Sat. or Sun for a newbie?

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leamar3

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Hello all. I’m interested in attending Mass for the first time. Does it matter if I attend on a Saturday or a Sunday? Is it essentially the same service? Also, any tips for a first timer? I know I can’t participate in the Eucharist. I’m used to a Protestant service where a greeter hands me a bulletin, I go to my pew, mark the new testament lesson in my Bible, and mark the hymns in the hymnal. The preacher also tells us when to sit or stand. I want to be able to participate as much as possible, so I want to be prepared for what to expect. Thank you for any tips/advice. 🙂
 
Saturday evening and Sunday morning will be the
same readings from Scripture. The only differences
may be the choice of songs from the Hymnal.
 
jediliz said:
Saturday evening and Sunday morning will be the
same readings from Scripture. The only differences
may be the choice of songs from the Hymnal.
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This…👍

As far as which mass to attend, that is quite personal. I prefer the first mass on Sunday Morning simply because a) I find it easier to concentrate, b) it’s generally less crowded and c) it makes it easier to plan the day.

Now it might vary from place to place, but our parish has single page flyers at the doors that you can pick up. These provide a guide to where things are in the “Gather” praise and worship book in the pews.
If you plan to get there 15-20 minutes early, this will give you time to get organized…and if needed you could ask someone. Don’t be afraid to say that this is your first time. Most likely you will “make their day” and they will be happy to "show you the ropes.

As for sitting and standing etc. If you talk with someone they will help you out. If you do not, then simply sit in the back of church and watch everyone else.

Hope you’ll stop back and let us know what you think.

Peace
James
 
As others have said, the readings will be the same.

When I converted I just sat far enough back that there were enough people around me that I could see what everyone else was doing. Then I followed along in the missal as best as I could and sat and stood and copied what everyone else was doing until it became second nature.
 
Note: Saturday MORNING Mass is a ‘weekday’ Mass, is shorter and is NOT the same as a Saturday EVENING or Sunday Mass. Different readings, fewer songs, shorter homily.

Either the Saturday evening (usually 4 or 5 p.m.) or any Sunday Mass is what you want.
 
Excellent! Thank you very much. I will attend this evening and let everyone know how it goes. I’m very excited!😃
 
It is nice that you ask these questions because we are meant to participate in the mass as the Body of Christ. So often when people say they haven’t gotten anything out of the mass it’s often because they’ve missed the point that they are supposed to participate in it as a member of the body. At mass We are meant to pray with others, sing, participate in the Eucharist as one of Jesus disciples (think of the Lords supper with the disciples gathered around Jesus at the table of our Lord), and give thanks to God as a member of the body of Christ. Of course there is time for silent and personal prayer, but when we hold each others hand and pray the Lords prayer and shake each others hands, we feel the unity of our family of God.

When we come in and exit the Worship space we dip our hands in Holy Water as a rememberance of our baptism, and before we enter or exit the pew we honor God by genuflecting on our RIGHT knee because we understand Gods presence in the church. (Genuflecting on the Left knee is something that is done to Kings or royalty, which is quite different than honoring God by genuflecting on our RIGHT knee). If a person is unable to kneel they may bow. We make the sign of the cross and say "in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, as we honor the trinitarian God in our worship.

The Lords Day is Sunday, but the Sunday begins on the Saturday evening at dusk and ends on the Sunday at dusk. Similarly to the Jews Sabbath who celebrate the Sabbath starting with the eve before the Sabbath. We honor the Holy Day of the Week similarly the Eve of Sunday because we are Christians and the Lord rose on a Sunday (Resurrection day) called the Lords Day which is the most important day to a Christian,

Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. (So we know that the Sabbath was Saturday, so Sunday was the day of the resurrection of our Lord. )

We have a worship book that is kind of a perpetual tool to use at mass. It helps to know the Liturgical week that we’re on in order to find the appropriate readings to go with the mass.

The USCCB also lists the readings on their site

usccb.org/bible/readings/021613.cfm

It always helps to pray and meditate on the scriptures before mass as well and that site will help. .

The basic order of the mass is usually listed in the book as well. So essentially the same liturgical format to follow. Special Holy days will probably have a separate flyer or worship aide available. We have something that makes it simpler also, a green handout that was made available when we started the recent revision of the liturgy in November 2011. It makes it simpler to follow the basic format of the mass, has the Profession of our Faith (the Nicene Creed) in it. Pretty much everything but the daily readings are found in it.

You will find what we do in these worship aides, whether we sit, stand, kneel. We kneel and pray after communion until the priest sits and we know that that part of the mass has ended.

You may go up at communion time and receive a blessing but it helps the priest or eucharistic minister know that you would like a blessing if you cross your arms in front of you.

