Non-Catholics: Have You Ever Attended A Catholic Mass?

[paradoxy]

Good point—I must say that I have the Russian Easter liturgy on CD and find it profoundly moving although my Russian’s too rusty to make out much. The Orthodox liturgy is universally acclaimed for its beauty and reverence and I imagine is one of the great blessings of the Orthodox faithful.

It sure is

A Catholic friend of mine fulfills his Sunday obligation early in the morning and then rushes to the Orthodox church for the Liturgy. Sometimes he doesn’t make it, so I have to keep him posted on all mid-week Liturgies - he never misses those. And he’s English, and hardly understands a word of it!

 

[So_Catholic]

Yes, I was raised in a Catholic family, so I attended mass every week until I was in college, although I have not been in several years now.

As for my impressions, I am always a bit detached whenever I attend any religious service. I spend the majority of my time watching the people or looking at the building and trying to understand what draws people to religious worship. There are many aspects of the Catholic service that I find to be quite fascinating in their tradition and symbolism or in the reactions of the masses. That said, I have never gotten the impression from any services that I have attended (Catholic or not) that religion has a purpose beyond comforting the masses.

I use to do that to until I did some extensive study (which is probably near to nothing compared to what most people have studied…) into tradition and why we do this and that. now im completely captivated by Mass its near impossible to get bored or distracted

 

[Linda_Marie]

I am a convert. My first Mass was many years before I even thought of becoming Catholic. My husband-to-be was a lapsed Catholic and I was curious. My father was also lapsed but I asked him to take me to Midnight Mass one Christmas when I was home from university.

It was not inspiring in the least and when the priest adopted the Orans position, which I had never seen before, it was all I could do to keep from laughing, it looked so peculiar. “What’s he holding his hands up like that for???” I’m not sure, but I think it was in Latin although it was in 1970. I didn’t understand what was going on and my father didn’t explain. For someone with no religious background, it was completely incomprehensible. My dad later said that if I really wanted to know more, I should go to a High Mass, with all the bells and smells, to see what it was really all about. What we had attended was a shadow of what Mass should be.

Looking back, it could have been the venue. It was held in the movie theatre. This building served as movie theatre and church for all the Christians, Catholic or Protestant, in the community. It was hard to connect the sacred with the place where you watched Tarzan swing across the big screen. There was no Tabernacle either. Perhaps it was kept at the priest’s home since we were not allowed to have a church.

The next time I was at a Mass before I converted was at St. Mark’s in Venice. My mom and I were there as tourists. We just walked in off the square to see the place when we noticed that Mass was going on so we sat down. The choir boys were out of this world and I loved the smell of the incense. That is all I remember of Mass at St. Marks, other than most of the tourists were not polite enough to sit down during Mass and continued to walk around rubber-necking, pointing at things, talking and taking pictures. Extremely distracting, and I was just a tourist too. I remember giving more than a few a dirty look. Despite all that, however, the church did have the sense of the sacred and it was incredibly beautiful.

 

[Church_Militant]

Just a little (name removed by moderator)ut that may help some of you.

People, unfortunately, are people, and some are more reverent and/or knowledgeable than others.

One of the most moving messages I have ever heard is by Fr. Larry Richards and is called The Mass Explained. It has had a deeply profound effect on my participation at Mass ever since.

The best explanation on the Mass ever recorded, featuring the True Presence in the Eucharist, the amazing Untold History of the Mass, and a nuts-and-bolts “Walk-Through” of the Parts of the Mass. Whether you attend Mass regularly or not, your sacramental life will be enriched immeasurably. A powerful, proven tool for parish education programs, from First Communion prep to RCIA and beyond.

More about The Mass Explained

We almost called this recording “Everything They Didn’t Teach Us in School About the Mass.” You are about to discover exciting and powerful new insights about the history, spirituality, and Biblical foundations of Catholic Mass. “The Mass Explained” will have a deep impact on how you, your loved ones, your fellow parishioners, and your friends experience this Sacred Mystery. Learn about:

* Where the Eucharist is found in the Bible
* The Nuts & Bolts of How to Fully Participate at Mass
* The History of the Mass: the Untold Story

If you haven’t heard Father Larry, you’re in for a rare treat. His unbridled love for the Mass itself along with his in-depth knowledge and uncanny way of “unpacking” Scripture has a way of reaching right out of your CD and grabbing you by the soul.

http://www.thereasonforourhope.org/images/meet_fr_chair.gif

BTW It’s FREE!
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

 

[Suat]

I use to do that to until I did some extensive study (which is probably near to nothing compared to what most people have studied…) into tradition and why we do this and that. now im completely captivated by Mass its near impossible to get bored or distracted

I am familiar with the traditions behind the different parts of the mass, I simply do not think that they achieve the desired aim.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Just a little (name removed by moderator)ut that may help some of you.

