Bless me Father, I went to an OF Mass!

Well actually I was early for the EF Mass and so sat at the back at St James's Spanish Place to try and kick my soul into some sort of shape ready for 9.30am and the 'Introibo ad altare dei'.....

The 'new' Mass was about a third of the way through and I tried, very hard to focus on prayer but, the day before had been the Solemn High Mass at Blackfen and the Catholic Guild of Bloggers meeting and I was still high on the memories.

Traditional fare - an extraordinary pork pie!

Also, there were many distractions, people coming and going and then...blow me! the priest appeared to be celebrating Mass without any altar servers, none! not even any of the female persuasion.

But - it was celebrated very reverently and the priest (I believe it was the good Fr Colven) just said the Mass and did not get up to any fol-de-rols.

So what did my wandering mind pick up on? Bearing in mind that I only normally attend the EF Mass.

Well, few of those coming or going bothered to genuflect. I cannot understand this lack of respect at all and really feel like grabbing the person by the scruff of the neck and giving them a good shake but I normally say a Hail Mary for them instead; it's more charitable and it's better for my blood pressure.

When the time came for the Pater noster  Our Father, a lot of the congregation started to do aeroplane impressions which I thought was a bit off until I realised that this was a way of praying, not a very discreet way, more a "look at me" way.
Then, at Holy Communion there was a bit of a shambles of folk strolling up hands in pockets (there were one or two, literally) but it all went off pretty well as at an EF.

Now what, you may ask, was I doing watching all that was going on and not praying or preparing for Mass. Well, my excuse is that I decided to take a cool, long look at the OF Mass just to see how it compared with the EF.

It was, of course, an unfair comparison having less than 24 hours previously been transported to heavenly heights by great singing at a great Mass (yes, I know every Mass is great but, it has to be said, some have more elements of greatness about them).

When the Latin Mass began I was surprised to see the Phillipino element in the congregation swell noticeably; was this a result of the unity of the Latin language? ie easier to hear Mass in Latin rather than their second language?

Anyway, still people entered the pews without genuflecting so it's not just a modern Catholic thing, traditionalists are guilty also. The Mass then proceeded as all TLMs do, slowly, reverently and allowing for full reflection and meditation.

So then let me now say that, after this chance of more or less instant comparison, I conclude (without wishing to appear patronising or condescending in any way) that the Ordinary Form of Mass is precisely that, and that is what the Holy Father surely intended when he gave the two forms their designations. There is no insult within the context of 'Ordinary', it is just a plain unvarnished sort of Mass, perfectly reverent within its framework.

The Extraordinary Form is.....well I don't need to spell it out. It is a fuller and more elaborate means of worshipping Almighty God; for me it invokes a greater degree of spirituality (much needed).

So. To compare the two forms of Mass is rather like comparing a pork pie with an orange. Both are food but, in their own way they have a totally different aspect and flavour.

Some people like oranges, but for me, you can't beat a pork pie!