My first mass and my journey to Catholicism

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StranraerHibby

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Hi everyone, I joined this forum only a couple of days ago as I was considering going to mass.

On Saturday evening I attended my first ever Catholic mass in my local chapel in town. This morning, I attended my second.

I have to say, I was very nervous before going in last night - I had read this forum to try and figure out what I was to expect!

I found the whole experience exhilarating and refreshing. I had been an atheist for a couple of years - partly through peer pressure but I believe the Catholic church can provide the direction I have been seeking for a long time.

If anyone has any advice / tips on Mass I’d be grateful to read them.

God bless.
 
Thays great!!! 🙂 I will pray for you. I went to my first Mass about a year ago. As far as tips just keep going. You will get the hang of it after around 5ish times. God Bless.
 
Wonderful to hear that you found your first mass to be a beautiful experience. I felt great peace when I started attending mass, but wasn’t always sure what was going on! Dr. Edward Sri has an excellent book, A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, which thoroughly explains everything. There is another book, Catholicism for Dummies, which is good for learning about various things Catholic. If you want to enter the church, you will need call the parish office and find out when the next RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) class starts. May God bless you on your journey!
 
I am just returning to Roman Catholic, only went as a child ( long ago)

There are new prayer books and a bit confusing even to those who have been attending:-).

I decided it was ok I did not fully understand everything and now I have gone about 5 times

and last night I felt more comfortable.

May God bless you!
 
Thanks to all of you for the kind responses.

I feel better than I have in a long long time and thanks be to God.

Thanks again! 😃
 
MaeganFlinchum1 said:
Thays great!!! 🙂 I will pray for you. I went to my first Mass about a year ago. As far as tips just keep going. You will get the hang of it after around 5ish times. God Bless.
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Do you know if I will be able to attend Ash Wednesday on the 13th? I’ve not officially joined the Catholic church - I’ve just started going to mass recently but can I receive ashes?

Thanks again,

Andrew
 
StranraerHibby said:
Do you know if I will be able to attend Ash Wednesday on the 13th? I’ve not officially joined the Catholic church - I’ve just started going to mass recently but can I receive ashes?

Thanks again,

Andrew
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Yes you can ANYONE at all can receive the ashes. Because they are a sacremental and not a sacrament.
 
Also try the Essential Catholic Answers Survival Guide it will be of great help to you (it was to me).
 
MaeganFlinchum1 said:
Also try the Essential Catholic Answers Survival Guide it will be of great help to you (it was to me).
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Thanks again, I can’t believe how much better I feel having gone to mass over the weekend. I hope to join the catholic church and begin to turn my life around through the faith.
 
This is great news! Some advice, try to find a parish’s time for daily mass as to familiarize yourself with the liturgy but, do not take communion until you have been through RCIA instead make your arms like an x over your chest and the priest will say a blessing if memory serves me right(haven’t had to do that in over ten years). 🙂
 
Capuchinfan1337 said:
This is great news! Some advice, try to find a parish’s time for daily mass as to familiarize yourself with the liturgy but, do not take communion until you have been through RCIA instead make your arms like an x over your chest and the priest will say a blessing if memory serves me right(haven’t had to do that in over ten years). 🙂
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Thank you for the reply. Yeah I have read online about crossing ones arms and asking for a blessing. Am I right in saying that only some Catholic churches allow that?

I’m just new to Catholicism so apologies if these questions sound silly.

God bless,

Andrew
 
StranraerHibby said:
Thank you for the reply. Yeah I have read online about crossing ones arms and asking for a blessing. Am I right in saying that only some Catholic churches allow that?

I’m just new to Catholicism so apologies if these questions sound silly.

God bless,

Andrew
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All the parishes I’ve attended (two in total) have allowed so I don’t see why they wouldn’t allow it.
 
Capuchinfan1337 said:
This is great news! Some advice, try to find a parish’s time for daily mass as to familiarize yourself with the liturgy but, do not take communion until you have been through RCIA instead make your arms like an x over your chest and the priest will say a blessing if memory serves me right(haven’t had to do that in over ten years). 🙂
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This is actually not encouraged.
 