People, unfortunately, are people, and some are more reverent and/or knowledgeable than others.

One of the most moving messages I have ever heard is by Fr. Larry Richards and is called The Mass Explained. It has had a deeply profound effect on my participation at Mass ever since.
http://www.thereasonforourhope.org/images/meet_fr_chair.gif

BTW It’s FREE!
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

I love Fr Larry! He’s got a gift for making you laugh one minute and the next you feel like he just smacked you “up-side the head,” but in a good way. I have this CD and the one on Confession. Good stuff!

 

[Ani_Ibi]

I found the actual communion at the Mass rather undignified with people jostling and talking in line. This may just be this particular church.

It is a particular church. In our church, one of the priests gave us a good dressing down about how sloppily we were conducting ourselves during communion. After that specific instructions were given about where to line up and what to do or not do.

It is unwise to make generalisms from specific experiences or points of view.

 

[BlestOne]

The sign-in books aren’t for attendance. The main purpose is to let you know who your “pew mates” are so that you can greet them by name after the service. It creates a friendlier “everybody knows your name” (from Cheers) atmosphere in church.

The second purpose is to allow people to communicate with the church office that they are 1) new in town and are considering this church as a home church 2) would like the pastor to call for some reason 3) would like to be baptized or 4) other.

The third purpose is to give the church office and visiting committee a list of names to call or send mailers to. Although some people want to remain anonymous, many people really do want a real human being to contact them, ask how they’re doing, and inquire about their spiritual and physical needs. That’s what a church is supposed to be doing. In many Protestant churches, the week after you visit, you will receive either a call, a personal visit, and often a little gift from the church (the gift is usually a coffee mug with some sweets, or sometimes a small fruit basket, and almost always, a little devotional booklet that is non-denominational).

I personally think that Catholic churches should consider some of these techniques. They’re just tools to help the Church do a more thorough job of reaching out and touching people.

That’s funny because dh was required to sign in to “prove” he was there and took his daughter when she went to their private school. Maybe this was an abuse? Anyway I think it is much more personal to say hi after mass in person and ask the person their name… that way they know you care to know. I would think that if it were for visitors or new people to get calls or mailings from the church they could either call themselves or sign a guest book in the vestibule of the church but not in the pews. At my parish we rely on our parishioners or their friends to tell what their needs are. If I need something I email or call my parish office and when a friends father got sick, I called because the wife wasn’t Catholic. I would think this is more personal, but then that is just me. The coffee mug/fruit basket thing sounds like a marketing scheme to me… like why waste money on marketing…or do they really think you will make a decision on what church to attend by which one gave you the better welcome gift? Is this how decisions are made with Protestants?

 

[Teflon93]

It is a particular church. In our church, one of the priests gave us a good dressing down about how sloppily we were conducting ourselves during communion. After that specific instructions were given about where to line up and what to do or not do.

It is unwise to make generalisms from specific experiences or points of view.

True, but what SyCarl saw certainly isn’t uncommon in American churches. We really ought to set a better example. I love to point out the superiority of the Mass over various other forms of worship, but when visitors see people failing to genuflect, mumbling, coming in late and leaving right after communion it’s a much harder sell.

 

[Ani_Ibi]

True, but what SyCarl saw certainly isn’t uncommon in American churches. We really ought to set a better example. I love to point out the superiority of the Mass over various other forms of worship, but when visitors see people failing to genuflect, mumbling, coming in late and leaving right after communion it’s a much harder sell.

I agree. Bad behaviour within the Church lets down Catholics and non-Catholics alike. On the other hand, we are a church of sinners. Moreover, anyone toying with the idea of crossing the Tiber should consider carefully the prospect of being a very little person within the Church, as we all are. It is not easy to be Catholic. But the rewards are blissful.

 

[Curious]

I like mass.

I’ve been to two Christmas Eve masses, one Easter Vigil to watch a friend become a Catholic, and two or three Ordinary Time masses.

