I ask the indulgence of our non-Catholic readers, for that matter, of our non-traditionalist Catholic readers. This is a completely esoteric post, but here goes.
While I was in Kalamazoo MI this weekend, I went to Latin Mass at Fr. Sirico’s parish, St. Mary’s. Now, this was not the Novus Ordo in Latin, which is what sometimes passes for Latin Mass. This was the Real Deal: a Tridentine Latin High Mass. The priest faces the altar, chants the Mass, including the readings, in Latin, Communion rails, and every week the second Gospel at the end of Mass, a chanting of the Prologue to John’s Gospel. Beautiful, reverent, mysterious. As Fr. Sirico says, don’t worry about what’s going on, just worship God.
I was told by the locals that men are particularly attracted to the Tridentine Mass. Why should that be? My first thought is that the old Mass has none of the fluffy stuff from the post-Vatican II era, no hand-shaking, no guitars, no fake friendliness. All that stuff was supposed to make the Mass more “accessible” may have had the effect of making the Mass more feminine. But I’m just guessing.
So here are my questions for my readers.
First, is it true that guys are particularly drawn to the old Latin Mass?
Second, if it is true, why is that?