Tridentine Mass

[Sir Benedict]

What are y'all's opinion on the traditional Tridentine Mass? Personally, I didn't have any exposure to it until last December when I had the opportunity to attend a couple of masses at a parish run by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. My first impression was that it's confusing. When I was there I was a fish out of water; I had no idea when to stand, when to kneel, or when to respond (and even if I did know when to respond, I wouldn't know how to because it's all in Latin). But after I was able to get over how different it was, I started to appreciate how beautiful the old liturgy really is. The music was inspiring; the vestments were stunning; the servers were on point. And the best part was that the congregation was reverent. There weren't kids running around; there weren't people talking, or texting, or kneeling with their butts still on the pew. Every person in the Church, every aspect of the liturgy, every architectural detail of the building, they all seemed to be centered on one thing: the eternal mystery of Christ incarnate in the Eucharist. By saying this I don't mean to say that the Novus Ordo is bad or even not as good as the traditional mass. Spiritually and sacramentally the masses are the same. And besides, I like having the option of going to mass in my native language. One is not better than the other in my opinion, they're just different. The Novus Order focuses more on the individual's relationship with God; the Tridentine Mass focuses more on the universal nature of the sacrament. Both ways of doing it are equally correct, and I for one like to be able to experience both ways of doing things.

[Pan Kristoff Drevo]

I know exactly what you mean. I have been to a few all-Latin masses, and also many Novus Ordo masses, which can be quite beautiful when done right. I also agree that it is easier to pray in your own language! Although if you know Latin (I know a few words here and there), the experience can be deepened. It was one thing to pray respectfully. It is another to pray respectfully and actually know what you're saying!

[Paolo Emilio I of Trebia]

I have something interesting to ask. Despite my amount of experience in Catholicism, not all my research is Internet based. Some of my knowledge comes from my catechesis, and in Panama the Catholic Church is increasingly liberal, so some of the teaching is "corrupted" to say the least, from my point of view. At the point that I just today read on a Traditional Catholic site that missing Mass on Sundays is mortal sin. My catechists do request to come to Mass on Sunday, but they never told me this. Now I hope that due to my lack of knowledge I do not fall unto mortal sin, because I did not consent it out of ignorance, and I will go to Mass every Sunday from now on. (I already try to go at least every week if I can't on Sundays).

However, the thing is, I saw from a video on youtube (can't find it at the moment) suggesting that God isn't present in the Eucharist at the Novus Ordo (Vatican II) Mass, and therefore receiving Communion in a New Mass is actually idolatry, I do not fully believe it, but some arguments were nicely done, and I can't say I can refute it either. So now I'm in big trouble, since there is no Tridentine Mass service in Panama, as far as I could research, and I don't want to commit mortal sin, neither by missing Mass or committing idolatry. What can I do? Either I evade idolatry and make personal prayer at home, or I say that the New Mass is better than nothing?

[Sir Benedict]

Attending mass on Sunday is one of the precepts of the church, meaning that it is required of all the faithful barring extraordinary circumstances such as imprisonment, illness or other hardship. In those cases, the requirement to attend mass is suspended and no wrong is committed if you miss mass. Also, whether or not it is a mortal sin to miss mass under regular circumstances depends on the culpability of the individual. If you have questions about when it is alright to miss mass and when it is a sin, I suggest talking to your priest. But yes, as a general rule, always go to mass on Sunday.

You always have to have your guard up when reading and watching things online, especially when it comes to matters of "traditional Catholicism." There are many people today who, calling themselves "traditionalist Catholics," support doctrines which are false, schismatic and often times heretical. You must be wary of these people, just as you must be wary of liberal Catholics.

Thankfully, the preposterous claim that novus ordo masses are not valid is easy to refute. As Catholics, we believe that the sacraments are instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church. Therefore, it is the authority of the Church to decide which sacraments are and are not valid, in concordance with the tradition handed down to us from Christ through the Apostles. Therefore, if Mother Church says that transubstantiation takes place at novus ordo masses, then it takes place. If Mother Church issues a new missal with which to celebrate mass, then it is valid to use it, all other objections notwithstanding. While there may be liturgical or cultural reasons to prefer the Tridentine mass to the novus ordo (some valid and some not), it is both absurd and heretical to suggest that novus ordo masses are not real masses.

[Paolo Emilio I of Trebia]

Jan 14, 2016 21:52:00 GMT Sir Benedict said:

Thankfully, the preposterous claim that novus ordo masses are not valid is easy to refute. As Catholics, we believe that the sacraments are instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church. Therefore, it is the authority of the Church to decide which sacraments are and are not valid, in concordance with the tradition handed down to us from Christ through the Apostles. Therefore, if Mother Church says that transubstantiation takes place at novus ordo masses, then it takes place. If Mother Church issues a new missal with which to celebrate mass, then it is valid to use it, all other objections notwithstanding. While there may be liturgical or cultural reasons to prefer the Tridentine mass to the novus ordo (some valid and some not), it is both absurd and heretical to suggest that novus ordo masses are not real masses.

I'm rather skeptic of the video, but I don't fully reject it just in case there might be some truth in it, something I can't confirm.

And I managed to find it. Here it is. It lasts for 47 minutes, if you want to watch it go ahead.



I must admit, that as I could remember, some elements in the video are not so credible, but some arguments like Pope Pius V's quote at the first 2 minutes of the video are more credible.

Tell me what you think.