Why would EF be considered less social?

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jesusmademe

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I have been told that the EF is less social than the OF. Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that going to the OF is a social thing like going to coffe after Mass.
I have attended both forms but it was some years ago that I went to the EF.
Why would EF be considered less social?
I might need to add that a Priest told me it could be felt as less social.
What are your experiences?
 
The Latin mass isn’t less social. I went to a ICKSP church and after mass there was coffee hour and the room was very much alive. The kids all got to play ping-pong and the parents enjoyed coffee, doughnuts, and good ol fashioned catholic camaraderie.

I would just file what you heard as (at best) misguided information or (at worst) anti-latin mass propaganda.
 
Well, for starters, it’s not in the language you speak with everyone.

I don’t think the Mass is supposed to be a “social” event. Social activities should be taking place OUTSIDE of Mass.

And from what I have seen, the Latin Mass parish in our city has good fellowship after Mass, with many people sticking around to chat and make arrangements for get-togethers and play dates. Perhaps because they are a smaller group than all the other parishes, they are able to get to know each other better and become close friends. All of the OF parishes are so huge that it’s harder to make friends.

BTW, in case anyone is wondering, our Latin Mass parish (ICK) has been around since the 1990s, so it’s not small because it’s new. It’s small because there isn’t a lot of interest in the Latin Mass in our area. So again, because there is such a small group (around 400) that people can more easily meet and greet. My OF parish has several thousand people.
 
I think that you should clarify what the Priest means by his comment. I attend both the Ordinary Form and the Extra Ordinary Form masses regularly. I personally find both to be spiritually enriching, however I do find the E.F. to be more conducive to transcendence and this helps me pray greatly. Regarding the social aspect such as coffee after Mass, both churches offer this and I find both as friendly. I do attend a shrine church of the ICKSP in northern England so my experiences might differ to yours. Feel free to check out the Facebook page to find a little more about it and the culture of worship and fellowship!
https://www.facebook.com/icksp.preston/
 
The Latin Mass isn’t all happy-clappy shake-hands-with-your-neighbor. There isn’t a big emphasis during the Mass on “Community” (which I find to be a great relief).

You are free to socialize afterwards, and many EF Masses have people doing just that, usually outside the church, in a room with snacks, etc.
 
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jesusmademe said:
I might need to add that a Priest told me it could be felt as less social.
What are your experiences?
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I would ask the priest what context he means. Is it the way the Mass is celebrated, is it because the sign of peace is not done, there is a lot less communal singing.
Or if he means the people there do not socialise outside the celebration.

My experience, and I go every Sunday to both Masses, the OF and the EF, is they are both little communities. At the EF Mass, we start before Mass with Confessions and during that time, those there pray a public Rosary. Then when the Mass is over, the Celebrant will ask for prayers for specific parishoners if they are getting married etc, will announce up coming events like First Communions, EF Masses for feast days, and discuss signing cards for members of the community- spiritual bouquets he calls them.

There is always refreshment after Mass at the EF but only once a month at the OF. People tend to rush off after OF Mass, but stick around after EF Mass.
 
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Many times, people and families have driven one, two, or more hours to get to the EF/TLM, and they have the chance to talk with, and engage in fellowship with, perhaps the only people they know who “think like they do”. Even if they live in town, people tend to linger after the TLM, and can be very social. So to say that the TLM is “less social” isn’t quite accurate in most cases.

With the OF, there isn’t the same sense of “common cause”, in that attending the TLM entails a deliberate choice, and it is often inherently counter-cultural. There is also a greater proportion of large families, homeschooling, stay-at-home mothers (and sometimes even fathers!), and people who live a less-worldly lifestyle. Some traditionalist Catholics choose not to watch television or even listen to contemporary music.
 
Elias said:
The Latin mass isn’t less social. I went to a ICKSP church and after mass there was coffee hour and the room was very much alive. The kids all got to play ping-pong and the parents enjoyed coffee, doughnuts, and good ol fashioned catholic camaraderie.

