My Catholic Source on "The Most Beautiful Thing This Side of Heaven"

A member of the Mother Of Divine Grace yahoogroup recommended this website chock full of Catholic information - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/ . I found this comparison there (below) that matches my own experience of falling in love with the Extraordinary Form of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Brief Comparison of the Old & New Rites of Mass
You may find these and other differences between the Traditional Latin ('Tridentine') Mass and the New (Novus Ordo) Mass of the 1960's (most commonly said at Catholic parishes at the end of the 20th century):

* The 'Tridentine' Mass has a more vertical focus - a focus more on God than on fellow parishioners

* The 'Tridentine' Mass is clearly a sacrifice (as opposed to a meal)

* The 'Tridentine' Mass emphasizes self-denial, awareness of sin

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, the priest typically faces eastward, symbolically towards Christ (not towards the parishioners) (At the IHM homeschool conference in Virginia I was impressed to hear how many "well-known" priests encourage and celebrate Mass Ad-Orientum, facing God.)

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, there is increased reverence at the altar and extreme reverence for the Holy Eucharist

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, there are ample references to atoning for sin, hell, judgment, and the intercession of saints

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, a fixed liturgy - containing the traditional prayers - is used throughout the Church, which is not subject to personal preference or manipulation

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, there are reverent silent periods where the priest leads prayers on our behalf (and with the helpful missal we pray every prayer, the whole Mass along with him, silently.)

*In the 'Tridentine' Mass, there is more genuflecting and kneeling

* The 'Tridentine' Mass uses a different, fuller calendar

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, there are fewer rote responses by the parishioners

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, the unchanged, traditional prayers of consecration are used (they are soooo beautiful! Why were they changed!)

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, Holy Communion is given only by priests - to kneeling communicants on the tongue (excepting, of course, those physically unable to kneel)

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, there are no 'altar girls', no lay readers, and no 'Eucharistic ministers'

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, there is a longer silent period after Communion for prayer & thanksgiving

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, pipe organs and Gregorian chant are employed rather than guitars and drums

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, the priest is not sitting off to the side while laity 'take charge'

* In the 'Tridentine' Mass, there is no hand-holding or "kiss of peace" among the laity (which I believe breaks up the reverent tone right before the consecration.)

*In the 'Tridentine' Mass, the stable rubrics help assure that liturgical abuses do not occur (like Fr. Z says, they Say the black and Do the red!)

* And, of course, the Latin language is used for the majority of the 'Tridentine' Mass (you may follow along with a Latin/English missal)

Latin Mass attendees state that the above contribute to a more holy and reverent atmosphere with fewer distractions.

Note: For a more extensive comparison between the old and new rites of Mass, see below. For some pictorial comparisons, click here.

FOR ANOTHER POST ON THE LATIN MASS...

http://totustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2007/06/7707-our-lucky-day.html

And others, with videos -

http://totustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-we-have-lost.html
http://totustuusfamily.blogspot.com/2010/07/real-catholic-on-latin-mass.html