[sinkspur]

The lay person's role in the effecting of the Eucharist was accidental (in the philosophical sense of not being "of the essence"), though the rubrics required the presence of at least one layman (to complete the sign of Christ, Head and members). As a consequence, the people were left to pray privately, their active role fulfilled by the servers. Put another way, their Mass participation was primarily devotional (the rosary, prayer books etc.), as opposed to liturgical (giving the responses, following the prayers devoutly etc.

In fact, that's the reason for the proliferation of popular devotions, like the rosary, the Stations, Novenas, litanies, and other "sacramentals."

The laity did other things during Mass to keep occupied and to give themselves some form of prayer that THEY could participate in.

[maryz]

. . . like the rosary, the Stations, Novenas, litanies, and other "sacramentals."

I've never encountered any of these but the rosary said during Mass. I remember in the late 50s, a number of people would make Stations before or after Mass. Novenas were totally separate, at night, often followed by Benediction. Unless you mean the little novena cards that people carried in their Missals -- but if they were carrying Missals, they were prepared to follow the Mass. Litanies were always part of something else. (Though in my parish in the late 50s, someone would actually lead a rosary at daily Mass during October, followed by the litany of the BVM.)