Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Tuesday, September 27, 2011

(9/27)...streaming

Yesterday was a busy day, busier than I anticipated, and I never got back to the computer after 9 a.m., at least not for blogging.

Latin Mass at 9:45 a.m. was a big reason. If we go to daily Mass it's at 8:30 a.m., finished by 9, home after pastries and coffee by 10. We often don't start school until 9:30 or 10 so we're not far off on a Mass day. We didn't start school before we left yesterday because we have to leave by 9:15, and we arrived home at 11:30. And then there was that little power nap at about 1:30 while Faith ate lunch (why was I so tired?). And retrieving Noah from school from 3:15 to 4:15, and dinner, homework, blah, blah, blah. A mother's day never really belongs to mother, does it?

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Speaking of Latin Mass...wow, was I surprised.

Veiling was not as big a deal as I thought it would be. I thought we would both be uncomfortable covering our heads, self-conscious, but I thought the Mass would be no big deal. Not that Mass is not a big deal, because it definitely is, always, in every form, but I didn't think it would be soooo different. I guess I thought it would be very much the N.O. Mass in Latin. I thought it would be like the Mass on EWTN radio -- N.O Mass with Latin prayers. I was wrong on all counts.

Well, like I said, veiling was not a big deal. Every other woman had her head covered, so I didn't feel odd at all and neither did Faith (except when my veil fell back and Faith whispered in my ear).

But the Mass was sooo different. I came away a little stunned (not in a bad way at all, just surprised at how very different Mass could be). I can't imagine how Catholics felt when the Church went from the Traditional Mass to the N.O. Mass. I was young, and so I don't really remember being stunned, but older Catholics must have thought "what is all this talking?" The Latin Mass, for those who do not attend (and this was a Low Latin Mass, so no chanting or incense), is very, very quiet. With the exception of a few Latin responses, like after the reading and the Gospel, there are no responses. And with the exception of the readings, the homily and the Hail Marys, Hail Holy Queen and prayer to St. Michael before the recession, it was all Latin, and often not in audible tones. As one who has not been to Latin Mass since I was a young school girl (and we went every morning before school, so I was familiar with it at a time) it felt very passive, and it felt very private. It could have been just Father and me in the church.

(Well, except for that little altar server who never missed a beat. He was about 10 years old and I'll tell you it was second nature to him -- most impressive. He knew every prayer response and every move, which is a lot.)

I did not have a missal, which was my mistake. Like I said, I thought it would be more like the N.O. Mass in Latin and I had the prayers in Latin in my Magnificat. But it was not the N.O. Mass at all. The readings were different (different calendar) and there were many prayers, which I did not know, and many motions, of which I did not know the significance. Of course Holy Communion was on the knees and on the tongue, but I was prepared for that, and prepared Faith ahead of time.

I'm certain I could have asked any one of my readers here what to expect (you are probably snickering at me now), but I just never thought, and that is my fault. Mea culpa. But no harm done. I think Faith is open-minded enough that though she didn't understand a word of it, essentially we knew what was going on (and that little altar boy kept her very entertained) and we will go back. Our young associate pastor intends to offer the Low Mass twice a week when possible. That gives us a great many opportunities, once we get a missal. And if anyone has a suggestion for a reasonably-priced Latin missal, I'm all ears.


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Another busy day today, a lunch date, grocery shopping, pick up, blah, blah, blah. Have a good one.


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17 comments:

  1. http://www.ecclesiadei.org/Booklet%20Missals.htm

    Barbara, the above link is for the "red" cover missal passed out and used for Latin Mass at St. Patrick's, where we attend. It has the Mass in English and Latin, but not the readings. It is very easy to follow and Faith would do well with this book. It's also inexpensive.

    My missal with readings is the Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962 by Angelus Press.

    Yes, the low Latin Mass is very different from any other. Thankfully, we have one Tues. through Sat. 20 minutes from our home. Solemn High Mass is in New Orleans every Sunday - 70 minutes away. We love them both! When we first started attending Latin Mass we found used missals in second hand book stores and St. Vincent shops in excellent condition for pennies.

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  2. Thank you Cheryl. Checking it out. We are in such a not-Catholic community I have my doubts about finding anything Catholic in a thrift store. But I can always note the readings from an online calendar. And technically I don't need them because they are in English. ;-)

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  3. Barbara - you would do well with the red missal also. You can listen to the readings. The red missal has lots of little explanations along the way and it's very easy to follow.