I would just file what you heard as (at best) misguided information or (at worst) anti-latin mass propaganda.
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I agree it is not less social, but the example you give is not of the Mass, but of post mass activities.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
The Latin Mass isn’t all happy-clappy shake-hands-with-your-neighbor.
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“Happy-clappy”?
I’m assuming you are saying this characterization is how you view the OF? If it is, its uncharitable and inaccurate. Hopefully, I’m just reading your intent wrong.
 
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The OF
“GiftofMercy said:
Is it the way the Mass is celebrated, is it because the sign of peace is not done, there is a lot less communal singing.
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I think so.
Also it is not said in vernacular.
And the Priest faces the liturgical east.
He bassically told me that I might actually find the EF a bit easier.
Also, it has more of a flow. The Priest does his things when the schola sing.
If less congregational singing then less bad keys to complain about!!! People who think singing Silent night in Bb is easy. It is in favt difficult!! C wouod be a more confortable key. People are too afraid of head voice. I hate how bad people are at singing at the OF. A schola would at least be more professional.

And less complaining about the “no gregorian chant” situation that is a big part of OF.
IanM said:
however I do find the E.F. to be more conducive to transcendence
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Can you please explain this?
 
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DIERM said:
I’m assuming you are saying this characterization is how you view the OF? If it is, its uncharitable and inaccurate. Hopefully, I’m just reading your intent wrong.
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I don’t find it uncharitable to use a descriptive term. I attend OF almost every day. I don’t mind it. It is what it is, and there’s nothing insulting about describing it.

TLM is less “social” in the Mass itself and more focused on quiet worship.

You might be charitable yourself and not jump to conclusions about people’s motivations.
 
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One emphasis at Vatican II was increased participation, which means greater coordination of activities. The goal of Communion, uniting with Christ, was interpreted in a more ecclesial way, as uniting in Christ as the Body of Christ.

OTOH, EF allows more individual, uncoordinated. The priest prays quietly that nobody has to follow. People can pray the rosary and only occasionally notice what is going on. The choir often sings in place of the congregation.

There shouldn’t be any difference between the two forms, but I can understand describing the happy clappy mass as more social than the smelly bell-y mass.
 
jesusmademe said:
The OF
I think so.
Also it is not said in vernacular.
And the Priest faces the liturgical east.
He bassically told me that I might actually find the EF a bit easier.
Also, it has more of a flow. The Priest does his things when the schola sing.
If less congregational singing then less bad keys to complain about!!! People who think singing Silent night in Bb is easy. It is in favt difficult!! C wouod be a more confortable key. People are too afraid of head voice. I hate how bad people are at singing at the OF. A schola would at least be more professional.

And less complaining about the “no gregorian chant” situation that is a big part of OF.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.) IanM:
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Lets see,

Being celebrated in any language does not make a Mass more or less social as it is about worship of God.

The priest faces the way the altar is, and the Mass I go to it is certainly not Liturgical East, and in many of the Churches in my Parish, the original altars did not face Liturgical East, In fact the idea of Liturgical East is one of great misunderstanding.

I love the EF Mass. The schola will only sing at High Mass. Remember there are low and high Masses.
I have heard off key Schola 🙂 I know what you mean, there is a beautiful voice and the others surrounding it are off pitch. but we are human. I am singing at a Bishops Mass this week. That poor newly installed Bishop cannot sing a note out of his speaking range 🙂

You seem to have a cross to bear and overcome with your issue with how people sing. We cannot all be great singers, we cannot all be right on pitch, we cannot all be trained singers. But we can all sing, to some extent. Even if it is only in our speaking voice. Head Voice vs what?
 
GiftofMercy said:
. That poor newly installed Bishop cannot sing a note out of his speaking range 🙂
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But it is easier for me to sing above my speaking range. Speaking range is heavier and less head voice. Most people are afraid of it.
This is why keys are so low.
 
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