10 things I love about the New Mass

The following are some of the things I love about the newer form of the Roman Rite when celebrated with dignity. 

1. Worship  

The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ. There can be no higher form of worship.  Christ is truly present, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist. Christ is also present in the priest, in the proclamation of the Word of God and in the people gathered to worship in His name. 

2. Reverence

The reverence of the priest genuflecting towards the Blessed Sacrament when he passes the tabernacle before and after Mass, after the consecration of the Body and Bloody of Christ and before he receives Holy Communion,  the bowing, the silent prayers, the gestures all turn our hearts and minds to the Lord. The Sanctus bell and incense can also add to the sense of solemnity.

 

3. Silence. 

The silence commanded by the newer form of the Roman Rite include within the Act of Penitence and again after the invitation to pray before the Collect; there should be silence at the conclusion of each reading and homily so that all may meditate briefly on what they have heard; then after Communion, there should be silence so that we may praise and pray to God in our hearts.

4. History continuity. 

The Mass retains some of the gestures, prayers and ritual that the saints would have been familiar with back through the centuries. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults has restored some ancient liturgical practises such as the dismissal of catechumens etc which have also been retained in eastern liturgies. 

5. Music

The preferred music at Mass should be Gregorian chant. I find that this music is powerful, easy to sing and unites the congregation in worship. It brings to mind the continuity of the Catholic Faith and reminds us we are not alone. If Gregorian chant is not used then preference should be given to singing the Mass itself either in Latin or a local language rather than to a collection of hymns. 

6. Gestures

When we make the sign of the cross using holy water we are reminded of our baptism, the incarnation, the Trinity and Christ's sacrifice. When we strike ourselves in the confiteor, bow profoundly at the words of the incarnation in the creed; bow at the name of Jesus, Mary or the saint of the day, when we stand for the Gospel and kneel for the Eucharistic Prayer, our whole bodies are involved in worship. 

7. Doctrine

Every single Catholic teaching is included in the newer form of the Roman rite - our need to worship, confess our sins, praise, give thanks. I love the fact that the modern version of the Confiteor reminds us that we sin in what we fail to do as well as in our thoughts, words and deeds. The Mass should reinforce our belief in the real presence and our understanding of the Communion of the Saints. The newer form of the Roman rite includes prayers for the dead and prayers to protect us from Satan. 

8. The focus of the priest and people. 

The priest and people should all focus on the altar and a crucifix should be nearby. This is more obvious where Mass is celebrated ad orientem as in this photo of Pope Francis but should also be the case when Mass is celebrated facing the people. These all bring us out of ourselves and  focus our minds and hearts on God. 

9. Language

Latin is still the language of the Latin Church and has a beauty and poetry that expresses clearly and succinctly our faith. Local languages are usually used in the newer form of the Roman Rite - but thanks to reforms in recent years, these are now faithful translations. 

10. Unity

It is unusual for the whole of the Mass to be offered in Latin in the newer form of the Roman Rite but when parts of the Mass are sung in Latin, there's a powerful sense of inclusiveness and unity of spirit with one another.  Even if we don't understand the language and cannot take part in the responses due to so many languages being used, we are united in faith. 

10 things I love about the Latin Mass

The following are some of the things I love about the older form of the Roman Rite when celebrated with dignity. 

1. Worship 

The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ. There can be no higher form of worship. Christ is truly present, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist. Christ is also present in the priest, in the proclamation of the Word of God and in the people gathered to worship in His name. 

2. Reverence

The reverence of the priest including (usually) facing the tabernacle, the bowing, the silent prayers, the gestures all turn our hearts and minds to the Lord. The Sanctus bell and incense can also add to the sense of solemnity. 

3. Silence. 

The silent prayers and in particular the canon (Eucharistic prayer) are powerful aids to prayer and meditation. 

4. History continuity. 

The Mass is ancient and extends back to the time of Christ, who instituted it. Many of the  gestures, prayers and ritual of the older form of the Roman Rite would have been familiar with saints back through the centuries. 

5. Music

A High Mass or Missa Cantata should give preference to Gregorian chant. I find that this music is powerful, easy to sing and unites the congregation in worship. It brings to mind the continuity of the Catholic Faith and how we are not alone. 

6. Gestures

When we make the sign of the cross using holy water we are reminded of our baptism, the incarnation, the Trinity and Christ's sacrifice. When we strike ourselves in the confiteor, kneel in adoration at the words of the incarnation in the creed and Last Gospel, when we stand for the Gospel and kneel for Holy Communion, our whole bodies are involved in worship. 

7. Doctrine

Every single Catholic teaching is included in the older form of the Roman rite - our need to worship, confess our sins, praise, give thanks. Our belief in the real presence and our understanding of the Communion of the Saints.  The older form of the Roman rite includes prayers for the dead and prayers to protect us from Satan. 

