How was Christmas Mass?

[englishredrose]

Midnight Mass went very well, I served and we used the High Altar. Church was fullish. Our service began at 11.30. He come from a neighbouring parish as he does both and got to us on time. Christmas Day Mass, well I wasn’t that tired at that becasue I trully not slept last night. I was relaxed but just did not sleep. We were back in church by 8.30 and I was able to lay a hidden ghost to rest as one might say with one thing and another. Or at least, I sincerly hope I have. Very few people in today but the service was good. I am now at 7pm English time, I am having waves of wanting my bed and knowing to hang onto normal time or I just be awake again. Peaceful and joyus two services. There was a Christingle service which was very full but we don’t do that.

 

[Don_Jackson]

It was the icing on the cake for the most wonderful and spiritual Advent I have ever experienced!

 

[Joannm]

I went to the last mass of the day. The music was beautiful (organ, harp, flute, piano and trumpet). Other than that I was very disappointed. The sound system was bad, they read the gospel for midnight but the priest read a canned homily (and a bad one at that) for the Gospel of John. At the collection he told the people we see too many dollar bills and not enough $50s or $100s so please give more. He didn’t genuflect during the creed but stopped at the part about the Incarnation and told everyone to bow their head. One of the Emhc’s was wearing black leggings, high black boots and a long top that tied in a knot high on her thigh. It looked like she was going to a disco after mass. The priest didn’t use the solemn blessing at the end, which was another disappointment. Also there were too many flowers and a huge nativity right in front of the altar.

 

[Brendan]

We went to our normal 9:30am Mass. Mass was actually a little less than a normal Sunday Mass, as a lot of our friends went to either the 4:00pm ‘Children’s Mass’ the evening before, or to Midnight Mass.

Mass was great, nice homily. Just about everyone followed Fr.'s lead and knelt at the appropriate time during the Creed.

 

[Candescent]

I know I should remove the log from my eye instead of pointing out the specks in others’, but their actions removed my attention from Mass and I felt out of place because I couldn’t remember some words as they were loud, distracting, and, to me, upsetting. It appeared to distract the woman next to me as well. I felt horrible for feeling this way in the presence of the Lord, but I couldn’t help it.

Hopefully Sunday will be better.

We had a beautiful Mass at midnight, with carols in Latin, Spanish and English. Because a friend of my daughters was singing the solos, she actually came to Mass with me! I was so excited that she was actually coming to church…unfortunately, it was very crowded, and the man sitting directly behind her did not stop talking for the entire evening. He talked through everything- and spoke even more loudly during the singing!
I had really been hoping that this would be an experience that would draw her towards the church… but she said the evening was ‘incredibly annoying.’

 

[TwinboysRachel2]

Midnight Mass was beautiful!!! We got there 1 hour before and there was a line of people outside already. I just wish they would go easy on the incense…it was soooo smokey! Happy Birthday Jesus!

 

[jmcrae]

For me this year it was all about the people. I directed our Christmas Pageant this morning and the kids were great fun, and I was sitting with a brand new Catholic at Midnight Mass last night, which was also great fun.

 

[CatholicZ09]

I love hearing everyone’s experiences at Midnight Mass as a new Catholic. It must be something spectacular.

I had to go to our 8:30 Mass “at dawn” to serve, and it was very pretty as well. I love Christmas morning Mass in addition to Midnight Mass. It was just very pretty. The crowd was pretty decent for an 8:30 a.m. Mass on Christmas. Some years the attendance is very low, but this year we had a really good crowd. I love singing all the carols and sitting in the church admiring all the decorations! It just was really nice.

 

[Dawnia]

I attended midnight Mass at the Carmelite Monastary for Christmas eve. There was a mix of traditional carols and Latin prayers. It was wonderful in it’s simplicity.

Then bright and early this morning (9:30 am) I watched the EF mass online. The best part…I actually understood a word or two. Not quite as good as being there, but Mass in my pajamas with my dogs snuggled up next to me wasn’t bad.

 

[catholictiger]

I went to Midnight Mass tonight, and it was so beautiful. We sang all of the old carols with as much musical accompaniment as possible. It was such a beautiful way to welcome the baby Jesus! The attendance was pretty high too. How was your Mass?

actually attended 3 masses I know super Catholic here lol jkjk. But I served 3 of the 4 masses at the cathedral in my diocese. It was great, mostly like what it has been in the past. But that is what I like because I love the music at my Church. But I was cross bearer for the two Christmas eve masses made my arms tied our cross aren’t light. Especially the one the bishop likes to use. Then this morning I met one of the seminarian prospects for a diocese he served his first mass.

so it was pretty good

 

[Phemie]

We’re visiting our daughter so attended Mass at her Francophone parish. New Pastor since I was here last year. We attended the 8:30 pm one so 22 month old grandson could accompany us – he was perfectly behaved, fascinated by the ceiling fans.

Church was not packed but, then, they had a choice of 4:00, 5:30, 7:00, 8:30, 10:00 or midnight and 2 Masses this morning. As is normal at French Masses in Canada – Ora et Labora’s experiences notwithstanding – liberties were taken with the liturgy: Gloria replaced with “Les anges dans nos campagnes”, (Angels We Have Heard On High), changes in the text of the Sanctus & Agnus Dei, Eucharistic Prayer of Masses for Children, etc. For some reason the celebrant was wearing a green stole over his white chasuble.

