Old Mass vs. New Mass
Compare...
Traditional Latin Mass

With ...
Modern Mass at your parish

Atmosphere of Reverent Worship:
Peaceful, otherworldly atmosphere. Emphasis on individual "lifting his heart & mind to God." Members of congregation direct attention to God, not each other.

Social, Classroom, Entertainment Atmosphere:
Constant standing, sitting, amplified noise; atmosphere like a public meeting. Emphasis on "instruction." Socializing in church before & after service, and handshaking during.

Profound Reverence for Real Presence:
Sixteen genuflections. The hands of the priest alone touch the consecrated host. Communion given only on tongue.

Indifference, Irreverence towards Real Presence:
Only three genuflections required. Lay men & women distribute communion. Communion given in hand - a practice protestants introduced to deny Christ's Real Presence.

Fidelity to Catholic Doctrine:
Over the course of a year, presents all facets of Catholic doctrine.

Systematic Omission of Catholic Doctrines:
New prayers systematically omit references to hell, judgement, punishment for sin, merits of the Saints, the one true Church, the souls of the departed & miracles.

Antiquity:
Bulk of Sunday prayers & their arrangement goes back at least to 300s and 400s AD. Canon essentially the same since St. Ambrose (d. 397).

Novelty:
Old Sunday prayers omitted or stripped of doctrines, and rearranged in 1960s.  Only 17% of old prayers remain. Chunks of ancient Canon are now  "optional." The words of consecration, Christ's own words "For you and for many" are changed. Three substitute "Canons" invented & introduced in 1960s, and still more invented later. 

Stability:
Everything regulated by precise laws to protect purity of worship and doctrine.

Constant Change:
Options, options and more options. Individual priests & parish liturgy committees get to pick, drop or invent texts to push what they think people should believe.

Priest is Sacrificer:
Priest faces tabernacle, cross and altar (symbolically toward God). Priest performs all the actions & recites all the prayers of the Mass.
Priest is "President", Actor:
Priest faces people instead of symbolically "toward God." Priest sits off to side. His functions given away to lay men and women.

©2007 traditionalmass.org. Powered by Wordpress