My family and I have been going to the traditional Latin Mass (“TLM”) for almost two years now and sometimes the differences between the TLM and the new Mass (the Novus Ordo) just sneak up on you. Then one day, it dawns on you how a subtle change contributes to an overall shift from a focus on Jesus in the Eucharist to a focus on the community gathering. And it makes you upset. One such change involves the Confiteor.
The Confiteor is the part of the Mass where the priest and those assisting him confess to God that they are sinful and ask for prayers, that they might be deemed worthy to receive our Lord in the Eucharist. The changes in the Confiteor are subtle, but the devil is in the details:
1. In the traditional Latin Mass (“TLM”), the priest recites the Confiteor personally, by himself, asking those assisting to pray for him. The server responds “May Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you your sins and bring you to life everlasting.” This is not an absolution, of course, and it is similar in the Novus Ordo. But in the TLM, those assisting then recite the Confiteor, separate from the priest, and specifically ask the priest (… and you, Father) to pray for them. The priest then provides the same response, and adds a specific absolution: “May the Almighty and Merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution and remission of our sins.” Thus, in the TLM you actually receive specific absolution from your venial sins at the beginning of Mass, that you might be as pure as possible before receiving the Eucharist. You do not receive this absolution in the Novus Ordo. Why not?
2. In the Confiteor of the TLM, the priest and those assisting him confess their sins to Almighty God and also to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, St. John the Baptist, Sts. Peter and Paul and all the saints. We then appeal to these specific saints in the Church Triumphant, in heaven, for prayers and petitions to overcome our faults and be worthy before our Lord. In the Novus Ordo, you confess to Almighty God and to “you my brothers and sisters.” And you then ask for prayers from St. Mary, all the angels and saints, and “you my brothers and sisters.” Frankly, I’d prefer to seek the help of St. Mary, Saint Michael, St. John, St. Peter and St. Paul, by name, over other people present at Mass (have you ever prayed for anyone there at the Confiteor of a Novus Ordo?). But the real effect of the change is to focus on the community present and it seems to me to be a slap to those saints who previously were named, but now passed over in favor of “you my brothers and sisters,” whose personal sanctity, let alone state of mind, are questionable.
3. In the TLM, the Confiteor is said twice. Once at the beginning of Mass and again by those assisting the priest (the faithful included) immediately before receiving communion. And once again this second time, the priest says the prayer of absolution to remit all venial sins you may have accumulated between the first time you said the Confiteor and your actual receipt of communion. How fitting that we should be thus purified, since we are not really fit to receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus at all. Removing the second Confiteor, with its second absolution, suggests that “we’re good enough” and “let’s not over do this groveling thing.” If they had to remove one (which they didn’t), why not keep the Confiteor closest to communion, with its associated absolution?
These types of changes in the Mass, along with more obvious ones, have contributed to a general decline in respect for the Real Presence. And the converse is true as well. By attending the TLM, without these changes, my respect for our Lord in the Eucharist has increased … making it harder to ever attend a Novus Ordo again.