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  4. The red missal is great - we ordered ours from here: http://christtheking.stores.yahoo.net/latbookmis.html

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  5. Hi Barbara, we often attend the Tridentine Mass. The "red missal" is afordable, outstanding, and easy to follow. Also, you can print out Mass inserts for Sunday Tridentine Masses and for some Masses during the week here: http://uvoc.org/Propers/Propers_2011/Propers_Calendar.html

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  6. Sorry, not sure what happened. Here is the full link:
    http://uvoc.org/Propers/Propers_2011/Propers_Calendar.html

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  7. Ok, not sure why it won't fully print. Try this: http://uvoc.org/propers.html

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  8. Barb, was delighted to read this.

    First, yes, love the red missal.

    Second, you describe my own thoughts from 6 years ago...This IS different...this is quiet and peaceful. How different it must have felt to those who say it change in a day 40+ years ago.

    At my Mass, not everyone veils, either.

    For me, and after 6 years, I now find it hard stay focused at a Novus Ordo. My silence is interrupted and I can't pray the Mass as reverently with all the enter-stage-left and exit-stage-right. There's no personalization by the priest at the EF. Life Father Z says, "Say the Black and Do the Red." I have come to rely on that.

    Hope you enjoyed it.

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  9. Barb, Generations carry the red missal. I have a copy if you want to borrow it. We get to go to Holy Family once a year for the homeschooler's Mass. I would love to go more often.

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  10. Thanks, Christine, and thanks for the link.

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  11. Thanks, Stephanie. My dear mother in law brought me her own Latin Missal and all I needed was a calendar to find the readings! Perfect.

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  12. I did enjoy it, Allison. You can't even compare the two -- apples and oranges. Though I must say our wonderful priests celebrate a beautiful Novus Ordo -- so reverent, so very meaningful and unlike most other churches. I really love it. It's a beautiful halfway, I say!

    I will go back to the Latin Mass. I feel called. With a missal, it will make all the difference. It will take a while to not get lost, but worth the effort!

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  13. Ana Maria,
    I sent you an email. If I get more notice next time I will surely let you know!

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  14. What a blessing to have the EF in your area! Even the Novus Ordo in Latin is wonderful. We have neither available to us where we live. *sigh*
    I'm hoping this changes soon. Thanks for sharing you experience. God bless!

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  15. so glad you enjoyed your first LM.
    that peace and quiet you speak of is often THE only thing that gets me thru the week. it's the only time i get that quiet one on one time with God. we've been going for about 8yrs now and can't ever imagine going back (apples to oranges to say the least) the churches here are SO wacky. the closest reverent NO mass is 40 miles away!
    an affordable alternative to a missal is this prayer book:
    http://www.fraternitypublications.com/blessedbegod.html
    i love. love. love. it. it's not intended for daily mass. just weekly. but the prayers are wonderful.

    peace to you, dear friend.
    i've been enjoying your homeschooling posts. i keep hoping i will be able to come out of this difficult time to write one of my own!

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  16. Give yourself time. It takes a good bit of it even with the missals to really be familiar with the flow and what comes next, to follow along a quiet mass and know where you should be at a given time. And high mass is different again. It does come though. Well worth the effort. : )

    and my first latin mass I wore a borrowed long mantilla from the chapel. Asher was little then and next to me. I felt something funny and realized he was slowly pulling down his side of it and the other side was up around my ear.

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  17. We attend EF whenever possible at a chapel here. The small liberal arts Catholic college has a faculty determined to have a daily Latin Mass for the students and all are welcome. I've noticed more people coming although not all the women are veiled. I've worn a veil even to Novus Ordo Masses for years now. I feel weird and almost disrespectful if I don't wear one. I'm sure there are people that think I am weird (because I was told just that once) but I prefer the veil as a sign of my love and respect for God and His Sacrifice for me. When my boys were babies they used to pull my veil off and play with it but I don't think God minds that. ;) The EF is as close to the Sacrifice in Heaven as we can get on earth. The Novus Ordo (when done properly) is beautiful too but when I atttended the first EF I was amazed by the reverence and the absolute focus on God. It's too beautiful to be missed! I'm so glad you are inspired to return!

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!