Would they recognize it as the same church?

[gelsbern]

I was in an interesting conversation the other day. Eventually the question came up, if the Apostles or the early church fathers showed up at Mass, would they recognize it as catholic?

Being tradtional (I prefer the tridentine rite in both latin and english) and of course my involvement in the SST. I did not have an answer.

So I want to get thoughts from those who ARE in union with Rome as this forum as it is a valuable resource.

If the Apostles or early church fathers, walked into your Church during Mass, would they recognize it as catholic?

 

[puzzleannie]

well if they walked into a TLM Mass maybe Paul would recognize it because as a Roman citizen he probably spoke Latin, but the others might not.

 

[Nekic]

Well,

Novus Ordo? I don’t think so, untill you get up to the concecration. If they understand the lingo, they’ll pick it up. …i think…

TLM? Most definately.
That’s my opinion anyway. Correct me if i’m wrong.

 

[lgatny]

if i’m not mistaken, the novus ordo mass is very similar to that of the early christians. at least that’s what i was taught. the early christians certainly didn’t have mass in latin…unless they were in rome of course. mass was in the vernacular, as it is now.

 

[Eden]

In The Catholic Way by Bishop Donald Wuerl he states that

"St. Justin Martyr, who lived in the second century of the Christian era, was a devout follower of the Lord, convinced that he could bring others to the practice of the faith by explaining to them what Christians believe and how we worship.

He wrote to the pagan emperor Antoninus Pius, who reigned from 138 to 161, sometime around the year 155 explaining what Christians did when they celebrated the Eucharist. In the* Catechism* there is a step-by-step outline in the words of Saint Justin Martyr. Were you to take this text and line it up against the order of the Mass that we use today, you would find very little difference - and that only in the details (see section 1345 of the* Catechism*)" (Wuerl p 175)

So my answer is yes, they would recognize the Mass at my Church as Catholic.