“NO, Si’, NO, Da”

Let’s say you go to the Vigil Mass for Sunday. Learn these initials or short words. It will tell you what to expect in Catholic Liturgies.
(1)OF Mass, which is known as the Ordinary Form, or where the majority of(Still Practicing)Catholics worship the Triune God.
It is also called the Novus Ordo, or NO. Novus Ordo means New Order of Mass. It is often noted for such Liturgical Abuses such as Clown Masses, Masses with Dancers, Folk Masses, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Female Altar Servers, Banal Music which can cause one to lose interest(as well as the contents of a full stomach), and Homilies about everything but Sin, as well as Holy Communion In One’s Hand.  Think of all this distraction and you might consider an Alternative Catholic Liturgy. NO is the Snark Filled way of saying Novus Ordo, which is in 95% of those Masses.
(2) Si’
Okay, Si’ is Spanish for Yes, but Spanish is a form of Latin, so I am talking about the Tridentine Latin Mass or TLM. Incense, Blessing With Water(Hyssopo), Gregorian Chant, Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling and Intellectually Sound Homilies. The Discussions which follow such as The Latest Indecipherable Statement from Papa Bergoglio, are Lively Events. Do make room on your schedule. The Priest faces Liturgical East in this Mass. There are periods of Silence, which is far superior to the Noise of Anything Composed by Dan Schutte, Marty Haugen, David Haas or The Jesuits of St. Louis University, from whence Schutte came.
(3) Da
Since this is a Slavonic Based Word meaning Yes, I do recommend the Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. The one I go to, either in Astoria or Manhattan’s East Village, is truly a quite mystical experience.
Unlike many a Latin Rite Parish where the Altar Rails once separated the Sanctuary and the Nave, but have been removed, there is a Screen called an Iconostasis, with Icons of Saints, which separate the Sanctuary from the Nave. You stand for Holy Communion and receive by intinction via Holy Communion Gold Spoon with the Body and Blood of Christ dropped in your mouth. Leavened Bread is changed into the Body of Christ. Singing is done without an organist, guitars, bongo drums or tambourines. The parts of the Liturgy are actually sung. There is no Novus Ordo Music(Marty Haugen and Dan Schutte are unknown here). The sung antiphons should sound familiar to those who go to the OF(NO)Mass, but more beautiful.

That is all for The Catholic Liturgical Guide

Pax Domini Sit Semper Vobiscum

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