Are non-Catholics allowed to....?

[Hugh_Betcha]

Hey everyone, got some questions about what I can or can’t do. I’m looking seriously at converting to Catholocism but can I (as a protestant):

1. Own, handle, touch, pray a rosary?
2. Make the sign of the cross?
3. Touch Holy water?
4. Ask a priest to bless stuff? *see 1, above

Also, what should I do at mass? Should I just watch, or try to bluff my way through? Anyone watching will know I’m not Catholic, I can’t keep it straight when to stand kneel (one knee or both) talk, don’t talk, should I say the Our Fathers and whatnot?

Thanks!

 

[mercygate]

Yes! to all of the above. You may do EVERYTHING at Mass: Sing, pray the prayers said by the people, kneel, stand, genuflect, make the sign of the cross, bow at the Incarnatus in the Creed. The only thing you must not do is receive the Eucharist at this point. Heck! You could even make a confession if you wanted to – although the priest could not pronounce absolution because you need to be Catholic for that . . . .

There’s a link somewhere out there on the internet you might google – it has a title something like why do Catholics scratch their heads . . . sniff the altar . . .
Welcome. Here’s a cyber-hug.

 

[Genesis315]

You can do all of those things. At Mass, just participate the best you can.

The only thing you can’t do is receive communion.

 

[Hugh_Betcha]

mercygate:

bow at the Incarnatus in the Creed. .

The say what now? what is Incarnatus? what Creed? Told ya I cant keep up with it all!

 

[sdnewbie]

Hugh Betcha,

I am going through RCIA right now and was just told what you have been told above that we can do everything but participate in the Eucharist. I follow along with the congregation and even go up, but instead of taking Communion I cross my arms across my chest and get a blessing from the priest. Here is a link to help explain some of the things that will happen myweb.lmu.edu/fjust/Mass.htm. I hope this helps. I think there is also a book/pamphlet by Jimmy Akin called Mass Confusion.

Following along in the Missal will help as well. wow, I would have been lost without them. Still trying to learn the longer prayers, but thoroughly enjoying the experience of going to Mass. Good luck and God Bless you!!

 

[STIOFAN]

Hugh Betcha:

The say what now? what is Incarnatus? what Creed? Told ya I cant keep up with it all!

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

 

[theMutant]

Hugh Betcha:

The say what now? what is Incarnatus? what Creed? Told ya I cant keep up with it all!

If you follow in the Missal you should see the instruction printed in there. Catholics are to bow “profoundly” (deeply) for the following line in the Creed, “By the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary and became man.”

 

[Sowndog]

theMutant:

If you follow in the Missal you should see the instruction printed in there. Catholics are to bow “profoundly” (deeply) for the following line in the Creed, “By the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary and became man.”

I must say I have been a Catholic all my life and have never known about this!

 

[mercygate]

Sowndog:

I must say I have been a Catholic all my life and have never known about this!

:banghead: I wish you were a rarity!

Now you’re gonna start doing it, though, right?

 

[rcn]

theMutant:

Catholics are to bow “profoundly” (deeply) for the following line in the Creed

Although virtually no one does, and those that do seem to (in my opinion) do it in a way to draw as much attention to themselves as possible.

It is a minor matter; not doing so does not in any way detract from one’s participation at Mass.

To respond properly to the original question, if you do what others around you are doing (except for receiving Communion) you’ll be fine.

 

[Hugh_Betcha]

sdnewbie:

Hugh Betcha,

I am going through RCIA right now and was just told what you have been told above that we can do everything but participate in the Eucharist. I follow along with the congregation and even go up, but instead of taking Communion I cross my arms across my chest and get a blessing from the priest. Here is a link to help explain some of the things that will happen myweb.lmu.edu/fjust/Mass.htm. I hope this helps. I think there is also a book/pamphlet by Jimmy Akin called Mass Confusion.

Following along in the Missal will help as well. wow, I would have been lost without them. Still trying to learn the longer prayers, but thoroughly enjoying the experience of going to Mass. Good luck and God Bless you!!

Yep, gonna have to get that book, just watched mass on EWTN, and am pretty much lost. Some of it was in latin, some english, sometimes the priest talked, sometimes he sang (kind of). Really need to know all the what fors now. Thanks to all for your responses, and for your prayers and blessings!

 

[Affirmed]

If you can, attend not only on Sundays but on weekdays as well. The more you attend, the more it makes sense and becomes habit. Like when I have to play for my other job at a Lutheran Church, habit takes over and I end up responding where I shouldn’t, etc. like I was in Mass instead of a service. It just gets ingrained.

 

[Lida]

Hugh,

I can’t really add anything to what others have said already, but we welcome you with open arms!!

Lida

 

[theMutant]

rcn:

Although virtually no one does, and those that do seem to (in my opinion) do it in a way to draw as much attention to themselves as possible.

It is a minor matter; not doing so does not in any way detract from one’s participation at Mass.

