First Mass

[Mike316]

Hello all, well in the last few months I come to realize the Catholic Church is the original Holy Church, no doubt in my mind or heart. I had not attended a Mass before last night prior to my RCIA class. I may have gotten the horse in front of the cart. I was very surprised concerning the lack of corporate worship, reverence, and lack of life in the service. The homily was about five minutes just OK; little meaning. There was no wine served with the host during the Eucharist. Participation in the hymns was about 20%. I don’t know what I was expecting, but that wasn’t it. I am certainly not bashing God’s Holy Church, but is there something missing? Is that it? My old Church is a Charismatic Episcopal Church and we are very similar in the readings and liturgy. Our praise is about 90% participation and the Word is taught for about 30 minutes minimum, and the Eucharist serves both the host and wine and is the main part of the service. Our church believes that the wafer is the body and the wine is the blood much like the Catholics; it’s not just symbolic. The Catholic parish is big and well respected within the city. RCIA is friendly and sweet with the Word taught and discussed. Don’t flame away, I love the Lord and his Church, but just wanted to find out is that’s normal. It’s not EWTN is it? Peace, Mike

 

[mercygate]

Mike, what you describe is about 90% of the hurdle many of us converts have to jump as we come into the Church. I’ve been in the Church for 4 years now, and I’m still not used to it. Hope I never get used to it. There ARE wonderful congregations where life is otherwise, but you have to look for them. I call them “boutique” parishes.

I finally realized that if you want the authenticity of the Church, you just have to stand what goes on on Sunday mornings. It may not be purty, but (assuming no abuses) it’s REAL!

 

[Cherub]

Hello Mike,

It could be that there was indeed something missing from the parish where you attended the Mass. If you were that stunned by its lack of reverence, it could be because there is a lack of reverence there. Try to find another parish to visit during Mass so that you can compare your experiences.

In my area there is one Catholic parish that might be to blame for turning several people “off” of Catholicism who were drawn to it, who got there and left empty and made a decision about the entire Catholic Church based only on what was seen there (no Christ crucified in the altar area, 60’s sounding folk music instead of hymns, etc…)

Another thing you must remember is that even though some of the Episcopal church claim to believe in the Real Presence in the Eucharist, their priests/priestesses do not have valid orders or faculties to confect the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. They cannot turn it from bread to body and wine to blood; all they can do is say they believe.

Remember that the presence of Christ is the most important thing about Mass–the true presence.

 

[hlgomez]

I was very surprised concerning the lack of corporate worship, reverence, and lack of life in the service.

Did you know that the Mass is a “representing” the sacrifice at calvary? The Mass is not a merry making sacrifice.

There was no wine served with the host during the Eucharist.

Communion in either of the species is considered complete. But some parishes allow both species (and there’s nothing wrong with either or both). You receive the whole Christ substantially present in both species.

Participation in the hymns was about 20%.

Some people don’t know how to sing. It’s a reality, or maybe they know how to sing but they just don’t want to.

Our church believes that the wafer is the body and the wine is the blood much like the Catholics

Do you believe it’s the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ present in both species and not just the “Body” for the host, and “Blood” for the wine? If you believe the later, then there is a profound difference in our faith.

God bless.

Pio

 

[MariaG]

Normal? Yes. The only thing out there? No! If it is possible, I would search for another Catholic Church. (For me it is at least 30 - 45 minutes away for a different Catholic Church. Not something I wish to do since it would be on rural, twisting and turning highways with lots of rain at times.) Our church recently got a new priest. The last one had 5-10 minute homilies with little meat. The new one has much longer ones. He also tends to make people uncomfortable. He is saying things from the pulpit people haven’t heard for about 12 years. We have lost people because of it. But I keep praying that God will replace them with those who want to be spiritually challenged. Now if God could just turn us into a Charismatic Catholic Church, all my prayers will have been answered.

If you can’t go to another church, I would take the opportunity to really stretch yourself spiritually. I know it is always nice to go to church and feel the presence of God just surround you. Sometimes though, He calls us to a deeper look. I know once I went without kids to a noon Mass. Still the same old rather uninspiring music, short homily. Everything was the same except my attitude. I went looking to receive nothing. I went with the attitude of worshipping God with every fiber of my being. I didn’t ask the Holy Spirit to fill me to overflowing, I offered my worship and love to God seeking nothing in return. I succeeded. And I ended up"feeling" better than 50 praise choruses, more filled up with the Holy Spirit than ever, and closer to Him than ever before in my life. Rarely am I able to worship to this degree (kids and life distractions), but I know that God is calling me to a more intimate relationship than I have ever had before. I am getting there slowly. Maybe that is what He wishes of you also.

As I wrote that, I think it is kind of ironic. Catholics frequently get bashed for not having a personal relationship with Christ. At the Catholic Church, I personally have to put more effort into my walk and rely less on the superficial (like the music style) things around me to get there. Oh well just my personal observation.

Your sister in Christ,
Maria

 

[neophyte]

I fully relate. I occasionally must attend Mass at a parish that seems to have a rather, let us say, relaxed attitude about the Magesterium. The liturgical abuses and lowered sense of reverence there cause me much distress, and sometimes I leave wondering if I was really at a Catholic church. Nonetheless I go, not because of what I feel I get but because of what I know I get: the opportunity to commune with our risen Lord in the Eucharist, and the graces that come through the sacraments.

The validity of the mass is not dependent on the reverence of the laity, nor on the priest agreeing with Church doctrine: it’s dependant on the fact that the priest has valid holy orders and the mass is valid. I use these occasions as reminders of why I love my home parish so much.

It’s not uncommon to receive both species only at Sunday masses. As pio says, it’s pefectly valid.

There’s no requirement to go to the closest parish. Keep looking.