Old Mass vs. New: What's the Difference?
For those who've been following our blog for the past few months, it comes as no surprise that our family has decided on attending the 1962 Indult (or "Tridentine") Mass at our new Parish, St. Margaret Mary in Oakland. Some of you might be wondering what the differences are between the Old Rite and the New Mass (the "Novus Ordo Missae" or "Novus Ordo," for short). Fr. Jim Tucker, a priest in the Diocese of Arlington, VA, has an excellent series comparing the Old Mass to the New at his blog, Dappled Things:
- A summary of the difference between the forms of the Mass
- A detailed description of the "Mass of the Catechumens" in the Old Rite ("Liturgy of the Word" in the New Rite)
- A detailed description of the "Mass of the Faithful" in the Old Rite ("Liturgy of the Eucharist" in the New Rite)
- A summary of the different forms of the Old Mass: Low ("Missa Lecta"), Sung High ("Missa Cantata"), and Solemn High ("Missa Solemnis").
This probably seems like inside baseball to anyone who isn't really interested in Catholic liturgy (i.e., most non-Catholics and many Catholics), but Lisa and I have both found it fascinating how much the details of the liturgy affect our day-to-day spiritual lives. The intention of the New Mass was to increase the "active participation" of the faithful. Sadly, this has often led to a misconception that "active" or "full" participation requires doing something all the time. There is no concept of active silence anymore. We've found that the Old Rite, particularly the High Masses, where the faithful chant the Ordinary of the Mass, offers ample opportunity for active participation.
Fr. Tucker's comments about the multi-layered nature of the Old Rite really hit on something: each of the faithful has his role, whether priest, server, choir, or the people. These roles are clearly defined, unique, and each is important. There's a real sense that we're joined in a common mission: commemorating the Lord's sacrifice on Calvary (the phrase "Ite Missa Est" from which the Mass gets its name refers to this sense of mission, and commands us to carry it forth into the rest of our lives). While I experience this sense sometimes during the New Mass, often it feels more like putting on a show (if you're involved in some sort of ministry) or being entertained (if you're not).