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Chuck1
Guest
Hi I’m just thinking is it normal to be a little scared going to a catholic church for the first time, I still dunno what to except ?
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Cat
Guest
It’s normal to be a little scared going to anything for the first time.
Are you attending a Latin Mass or a Mass in your language?
We really can’t tell you what to expect in great detail because we don’t know what kind of Mass you will be attending, or whether it will be done in a liturgically-correct setting.
Most Catholic Masses that I have attended are very correct. There is generally silence in the church before and after the Mass begins, so don’t think that everyone is just being unfriendly.
If I were you, I would just observe the first time. You may pray any of the prayers, you may kneel,stand, and sit, and you may sing the songs. But you may not receive Holy Communion if you are not a Catholic.
Don’t worry about what anyone else at the Mass thinks of you. Believe me, no one is thinking bad things about you because you are new. Most people are very nice!
Enjoy and learn!
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KarenElissa
Guest
Sure, I think most of us are at least a bit nervous before we go into unknown circumstances. And we won’t talk about how many times I drove around the block before going in for the first time.
The thing to remember is that you are always most welcome to join us. And even if you feel like you stick out like a sore thumb, I can promise you don’t. Most Catholic churches have quite a variety of people, from those who are there every week, those who come occasionally, out of town visitors, and new people, so most likely you aren’t the only “new” person around.
Just go and soak in the experience.
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Pax1972
Guest
First of all, congratulations!
I don’t know if you come from another faith background, or not, but, as a former protestant, I can relate to your trepidation.
It’s been over 10 years since I was received into the Church and I still feel a little nervous at times. I can tell you without hesitation, though, that the peace and fulfillment I’ve been blessed to experience through the grace of God far outweigh any feelings of fear or uncertainty I’ve ever experienced.
You can expect to witness the most beautiful and truly meaningful “worship service” you’ve ever witnessed.
You can expect to feel somewhat self-conscious since you aren’t familiar with the liturgy (and the fact that you posted your question indicates you are).
BUT, you can also expect to not be judged or given strange looks by others due to your unfamiliarity/uncertainty. Chances are, the only person who will be aware of that is you.
IF you comprehend even a fraction of the beauty and true meaning of the Mass, you can expect to be hungry for more!
Again, congratulations! I pray that you will be blessed by your first Mass and that you will, indeed, hunger for more.
Peace
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Ben_F
Guest
Christ is calling you to his supper, and you said yes. That makes you special. God bless:thumbsup:
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Happy_Convert
Guest
Hello My Friend:
I see from your description of your faith that you have a Baptist background, at least in part. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by just how spiritually/scripturally based the Mass really is. Having also come from a Baptist background, I know I was. As these other folks have said, it’s probably better to watch and learn in the beginning and then gradually begin to participate in the Mass as you begin to feel more comfortable. Just don’t as I did when I reasoned that baptism in a Protestant Church makes one eligible for Catholic Communion. It doesn’t! The priest soon kindly, yet firmly disabused me of that notion. Awkward!
God Bless you
I see from your description of your faith that you have a Baptist background, at least in part. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by just how spiritually/scripturally based the Mass really is. Having also come from a Baptist background, I know I was. As these other folks have said, it’s probably better to watch and learn in the beginning and then gradually begin to participate in the Mass as you begin to feel more comfortable. Just don’t as I did when I reasoned that baptism in a Protestant Church makes one eligible for Catholic Communion. It doesn’t! The priest soon kindly, yet firmly disabused me of that notion. Awkward!
God Bless you
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Stjudeprayforus
Guest
Christ is calling you to his supper, and you said yes. That makes you special. God bless:thumbsup:
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blanc10
Guest
This is exactly whats happening!Christ is calling you to his supper, and you said yes. That makes you special. God bless:thumbsup:
Don’t be nervous. Unlike many places you go to, the church wants you to go and welcomes you with open arms. The great thing about being new is the fact that you just do what everyone else does and if you don’t, don’t worry about it. People realize that some people are curious or are new to Catholicism and they will understand. No one will force you to do something that you don’t want to do, so don’t worry about it. The only thing that you shouldn’t do is get in line when everyone leaves their pew and lines up, but other than that, you should be fine.
God loves your bravery in trying to figure out everything, so don’t worry about offending him during mass.
Welcome!
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ProspectCard
Guest
I’m a little confused by your posts. In an earlier post you stated this:
"Hi , im not a formal catholic because im baptised in a baptist church but i go to a catholic church aswell and follow that catholic traditions and my aunties catholic but anyway i was just wondering if i can pray the rosary because i think its a great idea !
also do you think i can take it to school ? "
You state that you “dunno what to except” for the first time, yet earlier you stated that you go to a Catholic Church. In another post you state that you are baptized in the Baptist Church, yet later you say you are going to be baptized in the Baptist Church in the future.
