Confused Protestant with mass questions

[carol_marie]

Hi. I am a Protestant who would like to start observing your mass. I have three questions…1. What are you saying when you make a small cross on your head, mouth and chest prior to the gospel being said? 2. If I don’t feel comfortable kneeling during the mass is it ok if I just sit quietly or do you view that as being disrespectful on my part? I’m just not comfortable kneeling because I’m not sure what exactally I’m “bowing down” to. (I know that you believe it’s Jesus, I’m just not sure if I believe it’s Jesus) so can I remain seated? 3. The last time I attended mass everyone piled out of the church DURING the last song. Are we supposed to stay and sing or is that the cue to leave? (I was seated in the back)

 

[PioMagnus]

Welcome,

When we make those small crosses, I was taught to say (in regard to the Words of the Gospel) “On my mind, on my lips, in my heart”

This is to say “Think about Christ’s message, proclaim Christ’s message, live Christ’s message.”

As for not kneeling when we do, don’t feel required to kneel. If/When you convert, then you should kneel.

You SHOULD stay for the entirety of the last song. One of the things that bothers Catholic Religious, and Laity the most, is when people “skip out” on the end of mass.

In Him, through her,
Pio Magnus

 

[SMHW]

I would just like to add that while it is certainly preferable to stay and sing the final song you are technically only expected to stay until the priest and other ministers process out. In many parishes this will be after the first verse or so of the final song. If there is a choir they may continue to sing after the priest leaves. It kind of varies from parish to parish as to whether or not it is considered proper to wait for the song to finish.

 

[LilyOfTheFather]

1. What are you saying when you make a small cross on your head, mouth and chest prior to the gospel being said?
I and most people I know are saying “God be on my mind, on my lips, and in my heart.”

2. If I don’t feel comfortable kneeling during the mass is it ok if I just sit quietly or do you view that as being disrespectful on my part?
That’s perfectly fine. It marks you out as a non-Catholic in most places, but nobody would give you any grief about it.

** 3. The last time I attended mass everyone piled out of the church DURING the last song. Are we supposed to stay and sing or is that the cue to leave?**
You are only obligated to remain as long as the priest is in the building. It is respectful to stay through the entire song, but not an obligation.

 

[Faithful_2_Rome]

As I cross my Forehead/Lips & Heart- I pray: God please open my mind-(to think of thee) my lips-(to proclaim thee) & heart-(to be open to thee) to your Gospel message about to be read.

 

[Brendan]

Carol,

I’d recommend reading this website, it’s a very good, easy to read introduction to what happens at a Catholic Mass.

Why do Catholics bounce on one knee?

As far as kneeling, if you are uncomfortable kneeling when the Catholics do, you are not obliged to.

Even if you don’t believe in the Real Presence, might I suggest kneeling in prayer anyway. You may offer up your own prayer to God and kneeling is a pious way of doing so; (our family still kneels at our bedside for bedtime prayers, but we certainly aren’t worshipping our beds )

The last song is called the Recessional, and it’s technically not part of Mass. When the priest says at the end “This Mass has ended, go in peace”, and we reply “Thanks be to God”, the Mass IS over at that point.

It is, though, considered polite and worthy to sing praise to God in the form of the Recessional Hymn.

I hope this helps,

 

[Genuflecter]

By now you know what the sign on the forehead, lips, and chest mean, so I won’t repeat it.

As for kneeling, personally, I’m not offended when visitors don’t kneel. Like you said, you’re not sure if it really is the body and blood of or our Lord. However, you can still kneel in prayer with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Maybe just as a sign of unity or respect for other Christians while in their place of worship. I could say, when in Roman Catholicism, do as the Roman Catholics do (with certain exceptions, of course). But, if in doing so you feel like you’re affirming something you’re not comfortable affirming, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

As for people leaving before the priest, I’d say it depends on what Catholic parish you’re visiting. I know the good ones that are full of the spirit in our diocese and in those parishes nobody leaves until the last word is sung. You even see people staying in the pews after mass, kneeling and offering up thanks to God for the gift of the Eucharist.

 

[CatholicNerd]

Genuflecter:

As for people leaving before the priest, I’d say it depends on what Catholic parish you’re visiting. I know the good ones that are full of the spirit in our diocese and in those parishes nobody leaves until the last word is sung. You even see people staying in the pews after mass, kneeling and offering up thanks to God for the gift of the Eucharist.

It’s nice, isn’t it? Things are starting to turn around… in fact, at my parish a few weeks ago, I was very shocked to hear the Monsignor begin to pray the old Leonine prayers after Mass. And you know what was cool? The people who were there knew them too (you’d be surprised at who doesn’t these days) and prayed along.

 

[Genuflecter]

CatholicNerd:

It’s nice, isn’t it? Things are starting to turn around… in fact, at my parish a few weeks ago, I was very shocked to hear the Monsignor begin to pray the old Leonine prayers after Mass. And you know what was cool? The people who were there knew them too (you’d be surprised at who doesn’t these days) and prayed along.