Thursday, May 1, 2008

Some Statistics

Of course I should attend Mass every day, and indeed for years I did, but work and laxity conspire against this. Frankly, my preference for the old rite has put me off the Novus Ordo a bit, although this is probably just an excuse for non-attendance: for I found I prayed and assisted at Mass with just as much devotion when I went to OF Mass yesterday. After all, the modern form of Mass is the sort I did precisely attend the majority of the time (by force of circumstance) until I moved here to Perth in early 2007, and I have been lucky in by and large assisting at worthy celebrations thereof, while given a choice I have long preferred the EF.

Out of all the Masses to which I went, I think I attended the TLM a bit less than two-thirds of the time last year. This year so far, I've been to about 80 Masses (on par with last year - I make it to Mass about two-thirds of the time or more) but on some days more than one Mass, and about 80% have been Latin Masses. (I keep a sort of skeleton diary-cum-notation of important things, like when I confess, go to Mass, etc., so I can look back and see how my levels of participation in the Sacraments are going.)

Which reminds me - I haven't been to an Eastern Rite Divine Liturgy for ages, more's the pity...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're lucky - after going to the EF, I found my Parish OF celebrations simply a source of upset. Maybe it is the style and "abuses" that make them so...?

Mind you, I have become equally spoiled, going to the EF on average twice a week, and serving every Sunday now.

Joshua said...

I should distinguish: I would avoid OF Sunday Masses whenever possible, unless I know their "style", shall we say, beforehand: so I am happy enough at the Cathedral in Melbourne, say, or in certain parishes where I know the priest.

Weekday OF Masses in my experience tend to be more tolerable as a rule, because the music isn't an issue. (And again, I go where I know the priest, etc.) Thus, I went to a Friday lunchtime Mass in Melbourne at St Francis' Church, whereas I would never go there for a Sunday Mass, LOL!

With work, I can typically get to EF Mass about four times a week: always on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and often on a Monday or feast day - as will be the case tonight: I'm singing with the schola at our Missa Cantata for the Ascension.