First Sunday Mass

[Curious]

Sometime soon I plan on going to a sunday mass. I’ve been to the christmas eve mass before, in 2003. Hopefully I’ll be going either this Sunday or next.

Anything I should keep in mind while I’m there? Look for? Think about? Pray about? Etc?

 

[Tim_Faremouth]

Your first Mass ?? wow, I am very excited for you … be fully aware that you are experiencing a slice of heaven on earth and that all the angels and saints in Heaven are present during the consecration of the Eucharist. And that Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity comes down onto that altar table during the Eucharistic prayer … sing loud and with alot of heart !! … you’ll never do anything more important in your life than to participate in the Holy Mass and to partake in the Holiest of Holies — The Holy Eucharist. Listen closely to the Word of God during the Liturgy of the Word part of the Mass which happens before The Liturgy of the Eucharist. Try to apply your understanding of the readings into some experience you’ve had in your life. And lastly, the Mass is a celebration and a sacrifice !! … participate, rejoice and be happy !!!

Also, ask your priest or your DRE or RCIA instructor on tips for what to look closely for during the Mass. They will surely help you … they are the experts.

Shalom, Tim

 

[Curious]

Thanks Tim. I will try to do all that, except receive the Eucharist. I’m not Catholic.

 

[Didi]

Hi Curious –

It’s great that you are going to your first Sunday Mass. It will be similar to the Christmas Mass with the Liturgy of the Word (bible readings), homily, and consecration (blessing of the bread and wine changed into Jesus’ Body and Blood through the Holy Spirit). If the Church you are attending has missals, go a little early and look through it and then try to follow along during the Mass. The prayers and responses are most beautiful!

Have you had the chance to read Scott Hahn’s conversion story “Rome Sweet Home?” He talks about going to his first Mass in this book and it is beautiful. Especially the part where the consecration occurs and the priest holds up the host saying the words of Jesus “This is my Body, the Bread of the new and everlasting covenant. Do this in memory of me.” Scott Hahn was amazed by the biblical references throughout the Holy Mass, but this one especially touched his heart immediately and he thought to himself “My Lord and My God, it is You!” (Which is what Catholics say to ourselves when the Host is elevated!)

I pray the same experience for you; that you are beginning your journey home to the fullness of faith that Jesus desires for us all!

Feel free to sit, kneel and stand with everyone one else or just sit if you’re more comfortable. The Mass is intended to be participatory, though, so if you can follow along with the responses, sing the hymns and shake hands at the sign of peace you will find yourself feeling more at home!

Right before the gospel is read by the priest or deacon, he says “The Lord be with you.” You say “And also with you.” He says “A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark” (or whoever it is that Sunday) to which we reply “Glory to You, Oh Lord.” After this last response, we make small crosses on our foreheads, on our lips and on our hearts as we pray silently “Lord, may Your words be in my mind, on my lips and in my heart.” It is one of the many beautiful ways we pray with our whole beings during the Mass!

 

[neophyte]

Since you’re a Protestant, for your own protection the single most important thing is to remember NOT go forward to receive the Eucharist.

 

[TNT]

Check this THREAD for one who just returned from a first TL Mass.

Here is where they are in KY:

 

[Detroit_Sue]

My recommendation would be that you don’t try to keep up with the repsonses, but just follow the body language of the parishioners. Stand, sit, and kneel when they do. And when you get to the Sign of Peace, just say “Peace be with you” when you shake someone’s hand.

It is a beautiful and awesome experience, that will not be totally foreign to you, having been to Midnight Mass.

Let us know how you like it!

 

[Curious]

Thank you guys…thanks a bunch. and I’ve been wondering about this…Didi posted it.

Feel free to sit, kneel and stand with everyone one else or just sit if you’re more comfortable. The Mass is intended to be participatory, though, so if you can follow along with the responses, sing the hymns and shake hands at the sign of peace you will find yourself feeling more at home!

I was wondering if it would be weird if I did all the posturing as a non Catholic. Now maybe I might.

I will be going the day after tomorrow. If anyone has any more suggestions/tips/comments between now and then POST EM!! and I’ll let you know Sunday how it was. :dancing:

 

[JimG]

Be careful not to sing too loud, though. That’ll give you away for sure.

 

[Curious]

Well I went. The fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

I liked it. Thanks to all who gave advice and/or encouraged me.

