Posted on 12/22/2014 1:51:56 PM PST by NYer
From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
At the TLM I understand that I, as a layperson, gain the graces simply by being present, but what am I supposed to do during it? I’ve heard that people used to pray the rosary silently. I sometimes follow along in the missal but should I be reading what the priest is saying silently or should I be praying with what the choir is singing? For instance would I meditate on contrition during the Kyrie instead of reading what the priest is saying while the Kyrie is being sung? What are some ideas? What did the common folk of the past do?
How can the laity participate in the Holy Mass? How did they used to? How can they best do so?
Excellent questions. The fact that you are asking these questions is a sign of desire to grow in holiness. The first promptings of the Holy Spirit usually excite in us the desire to pray. Secondly, we get inspired to try and pray with the Church. Thirdly, we get inspired to try and pray well.
There’s no set way prescribed for the laity to participate in the Holy Mass.
The Church is gracious in recognizing that we are all individuals. We have our own temperaments, interests, and devotions. As individuals our moods and abilities will vary dramatically. Our needs change from day to day, year to year, season of life….
The Roman Rite is not linear. There are different things going on at the same time. For Catholics, this is not confusing cacophony, but rather soothing symphony. When listening to a symphony, you can pay close attention to the oboe one time, the strings the next time, the kettledrum a third time. Or you can let the whole sound wash over and enjoy the harmonies. There’s no “right” way of listening to a symphony.
This applies to Holy Mass.
When Hearing Mass, you can attentively pray along with the choir. You can, make your responses to the priest’s greetings and promptings to pray, for example, at the congregations Domine, non sum dignus. Or you can pray along with the priest… silently, of course, during his own prayers. You can use the rosary to meditate on the Lord’s life, Our Lady’s intercession, and the graces showered upon us. Perhaps meditate on other aspects of our Faith. You might express your sorrow for sins you’ve committed, pray for the needs of your family and friends, or use the time to simply give thanks to the Blessed Trinity.
Holy Mass is the highest prayer God has given the Church to offer to Him. It stands to reason that the closer your prayers are to the prayers of the Holy Mass, the more efficacious they will be. There are wonderful old missals and prayerbooks that can help to keep your mind and heart focused on the action of the Mass, on Christ’s action in the Mass. Don’t ever worry that there’s some special “formula” of prayer during Mass that’s absolutely optimal.
Sometimes it’s enough just to “be” at Mass.
Follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If anything seems off, or difficult, or unusual, consult your confessor next time you go.
And don’t forget a prayer for the priest who is reading Mass.
So, if you are accustomed to responding at the NO mass and singing along with the choir, you may do so at the TLM.
I never heard of praying the Rosary during Mass. Before Mass, maybe, or afterwards, but never during.
I never heard of praying the Rosary during Mass. Before Mass, maybe, or afterwards, but never during.
...I never have either, but it is the single most used piece of ammunition by the Novus Ordo crowd against the TLM...
I am so looking forward to returning from where I was raised for Christmas Mass!
The hand holding, the raucous music, the deafening chatter prior to service and the priest’s scowl accompanied by a deep sigh as I attempt to take communion on my tongue.
I love the Mass, but there is something about the TLM that’s amazing. When I was growing up, our Missals had the Latin and the English next to each other. The priest facing the Tabernacle; the hymns; there’s just something special about it. In my parish we had one a week, until many of our parishes got closed: all but one or two had a High Altar necessary for the TLM.... : (
Could you explain what their complaint is?
If that NO crowd wants their sloppy, ugly, heretical Masses, let them have at it but give me the TLM!
I also take Communion on my tongue... I was in the hospital once, and the Eucharistic Minister came in with vinyl gloves on! That really upset me...
Jesus is still present at Mass; Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. I love the Latin, too, but I’m grateful to be able to go to Mass with all the church closings. I also thank God that I know priests who have a profound respect for their office, celebrating the Mass with great reverence!
I know that and respect that. I just hate Masses I’ve been forced to attend by my in-laws that have little girl altar boys, idiots waving their hands around like they’re channeling some Hindu goddess, and clumsy priests who drop the Host to the amusement of the crowd.
Explain..?
Dear friends, childhood memories are often very strong. My recollection of Sunday Mass (pre VCII) falls into that category. It was a time before the advent of a/c or microphones. Churches were packed to overflowing at each mass. Without a microphone, the liturgy sounded mumbled, as did the responses by the altar servers. Perhaps for that reason, it was common practice for those in attendance to silently pray the rosary during the mass. We were non-participating observers. The priest said his prayers in Latin and the altar servers responded with theirs, also in Latin. At the appropriate times, the choir sang, in English and occasionally in Latin. In summer, the churches were hot; occasionally a fan circulated the hot air.
Fast forward to 10 years ago. At the suggestion of another freeper, I dusted off my missal and attended a TLM. The experience was like stepping out of a time machine. Though the church was less crowded and now the priest had a microphone, those in attendance were observers. Even with the mic, the priest's prayers were muffled and the altar server's were fast, to keep pace with the liturgy. The sound of clicking beads drew my attention to a nearby woman who was praying the rosary. Suddenly, it was 1956 again. There were a few young families with children holding the same missals we had back then and some older youth wearing maxi skirts.
So, YES, the rosary was often prayed by those in the pews ... then and now.
Ooohh, I shudder when a Host drops! I know what you mean, though. What bugs me is all the chatter before and after. I miss my time to prepare before and give thanks after: the noise can be distracting!
Buy yourself a new missal. Get the one with Latin on the left side of the pages and English on the right side. I've always had a missal like that. Mine is the St. Joseph version.
You can check it out on the Internet. Try GOOGLE for starters.
I just bought a new one because I LOST my old one. I THINK that I put it on the roof of my car, put my jacket on, got in the car and DROVE away and my missal went bye-bye.
It IS just a book. I never had it blessed.
Sorry, I’m as old as you probably if not older and I have no recollection of the Rosary being said during the Mass by anyone. How can you say the Rosary when you are standing, sitting, kneeling and uttering the occasional response? Of course, I also have no memory of a choir at the Masses I attended. I don’t doubt you, of course. You saw what you saw.
In the Eastern Catholic Churches, that is the ONLY way communion is distributed. There is no communion in the hand. <
I was in the hospital once, and the Eucharistic Minister came in with vinyl gloves on! That really upset me...
OMG I would have asked the EM to take off the glove.
We are both residents of NY. My childhood was in Cambria Heights, a Queens neighborhood that was booming with post war housing and lots of children. The parish also had a school and Sunday masses often necessitated a police officer to conduct traffic after mass. The children's mass was at 9am and the nuns took attendance; in fact, we had to sit with our class at mass! Still have my composition books from 1st and 2nd grades. I also recall pleading with my grandparents to take me to Midnight Mass, one year. It was a high mass and I still recall the aroma of incense wafting heavenward.
Agree!
All the sitting, standing, kneeling isn’t very helpful to us seniors with rheumatoid arthritis.
It's no reason to do away with the mass of ages.
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