The Mass is divided since antiquity into two parts: The Mass of the Catechumens and the Mass of the Faithful.
Catechumens departed from the Church after the first part of the Mass, which consisted of instruction in the readings and sermon. The Mystery of the Holy Eucharist was reserved to those who undertook Baptism, usually on Holy Saturday. Thus, a person had to prove he had the Faith and follow through by study, and be scrutinized by the priest and his fellow Christians, prior to being admitted to the sublime Mystery of the True Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ.
In at least one sermon, still existing today, St. Augustine reminded his flock one Sunday, after the Catechumens had departed, to carefully watch the aspirants and not to recommend another for Baptism who showed a lack of complete faith in Jesus and the Church or who might be sceptical regarding Her Doctrines.
Perhaps in these testing times the words of St. Augustine ought be read again! Furthermore, St. Paul said “Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread and drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.”
St. Pius X restored the Masses of Lent to their proper place in the early part of last century. His reforms were printed in the 1920 edition of the Missale Romanum.
The Sundays of Lent were restored to their place, and he encouraged priests to say the Lenten Masses, appropriate to the Season of Lent, rather than the Masses of Saints which might have little relationship to the Season, by making them privileged.
The Lenten Masses were given precedence over the ordinary feast days of Saints falling during Lent in the 1962 Missale Romanum.
The only feasts of note now celebrated during Lent are St. Joseph, the Annunciation, both I Class feast days and St Matthias, a II Class feast.
Here in Wales we celebrate St David, also a I Class feast. But as popular as he may be, St Patrick is a commemoration only in England and Wales. Saints days of the III and IV Class are only commemorated in the Lenten Masses. Thus, the violet and penitential aspect of the Season of Lent is preserved.