at peace” when I veil.

 

[ljubim]

I disagree, I think our outward actions and dress impact our spirit in positive or negative ways. So even if she doesn’t feel a particular pull right now or before ever wearing a head-covering, it may affect her when she actually does, and it could make the experience far more memorable and close to her heart.
But, it is not necessary, but “traditional” Catholics who prefer to attend the TLM understand the meaning and significance of it and if that is what you are looking for than I recommend the full experience of transporting yourself back to a time that we were “Roman” Catholics.

I actually veil… just when we push people to veil they dismiss what we have to say, and might miss out on the beauty of the TLM. When it’s their time to veil, God will put it in their hearts and it will be so much more binding and reverent than if some random TLM’er told her to.

And the TLM is not about transporting ourselves back in time, it’s timeless…

 

[Seminarian_Matt]

I’m a Latin Mass Catholic. Feel free to ask me any specific questions. Just go and cover your head with a veil. Wear a simple dress. And follow along in the Missal as best you can and pray. That is all it takes

 

[MarkThompson]

I’m a Latin Mass Catholic. Feel free to ask me any specific questions. Just go and cover your head with a veil. Wear a simple dress. And follow along in the Missal as best you can and pray. That is all it takes

That’s a pretty strict set of requirements just to ask you a question, man.

 

[Seminarian_Matt]

That’s a pretty strict set of requirements just to ask you a question, man.