Latin Mass

[gwyn]

Every Friday evening Mass is celebrated here in Latin.

This evening a visiting priest celebrated Mass in Latin in its Tridentine form. It was for many of us our first Tridentine experience and potentially a beautifully prayerful, holy time. Sadly Mass was mumbled though hell-for-leather by the Celebrant. The result being that those who had grown up with this rite were reminded of its exclusivity while we who are unfamiliar with it remain so. Such a missed opportunity.

Just thought I'd share that.

[presbyter]

I suggest you read Crichton's The once and Future Liturgy for some very apt and cogent comments concerning how the Missal of Pius V was used and abused ......... weekday Mass in 13 minutes or so?

[Benevenio]

Sounds like Gwyn had an 'authentic' experience then.

My mother in law once went to evening Stations of the Cross. From home to being back at home took 15 minutes - and there is a 3 or 4 minute drive to the church... Is that a record?

[sidvicius]

Yeah - probably sounded like an LP played at '78'. No wonder she only went once. This sort of 'service by numbers' is criminal isn't it? I know latin isn't for everyone, but if it fulfils a purpose i.e. it helps someone pray, shouldn't it be done right? If you can't do something properly, or at least try to get it right, you shouldn't do it, right?

[contrabordun]

My mother in law once went ... 15 minutes...

You should have put more into the collection plate that morning

[Benevenio]

I couldn't afford it then (poor student).
Not sure I could afford it now, either!

[SOP]

I grew up singing in our church choir which regularly sang Palestrina and Vittoria masses. We knew them off by heart. Then along came Mass in English but we still sang the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei from the settings we had used for years.

Then there was great excitement because there was going to be an extra Mass one Sunday afternoon in the Tridentine rite. We all looked forward to it.

I was bored out of my skull when it finally happened! I had very quickly grown used to being part of the Mass and being aware of everything.

Knowing the Mass I do not need to be able to speak the local language to understand exactly where we are up to. Going on holiday anywhere in world means I am at home going to Mass anywhere. I used to think it was the Latin that was the universal element but now know different.

My old parish was vacated by the order who had built it up and taken over by another order whose first action was to take out the new altar and remove as much evidence of alterations since Vatican II as they could. I went to Benediction there thinking it would be nostalgic. Yet again, it was boring. The priests on the altar were obviously enjoying themselves with their chants and clouds of incense but for the pew dwellers we were just onlookers. In fact, I got up and walked around the statues and reminisced as what was going on up at the high altar was nothing to do with me.

[gwyn]

I went this morning to the 10.30 Latin Mass at the Birmingham Oratory church - worra spiritually uplifting experience. The choir sang the Kyrie & Gloria from Missa Brevis (Mozart), the rest was plainsong and was included on the pew leaflet so that we could participate.