We sang all the traditional carols. Homily was OK. All in all, It was like most Christmas Masses I grew up with. But it was Mass and that was the most important thing.

 

[SMHW]

I went to Midnight Mass tonight, and it was so beautiful. We sang all of the old carols with as much musical accompaniment as possible. It was such a beautiful way to welcome the baby Jesus! The attendance was pretty high too. How was your Mass?

It was good.

I went to Night Mass at 11:00pm. We sang carols starting at 10:30. We had a brass section in addition to our usual musicians. The church was quite full but I’m guessing the that three earlier Masses were even more full. I was back for the 11:00am Mass on Christmas Day. There were less people than are typically there for an 11:00am Mass on a Sunday and I suspect the 9:00am Mass had even less people.

 

[llenadegracia]

There were too many holiday Catholics who didn’t know the new translations and wouldn’t be quiet for the whole mass. Other than that fine.

My parish was similar…very sad situation. Some parts were super awkard because the there was almost complete silence during the responses to the priest. They handed out, “Rediscovering Catholicism”, at the end so hopefully we’ll see a change!

 

[Catholic_Wife]

We went to Mass at 9:00 am. It was a little more full than our normal early morning Mass - DH and and I actually had a pew to ourselves. Most of the people there were either the typical early morning Mass or second Mass crowd. It was beautiful, even though we had the piano instead of the organ, and the cantor was awesome. The homily was a little less “vibrant” than normal (father must have been tired after Midnight Mass) but the message was good - how do we plan to carry the Christmas message throughout the year. One of the second Mass people came up to me after Mass and told me I looked “radiant”, which is funny because I had worked all night Christmas Eve (busy night in the ER) so I wouldn’t have to go to any of the packed Christmas Eve Masses.

We had a runner at my parish, too. Near the end of the sermon, a toddler broke free of his pew and made a mad dash straight for the priest! The mother ran after him and caught him before the kid reached the altar.

I wonder what your priest would have done if the kid reached him before his mom did. Ours would have picked him up and carried him to his mom.

We went to our Church’s Children’s Christmas Mass. My 7 yr old loves, the children of the school did a pageant before the mass and then they constituted the choir for the mass. Our church was absolutely gorgeous and Father re-issues an invitation and a plea for the twice a year Catholics; which there were plenty of to come back full-time to the Church and that they are not meeting their obligation as Catholics.

I was thankful that they were there and hopefully our Priest’s plea got through to some.
What a wonderful message - especially if done in a loving way.

 

[maltmom]

My first Christmas Mass as a Catholic was wonderful. I went at 4PM Christmas Eve. I was surprised that our choir wasn’t there. Not having them didn’t take away from the Mass at all.

 

[Angel_Bradford]

Just Beautiful!!!

 

[Georgia]

My parish was similar…very sad situation. Some parts were super awkard because the there was almost complete silence during the responses to the priest. They handed out, “Rediscovering Catholicism”, at the end so hopefully we’ll see a change!

Our parish was packed, but it had a moment. I sat next to what must have been a father with his late teen daughter. They didn’t seem at all familiar with the current responses, but it got more interesting.

When the priest started the “Pray, brothers and sisters, …” and people stood up, the teenager looked around back and forth quickly, obviously confused that people were standing then and not at the end as was done before, and let out a loud “What?”.

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

The one I went to was mixed. Incense was used which was fantastic. It was a children’s Mass, so unfortunately plenty of campy songs and even people clapping with the singing during the procession.

Also, I don’t know if anyone has seen this, but in this parish during big Masses like Christmas and Easter the altar servers will come out with candles during the gospel reading and stand in front of the lectern. I’ve seen this during EF Masses for the consecration, but never before for a reading (and it would have been great if they had come out again during the consecration to really emphasize that this is the high point of Mass).

The worst part definitely had to be before and after Mass. The talking and general atmosphere was just like a baseball stadium. It was a joke. But I have to give kudos to the priest for doing his part to offer a reverent celebration.

 

[maltmom]

Also, I don’t know if anyone has seen this, but in this parish during big Masses like Christmas and Easter the altar servers will come out with candles during the gospel reading and stand in front of the lectern. I’ve seen this during EF Masses for the consecration, but never before for a reading (and it would have been great if they had come out again during the consecration to really emphasize that this is the high point of Mass)

They do that at our OF Mass every Sunday. They process from the altar to the ambo. One altar server in front of Father and another behind. Then they stand in front of the ambo.

 

[smndtupidisaftr]

They do that at our OF Mass every Sunday. They process from the altar to the ambo. One altar server in front of Father and another behind. Then they stand in front of the ambo.

I like it, to an extent, but when it’s done for the gospel reading and not for the consecration, it leaves me worried. Also, as I’ve typically seen, the deacon or priest will slowly take the book present it to everyone and then read the gospel quite slowly and deliberately. Why then, is the consecration typically rushed, especially the elevation?

I know it may seem petty, but it emotionally hurts me every time I see the consecration breezed through as if it’s just the other part of Mass that we have to go through.