So You're Curious About the Latin Mass... {including a giveaway!}

Several of you have asked for this post, and I've got to say... I don't know how equipped I am to really educate you on the Latin Mass! But what I can do is help boost your confidence so that if you want to visit a parish that offers Mass in the Extraordinary Form, you can do it without fear of anyone pointing and laughing at you for being such an obvious newbie!

(Nobody will point and laugh. If you stick out like a sore thumb, anyone with the tiniest bit of charity in their hearts will figure out that you're visiting! But I understand the self-consciousness 100%)

So let me answer some of your questions and hopefully you'll feel equipped to give it a try!

One big question I get is...

 

What do I wear? Do I need to wear a dress? Should I wear a veil?

At our parish, I would hazard to guess probably 75% of women wear skirts and dresses? But dress pants definitely make an appearance - at any Latin Mass, you'll probably generally see a fairly high standard of dress, so if you're typically a more casual dresser for Mass, you may want to up your game a bit just so you don't feel out of place. But honestly, it's unlikely anyone will be looking at you, judging what you're wearing! We over-thinkers just like to be prepared. If in doubt, wear a skirt or dress that falls below your knees, something that covers your shoulders (jacket & tie for men). Think European church dress code.

As for veils, again, it depends on the parish. Some stricter traditional parishes will ask women to cover their heads and then they'll provide veils in the lobby for anyone to borrow. The vast majority of parishes don't require any sort of head covering, and you'll find anywhere from 25-75% of women covering their heads with veils or hats. If you don't usually wear a hat or veil but want to give it a try, you can stick a lightweight scarf in your purse and slip it over your head if it looks like the majority of women are veiling and you would feel conspicuous not doing so. 

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How do I follow along? I don't know any of these prayers!

Honestly, the biggest relief for me is that I don't need to follow along. I spent years feeling grumpy and annoyed because I had no idea what was happening at any point, and I was always holding a baby or a toddler, so I couldn't follow along in the Missal.

Then one day it hit me - all that matters is that I'm praying. My participation is not dependent on me reciting rote prayers or saying the right responses, and what a weight off my shoulders that was! You'll recognize the consecration. Hopefully the readings will be read in English as well as Latin (our parish hands out the Propers, which are the prayers and readings that differ for each Mass, before Mass, so I try to read those beforehand), and the homily will almost certainly not be in Latin. But you don't need to worry about knowing exactly what's happening at any given moment. That's the priest's job!

Just let it all sink in, and unite your prayers with those of the congregation. It can be tricky because it's not the same as a Novus Ordo Mass, but in Latin instead. There's so, so much more that was cut out of the liturgy after the reforms of the second Vatican Council, so it can be hard to catch your rhythm if you weren't expecting that. Go with the flow and you'll catch on eventually!

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How do I know if I'm at a High Mass or a Low Mass? What's the best to start out with?

If you're at a High Mass, the choir will be singing through much of the liturgy, which can make things a little more confusing, but also allows you time to prayerfully let things sink in. A Low Mass is easier to follow along with, in my opinion, and definitely shorter. It's much quieter though, since there's generally no choir, so if you have children it's a little harder for their noises to be hidden by the music. 

You won't always have a choice as far as what to attend - our parish only offers Low Mass most Sundays, so that's what we do! High Mass is always a treat for us, with incense & full choir. But it's longer, so be prepared. If you have children and aren't sure what their reaction will be, it might be worthwhile to sneak out and try on your own first. Or you can just jump right in as a family! 

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>What can I do to minimize looking ridiculous?

The two big tips I have are...

1. Don't sit in front!! You need people in front of you so you know when to sit/stand/kneel, because it's totally different.

2. When you kneel for Communion (and you'll be receiving on the tongue, so be prepared for that if you don't already receive that way), you don't say Amen! The priest will say it for you, you just tip your head back and stick out your tongue. 

>Why are all those people lined up outside the confessional?

Oh how I wish our parish offered confessions during Mass... But at a lot of Latin Mass parishes we've visited, one priest stays in the confessional to hear confessions all through Mass, leaves to assist at Communion time, then returns to hear more confessions. So you can go ahead and get in line with everyone else if you want! You're at Mass anyway, might as well get another sacrament in!

Affiliate links below:

Looking for more resources? This book is what finally helped me be able to follow along properly after years of trying! We even use it in our homeschool because it's so incredibly informative. I have heard great things about this book for beginners (check out the giveaway below!), both adults and teens. This booklet/missal is what you'll find in a lot of pews, and is helpful if you don't have a missal of your own. And if you/your kids are graphic novel fans, you will love this book! If you'd like to fall down a rabbit hole of research, you might enjoy the Fish Eaters website, which explains the meaning behind many traditions.

And here is a quick "cheat sheet" so you know when to sit, stand, & kneel! 

What do you think, is your interest piqued? Or have I made it seem a whole lot more complicated than it really is? I think it's worth a try if you have a Latin Mass available nearby! After all, this is the Mass so many of the saints would have experienced :)

If you'd like to learn more, Derya Little has generously offered TWO copies of her book, A Beginner's Guide to the Traditional Latin Mass for two of you readers! Simply enter the rafflecopter below, and please consider leaving a review for the book if you have already read it, reviews are a huge help in helping books like this get greater visibility!

  
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