Please clarify as you have many contradictory posts, thank you.
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PrayRosary
Guest
This.Christ is calling you to his supper, and you said yes. That makes you special. God bless:thumbsup:
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TrueLight
Guest
Very true.
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Chuck1
Guest
Well what I ment was, I do go to a baptist church but want to go to a catholic church , I have been to a catholic church before but it was a while ago and can’t really remember it and I am soon going to be baptised into the church I goto now but I can’t be asked to explain it again so u get the gist
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TrueLight
Guest
It just makes it easier to give you advice that is more likeky to be correct advice, when you are consistent.
If you are about to be baptized, but are not yet baptized, just say so in your posts. Don’t say you are baptized.
If you attended Catholic church a long time ago, say so. Don’t say you have never been to a Catholic church.
By the way, in approximately how long from now will you be baptized?
When are you going to attend mass?
Also, are you very young?
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paperwight66
Guest
Well, he’s under 18 at least, because he refers to school, and in the UK, that means under 18/19.
He does come over as younger.
He does come over as younger.
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Chuck1
Guest
Oaky , well I went to mass once a while ago but it was difftent form normal mass cuz it was a first commuion and I am be baptised at my baptist church soon not sure when but sometime over the summer , the priest is away at the moment so I will go when he gets back within the next couple of weeks and I am 15 year of age
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TrueLight
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paperwight66
Guest
Chuck1, our American cousins won’t have picked up on this, as I don’t think it is an American expression, but please don’t use the phrase ‘I can’t be asked (to explain it again)’.
I can’t help thinking that you know very well that your spelling ‘asked’ is a cunning way to slip a rude word under the radar, so that you can use a very crude and disrespectful idiom.
If by any chance you did NOT know this, you do now.
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Chuck1
Guest
No I didn’t know that , sorry if I offendered anyone , I wasn’t aware that it was seen as a crude word , my bad I won’t be using that again .
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paperwight66
Guest
Thank you, Chuck1. And I’m sorry if I have misjudged you.
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TimothyH
Guest
It’s difficult to understate the level of anxiety felt by those who enter a Catholic Church for the first time, especially if it is for the Mass.
There is a spiritual energy present which is not present anywhere else in the world. It is the presence of Christ himself and it is undeniable to even the most jaded atheist. If he denies that he feels something, he lies.
As to the Mass, one is stepping into twenty centuries of unbroken Christian worship traceable to Christ himself, and stretching back through the ages before that in the form of temple worship. This goes back almost to pre-history, where Abraham built altars in the wilderness and sacrificed and the mysterious Melchizidek offered bread and wine. Those who attend Mass for the first time are taking their place in that unbroken line of history, at the threshold of heaven where choirs of angels sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy…” before God himself.
It can be downright frightening. As an altar server, I stand three feet from the altar and purify the priests hands. The table is set - host, paten and chalice right there, ready to go. The first time I got that close to the altar with the golden vessels and the wine and bread upon it, it scared the crud out of me. I knelt at the side of the sanctuary shaking during the whole Eucharistic prayer. It still happens once in a while and I’ve learned not to eat a big breakfast
The presence of Christ is real. It is palpable. And my hats off to those who do it as adults for the first time. It can be extremely intimidating.
-Tim-
There is a spiritual energy present which is not present anywhere else in the world. It is the presence of Christ himself and it is undeniable to even the most jaded atheist. If he denies that he feels something, he lies.
As to the Mass, one is stepping into twenty centuries of unbroken Christian worship traceable to Christ himself, and stretching back through the ages before that in the form of temple worship. This goes back almost to pre-history, where Abraham built altars in the wilderness and sacrificed and the mysterious Melchizidek offered bread and wine. Those who attend Mass for the first time are taking their place in that unbroken line of history, at the threshold of heaven where choirs of angels sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy…” before God himself.
It can be downright frightening. As an altar server, I stand three feet from the altar and purify the priests hands. The table is set - host, paten and chalice right there, ready to go. The first time I got that close to the altar with the golden vessels and the wine and bread upon it, it scared the crud out of me. I knelt at the side of the sanctuary shaking during the whole Eucharistic prayer. It still happens once in a while and I’ve learned not to eat a big breakfast
The presence of Christ is real. It is palpable. And my hats off to those who do it as adults for the first time. It can be extremely intimidating.
-Tim-
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