Saturday, October 13
Tridentine Mass Cheat Sheet
People--even devout Catholics who have the Ordinary Form down flat--can often get intimidated by all the sitting and standing, responding and not responding, that goes on at an Extraordinary Form mass. Heck, even I have trouble sometimes following along.
Trick: sit in the back and watch what everyone else does, unless you're in Italy, in which case, no matter what sort of mass you go to, every man may not be his own pontiff, but he's pretty much his own ceremoniarius and he (or she) does whatever he wants. At one mass I went to in Rome, one devout if, er, "simple," person spent the entire time talking to a heat lamp and reading a magazine during the homily. And let's not get started on the rainbow-flag-wearing Pace Radio Maria man and his girlfriend. (These were both at ordinary form masses, but pious lunatics are everywhere in the Eternal City.)
Anyway, if you want to know more, I suggest you have a look at the wonderful Fr. Finigan's little crib sheet of what to do and why. And on the other side, experienced TLMers, be nice, smile and show the newbie sitting next to you how to find the right place in the missal. Who knows? You might just meet a new friend or even your future spouse that way.
Trick: sit in the back and watch what everyone else does, unless you're in Italy, in which case, no matter what sort of mass you go to, every man may not be his own pontiff, but he's pretty much his own ceremoniarius and he (or she) does whatever he wants. At one mass I went to in Rome, one devout if, er, "simple," person spent the entire time talking to a heat lamp and reading a magazine during the homily. And let's not get started on the rainbow-flag-wearing Pace Radio Maria man and his girlfriend. (These were both at ordinary form masses, but pious lunatics are everywhere in the Eternal City.)
Anyway, if you want to know more, I suggest you have a look at the wonderful Fr. Finigan's little crib sheet of what to do and why. And on the other side, experienced TLMers, be nice, smile and show the newbie sitting next to you how to find the right place in the missal. Who knows? You might just meet a new friend or even your future spouse that way.
![[SMMMHDH]](http://www.mgilleland.com/music/smmmhdh.png){kind=small}
