Differences between Catholic masses in US and outside US.

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Being someone who has only been to mass in the US, I was wondering how other masses are different from ours in other countries? I know that they are basically the same, but there are some minor differences. I have friends in Scotland that are on a mission trip (Please pray for there success, safety, and ability to preach. Thanks), and they have told me of the subtle differences between theirs and our masses. So please share anything and everything! 😃
 
I had the rare priviledge of attending mass at St Peter’s in Rome last year… attended mass said in Italian, and in latin… it was a holy experience… couldn’t hardly understand a single word, but due to the Rubricks of the mass being universal, it wasn’t hard to participate… it was Great!.. 👍
 
I’ve attended Mass in Scotland. I didn’t notice any difference. I’ve seen more startling differences bettween parishes within my own diocese actually. They had a very nice musical ensemble there that traveled from parish to parish. I attended Mass in Creiff, a not very big town in central Scotland. They had altar girls.

I’ve also attended Mass in Poland. In Poland quite a few people abstain from communion, something which I rarely see here. The church I attended was packed like sardines, with most people standing throughout the Mass. The pews there have kneelers at an angle which force your bottom to rest on the pew, which I believe is also at an angle. If I’m not mistaken, there were nuns assisting as altar servers. I know that a nun assisted with the baptism of my daughter Anna, who was baptized there. At one Mass they had a skit done by the kids included. I’m not sure what it was about as I don’t understand Polish that well.

In Poland I noticed that people are less stiff in church and don’t have as strict ettiquitte. At a wedding Mass I attended at a Cathedral people drifted into the aisles, and up towards the bride and groom, with the groom’s small nieces practically up by the altar. No one seemed perturbed by that. Quite a few people abstained from communion.

I also attended Mass in England a year and a half ago. It was a small church in a town in Cornwall. People were very chatty before Mass, I noticed. They included the Hail Mary somehow in their Mass, I don’t remember where, maybe at the end. It was pretty much the same, although they say Ah-men, not Ay-men…
 
I’ve been to Masses in Ireland, and I remember two distinctions: No kneeling after the Agnus Dei, and the Prayer of the Faithful had a different response; the petitions would end “Lord, hear us”, and the response was “Lord, graciously hear us”

John
 
White Dove,
Poland is not Warsaw. Warsaw is the most liberal diocese in Poland. I have been to many churches in Poland and never saw any altar girls[but alot of altar boys sometimes even 30 boys]. People in Poland are very disciplined in church compared to Americans. In Poland people still kneel towards the tabernacle. The tabernacle is still in the center of the sanctuary even in new churches.
 
I’m not sure if I saw altar girls there or not. I did see them in Scotland though. In Poland I think there might have been nuns helping, can’t recall.

Warsaw is a huge city though, very important. I went to church in Komorow, outside of Warsaw, where my sister-in-law lives. She doesn’t attend church though.
 
I attended Mass at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. It was a Sunday Mass and there were only 2 readings instead of 3.
 
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Mary1973:
I attended Mass at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. It was a Sunday Mass and there were only 2 readings instead of 3.
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We attended daily mass in Montreal, and not one of them offered the sign of peace after the Our Father.
 
I’ve been to Mass in the US and in Puerto Rico. Differences?
I’ll mention those that apply to my diocesis, since that is the one I’m familiar with. (Oh, I also have the problem of not knowing some of the terms/spellings in English since I returned to the Church after moving to the Island.
  1. Communion is under one species. If received under both, it is by intinction.
  2. The Confietor (sp?) is used in most Masses (including weekdays).
  3. We have moniciones - An introduction to the Mass, explaining what the theme is (according to the readings) and introductions to each of the readings, explaining what we are about to hear. Sorry to throw the Spanish term out there, but I don’t know what it is in English.
  4. Besides the sung parts of the Mass, we have the following Songs - Entrance, Offertory, Communion, Thanksgiving (immediately after communion), and Recessional. (Not sure if the parts have the same titles in English)
  5. We only kneel during the actual Consecration and after reception of the Eucharist.
  6. I have never been to a weekend Mass here that did not last at least 60, and usually 75 - 90 minutes. (Most of the ones I attended in the States lasted only 45-50 minutes.)
  7. This is no longer a difference, but we only started receiving in the hand about 10 or 11 years ago. Prior to that it was only on the tongue.
Those are all the differences I can recall off hand and some of them may be specific to my diocesis.

