20, 21 December 2006 – Indult Tridentine Mass

I attended a Tridentine Mass on 21 December. It was at St Joseph’s Church Queen Street. It’s the first time going to one. Actually Norman asked me if I wanted to serve, but I didn’t want to cut my hair, so yeah, I did warden duty instead. I didn’t really do much; the parish wardens did most of the work including the collection during offertory.

A Tridentine Mass is vastly different from the new rite Masses. It is quieter than usual. There is no guitar and bongos, only voice and organ. To the uninitiated it can be quite unnerving at first, but one will get used to it after a while.

The elevation of the host

The entire Eucharistic prayer is silent to the congregation. This gives a lot of space for reflection.

Unlike what most of us do these days, Communion is administered only on the tongue while kneeling. That’s the way it should be!

21 December 2006

Truly beautiful and solemn. Everybody should attend one of these liturgies at least once in their life!

(Indult only, of course.)

Christmas Break

Oh goody. The common tests are finally over and the Christmas break has arrived!

Friday was our last paper. We went to play Dota at Chong Pang. It was a long journey to the lan shop. Rayson made us alight at Khatib Station, walk through the HDB blocks, and we ended up in some backlane. We walked under the hot noon sun, trying to avoid the speeding trucks coming towards us around the bends.

After walking for 2 km, we arrived at the lan shop, only to our dismay that it’s open only to members. Dirt cheap though, only 90 cents an hour. We ended up going to another shop down to road.

I did remarkably all right, despite not touching this game for a long time. Dominic Bung and Arden did comment I was scary after getting killed in-game. Bleah, slamming the mouse and swearing loudly are bad habits left over from my marist days.

After the game everybody went off their own way. I went down to St Peter and Paul to have my confession heard and to hear Mass.

I met up with Jiamin later that evening. We went to have dinner and see a film at PS. What a lovely evening. I’ve enjoyed myself immensely.

Now that the holidays are here, I have to deal with my other commitments. I haven’t planned my program for the officers training camp in January. That’s less than 3 weeks. And I have to make preparations for this Friday’s legion Christmas party. I better ask the rest of my officers about that one.

Argh, and I still have to finish 2 projects before school opens. Ah well, I’ll take it as it comes.