How to use the traditional missal - a novice approach.
Types of Missals
Note: Traditional missals are not the same as the modern missals. So don't go buying a modern missal if you intend to use it for the TLM.
Here are some of the Traditional Missal you can use for the TLM:
- St Andrew Daily Missal 1945
- Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962
- St. Joseph Daily Missal 1953
- The New Roman Missal Father Lasance 1945 (Recommended by Dr. Taylor Marshall)
Note: Traditional missals are not the same as the modern missals. So don't go buying a modern missal if you intend to use it for the TLM.
Here are some of the Traditional Missal you can use for the TLM:
- St Andrew Daily Missal 1945
- Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962
- St. Joseph Daily Missal 1953
- The New Roman Missal Father Lasance 1945 (Recommended by Dr. Taylor Marshall)
The three main parts to using the Traditional Missal
The Ordinary of the Mass (Found in the middle of the Missal)
This is the main texts of the Roman Rite of the Mass from start to finish.
Within the Ordinary there are a few times where it refers you to the different sections of the Proper of the Mass and then going back to the Ordinary to continue on with the Mass.
The Proper of the Mass (Found in the first half of the Missal important events.) (Found in the second half of the missal for feasts of saints.)
These are parts of the Mass that is refer to according to the liturgical calendar (each date is different).
These include feasts of saints and other important events.
The Proper of the Mass can be referred to by using the current date of the Mass in liturgical calendar.
The Proper can be found by using the current date in the liturgical calendar in front of the Missal; or by feast of saints and other important events in the index at the back of the missal.
The easiest way to find the "Proper of the Mass" for the current date, is by searching it online and/or by using Traditional missal apps.
The Preface (Found in the middle of the Missal)
Within the Proper of the Mass, it will refer you to the Preface of the Mass and then going back to Ordinary to continue on with the Mass.
This is selected according to the season of the liturgical calendar.
Missing Preface - Depending on which missal you have, some of the older published missal will not have the latest Preface for newer feast of saints or other important events (One of two only). So don't be concern you can't find it. Just refer to the online one.
The Ordinary of the Mass (Found in the middle of the Missal)
This is the main texts of the Roman Rite of the Mass from start to finish.
Within the Ordinary there are a few times where it refers you to the different sections of the Proper of the Mass and then going back to the Ordinary to continue on with the Mass.
The Proper of the Mass (Found in the first half of the Missal important events.) (Found in the second half of the missal for feasts of saints.)
These are parts of the Mass that is refer to according to the liturgical calendar (each date is different).
These include feasts of saints and other important events.
The Proper of the Mass can be referred to by using the current date of the Mass in liturgical calendar.
The Proper can be found by using the current date in the liturgical calendar in front of the Missal; or by feast of saints and other important events in the index at the back of the missal.
The easiest way to find the "Proper of the Mass" for the current date, is by searching it online and/or by using Traditional missal apps.
The Preface (Found in the middle of the Missal)
Within the Proper of the Mass, it will refer you to the Preface of the Mass and then going back to Ordinary to continue on with the Mass.
This is selected according to the season of the liturgical calendar.
Missing Preface - Depending on which missal you have, some of the older published missal will not have the latest Preface for newer feast of saints or other important events (One of two only). So don't be concern you can't find it. Just refer to the online one.
Colour Ribbons of the Missal
What are they used for? The colours of the ribbons are just preference to which sections within the Missal you wish to bookmark.
The mains one would be for the Ordinary, the Proper, and the Preface.
Use these ribbons to bookmark the pages as you flip the pages back and forth following the Mass.
Note, the ribbons will tend to fall apart at its ends. A good way to prevent this is to dip the ribbon ends into melted candle wax as soon as you have a new missal.
What are they used for? The colours of the ribbons are just preference to which sections within the Missal you wish to bookmark.
The mains one would be for the Ordinary, the Proper, and the Preface.
Use these ribbons to bookmark the pages as you flip the pages back and forth following the Mass.
Note, the ribbons will tend to fall apart at its ends. A good way to prevent this is to dip the ribbon ends into melted candle wax as soon as you have a new missal.