A Catholic "Half-Way House"?

[fide]

The Catholic Mass is something that neither secular people nor most non-Catholic Christians have much context and experience for understanding. For typical Protestants, the Liturgy of the Word is far too brief, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist is far too long to make sense as a mere symbolic memorial. For secular folks off the street, the whole Mass much look like a highly ritualistic ceremony that doesn’t make sense.

So how do we invite secular people or non-Catholic Christians to “come and see” and learn what the Catholic Church is all about? I don’t see any structures of events in place to do that. I have thought about a “half-way house” - where they could come and learn about the Church. Maybe something close to a typical evangelical-Protestant service, with music, singing, Scripture readings and a teaching sermon.

Has anyone seen anything like that? Or some other way to “come and see” that they could understand?

 

[L_Marshall]

In my personal experience, I find that watering down the faith or liturgy of the Church is never beneficial. Although it may be easier for an individual to digest on there own, it makes it difficult for them to immerse themselves in the full liturgical life of the Church.

Many non-Catholics I know, who have never attended a Mass before, have found more complicated liturgies more interesting, and this piqued there interest in the Church as a whole. I know several non-Catholics who have attended liturgies in the Extraordinary Form, or liturgies at a local monastery (ad orientem, partly in Latin, many periods of silence), and found these experiences incredibly interesting.

After someone experiences this, talking them through what they witnessed and felt about the liturgy brings a catechetical component to it.

I believe that this is due to the fact the liturgies that approach the faith with a “smells-n-bells” approach is so foreign to the secular, non-Christian, Protestant, and Evangelical mind. The only Churches that worship this way are the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, and some Anglican churches. If someone is truly opened minded (and very people who claim to be “open minded” actually are), these experiences can easily broaden their minds.

 

[Petitange]

I know what you mean. Sometimes I find that catholics are not as welcoming as their protestant brothers. Before I started to attend the catholic mass, I went to protestant churches and people greeted me and wanted to know who this new girl was. I did not find this warmth in the catholic churches I went to. I persevered in the faith because the Eucharist was calling me.

I once brought two muslim friends to mass with me. Prior to mass I gave them some explaination about our faith. They asked me questions and I tried to explain as best as I could about the Trinity, the redemption, the orignial sin, etc. After the mass, which was the very solemn mass of the Lord’s Supper at an important basilica, they told me that they found it very interesting and that they were very surprised that we "praised the Lord, sang glory to God and thanked the Lord. They said that they thought only muslims praised God ! They were also surprised to see people from such diverse ethnic groups. However nobody talked to them after mass.

 

[InternetWoman]

Lately I’ve really come to appreciate all the good stuff that’s on YouTube (what amongst the chaff). Just type in “Catholic Mass Explained” and there are lots to sample from! This might be a good way to prepare folks who plan to attend a Mass for the first time.