New to the Latin Mass?
Answers to Common Questions
Some Background and Terms
If this is your first time attending Mass according to the 1962 Missal (i.e., the Latin Mass), you might be wondering what you just walked into. Maybe you’ve heard people describe the Latin Mass, but didn't anticipate how different it would feel. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and the difference you're noticing is precisely what attracts so many people to this ancient form of the liturgy. However, a little explanation is helpful as you navigate your way through your first time.
First a little background on where these forms of the Mass come from. The Mass (under any form) ultimately traces the roots of its development to the Last Supper. Over time, different prayers and different rituals have been adopted, but the core has remained constant since Jesus. The Latin Mass is sometimes referred to as the usus antiquor (the ancient use of the liturgy) or the Tridentine Mass since it became normative in the Roman Church at the Council of Trent. Today, you will hear it most commonly referred to as the Extraordinary Form (i.e. outside the ordinary) since the normal form of the Mass is the one said in the vernacular.
If there is an Extraordinary Form of the Mass there must be an ordinary one as well. The Ordinary Form of the Mass is the one you would expect if you walked into most Catholic churches on any given Sunday. This form of the Mass was created in the wake of Vatican II in an attempt to encourage more active participation among the congregation and to make the Mass easier to understand. It was promulgated (i.e. made official) by Pope Paul VI in 1967. Because it is newer, it is often called the Novus Ordo, or "new order." The theologians who wrote the Novus Ordo thought about the Mass in a different way than had previously been done. What that means practically is that the expectations for how you are supposed to pray and what you are supposed to do during the Latin Mass are different from the Novus Ordo. That might sound intimidating at first, but in fact, once you know what those differences are, you'll probably breathe a sigh of relief.
A Different Sensibility About the Mass
So what are these differences? In the Novus Ordo, participation is key. As part of the congregation, you’re expected to say all the responses. A lot of emphasis is put on understanding and consciously participating in every aspect of the Mass. Applying that same sensibility to the Latin Mass might feel overwhelming. Am I expected to know Latin? I can't hear what the priest is saying. How am I supposed to respond? What am I supposed to do?
This reaction is natural since those are standard expectations at a Novus Ordo Mass. However, the Mass in the Extraordinary Form carries a different sensibility with it. In the Latin Mass, the emphasis is on the Eucharist as the unbloody sacrifice. The priest is ascending the altar to offer Jesus' sacrifice to the Father on our behalf. In the Novus Ordo, we have scripted responses that are meant to help us engage with this mystery, but in the Latin Mass, there is no script for how we are to pray. We are witnesses to an amazing miracle taking place on that altar and we are free to speak to God from our hearts however we are moved. Some people follow along with the Missal and pray along with the priest. Some unite their intentions with the priest's sacrifice. Some pray the rosary or speak to God from their hearts. Some just kneel in silence and awe. It's not that people don't pray in the Latin Mass, but rather that in the midst of the silence, people are praying in different ways while the priest offers the Holy Sacrifice. So don't feel like you should know what the responses are or speak fluent Latin. No one expects you to. Relax, listen to God speak to your heart, and from your heart speak back to Him.
How do I know when to sit, stand, and kneel?
As with the Novus Ordo, there are certain times in the Mass when the congregation sits, stands, or kneels. While it may not have been the first thing on your mind when you first decided to come to this Mass, for many people it quickly becomes front and center as they try to blend in with what the rest of the congregation is doing. Don’t feel self-conscious. Most of the people in the church have been in your position, and probably not that long ago either.
To help you follow along with the Mass, there is a red handbook available in the back of the church. On the left are the Latin prayers and on the right is the English translation. The directions on when to sit, stand, and kneel are in the margins on the right. Please note, that most Masses at St. Mary of Redford are High Masses (i.e. Masses that are sung.) Instructions for the Low Mass (Masses without music) can be set aside for now.
You will notice as you try to follow along that is difficult to keep up with the Latin. You may be thinking that this is due to the fact that you are not a native Latin speaker, but it actually has more to do with the fact that you aren't expected to hear a lot of those prayers. The priest is addressing them to God; you're given a cheat sheet so you know what He's praying, but since you are not the intended audience, you won't hear every word. The key to following along is to look for liturgical cues. Often these cues are the phrases the priest speaks loud enough for you to hear. When he sings out, "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" everyone stands. When he says, "Dominus vobiscum" before the Gospel, everyone stands. When he says, "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus" and bells are run, everyone kneels. These will be helpful bench markers for you as try to follow along.
