Autism and attending Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter jesusmademe
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jesusmademe

Guest
What does it feel like being on the autism spectrum when attending Mass? Is it hard due to all the social stuff going on?
I imagine it being easier for an autistic monk to attend Mass (even if they are 70 monks) since it is not that social in a monastery as it would be in a parish.
Isn’t Mass too social for us in the autism spectrum? Keep the social stuff away from Mass I say even if it is very different from the social gathering afterwards.
 
What do you mean by social stuff? Extending to each other the sign of peace? Some parishes will ask everyone to stand and greet one another right before Mass starts, but I don’t know if that is common practice. My home parish doesn’t.

Normally, people come on here complaining that Catholic parishes are too antisocial.
 
I can’t speak for anyone with autism, but I don’t find mass to have “social stuff.” Except for offering each other a sign of peace, we are just a group of people attending mass together. In fact, there have been many threads lamenting the fact that mass is not social enough, so I wouldn’t think it would be very bothersome.

@Joe_5859, perhaps you can shed some light on this?
 
Mass is not terribly “social”.

Even if you do happen to attend one of those parishes where everybody is into holding hands or whatever, you can usually just sit in a back corner and avoid it, or else find a different church where that stuff doesn’t go on.

I have attended many OF Masses where all I had to do was sit away from the main aisles of the church and I was totally left alone during Mass, which can be helpful when you are in grief, tired, or just want to be left alone for some reason.
 
It is not social in the way a social gathering is social. I guess beung around different kinds of people is social to me. Enough to make me a bit stressed. The monks who have Masses with no late comers (although Benedict in his rule mentions suchh people) and so on sounds kinda nice. I guess I like the way the Benedictines do it. They start at the cell and walk down yo Church for the liturgy. They dont start at the subway.
Then they have their places in the Church. Must Churches are messy on a Sunday. I want eveeything extremely ordered at Mass.
The autistic need for order I suppose.
 
Last edited:
Maybe you can try going to the earliest Mass of the day? Those are usually populated by older people and I imagine old folks are more punctual and there would be less stragglers.
 
But I want the music! I am a singer you know.
The early Mass is just silent.
I talked with a Priest who said that I wont hear music at the early Mass
 
Last edited:
If you live near a Benedictine monastery, they may have Masses open to the public that you can attend.
Otherwise I would suggest attending at a large cathedral, if they have a regular Mass with good music. Cathedrals are often not orderly places but they are likely large enough that you could find a quiet, uncrowded spot to sit.

Remember however that Jesus is equally present at the less beautiful or less orderly Masses, and you can offer up your discomfort to him if you are forced by schedule or location to attend a less-than-ideal Mass.
 
I’ve been to 8 AM Masses on Sundays and there was music. Not as great as later-day Masses, but music nonetheless. Maybe try another parish?
 
Jesus is equally present outside of Mass, too!
 
Last edited:
Social Interaction is not a required part of the Mass. Remember, you are there for God, not for the laity. Focus on Christ, and Christ alone.
 
He is present spiritually outside Mass and outside Adoration.
He is present spiritually AND physically at Mass and at Adoration.
This is NOT “equally present”.

Your profile says you are Catholic. A Catholic knows and believes what I just said.

What is your point in making this remark? You sound like you’re suggesting we don’t need to go to Mass, or that I’m somehow in the dark about God’s presence in the world. Both contentions are wrong. It’s also off topic for the thread.
 
Last edited:
I have to think that the Traditional Latin Mass (I dislike the term “Extraordinary Form”) would be perfect for someone with autism. It is precisely ordered, there is no noise (except for the choir in a High Mass), and it is more or less the same each and every time. It is also very, very calming.
 
Shhh, everyone knows the OF of the Mass has everything that the EF does, but better! 😉
 
I would say it probably varies a bit depending on the parish and the person with autism.

My son is on the spectrum. He comes to Mass with us each weekend. He does a lot better at the early morning Mass than he does at the evening vigil. Our parish has an oddly designed cry room that actually works out perfectly as there is a nook that can only fit three chairs across. He stays there, and then he can stand up and move around without distracting others and there is no danger of him running off. It also removes us from the crowd of people, so he doesn’t get overwhelmed.

If you have autism, I would say it would be good to just try different parishes, different Mass times, and different seats within the Church until you find the one that works best for you. I definitely think it’s possible to find the right fit.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top