It was different, of course, than the charismatic, non-denom, fundamentalish churches I was used to, but I wasn’t blown away or intimidated or anything. I thought it was really great. After the first coupla masses, I started making most of the motions that everyone else was. As someone else stated, it was weird because I didn’t want to be a “poser” and act like something I wasn’t. I’ve never gone for communion but occasionally I’ve done the arm crossing thing. Maybe everyone thinks I’m just badly in need of confession! But I’m not concerned about what people think, mostly.

What did I like about it? I like that the homily is structured around Bible passages, rather than the usual topical structure I’ve experienced in Protestant churches. The service didn’t drag on for 3 hours. I’d never seen such a liturgical service, so it was nice and different.

 

[Genesis315]

I What did I like about it? I like that the homily is structured around Bible passages, rather than the usual topical structure I’ve experienced in Protestant churches.

You know, this is an interesting point that I had never been able to formulate before, but you have inspired me My experience with evangelical/Baptist/non-denom style preaching is that the Bible is used in the service of the sermon, rather than the sermon being at the service of the Bible.

The non-Catholic preachers I have seen have usually used the Bible to provide support and authority for whatever topic they are discussing, where the Catholic homiliy is supposed to start with a certain passage, and then apply it. It’s a subtle difference.

I’m not saying one approach is per se better than the other(I think both can be appropriate in different circumstances), they’re just different–I always knew intuitively they were different, but I could never put my finger on it.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

You know, this is an interesting point that I had never been able to formulate before, but you have inspired me My experience with evangelical/Baptist/non-denom style preaching is that the Bible is used in the service of the sermon, rather than the sermon being at the service of the Bible.

The non-Catholic preachers I have seen have usually used the Bible to provide support and authority for whatever topic they are discussing, where the Catholic homiliy is supposed to start with a certain passage, and then apply it. It’s a subtle difference.

I’m not saying one approach is per se better than the other(I think both can be appropriate in different circumstances), they’re just different–I always knew intuitively they were different, but I could never put my finger on it.

The very first thing that appealed to me about liturgical worship was all the Scripture that was read. So-called “Bible” churches don’t read anywhere close to the same amount of Scripture as I hear at one Mass. Instead of one or two verses and then 30 minutes of the preacher’s ideas about those verses, God’s Word is allowed to speak for itself.

 

[thistle]

If not, why not?

If so, what were your impressions of it?

I attended Mass with my Catholic wife for 10 years before my conversion to the Catholic Church from the Methodist Church. I always felt at home at Mass. Of course I couldn’t receive during that time.

 

[mozart-250]

I’ve attended two or three masses in person and have watched two or three on EWTN. And then there are the funerals and weddings, but I don’t know whether they count.

What I remember the most was getting lost on when I was supposed to stand, sit, or kneel. I just know I stuck out like a sore thumb.

 

[Socrates4Jesus]

Yep. I was young and attended mass infrequently until i completed confirmation. My parents were not Catholic, so my aunt (an ex-nun) took my brother, sister and i.

I remember the smells of burning wax, the standing and sitting and kneeling, the giant statue of Jesus flying off the cross like super man. The only message i remember was where the priest quoted the lyrics of a Cat Stevens song. Most of all i remember being board out of my gourd and trying to stay awake and asking myself how long it would be until it was over. I suppose i was a little like Tom Sawyer (or was it Huck Finn?) as a youth.

 

[JohnnyReb]

The very first thing that appealed to me about liturgical worship was all the Scripture that was read. So-called “Bible” churches don’t read anywhere close to the same amount of Scripture as I hear at one Mass. Instead of one or two verses and then 30 minutes of the preacher’s ideas about those verses, God’s Word is allowed to speak for itself.

And the priests and deacons also do a very good job of applying the scriptures read in the mass in the homily, and do not get long winded. They keep my attention. Long sermons lost me half way through.

 

[VociMike]

And the priests and deacons also do a very good job of applying the scriptures read in the mass in the homily, and do not get long winded. They keep my attention. Long sermons lost me half way through.

As Mark Twain observed, very few souls are saved after the first 20 minutes of a sermon.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

And the priests and deacons also do a very good job of applying the scriptures read in the mass in the homily, and do not get long winded. They keep my attention. Long sermons lost me half way through.

You know the saying, “The mind can only absorb what the behind can endure.”

I have yet to see a Catholic church with padded pews.

 

[CB_Catholic]

You know the saying, “The mind can only absorb what the behind can endure.”

I have yet to see a Catholic church with padded pews.

You can come visit my parish and sit on some nice padded pews. Before they built the new church (in 1992) we sat on folding chairs and knelt on the floor. I prefer the padded pews.