StranraerHibby said:
Thank you for the reply. Yeah I have read online about crossing ones arms and asking for a blessing. Am I right in saying that only some Catholic churches allow that?
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That is true, yes. It is best to observe if other people do it. There are objections to this practice because everybody gets a blessing at the end of the mass. (The blessing instead of communion has been introduced so people don’t feel left out.) If the church you attend allows this, make sure you get this blessing from a priest and not from a lay person because they cannot and should not bless you.
 
If you can’t receive the Eucharist (and you can’t until you are Catholic), there is a prayer of Spiritual Communion you can pray at your seat. You can probably find it online. Our church prints it in the song sheet for Mass, and it’s probably in the Missal as well, if those are available where you attend.

Since it’s so close to Easter, you will probably be encouraged to attend Inquiry sessons, which usually begin sometime after Easter, but before RCIA. RCIA typically begins in the fall. Contact your parish office for more information (I feel like a commercial!:D)

Do you have any religious background at all? If so, what kind? Were you ever baptized in another Christian tradition? These are all quesitons you will be asked.

In the meantime, enjoy the Mass. If you can make it to the services for the Triduum, do. The Triduum is time beginning on Holy Thursday and ending at the Easter Vigil. There is a service on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and then the Easter Vigil. Depending on how many people are being received into the Church that night, you might not be able to go because of a lack of seating, but if you can, it is truly amazing.

Choose something to do for Lent. As Catholics, we abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent. We also fast. That doesn’t mean going totally without food, necessarily. Again, you can ask someone for guidance. Commit to doing something for Lent. Maybe the daily readings, if you have a Bible. The readings are printed in the bulletin.

God bless you so much on your journey!
Kris
 
klm120861 said:
If you can’t receive the Eucharist (and you can’t until you are Catholic), there is a prayer of Spiritual Communion you can pray at your seat. You can probably find it online. Our church prints it in the song sheet for Mass, and it’s probably in the Missal as well, if those are available where you attend.

Since it’s so close to Easter, you will probably be encouraged to attend Inquiry sessons, which usually begin sometime after Easter, but before RCIA. RCIA typically begins in the fall. Contact your parish office for more information (I feel like a commercial!:D)

Do you have any religious background at all? If so, what kind? Were you ever baptized in another Christian tradition? These are all quesitons you will be asked.

In the meantime, enjoy the Mass. If you can make it to the services for the Triduum, do. The Triduum is time beginning on Holy Thursday and ending at the Easter Vigil. There is a service on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and then the Easter Vigil. Depending on how many people are being received into the Church that night, you might not be able to go because of a lack of seating, but if you can, it is truly amazing.

Choose something to do for Lent. As Catholics, we abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent. We also fast. That doesn’t mean going totally without food, necessarily. Again, you can ask someone for guidance. Commit to doing something for Lent. Maybe the daily readings, if you have a Bible. The readings are printed in the bulletin.

God bless you so much on your journey!
Kris
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Hi Kris thanks for the reply.

When I was young I was baptized in the presbetyrian Church of Scotland, does this matter?
 
StranraerHibby said:
Hi Kris thanks for the reply.

When I was young I was baptized in the presbetyrian Church of Scotland, does this matter?
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It totally counts, because I assume it was done “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This means it was a valid Christian baptism. You will need to get a copy of your baptismal certificate (or card, or whatever they gave your parents when you were baptized.) If it can’t be found, it won’t keep you out of the Church. Sometimes that happens.

When you go to RCIA, unless you need to be conditionally baptized, you will be a Candidate, which means you will receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist. This usually happens at the Easter Vigil, though depending on the candidate can happen at other times. My husband and I were received at the Easter Vigil even though I had been involved in various Protestant ministries for most of my life. I know others in the same situation who went through a few weeks of private catechisis (teaching) and then were brought into the Church. It depends first of all on the diocese. It the Bishop permits it, then it is up to the priest.

Make an appointment with your priest to discuss what needs to be done and when. Don’t rush things, and do ask all of your questions, either here, or you can PM me, or to your priest or any Catholic who knows their faith. Trust me, you will have questions.

I am praying for you!
Kris
 
StranraerHibby said:
Do you know if I will be able to attend Ash Wednesday on the 13th? I’ve not officially joined the Catholic church - I’ve just started going to mass recently but can I receive ashes?

Thanks again,

Andrew
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Yes.

And I will echo what someone said…make it a point to attend the Holy Thursday and Good Friday services. Just ask the parish nearest your for a schedule.
 
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