John
 
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Mary1973:
I attended Mass at St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal. It was a Sunday Mass and there were only 2 readings instead of 3.
Click to expand...
Detroit Sue:
We attended daily mass in Montreal, and not one of them offered the sign of peace after the Our Father.
Click to expand...
Neither of these are the norm for Canada, Sundays always have first, second and Gospel readings and sign of peace is usually done but I have seen it omited at daily mass.
The biggest difference between Canada and the US is in Canada the norm is to use the Apostles Creed as opposed to the Nicene Creed and we use the NRSV Bible for readings.
Oh yes almost forgot, for the intentions more and more churches are adopting “Lord accept our prayer” rather than “Lord hear our prayer”. Don’t know if it’s much of a difference.
 
In Ireland, several of the parts where there are words from the priest and a response from the congregation were in Irish (Gaelic). However, I’ve discussed this with Irish from elsewhere, and this practice may be limited to the southwest or west of the island (I was in Dingle).
 
Thanks for all of the posts. They are all so interesting. I cant wait to have the ability to travel and experience the world. Thank you all for taking the time to comment on what you have taken part in. 👍
 
Yes, I have attended Mass in Scotland and England, preety much the same as here in the States, including the same lousey hymns.
I attended High Mass at St. Mark’s in Venice. It was heaven! Part in Italian, part in Latin (as it should be). Also, invarious churches in Rome, and Florence. No Communion in the hand.
 
I’ve been to Mass in Austria 2x; once to a huge cathedral in central Vienna (English mass) and the second in a village (German mass). Although my German isn’t great, the latter was easier to follow —they had missals. I think there were some differences in the postures and also, the collection was placed in a can with a hole in it. Most Austrians are “taxed” to support the Church if they note their religion as “Catholic” as they are supposed to when they move to into a jurisdiction. So the collection is probably more like our poor box.
 
My family, my wife, our four children and me, lived 10 years in Ireland from 1996 to 2007. We found Irish Masses to be quick: the quickest I went to was 33 minutes, but 40 minutes or less is the norm. That includes any singing. Lectors get to the altar quick: they don’t wait for a long pause before getting up there and doing the readings. The homily is almost always heartfelt and makes a lasting impression. Maybe it is because Irish people are so articulate and eloquent.

I remember my Dad used to say that if Mass went over 40 minutes, the Irish would start heading for the exit door, and he was born and reared in Iowa!

Almost everyone does the half-sitting kneel, even young healthy people.

The people tend to say the “Through Him, with Him and in Him” prayer with the priest. The priests don’t comment on the practice, but have tried to get it halted by singing the prayer. Irish congregations don’t much like to sing, so that is effective!

The Creed has two small wording differences. Christ “…suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again, in accordance with the Scriptures.” not “…suffered, died and was buried. On the third day, He rose again, in fulfillment of the Scriptures.”

In many parishes, old men sit in the back of church, and you can hear their voices rumbling during their conversations throughout Mass. They stop talking and even take off their caps and kneel at the Consecration, though. In 1983 my family and I went to Mass and were surprised to see women and girls on one side of the center aisle, men and boys on the other.

In 1971 I was on my way to Mass in another small town and saw many men and older boys all outside, strung across down the front path, out on the street, some leaning up against shop windows across the street, smoking and conversing. However, at the sound of the consecration bells, all hats came off, and all knelt. Conversation resumed at the end of the consecration.

I wonder if the men outside is a vestige of the day when the church space was too small to allow women and children and men and boys inside to shelter, and the men remained in the weather out of chivalry.
 
I used to travel globally for work.

Some thoughts.

Communion in the hand is not allowed in most of Central\Latin America. They might allow you to recieve that way, if only to not argue in the Communion line, but you quickly identify yourself as a clueless American.

Masses in Korea, everyone bows (as in a really deep bow) during the Consecration instead of kneeling. Kinda hard on the back if you are not used to it.

Masses in Canada, English speaking Canada uses the Apostles Creed instead of the Nicean, French Canada uses the Nicean.

Most every non-English speaking Mass I’ve been too uses what is effectively the new Translation ( And also with your Spirit) in the local language.

Outside of the US and Canada, everyone stands up after the Memorial Acclimation instead of after the Great Amen.
 
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