I remember my teenaged daughter, leaving one of her first Traditional sung Masses remarked, “I love the silence; and the choir chants, more silent than silence.”
In contrast, my other daughter had another first impression: our family had begun the process of entering the Catholic Church, having been charismatic protestants. This daughter told me years later that, after her first Mass- novus ordo- she thought, “This is just like a protestant service, only boring.”
We were recently surprised to see two candles lit instead of six. The parish has three Sung Masses and one or two Low Masses. That day was supposed to be a Sung Mass, and yet, here we were. A lone altar boy emerged from the sacristy with the priest and both went the sanctuary as always.
During the homily, Father expressed regret that we could not have the Sung Mass that day as planned. All the altar boys save one were attending a priestly vocations weekend.
Another time, the faithful were surprised to see all grown men process to the sanctuary. On that day, every altar boy - some six or eight of them - were on a discernment retreat.
It's a good problem to have, and one that I have never seen in fifteen or twenty years as a very active new Mass attendee and server!
In Australia NO altar servers is now the norm at most Catholic Churches. Except for cathedrals and very large active novis ordo churches. The Latin Mass churches by comparison have many altar boys
I remember my teenaged daughter, leaving one of her first Traditional sung Masses remarked, “I love the silence; and the choir chants, more silent than silence.”
In contrast, my other daughter had another first impression: our family had begun the process of entering the Catholic Church, having been charismatic protestants. This daughter told me years later that, after her first Mass- novus ordo- she thought, “This is just like a protestant service, only boring.”
We were recently surprised to see two candles lit instead of six. The parish has three Sung Masses and one or two Low Masses. That day was supposed to be a Sung Mass, and yet, here we were. A lone altar boy emerged from the sacristy with the priest and both went the sanctuary as always.
During the homily, Father expressed regret that we could not have the Sung Mass that day as planned. All the altar boys save one were attending a priestly vocations weekend.
Another time, the faithful were surprised to see all grown men process to the sanctuary. On that day, every altar boy - some six or eight of them - were on a discernment retreat.
It's a good problem to have, and one that I have never seen in fifteen or twenty years as a very active new Mass attendee and server!
In Australia NO altar servers is now the norm at most Catholic Churches. Except for cathedrals and very large active novis ordo churches. The Latin Mass churches by comparison have many altar boys
Practical and profound. Thank you Dr K.
Wonderful.