Why ‘trads’ seek to root the church’s future in the past

If you’ve never attended a Latin Mass before, just know that no one is going to tell you what’s going on.
Most likely, no one will talk to you at all—though you might get a mischievous smile from the little boy on the other end of the pew, fidgeting his way between his brothers and sisters while you try to give his mother a sympathetic nod.
If you’re a girl or woman, you’re likely going to feel out of place without covering your hair. You might be able to grab a spare lace covering in the lost and found, provided you don’t mind not knowing who wore it last.
You’re likely to see a lot of these head coverings and long skirts. But face coverings, as in masks, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, are much less likely.
Unadorned faces. Solemn looks. And the pastor’s back. These are your likely guarantees.
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You’ll also smell the holy scent of incense. You’ll be invited to the table, provided no one knows your political stances. And how would they, when everyone seems anonymous …