A Brief Explanation of the Mass for Non-Catholic Guests?

[TimothyH]

Can anyone point me to a brief explaination of the Mass which might be suitable for Non-Catholic first timers?

I’m thinking about something which goes over the major parts, maybe highlights the Creed, Kyrie, Sanctus and a couple of other high points.

Ideally I would like something that points out things that can be missed like what the priest says during the preparation of the gifts while the offeratory hymn is still being sung and what the meaning of the various gestures are like the sign of the cross we make on our forehead, lips and heart.

Something that can be used as a guide during Mass, not too overwhelmimg but just so the guest can understand a little of what is going on.

What do all of you think? Is there something out there, a pamphlet or something? Should I not worry about it and just bring a St. Joe’s Missal?

-Tim-

What do you all think. . .

 

[Apollos]

Can anyone point me to a brief explaination of the Mass which might be suitable for Non-Catholic first timers?

If this is a one-time visit, then no explanation is necessary. Think about when *you *visit another church whose order of service is different from yours - you just follow along in the handout - they do give out handouts on your way in at your church, don’t they? - doing what everyone else is doing, without wanting an explanation of every little thing. So resist the urge to burden your first-timers with information overload. If they want to know something, let them ask on their own. Be guided by *their *questions, not by *your *anxiety.

 

[tbtcom1213]

The Mass is the re - presentation of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross offered by his representative the Priest (alter Christus or another Christ) in an unbloody manner.

The Mass commemorates The Last Supper and The Crucifixion.

The bread Jesus blesses and offers becomes his body; The wine with a drop of water Jesus blesses and offers becomes his blood.

Jesus offered his body and blood so that we could be redeemed of our sins. We know this as the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Furthermore Jesus says in the Gospel of St. John that he is the Bread of Life and if we do not eat him we have no life.

Saint Paul admonishes us to receive Our Lord worthily and with devotion in his first letter to the Corinthians. He says let a man try himself so that he can partake of the Eucharist. We know this action to be The Sacrament of Penance (Confession). Also, one must be baptized, catechized, believe in the Real Presence and tell the difference between ordinary bread and consecrated Bread. One must be free of mortal sin and have fasted an hour prior to Mass. For if you partake unworthily of the Lord you are guilt of his Body and Blood and for this many sleep.

The Mass is God’s greatest and Sublime Sacrifice he gave to sinners so that sinners could be redeemed and enjoy eternity with him. What I have wrote only covers the Central Part of the Mass. The other Parts I will write about are the Liturgical Parts and Scriptural Parts.

 

[TimothyH]

If this is a one-time visit, then no explanation is necessary. … So resist the urge to burden your first-timers with information overload. … Be guided by *their *questions, not by *your *anxiety.

I am not speaking about one time visits.

I live in the deep south where most people have been taught that the Catholic Mass is a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. My guests are likely to be non-denominational Evangelicals, Baptists and “Full Gospel” Bible Christians who were told from an early age that there is no biblical basis whatsoever for any Catholic belief.

My goal is to bring as many non-Catholics as possible into the Church so that their jaws can drop to the floor when the priest raises the Eucharist and says, “This is the lamb of God…” I wan’t to hear them say, “My God, it’s really you!” and about this I have no anxiety whatsoever.

I believe that a fifteen minute long conversation over coffee before Mass to address their questions before Mass starts would hardly be information overload nor would it be burdensom to someone who was truly interested in taking part in and learning about Catholic worship. After all, they did accept my invitation for a reason, did they not?

So I’ll put it out there again… Any thoughts on where to find a pamphlet, brochure or booklet which would foster conversation and which a guest could take back home?

-Tim-

 

[Apollos]

non-denominational Evangelicals, Baptists and “Full Gospel” Bible Christians who were told from an early age that there is no biblical basis whatsoever for any Catholic belief.

Ah, that’s different. There are laminated bare-bones Mass guides out there, but you had better make one yourself for this special situation. Start with a generic handout, perhaps an 11x14 folio (that is, a legal-size sheet folded in half to make a 7x11 four-page minibooklet) with the standard parts of the mass written out in full with brief explanatory headings and…

[sign]SCRIPTURE REFERENCES FOR EVERY QUOTATION OR ALLUSION[/sign]
For example, you could have a pair of top-level headings, one “PART 1: THE WORD OF GOD” and “PART 2: THE LORD’S SUPPER”; and under the first heading, “A. OLD TESTAMENT” “B. PSALM” “C. NEW TESTAMENT” “D. GOSPEL”, and so on.

 

[Busymom1]

TimothyH… you have a great question! I’m like you you, from the South, and I think a pamphlet like mentioned by Apollos would be fantastic. If one exists, I’d love to know about it. If one doesn’t exist then that sounds like a good subject for a future “tract” by an apologist. Anyone up for it?

 

[HeavenlyRoses]

aquinasandmore.com/catholic-books/Why-the-Mass-Matters/sku/1126

Perhaps you could use this book as a guide, condense the most critical parts and create your own hand-out I agree, non-Catholics have a hard time wrapping their heads around the mass, especially when they’ve had a lifetime of misinformation.
Good luck in your evangelization efforts. Let us know how it goes!