Most of the parts of the Mass that you are used to in the Novus Ordo may be found in some form in the Latin Mass. However, there will be parts that you have come to expect that you will not find. This is helpful to know if you've lost your place in the red handbook and are expecting to be able to find it again when (for instance) the offertory hymn starts. To give a few examples, whereas the Novus Ordo is broken up by four hymns and a responsorial psalm, hymns are not used in the Latin Mass. You'll also notice that there is an offertory in the Latin Mass, but there isn't a procession with the gifts like in the Novus Ordo. You will also notice there is no handshaking among the congregation at the kiss of peace. There is a kiss of peace, but it is done by the priest at the altar.
This is all offered to be helpful, but most of all we recommend that you be patient with yourself. It will take a little bit before this becomes familiar. Relax, shamelessly look around to see what everyone is doing, and feel free to take a pew further back in the church if you find it helpful as you learn. Friars will also periodically sit with parishioners and help them follow along, so know that we are here to help.
Receiving on the Tongue
The last common panic-inducing issue is the question of how to receive communion. Many people today are used to receiving communion in the hand, but this is a relatively recent practice. The older practice (and the one that is used in the Latin Mass) is receiving communion on the tongue while kneeling. We kneel as a sign of reverence before Jesus in the Eucharist and we receive on the tongue in order to ensure that no particles (all of which are 100% the body and soul of Jesus) are accidentally lost. For people who haven't done this before, it can be an intimidating prospect. Hopefully giving step-by-step instructions will help alleviate some of the worry.
Step 1: Kneel along the altar rail
At St. Mary of Redford, we have a marble rail in front of the St. Joseph altar. People will file out of their pews (it need not be in exact order) and approach the altar rail. About four people can kneel at the rail at a time. Once one person gets up from the altar rail after receiving communion, the next person in line is free to kneel down and wait for the priest to come to him/her.
Step 2: Stick out your tongue
The priest walks down the altar rail, giving communion to each person before looping back to the beginning. When he comes to you, an altar boy will put a gold plate called a paten underneath your chin. As soon as they are there, you may stick out your tongue. Unlike the Novus Ordo, you do not have to say Amen. The priest does that for you.
Sticking out your tongue probably feels weird and you may hesitate to stick out all the way. Know that the bigger target you make your tongue, the easier it is for the priest to give you communion. You can stare straight ahead while you receive or you can close your eyes if it makes you feel more comfortable. The priest will come to you and say in Latin, “May the body of our Lord Jesus Christ guard your soul on its journey to eternal life” and then place the host on your tongue. The host naturally sticks to your tongue and you will be able to receive Our Lord without ever touching the host with your hands. If the host does not stick to your tongue, the paten is there to catch Him.
Step 3: Go back to your seat and speak to Jesus
Once you have received, you can get up from the altar rail and go back to your seat and pray. Jesus has just taken up residence in you, so speak to Him. Thank Him for coming to you, body, blood, soul, and divinity. Ask Him for special graces you need. Just sit and listen to Him. You will find you have more space to do this in the Latin Mass than you might have at a Novus Ordo, so take advantage of that time with Our Lord.
Some women are wearing chapel veils on their heads. Did I miss something?
Sometimes at the Latin Mass, you'll notice women wearing veils on their heads. This is a practice that traces back to St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11 in which he says that men should bare their heads in church and women should veil theirs. These veils are called mantillas or chapel veils. This was a common practice throughout the history of the church but did not continue with the Novus Ordo. Please feel free to adopt the practice as a way to be more reverent, but know that we are not requiring it.
A chance to experience the ancient form of the Mass
We hope this experience of the Latin Mass leads to a powerful encounter with Jesus Christ. This is an ancient form of the Mass and the way many of the great saints prayed. For centuries, Jesus Christ has descended to earth at the words, "Hoc est Corpus meum," (This is My Body) and He still does today. We hope that, like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, your eyes too might be opened today as you recognize Him “in the breaking of the bread.”