Be careful not to sing too loud, though. That’ll give you away for sure

No worries there. The priest sang loud enuff to drown out everyone.

 

[TNT]

Curious:

Well I went. The fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

I liked it. Thanks to all who gave advice and/or encouraged me.

No worries there. The priest sang loud enuff to drown out everyone.

Tha’s not much of a voluntary debriefing, solder. Maybe we need to put you under the lamp and interrogation.

 

[Curious]

Tha’s not much of a voluntary debriefing, solder. Maybe we need to put you under the lamp and interrogation.

Weeellll…if you INSIST!

Okay…so the church was the unbelievable pretty. In truth, I let my mind drift a little during the homily because I was very busy staring.
It was very nice seeing the things come to life that I’ve been reading about. I saw the thing of holy water! And the stations of the cross! And the kneelers by the saint statues! And the little candles you light when you pray for people! And the stuff in this church was all hand carved or something…imported from Italy. The altar was imported from Italy and all marble. And their confessional was hand carved. The stain glass windows were imported from Italy. And gorgeous. It’s a hidden place…hidden in the Appalachains of Kentucky, where very few are Catholic. This was where I grew up, at my mom’s, about an hour from where I live now. I can’t believe I didn’t know about that place before.

So there was only a handful there. I mean a real handful. Like less than 20. And there were candles at the altar. And a crucifix but it was small. And we got there too late to see people enter and genuflect which is something I liked from christmas eve mass. And the reader was good. And i loved the bow at the altar. I don’t know why but I did. The reader did every time he went back down. And the same guy did the prayer requests. And the EM’s did it too when they came back down. And the priest finished all the wine. And some people didn’t drink the wine.

The priest did sing loud, but it was pretty. And a sister led the singing. There was no music though, just singing. And they had a communion rail but they don’t use it. And an altar boy. And all the scripture readings connected.Do they always do that? They were from Zeph, 1 Cor, and the beatitudes in Matthew. It was like there was a theme. Even in the singing. And sometimes I couldn’t keep up with the responses and stuff. And sometimes I could. And he said “The Body of Christ.” And he said, “The Blood of Christ.” The readers read, and we said, ‘thanks be to god’ and we prayed and we said ‘we pray to the lord’ ‘lord hear our prayer.’ Isn’t that NICE??

And THEN when it was over, my mother and I lingered (my mom went with me) and she knew someone there from work and that person took us on a tour and we got to go right up to the altar and mom just strolled up there and i was like ‘mom, you can’t just stroll up there.’ but i guess you can when people are showing you around.

The end.

Forgive me. I realize I sounded a bit like breathless little kid trying to tell someone of something cool that happened. But I’m trying hurry and get it all down before I forget. Lol…I didn’t even know why I’m doing this. It’s not like you goobers don’t know what mass is like.

I remember some of that stuff from last Christmas eve…but it was different for me this time. I guess because I’ve been doing a lot of reading about Catholic things.

 

[Lost_Found]

That’s utter beauty. I liked your “ordinary” wink. No pearls cast to swine, that’s for sure.

I don’t know why or how the Holy Spirit decided to call you and your family to mass, but thank you for sharing your gift with us.

 

[Church_Militant]

Curious…it’s just that the tears in my eyes make me appreciate the wonder you share so freely with us. Sign up for RCIA asap and hurry home, we’re all waitin’ on you! For the next 6 weeks or so please remember me and my parrish here as you worship in that beautiful church…we will be having Mass in the school gym while they repair all the damage that hurricane Ivan did. Msgr Hunt jokingly refers to it as our lenten penance and time in the desert.

Thanks for reminding me so well of the beauty of my faith and my church Curious…

Hurry Home!
Pax vobiscum,

 

[WanderAimlessly]

Curious:

Well I went. The fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

I liked it. Thanks to all who gave advice and/or encouraged me.

No worries there. The priest sang loud enuff to drown out everyone.

Curious:

You picked a very good Sunday to go. I have always considered the Beatitudes one of the most powerful Scripture passages in the Bible. As one priest explained it today, it is the roadmap for Christians.

