Maronite Catholic Church, What should I know?

[oliver927]

I have been wanting to go to an Eastern Catholic Church mass for a little while now…since reading about them in these forums has piqued my interest. I just remembered that there is a Maronite Catholic Church in the next town over and this seems like a great opportunity. Are there any customs and courtesies or anything else I should be aware of before I go? I do not want to offend and/or disrupt anyone by my ignorance.

 

[Nestor_kea]

There are people who will answer you much better and in more detail, but I would do it this way:

1. Find and read something on Wikipedia or something similar.
2. Watch a video of qurbana, better with subtitles in your language or in language you understand.
3. Check the language of qurbana, for example on their www. It is possible that one Sunday you will understand, another no. Or maybe qurbanas in your language are on Tuesdays and Saturdays, not on Sundays.
4. Come a little bit earlier. Tell your neighbours you are new and ask them for help. You can also see a priest prior to liturgy.
5. Do what the others do. Focus on listening, better do not perform singing during your first visit.
6. Try more churches. The same rite is “performed” differently in accordance to parish, priest etc. Some will fit you better, some worse, so take time to find one you like.
7. There are also other Eastern Catholic rites and traditions, not only Maronites.

 

[Ignatius]

I have been wanting to go to an Eastern Catholic Church mass for a little while now…since reading about them in these forums has piqued my interest. I just remembered that there is a Maronite Catholic Church in the next town over and this seems like a great opportunity. Are there any customs and courtesies or anything else I should be aware of before I go? I do not want to offend and/or disrupt anyone by my ignorance.

Here is a youtube video of Part of the Maronite Holy Qurbono in Aramaic youtu.be/6PdPZz14N40

Here’s more: youtu.be/6PdPZz14N40

 

[adamhovey1988]

I have been wanting to go to an Eastern Catholic Church mass for a little while now…since reading about them in these forums has piqued my interest. I just remembered that there is a Maronite Catholic Church in the next town over and this seems like a great opportunity. Are there any customs and courtesies or anything else I should be aware of before I go? I do not want to offend and/or disrupt anyone by my ignorance.

The closest one to me is about 100 miles (give or take). I have yet to go to it, but I did communicate with them, and whom I presume to be the Pastor was kind enough to tell me everything I need to know. I actually live fairly close to a Melkite Greek Catholic Church. I asked the priest that was there at the time via E-Mail what to expect, he told me. He explained how they do the sign of the cross, how they use icons in worship though they themselves are not worshiped, and that there was a guide book for the liturgy I could go along with. If you can, E-Mail the pastor there, or call him, you’ll get to find out a good bit if you do:thumbsup:

 

[angelic06]

I have been wanting to go to an Eastern Catholic Church mass for a little while now…since reading about them in these forums has piqued my interest. I just remembered that there is a Maronite Catholic Church in the next town over and this seems like a great opportunity. Are there any customs and courtesies or anything else I should be aware of before I go? I do not want to offend and/or disrupt anyone by my ignorance.

I’ve attended the Maronite (as well as the Ruthenian Byzantine) church multiple times over the past four years (including a long stretch of time in 2010 and 2011 when I rarely the Roman Mass), so here is my perspective:

The liturgical books should have translations in them. In fact, much of the Qurbono (Divine Liturgy) where I am at is sung in English, with some Aramaic. (We do have spoken Saturday vigil Qurbono as well as early morning spoken Qurbono as well.) You can very easily follow along. I came to my first Qurbono several years ago without having to watch YouTube and the like, though that could be helpful. Nevertheless, if there is one near you, I invite you to just “dive in”, as the saying goes, and go worship.

Some things to note:

Holy Communion is done by intinction, that is, the Sacred Host is dipped into the chalice and will not be given in the hand.

Liturgy is for the most part done standing, with sitting for the offerings. Kneeling is not part of the usual practice, though no one I know of is going to raise a storm if you kneel after the reception of Holy Communion and for your private prayers before and after Qurbono.

Sign of peace is exchanged down from the priest to the deacon (if there is one), to the altar server, to the faithful. At least that is how things are done at the local parish here in San Antonio.

Attending an Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy does fulfill the “Sunday obligation”. However, from an Eastern perspective, we tend to think of things as an obligation of love towards the King, rather than as an obligation that if not fulfilled will condemn us to hell (though if we are obstinate and have no regard for His Majesty at all, this may very well be the case).

 

[CB_Catholic]

The last Maronite liturgy I attended was highly Latinized, it was in English (except for one part, can’t remember which,) and I was totally comfortable. It did not seem strange at all. I take it, from some Maronites on these forums, that it shouldn’t be that way.

In any case, don’t be sure that the liturgy you attend is not highly Latinized. One thing they did was during the Sign of Peace, they passed it on to one another in the pew (shaking hands), down to the end, then to the person in the next pew and so on down the line, and all remained seated. It was just as noisy as it gets in the OF, people tended to chat a little.