Actually, it does matter. The Mass is not the worship of the individual, of the local parish, or even of the local Church (diocese). It is the collective and unified worship of the entire Latin Rite of the Church and everyone is to follow the form of worship outlined in the Missal. Catholics are free to worship as they please in private or in gatherings, but not at the Mass. The Church has repeatedly emphasized this. No one, not even the bishop, is free to alter any part of the Mass. We stand at specific times, sit at specific times, kneel at specific times, read specific Scriptures on specific days, and recite specific prayers. We also bow at a specific time. If you don’t do it, you are not fully participating in the Mass. I emphasize this because I don’t want to be accused of saying that you are not otherwise participating.

While it may be true that virtually no one does this, it doesn’t make it a minor matter or even okay not to do it. The only reason those who know the rubrics and follow the direction “seem to” draw attention to themselves is because they are clearly doing something different than the majority of the congregation. However, it is actually the majority of the congregation that is doing something different than the Church.

 

[theMutant]

Hugh Betcha:

Yep, gonna have to get that book, just watched mass on EWTN, and am pretty much lost. Some of it was in latin, some english, sometimes the priest talked, sometimes he sang (kind of). Really need to know all the what fors now. Thanks to all for your responses, and for your prayers and blessings!

Finding a Missal will probably not help much in following the Mass on EWTN because most Missals don’t include Latin (since the overwheming majority of parishes don’t do any of the Mass in Latin). Additionally, the Missals I’ve seen that do have the Latin often place it in the back where you cannot conveniently see the Engish translation. A Missal should, however, help you get through the Mass at just about any local parish once you get used to knowing where you need to turn next.

 

[Scotty_PGH]

Hugh Betcha:

Yep, gonna have to get that book, just watched mass on EWTN, and am pretty much lost. Some of it was in latin, some english, sometimes the priest talked, sometimes he sang (kind of). Really need to know all the what fors now. Thanks to all for your responses, and for your prayers and blessings!

What you see on EWTN is the “new” Mass celebrated in the most faithful manner possible. Unfortunately, Masses in most US parishes look very little like what you saw. The content is very similar, but the presentation (the amount of Latin used, the chanting, the genuflecting, the overall reverence) will vary. In some cases, these elements are totally lacking.

As for the earlier suggestions about what to do during Communion, while going forward for a blessing is certainly one option, during my own period of conversion I found it much more spiritually fulfilling to remain kneeling in my pew, praying a spiritual Communion prayer. (Note that this will require you to be somewhat conscious of the others in your pew, as you may need to let them out or let them back in after they’ve received.)

Here is the text of one such prayer (you’ll hear a voice-over praying this during the EWTN broadcast Mass), written by St. Alphonsus Liguori:

My Jesus, I believe that Thou are truly present in the Blessed
Sacrament. I love Thee above all things and I desire Thee in my
soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. (Pause) I embrace Thee as being already there and unite myself wholly to Thee. Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.

God bless you!

 

[Curious]

I’m not Catholic either, but I now have a rosary to say and when I go to mass, I slip glances out the corner of my eye and do everything everyone else does. It also does help to look at the Missal and you may want to even look ahead a little to see what’s coming up next.

Just be a copycat. That’s what I do. And when they go up for the Eucharist you can go, too. Just cross your arms over your chest and get the Eucharistic blessing for people not allowed to take it.

Fun times.

 

[mrS4ntA]

Curious:

I’m not Catholic either, but I now have a rosary to say and when I go to mass, I slip glances out the corner of my eye and do everything everyone else does. It also does help to look at the Missal and you may want to even look ahead a little to see what’s coming up next.

Just be a copycat. That’s what I do. And when they go up for the Eucharist you can go, too. Just cross your arms over your chest and get the Eucharistic blessing for people not allowed to take it.

Fun times.

Curious,

Now I’m really curious (pardon the bad pun), you seem to be virtually a Catholic. If not actually, you seem to be spiritually in communion with us. What exactly is your status, RCIA?

 

[rayne89]

Hugh Betcha:

Hey everyone, got some questions about what I can or can’t do. I’m looking seriously at converting to Catholocism but can I (as a protestant):

1. Own, handle, touch, pray a rosary?
2. Make the sign of the cross?
3. Touch Holy water?
4. Ask a priest to bless stuff? *see 1, above

Also, what should I do at mass? Should I just watch, or try to bluff my way through? Anyone watching will know I’m not Catholic, I can’t keep it straight when to stand kneel (one knee or both) talk, don’t talk, should I say the Our Fathers and whatnot?

Thanks!

1 thru 4 YES
Just don’t sit in the front row, then you’ll see when everyone else stands and kneels. When your in the pew it’s both knees. It’s one knee when you genuflect before entering the pew, and right after you leave the pew after Mass. You can just watch, it no biggie I wouldn’t worry about the people around you.

mycatholictradition.com/catholic-mass.html

Here’s an overview.

 

[Curious]

Curious,

Now I’m really curious (pardon the bad pun), you seem to be virtually a Catholic. If not actually, you seem to be spiritually in communion with us. What exactly is your status, RCIA?

Not Catholic. Not in RCIA.