One note, after this next Sunday (the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time), you will see a slight difference in the Mass. Since we will be in the Lenten season, the Gloria will not be said. In addition, based on which Mass they will do it at, there may be what are called the “scrutinies” (I believe that is the proper word) with the Catechumens preparing for Confirmation at the Easter Vigil. This will happen at the end of the Liturgy of the Word (i.e. After the Homily) and before the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

PF

 

[puzzleannie]

Curious:

Forgive me. I realize I sounded a bit like breathless little kid trying to tell someone of something cool that happened. But I’m trying hurry and get it all down before I forget. Lol…I didn’t even know why I’m doing this. It’s not like you goobers don’t know what mass is like.

I.

haven’t been called a goober since last time I visited friends in Glenmary home missions in Neon KY. I absolutely love your story. Yesterday we took the first graders on their church tour, and their reactions were just like yours, they asked great questions. Sadly even tho they are preparing for 1st communion some have never even been to Mass. I am really trying hard with the parents, wish they could see things through your eyes.

 

[Curious]

Again and again thank you all. It’s sweet of you to be interested in my goofy little story.

But with all this back-patting and encouragement you’re giving me, I should tell you some things. I don’t know when I’ll get to go to Mass again. Right now, even though my husband seems all right with my flaming interest in the Church, I still have to tread carefully. Long story.

I would at LEAST like to go to the Easter Vigil because I have a classmate in RCIA who is going to be fully Catholic on that day and I’d love to go watch her.

Until then I’m going to continue to read and pray and wonder what in the world I’m doing. Prepare thyselves to be bombarded with questions on the next books I should read. I have one more on my current list and there’s some other things I’m after.

Folks, I don’t know what’s up. I don’t know if I’m chasing after the Catholic Church or if it’s chasing after me or both. But I gotta tell ya, I try to be brutally honest with myself. All I want is what God wants so I’m forced to ask myself questions. What if all this interest is just some hobby? What if I’m just looking for something different? What if this, what if that.

Until recently I’d been letting my spiritual life suffer - just basically because of my own disgust with all things Protestant. But now I’m praying. Now I’m interested in what God wants. What if it’s the Church? What if it’s not? scream

Whatever journey I’m in is both exciting and exasperating. Sometimes I wish the Church would just go away and leave me alone. But it does not. It was what I wonder about and think about on rising and on retiring. So I continute to torture myself with questions, and read and read, and be a message board troll when I should be studying for skool.

I know you guys are praying for me and that’s great of you. And CM I will also reciprocate and pray for ya’ll as your church is fixed.

I thank you for your time and attention, for answering questions both intelligent and stupid, and for your encouragement.

 

[Curious]

And I realized I’m not finished yet.

From the stories I’ve read, the process of conversion seems to follow a pattern. Though each person and story has been unique there are some similarities. Maybe some of you had totally different processes but this is what I’ve learned.

From what I’ve read, the first step involved tons o’ studying. Protestants having their misconceptions cleared, anti-Catholics having their arguments and theories smashed, some dissatisfaction with the way their own churches are and they begin to study. They chase after the truth of the Catholic church and reconcile things theologically. They find things in scripture they’ve never seen, their doctrines of sola scriptura and sola fide begin to disintegrate, they dig into zillion year old writings and discover the church fathers, and the saints. They argue with themselves, they argue with Catholics, but they are reconciling.

Finally, after having become convinced in their minds that the Catholic Church is true, then they have emotional obstacles to overcome. Leaving the church culture they’ve held dear, facing ridicule, anger, shock, etc from family and friends, and with trepidation, begin sort of practicing the things they’ve discovered. I’ve heard a coupla stories about Protestants asking the Lord not to be offended the first time they ask for Mary’s help. It’s weird for them/us. So this second step seems to involve working through the weirdness, and then making a firm resolve that they have found the truth and that their friends/family/old church, etc are just going to have to get over it,

Step three, it seems, is the actual joining of the Church and the delicious torture of having to wait to be in full communion with her.

It would seem I’m at step one. I don’t know if there will be a step two or three. I just don’t know.

Oh and I have a question. Since I’m already utterly off topic I figured I’d go ahead and ask.

Lent is coming soon. I want to celebrate Lent Catholic-ly. Keeping in mind that I’m limited right now as to what I can do as far as going to mass and such, does anyone know how I can do that? I read something about no meat on Good Friday and a fast every other Friday. Is that right? What about certain scripture readings/prayers/ etc. I appreciate your ear(s) again, as well as your advice.

 

[Adam_S]

Hello there!

Ive been following your story with great interest, so i thought id finally contribute. Ive not been in the Church long, but it is amazing how much it will change your life.