I think you will enjoy it. The vestments were beautiful, a lovely shade of blue, since it was a Marian feast. And a lot of incense.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

The last Maronite liturgy I attended was highly Latinized, it was in English (except for one part, can’t remember which,) and I was totally comfortable. It did not seem strange at all. I take it, from some Maronites on these forums, that it shouldn’t be that way.

In any case, don’t be sure that the liturgy you attend is not highly Latinized. One thing they did was during the Sign of Peace, they passed it on to one another in the pew (shaking hands), down to the end, then to the person in the next pew and so on down the line, and all remained seated. It was just as noisy as it gets in the OF, people tended to chat a little.

I think you will enjoy it. The vestments were beautiful, a lovely shade of blue, since it was a Marian feast. And a lot of incense.

I didn’t think shaking hands was a Maronite practice. Every Maronite liturgy I’ve attended passed the Peace with a gesture that involved clasping hands around the joined hands of the one passing the Peace.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I didn’t think shaking hands was a Maronite practice. Every Maronite liturgy I’ve attended passed the Peace with a gesture that involved clasping hands around the joined hands of the one passing the Peace.

No that was not what they did. They grasped in a handshake manner. Perhaps they have gotten a little sloppy in their practice. That would be very easy to do with hand gestures. Also, there are a lot of Latin Catholics who attend this particular church, whose location I won’t disclose.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

I have been wanting to go to an Eastern Catholic Church mass for a little while now…since reading about them in these forums has piqued my interest. I just remembered that there is a Maronite Catholic Church in the next town over and this seems like a great opportunity. Are there any customs and courtesies or anything else I should be aware of before I go? I do not want to offend and/or disrupt anyone by my ignorance.

A Maronite church would be a good choice. Much of the liturgy is done in English here in the states at maronite churches. Although, for those maintaining their traditions, the readings may be in both languages – particularly the Gospel.

BUT – The Anaphora (Eucharistic consecration prayers) is generally done in Aramaic, and often there is a dual language translation book or pamphlet where you may follow along.

The proper position for the Eucharistic prayers is standing, generally with arms folded across ones chest fingers about on the shoulders in a bow at the most sacred parts. eg: standing with arms folded and bowing appears to be the Eastern equivalent to kneeling in the Latin Rite. You will generally see the altar servers and deacons doing this at the altar, so it’s pretty easy to follow along.

For the kiss of peace/offering of peace, faith, and love:
The altar servers should come down with their hands folded as if in prayer with fingers straight, after receiving the offering of peace from the priest, and extend their hands to one person at the end of each pew… To receive the offering of peace, the person at the end of the pew should bring their palms together and make a V shape with hands briefly touching (not solidly grasping) the outside of the servers hands.

That person then finishes bringing their hands together as the server withdraws, so that their own hands are touching flat with fingers straight together as if praying, and then turn to the next person in their own pew and offer them the sign of peace in the same way the altar server did. again: Receive peace with you hands spread in a V – but offer to the next person with hands together.

Most people do not say anything, or perhaps there is singing of the peace song, but I often hear people say something which sounds like “Shalom messia” (egeace of the messiah), or they might say Peace be with you in English.

It is NOT generally done to shake hands with everyone in pews in front or behind you; rather, the peace is spread from the priest to the altar servers, and then down each pew – so you generally share the sign with only two people; though latinized Catholics often break the general rule… and nobody gets too upset.

The other advice on the thread is already pretty good, so… enjoy!

 

[shawnbm]

I go to a Maronite parish regularly (I live .7 miles from both my Roman rite parish and Maronite parish I enjoy attending also), and echo many of the comments above. The Divine Liturgy a/k/a Mass is quite different from the Novus Ordo in many respects. For one, even a daily mass has frequent censing of the alter, the sacramental books, the gospel and ambo, the clerics and the laity. There is a chant before the anaphora (the trisagion), which is called the “Qadeeshat”, which is always in Syriac, regardless of which mass you attend. The words of consecration are ALWAYS said in Aramaic–the language of Christ and His disciples. From what I can tell, the Maronite liturgy is a throw-back to the Roma rite practice before the Second Vatican Council insofar as there is only one NT reading (an epistle usually) followed by the gospel. (No OT reading or Psalm before the gospel, although there is a chant that often comes from a Psalm before the cleric reads the gospel). Also, the acolytes are all boys or clerics, always wearing white gloves. The deacon actively participates and does many of the same things as a deacon in the Latin Church. They have about six anaphora they can choose from at any given mass; i.e., the Twelve Apostles, Saint Peter,Saint James, Saint John, Saint Mark and Pope Sixtus. All in all, it is a beautiful and quite different celebration of the Divine Liturgy and one I highly recommend to Roman rite Catholic brethren. Salaam!

 

[Kielbasi]

. Are there any customs and courtesies or anything else I should be aware of before I go? I do not want to offend and/or disrupt anyone by my ignorance.

A good rule of thumb is not to go to the front, be in a position to see what others who are regulars are doing.

The advice I gave to my old boss- who is Baptist- when attending a Catholic funeral is just as valid for you.

 

[oliver927]

Thank you to all who contributed. I greatly appreciate it.