8. The focus of the priest and people. 

The priest and people focussing on the altar, the crucifix and and the tabernacle. These all bring us out of ourselves and  focus our minds and hearts on God. 

9. Language

Latin has a beauty and poetry that express clearly and succinctly our faith. It is a language hallowed by almost two thousand years of usage by Catholics and c.1,500 years in a liturgical setting.  It is a language that goes back to the time of Christ Himself. 

10. Unity

The Latin Mass enables people of a variety of languages and cultures to worship together. Living in Hong Kong, I love the fact I can praise God alongside an individual who doesn't speak English.  I love the fact that we kneel next to one another to receive Holy Communion rather than individually lining up.  

A moment of silence

As a father of a very young son, I imagine that quiet times shall be few and far between.

I have been enjoying a short time to think, pray and meditate at home but this led me to think - what about at Mass?

In a world full of every distraction - phones, Internet, TV, etc. all competing for our attention it is nevertheless important to have time aside to listen to God and what He might be saying to us. 

One of the reasons I love the traditional Mass is that there is that silence that permeates it. Even in the church we attend where we have a Missa Cantata every Sunday the Canon of the Mass is prayed silently and this is something beautiful and lifts my heart and mind outside of my daily worries, concerns and thoughts as to where Arsenal is in the Premier League.

In fairness to the Ordinary Form of the Mass, there are a number of places where silence is expected but sadly so rarely observed:

1.  "Let us call to mind our sins ..." - I'm not sure about you but it takes me more than half a second to call mine to mind.

2.  After the words, "Oremus" or "Let us pray": How often are we actually given a chance to do so?

3.  After each of the readings - silence is encouraged to allow the Word to penetrate our hearts and minds.

4.  The final Prayer of the Faithful: "Let us pause to bring before The Lord our personal intentions Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer."  Do the readers actually realise what they are saying?"

5.  After communion: The modern liturgy when celebrated with dignity will always include time of silence for our thanksgiving after receiving the Body of Christ. 

If you're a priest, deacon or reader in the modern liturgy, would you please give us a moment of silence?

Humble and inclusive liturgy - in the spirit of St Francis

I am so fortunate to live in Hong Kong to be able to worship at a church where they have an unusually humble and inclusive form of liturgy at Mass.  There has been a lot of talk recently about humility and how important this for the Church - how priests in particular should be more humble.

The form of worship at the Mass I attend is not only in the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi but is actually a form of worship that he would recognise when he served as a deacon so many hundreds of years ago.

When I attend Mass, the priest will genuflect upon approaching the altar indicating that its about Christ not himself.  Our priest will bow down low as he personally confesses his sins to God - specifically asking for prayers of the angels, saints and the people around him.

In this truly humble liturgy the priest shows his oneness with the People of God by facing the same direction as them - in doing so he doesn't draw attention to himself but towards Christ, the crucifix and Eucharist.  He will bow his head at the name of Jesus and the Trinity and will genuflect in adoration every time he passes the tabernacle too.

In the creed he will use a term for 'human beings' rather than 'man' - which is a wonderful example of encompassing all.  The Mass I prefer to attend uses extremely inclusive language - in fact the congregation of Chinese, French, English, Spanish and Tagalog speakers all feel able to worship together with one voice and unlike the vast majority of other Masses I have been to - the diverse congregation joins in!

This focus on God rather than the person of the priest throughout the Mass continues in a number of gestures. A wonderful example is that during the Eucharistic Prayer he will fall to his knees in adoration the moment the words of consecration have been uttered - both before and after he has shown the Body of Christ and the chalice to the people.

This humble and inclusive way of worshipping isn't just available in Hong Kong - just google "Tridentine Mass" and you too might find one in your town or city too.

The Latin Mass: A humble and inclusive form of worship

One in ten

This afternoon at Mass in the older form of the Roman rite I was moved by the Gospel reading about the people with leprosy cured by Our Lord. 

My baptismal patron saint is St Damien the Belgian priest who gave his life to minister to those with leprosy and famously began his preaching one day, "We lepers..."

The deacon at Mass today spoke of the analogy comparing leprosy with sin - how both can be cured by Christ and about gratitude. 

I try to go to confession weekly and do mutter a word of thanks to Christ afterwards for dying on the cross for my sins but am I really like the one in ten? 

Am I like the cured leper who praised God and ran back to thank Jesus or am

I usually like the nine. Cured but not transformed within. The leprosy removed but without a burning desire to praise and thank God?

Leaving Mass today, having received the Eucharist "thanksgiving" I recalled the words that we should "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and with a greater determination that I should be like the one in ten: transformed and grateful.