Im trying to think of all the advice i wished people had have given me, even though everyone in this post is doing a grand job!

I dont know who your RCIA instructor is, but in addition to that i would try and set up a weekly or fortnightly meeting with a priest for about an hour a time, so you can set all your questions to him and you can talk about how you are progressing spiritually and the various problems you are facing. In RCIA i nearly left twice, but after my second struggle i started seeing a priest weekly and all the silly jibey questions (and the big ones) can be asked.

Be careful of what you read. Catholicism is enormous, its doctrines, theories, encyclicals, histories etc are bigger than any other denomination by a good way. You will ALWAYS be getting told new things, even WELL after confirmation, so dont feel you need to know everything, and dont be afraid to ask whats going on. You need your dose of theology and background, but you seemed to imply you are recovering spiritually after losing it due to Protestantism (correct me if im wrong.) Because you are quite new to this, yes keep reading but focus on the more personal, spiritual side. If you read books, make sure you are countering every deep theology book with a more ligh hearted inspirational read.

If you havent seen it, watch the Passion of the Christ (it helped my friend a lot) buy some Gregorian Chant music to study and read the Bible to. I know one of my biggest mistakes is that i jumped into all of the theological stuff early, and halfway through my RCIA i realised that i knew all about the debates between consubstantiation and transubstantiation, but my spiritual side was still quite weak.

You dont need to wait until you are confirmed to pray the rosary, so pick yourself up some rosary beads and a starter card (ask your RCIA for your local catholic stockist) and start one decade at a time (doing all 5 can sometimes be quite bewildering) The rosary can start off tough because you’re trying more to remember what to do and say next, but eventually you’ll get into it.

Get a Saint buddy, you’ll need to pick a confirmation name if you choose to get confirmed, so perhaps read round some of the Saints generally and any you feel you can associate with, read more into them and generally get yourself a Saint you feel is yours (eg i chose St Paul due to the fact i used to despise Christianity but then the Lord guided me to truth - just like he did with St Paul!)

I dont know what your schedule is like, but pehaps try and attend one or two weekday masses every week. Theyre usually a lot shorter than Sunday Masses (at my chaplaincy they get through a mass in about 20-25 mins) and they really help spiritually.

I know im saying get a lot of stuff, but perhaps a more ‘Catholic’ Bible Translation might help you. Most commonly recommended one is The New Jerusalem Bible" here in England, but in USA it may be something different.

Trying to think of more stuff but thats about it for now. If you ever have any questions about stuff like this, feel free to PM me, im realtively new in myself and im quite jealous as its awfully exciting!!

God Bless

Adam

 

[Curious]

LOL…thanks Adam. You’ve had as much as a mouthful to say as I did, it seems.

dont know who your RCIA instructor is, but in addition to that i would try and set up a weekly or fortnightly meeting with a priest for about an hour a time, so you can set all your questions to him and you can talk about how you are progressing spiritually and the various problems you are facing.

I’m not in RCIA.

Be careful of what you read. Catholicism is enormous, its doctrines, theories, encyclicals, histories etc are bigger than any other denomination by a good way. You will ALWAYS be getting told new things, even WELL after confirmation, so dont feel you need to know everything, and dont be afraid to ask whats going on. You need your dose of theology and background, but you seemed to imply you are recovering spiritually after losing it due to Protestantism (correct me if im wrong.) Because you are quite new to this, yes keep reading but focus on the more personal, spiritual side. If you read books, make sure you are countering every deep theology book with a more ligh hearted inspirational read.

I appreciate your advice on the readings and I know what you mean. Instead of buying out the whole library of Catholic Answers, for example, I’ve borrowed a few books and I’m working on the last of those. I’m trying to keep it light, trying to be relaxed and slow. What I’ve read so far has been great…informative, but easy reading. After this final book, I’m getting more, and taking more of a plunge with more difficult reading.

If you havent seen it, watch the Passion of the Christ

I’ve seen the Passion. Loved it.

You dont need to wait until you are confirmed to pray the rosary,

I’ve considered getting a rosary but I’m not there (yet?).

I dont know what your schedule is like, but pehaps try and attend one or two weekday masses every week

As I’ve said, I have to tread carefully where going to Mass is concerned right now. I don’t know when I can go again.

Thanks for taking the time Adam. I appreciate the advice.