First Time At A Latin Mass

[Aloysius]

if you'd like to follow the propers, you can probably find them online for that specific day and print them out. but don't get too busy trying to make sure you're following along... when you do that, it's almost like going to some place amazing and taking up all of your time taking pictures of it so that when you leave, you realize that the only time you really spent was trying to make sure you had pictures and you didn't actually experience the place. that can happen when trying too hard to follow along.

if it is a high mass, you should keep in mind that often the priest will be going through parts of the missal while one specific part is being sung by the choir. it sort of diverges sometimes as to which direction you want to follow in the prayer; for instance, at the beginning you could attempt to follow along the prayers at the foot of the altar as the priest does it, or you could follow along with the introit antiphon being sung overtop of him. following what the choir is doing tends to be more contemplative, I think, because it's one section of the mass drawn out so long, often with some of the vowels taking up a long time while you can meditate upon what is being said; while following along the prayers of the priest is more of a vocal prayer. both are built into a high mass (built into the low mass too with its silence being the contemplative aspect) in a very easy and spectacular way.

if you can find the propers for the day in latin-english translation from the internet and print them out (or buy a missal if you wanna make a long term commitment) , it might be nice to have... that way (if it's a High Mass especially) you'll know what they're singing overtop of the priest's prayers during the introit antiphon and during the offertory, and between the lesson and the gospel for the gradual and alleluia antiphons.

[rhetoricfemme]

[quote name='Moosey' post='1832940' date='Apr 12 2009, 04:04 PM']At Communion just line up against the communion rail like everyone else and when you receive the host, receive on the tongue. The priest is going to say "Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam tuam in vitam aeternam. Amen," when he gives you communion, do not say "Amen" after you receive.[/quote]
I've been thinking about venturing to the Latin Mass in our area. I'm still waiting on the next round of RCIA, though, so does it matter if I go for a blessing during Communion? Or would I hang back?

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='rhetoricfemme' post='1834384' date='Apr 13 2009, 06:40 PM']I've been thinking about venturing to the Latin Mass in our area. I'm still waiting on the next round of RCIA, though, so does it matter if I go for a blessing during Communion? Or would I hang back?[/quote]

I'm pretty sure that the Latin Mass doesn't do "blessings" during Communion, so just stay in your seat. Do go though - a Latin Mass is so beautiful!

If I am wrong, please someone, correct me!

[Aloysius]

the priest likely wouldn't understand... the idea of non-Catholics going up for a blessing during communion is relatively modern and even particular to specific locations... it is often not understood by priests in Novus Ordo masses when a person goes up with their hands crossed asking for a blessing. while the priest does bless infants, he would come up to you praying the prayer with the Eucharist in hand and if you didn't open your mouth, there'd just be some type of interruption and he wouldn't know what you were trying to do. better to stay back and pray... you can always make a spiritual communion.

[Moosey]

Im actually not sure. I've watched my priest bless little kids but that only because he knows if they've received their first communion or not. We're kind of a small Latin Mass Community. I was thinking maybe you could go up and cross your arms but he might not see that and still try to offer you communion. Im going with what nunsense said agree that you just stay in your seat. Say a [url="http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/blsac4.htm"]spiritual communion[/url] instead.

[Moosey]

[quote name='Aloysius' post='1834405' date='Apr 13 2009, 09:58 PM']you can always make a spiritual communion.[/quote]
We posted at the same time but you beat me to it

[mcts]

now i don't know if i have anyone to go with

i don't want to go by myself my first time

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='mcts' post='1836052' date='Apr 15 2009, 03:02 PM']now i don't know if i have anyone to go with

i don't want to go by myself my first time [/quote]

As someone who chronically often just doesn't give two hoots about whether anyone else is around or not...I'd say just go Grab a seat at the back where you can see everything, relax and let God take over. It's really important that you are physically there - at one point in the Canon (I think) the priest specifically asks God to be merciful to him and to everyone actually at Mass with him at that precise moment. So even if you're sitting there wondering what the jiggings is going on, Father's up there praying his guts out for you. Don't pass up that kind of opportunity

[mcts]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1836067' date='Apr 15 2009, 08:58 AM']As someone who chronically often just doesn't give two hoots about whether anyone else is around or not...I'd say just go Grab a seat at the back where you can see everything, relax and let God take over. It's really important that you are physically there - at one point in the Canon (I think) the priest specifically asks God to be merciful to him and to everyone actually at Mass with him at that precise moment. So even if you're sitting there wondering what the jiggings is going on, Father's up there praying his guts out for you. Don't pass up that kind of opportunity [/quote]

lol ok

sounds good

[dominicaninmyheart2]

Latin masses are so beautiful! I wish that they would be said more but, that's just my opinion.

[DemonSlayer]

I have yet to go to one, I haven't found a reason to go to one.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Don't feed the cherubim.

[mcts]

so i went, and i liked it, but should i have been able to hear anything? i don't care if i wasn't supposed to, but i could hardly hear a word the priest said.

[Resurrexi]

The Canon is supposed to be said fairly quietly as are a number of other prayers of the Mass

[Aloysius]

many of the prayers the priest says are meant to be inaudible. was it a low mass or a high mass? (ie, was there a choir singing overtop of the priest?)

while in the Novus Ordo one often has to interject periods of silence for the contemplation of the faithful, in the Latin Mass the silence is deeply and intricately built in... but especially in a high mass when many of the parts are also sung audibly (and beautifully) it's an intricate mix both of silent meditation/contemplation as well as explicit vocal prayer.