A lot of people seem to be under the impression that, before the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church was cold, barren, and excessively rigid. The Council, people think, represented an “enlightenment” that brought the Church’s teachings up to date and into the modern era. However, if we look closely at the pre-Conciliar Church, we discover that Catholicism had vibrant traditions and rich expressions of faith long before Vatican II. Nowhere is this hidden beauty better encapsulated than in the Traditional Latin Mass.
The Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) is the lost crown jewel of the Church, representing almost 2,000 years of continuous liturgy. Forms of the TLM have been around since the early days of the Church. It was formally codified by Pope St. Pius V in 1570, and the TLM continues to thrive into the present. And yet, among many Catholics, the TLM can be a source of discomfort and division. But why? If anything, TLM is a powerful and ancient tradition that has something valuable to offer the whole Church.
As previously stated, the TLM represents timeless liturgy at its finest. The TLM is the Mass of our forefathers, the Mass in which the Saints were formed. It is the Mass of Bishop Fenwick, founder of Holy Cross, and of St. Ignatius Loyola. In seeking to follow in the footsteps of those who have come before us, what better method could there be than to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as it was in their time?
A criticism often leveled against the TLM is the barrier that is posed by the language, but this argument is flawed on a number of levels. For one, if one attends Mass in a foreign country, the Mass would be offered in a foreign language. Would this prove a barrier to one’s participation? Perhaps. But as a universal sacrifice, the Mass serves to bridge such minute barriers as language. The understanding of the sacrifice that is occurring on the altar, the focus and climax of the Mass, requires no translation. And as a matter of joining differing communities, the TLM is especially powerful in its use of Latin. Strangers are brought together by a shared sacred language, the language of the Church, and part of the common cloth of faith that unites us. Furthermore, for purposes of practicality, Latin-English missals are easily accessible through the internet.
The TLM is also unique in its liturgical construction, with each element of the Mass carefully constructed to give glory to the Triune God. The nine verses of the Kyrie represent the nine choirs of angels. The prayers prior to the reading of the Gospel recall the prophets of old and ask God’s assistance in worthily proclaiming his word. The prayers of the offertory emphasize that the Mass is a re-presentation of the sacrifice at Calvary, rather than merely a communal meal. The ringing of bells and lifting of the priest’s chasuble symbolize the radiation of God’s power as the consecration takes place. The three-fold (rather than singular) statement of “Lord, I am not worthy…” gives exceptional emphasis of the inherent unworthiness of mankind, yet exemplifies God’s love for us that he allows us to approach. Even the orientation of the priest, ad orientem (“to the east”), acting to lead the people toward God instead of merely making them the center of the Mass, has inherent symbolic virtue. Though it is possible to celebrate the Novus Ordo (the “New Mass”) ad orientem, this rarely happens. So many beautiful components of the TLM are completely absent in the New Mass.
Aside from symbolism, critical practices in the TLM related to the Eucharist illustrate the true presence of Christ in the holy sacrifice, serving to cultivate greater respect for the Lord as sacrament. After the consecration, the priest keeps his fingers together until the ablutions to avoid scattering precious particles. Reception of communion while kneeling acknowledges Christ’s nature as the sovereign king of all, and thus brings communicants to approach him in a manner befitting of this status. With only one third of US Catholics holding a belief in the true presence, according to Pew Research, perhaps the proliferation of the TLM would stand to fortify this critical dogma.
Critically, young adults as a demographic have been shown to be particularly drawn to the TLM. According to Matthew Schmitz of the Catholic Herald, “young traditionalists are competing against old progressives.” Schmitz adds that “many young Catholics feel that they have been denied an inheritance that was rightfully theirs,” and thus have searched for and found that missing birthright in the TLM. The TLM itself seems particularly to beckon the young. For those in the Holy Cross community‒a community almost exclusively made up of young adults–seeking a reverent, timeless liturgy, I posit that the TLM is precisely what you are looking for, and thus extend the invitation to go unto the altar of the Lord, to God who gives joy to our youth.