Why are there more low masses than high?

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Spudbynight said:
The rubrics specify what the different types of Mass are called.
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Thank you but I’m quite well familiar with the formal and proper nomenclature. 🙂
Spudbynight said:
If there is a correct term for each Mass then there is logically an incorrect term.
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That may be, but they are, of course, in Latin, and when one gets into the matter of translation, there can always be certain variations. And that’s not to mention regional variants within the same language.

In specific to the types of Masses in the Usus Antiquior, let’s take the term “Low Mass” for example. In the 1962 rubrics, it is Missa Lecta, so the term “Low Mass” which, I believe, is used also in the UK, is another misnomer (or, if you prefer, an incorrect usage). The word “lecta” in Latin does not translate to “low” in English or “basse” in French.
Spudbynight said:
It is a small detail (don’t worry I won’t fall out over it) but if something as important as the Mass is worth doing - it is worth doing to the best of best of our ability.
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I hardly think that nomenclature, even if a misnomer is used regionally in translation, has any bearing whatsoever on the Mass itself.
 
malphono said:
In specific to the types of Masses in the Usus Antiquior, let’s take the term “Low Mass” for example. In the 1962 rubrics, it is Missa Lecta, so the term “Low Mass” which, I believe, is used also in the UK, is another misnomer (or, if you prefer, an incorrect usage). The word “lecta” in Latin does not translate to “low” in English or “basse” in French.
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They refuse the official Latin. They want everything in some nebulous vernacular so they can argue about it. :banghead:
 
There is a traditional monastery in Oklahoma that offers a Solemn High Mass every day.

A Solemn High Mass requires a priest, a deacon, a subdeacon, a choir, and numerous altar boys. A Missa Cantata requires the same, except for the deacon and subdeacon. Normally, the deacon and subdeacon are priests, also. Since there aren’t very many priests nowadays, it would be hard to scrape together two other priests.

You can’t really get the choir together in the middle of he week because they have to work. Plus, the altar boys have to go to school.

It is much easier to do a Low Mass than a Sung or Solemn High Mass.
 
Tradosaurus_Rex said:
It’s probably also good to note there are 3 different ways that are common for EF.


  1. *]Solemn High Mass
    *]Missa Cantata
    *]Low Mass
    1. Celebrant, deacon, and sub-deacon, along with a choir to sing, although the clergy could chant the entire Mass themselves.
    2. Celebrant and usually a choir. No deacon or sub-deacon.
    3. Celebrant and no chant/music sung by a choir or the celebrant.
    In most parishes that offer the EF you will probably get #2 on weekends and Holy Days, and #3 will be common for weekdays throughout the year. #1 is usually not offered as much because most parishes that celebrate the EF are only staffed by one or two priests. There are also other issues like; are there going to be servers available, will a choir be available, is the parish sharing a church with another parish which results in the visiting parish having to have odd Mass times? There are a lot of factors these days which will have to be taken into consideration.

    I’m sure most of the priests who celebrate the EF though would love to be able to have the resources to do a Solemn High Mass every day. 🙂
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  1. If there was no choir available, would the deacon and subdeacon just chant the Mass themselves? What about the Kyrie and Gloria?
 
bben15 said:
You can’t really get the choir together in the middle of he week because they have to work.
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You don’t need a choir to do a Missa Cantata or in cantu Mass. It’s nice to have but you don’t even need a singing organist. Besides in the middle of the week, you normally don’t do the Gloria and Creed.
 
ProVobis said:
They refuse the official Latin. They want everything in some nebulous vernacular so they can argue about it. :banghead:
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Do you honestly think that those Masses were ever known by their Latin names by the people in the pews?
 
bben15 said:
If there was no choir available, would the deacon and subdeacon just chant the Mass themselves? What about the Kyrie and Gloria?
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It’s highly unlikely that there would be a Solemn Mass, at least not outside a conventual setting, without at least a cantor (even if one of the servers) who could do the Propers and, hopefully, lead the congregation through the Ordinary.
 
Spudbynight said:
I don’t know of anyone here in the UK who calls a Missa cantata a High Mass so I would challenge your assertion that most people use the incorrect terms.
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There is a popular booklet missal that uses the terms that way:ecclesiadei.org/Booklet%20Missals.htm

On the back cover it describes 3 kinds of Mass:
LOW MASS - Quiet Mass
HIGH MASS - Sung Mass or Missa Cantata
SOLEMN HIGH MASS - Sung Mass with full Ceremonial

I can’t find a picture of the back but here is the front:
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Since these missals are widely used in North America, I expect this usage, technically incorrect though it might be, to be very influential.
 
Spudbynight said:
I don’t know of anyone here in the UK who calls a Missa cantata a High Mass so I would challenge your assertion that most people use the incorrect terms.
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Interestingly, after I posted the information in my previous post, I found what was apparently the same booklet missal advertized on the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales web site. I am surprised that you have not encountered it or the usage it promotes in the UK.
 
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