The Latin Mass provides an "oasis of total silence" in a noisy world that is constantly demanding attention, Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen said in a recent interview with conservative commentator Michael Knowles.

The two were speaking on the 26 July episode of The Michael Knowles Show, discussing Habsburg's new book, Discovering the Latin Mass.

Recalling the first time he attended the Traditional Latin Mass, Habsburg, the former Hungarian ambassador to the Holy See and to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, told Knowles that he was initially confused and somewhat put off by the experience, describing it as "very alien".

"The priest looks away from you. You see mostly his back. He moves in a very ritualized way, like on rails. He has no choice, no improvisation," he said.

Having attended the Novus Ordo Mass for most of his life, Habsburg said that form of the liturgy has "sort of programmed us to expect a certain set of impressions, experiences, sounds and smells when you go to liturgy".

One of the biggest differences, he said, was the amount of silence.

At a Latin Mass in Rome, which his wife dragged him to "kicking and screaming", Habsburg initially struggled to follow the missal.

"And then came the 'Holy, Holy,' the Sanctus. And then suddenly there was silence," he said. "And the silence endured and endured."

The priest, Habsburg said, appeared to be working at the altar, yet there was still silence.

"You're not used to silence in today's Mass because once you've experienced the Latin Mass and you go back to today's Mass, which I regularly still go to, you notice how well filled it is between answering and singing and reacting and you're busy all the time," he said.

Conversely, "in the Latin Mass, there are long stretches where the silence almost presses on your ears".

The Traditional Latin Mass, Habsburg said, "is one of the only moments where young people have total silence for over an hour in their lives, because they're entertained from the morning to the evening".

He continued: "You switch on your phone before you switch on your light, and you switch off your phone when you switch your light off in the evening and in between you're constantly checking. There's always noise, noise. The traditional liturgy is very quiet over long stretches, and you can pray. It's impressive."

Knowles characterised the Novus Ordo Mass as "effeminate" in nature and as an attempt at entertainment.

"Whereas even when you just have the priest facing you, it feels as though you are there to be entertained. And if I'm going to be entertained, I'll watch the Yankees. That's what I watch to be entertained," he said.

Going to Mass, Knowles added, comes with a desire to feel as though a person is "really doing something".

Habsburg agreed.

"Catholic liturgy," he said, "can never compete with really great entertainment outside if it's not the real deal."

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