Imagine my surprise in reading her latest entry:
I was fortunate enough today to attend a Tridentine Mass in Canada with a couple of my friends. What a beautiful celebration of the most blessed sacrament of the altar!
I have always been told that the Latin Mass was difficult to follow and that it is hard to feel connected to the Mass when the priest has his back to the congregation. Now that I have experienced this Mass for myself I can say that I felt neither lost nor disconnected. In fact, I felt more connected the Mass than I have in a long time.
I realized what Mass should be about, the Blessed Sacrament. It is not supposed to make one focus on how the choir sounds, what songs are sung, who's wearing what, how are the Lectors, and does the priest 'speak to me'. It is not about how I feel, it is about the most holy Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament, the sacrifice of the altar.
Because it was a High Mass, the congregation participated in the responses, all sung in Latin. I sometimes found myself struggling to keep up in the Latin/English guide, but that made me actually pay attention to what was happening in the Liturgy. There was also a communion rail which I thought was awesome! It allowed us to kneel in front of the most blessed Eucharist and to not feel out of place receiving on the tongue. I was a little bit nervous that I was the only woman without a veil, but then I saw a few others who weren't wearing one. The veils were beautiful, and I am almost tempted to start wearing one myself. The Gregorian Chant choir made the Mass even more beautiful.
I am so happy that I was able to have this experience and I hope to attend many more Tridentine masses in the future. If you ever get a chance to go, I would highly reccommend it!
God Bless!
This would be the difference between many Catholic women born in 1936, and those born in 1986.
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