Went to my first TLM

[CurtisHouse]

That is the way it is at my parish too that holds the TLM. Confession a half hour before Mass and also the Rosary 20 minutes before Mass starts. There are a lot of families there. People of all ages. It was just another great sight to see. Can’t wait until Sunday! If I could make it to the Masses during the week, I would. Life can be quite constricting when you work nights.

 

[CurtisHouse]

There are so many replies on this thread. Glad to see it as long as it doesn’t break down into any internet fights or anything of the sort.

To clear up any misconceptions, I know that the NO Mass is as valid as the TLM. I just enjoy them a lot better and feels like it’s exactly where God has called me to be at. Have a wonderful day, everybody.

 

[C.Ray]

I recall my first TLM very vividly. It was a low mass at Mission San Buenaventura. This was 2007 I think, either just before or after Summorum Pontificum. I had to drive quite a distance from downtown Los Angeles to get to a TLM… there just weren’t many around.

I recall that I went away feeling that I had spend the whole thing on my knees, which were stiff and hard to walk on afterwards. I had printed up my own booklet beforehand (I didn’t realize there would be some available), and I had sort of reviewed it beforehand, but I didn’t expect the entirety of it to be said soto voce, so I was completely lost! I recall also that everyone there seemed to be very aloof, and I think everyone was dressed head to toe in black, and every woman present wore a giant spanish mantilla. The last part there might be my imagination.

It was a bewildering experience, but I wish I could go back and do it again somehow.

Thank God for Pope Benedict.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Perhaps someone could research the statistics on how many altar girls become seminarians.
Shouldn’t take long.

Perhaps someone could research how many of those girls remain in the faith and raise strong Catholic sons.

 

[christofirst]

Hello, neighbor . Fellow Angeleno here. The first Latin Mass I consciously attended was around 2008 at the parish in Wilmington staffed by the Norbertine Fathers. I say consciously because I attended Latin Masses in the early 1960s too when I was too small to remember much. The parish in Wilmington is about 20 miles away from me, and these days I take my elderly mother to Mass in English at our home parish. I am aware of even more parishes offering TLM around Los Angeles now, in El Segundo and a parish staffed by the FSSP Fathers in San Fernando.

FSSP Los Angeles

The Los Angeles apostolate of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter offers the Traditional Latin Mass 7 days a week at St. Vitus Church at 9710 White Oak Avenue in Northridge, and on Sundays at St. Mary Magdalen Chapel in Camarillo. Please visit the parish website for Mass times and more informatio

fssp.com

Personally, I appreciate the Mass in any language. I do like the greater sense of reverence I experienced at TLM, but I also like the OF in English, with which I am more familiar.

 

[Bixby]

I’m from Pasadena, and St Vitus, the FSSP parish in San Fernando, is where I attend. A very nice place, with two excellent priests! We are blessed. The building won’t win any awards, but inside it is quite lovely, and I frequently remind myself that if Our Lord was content to be born in a cave, he actually might be rather pleased to be worshiped in humble surroundings.

 

[YourNameHere]

I went to a lot of TLM’s when I was a child growing up.

 

[christofirst]

I’m over by LAX, but one of these days I plan to drive out to St. Vitus parish and go to Mass there.

 

[Cirdan_XII]

Personally, it took some time for the Latin Mass to grow on me. As a child our home parish didn’t offer tham but once in a while my parents took us to another parish that did. As a child I found the mass long and tedious and it annoyed me that i didn’t understand much. Then the diocese put pressure on that parish and they stopped the Latin Mass. This was in the early 1980s.

Today, with Latin Masses becoming more and more prevalent all over the place I have been to quite a few and again I didn’t immedaite like them but they are growing on me.

 

[EnglishTeacher]

Regarding boys and girls serving at the altar: I know a priest who has both in his parish, BUT he schedules the boys to serve only with other boys and the girls only with other girls. I thought that was actually a very good idea for parishes who have both boys and girls serving.

To the OP, welcome and congratulations on coming into the Catholic Church!

For those that have been to a TLM, do you remember your first time? Was your experience any different? The same? Would love to hear about them.

My first time going to a TLM was a low Mass, so it was very simple and mostly silent. I have since been to several more over the years, mostly high Masses, and I always enjoy them. We live in an area with some pretty traditional-leaning parishes, and their ordinary form Masses actually include much of what you describe, such as use of incense, priest facing ad orientem, receiving Communion at the altar rail, etc., so there might not be such a huge contrast between the ordinary form and extraordinary form in my experience. There are good things about both of them, though–glad you got to experience the beautiful old Latin Mass.