Remember it is important to remain for the final blessing at the end of mass and not to exit before the priest. Song is Part of Prayer, so the songs that start and end the mass are part of the mass (prayer) so it is not correct to leave before the concluding prayer ends.

Here some basics this site. Much of this is second hand to Catholics, but it may help you feel more comfortable to know why and when we do things. We do things together…🙂

churchmagazine.org/issue/0809/par_why.php

I hope these little tidbits help… II’m just a layperson who loves the mass and my family of God. God bless you!
 
Thank you for all of the responses. I felt so much better about attending Mass tonight. It was truly a great experience. I’m used to a sermon that tells a story, and I was worried I might not get as much enjoyment from the homily, but I sure was wrong. I look forward to going back next week!
 
leamar3 said:
Thank you for all of the responses. I felt so much better about attending Mass tonight. It was truly a great experience. I’m used to a sermon that tells a story, and I was worried I might not get as much enjoyment from the homily, but I sure was wrong. I look forward to going back next week!
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That is wonderful! There is nothing on earth like the Sacrifice of the Mass. Tonight, to my surprise, my Bishop spoke. 🙂
 
leamar3 said:
Thank you for all of the responses. I felt so much better about attending Mass tonight. It was truly a great experience. I’m used to a sermon that tells a story, and I was worried I might not get as much enjoyment from the homily, but I sure was wrong. I look forward to going back next week!
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Wonderful. 👍 Prayers for you as you travel on your spiritual journey.
 
It show much thoughtfulness that you are interested in learning about what to expect so as not to offend anyone and get the most out of the Mass. I am interested, are you just attending out of curiosity or where you considering the faith (maybe I missed that in the posts)?

Side note for Karen 107 - I find you very lucky that you were spared a tongue lashing from some of the more enthusiastic posters :D. There are many threads devoted to controversy of the blessing at communion you referenced:
Karen107 said:
You may go up at communion time and receive a blessing but it helps the priest or eucharistic minister know that you would like a blessing if you cross your arms in front of you.
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Leamar3 I suggest you read some of the previous threads regarding this practice before deciding to do the same yourself. There is a huge debate over this practice. Type in “blessing at communion” in the advanced search and limit it to titles only.
 
One sparrow,

Thank you for the search suggestion. I’m going to look into it further. I’m thinking about converting to Catholicism. I’ve been part of a Protestant church for many years, and I’ve started to research other perspectives.
 
You’ll find that each Mass has a different character to it. Where I live Saturday evening mass seems “busy” with activity. It seems well attended as folks are trying to get their Sunday obligation out of the way. On Sunday, the early morning Masses (6am-8am) tend to be more solemn. “Family Masses,” usually have something for young children. Later morning Masses are a little more formal. Sunday evening masses are often “Lifeteen” which means it’s organized for teenagers.

Don’t worry about knowing what to do. Basically, stand up when everyone stands, sit when everyone sits, and kneel when everyone kneels. You can use the missil to follow along.

Know that parishes differ a lot in culture, too.
 
One_Sparrow said:
It show much thoughtfulness that you are interested in learning about what to expect so as not to offend anyone and get the most out of the Mass. I am interested, are you just attending out of curiosity or where you considering the faith (maybe I missed that in the posts)?

Side note for Karen 107 - I find you very lucky that you were spared a tongue lashing from some of the more enthusiastic posters :D. There are many threads devoted to controversy of the blessing at communion you referenced:

Leamar3 I suggest you read some of the previous threads regarding this practice before deciding to do the same yourself. There is a huge debate over this practice. Type in “blessing at communion” in the advanced search and limit it to titles only.
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Somebody better make a clear statement this because children and non Catholics are often invited up for blessings at weddings, and I was also invited up for a blessing at a Lutheran funeral service. EM do not make the sign of the cross on those recieving blessings but a little prayer may be made over those coming up to recieve. Surely a priest or deacon can give a blessing in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. When did our church stop praying for others regardless of they receive the sacrament or not?
 
This is a hot topic here in the forums so much so, that a sticky has been put out on it (click over onto the sacraments section and its the 4 or 5 one in the list). It is trying to pile most of the relevant conversation on it into one area. The main sticky will open up a letter which includes a statement the poster states was issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship. EWTN also has a nice article on this topic which also includes a statement from the CDW (I believe its the same one on the forum).

As for what you have experienced, its a common practice seen in many forms in different parishes (that does not make it right or wrong). What was done in a Lutheran service I feel might be even less important to this point. And the EM making the sign of the cross, I’ve seen that too as they bless the person.

I’d like to point out that the communion line is not a time to go to the altar to have someone pray for them as you phrase it but rather to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist. I don’t see everyone lining up at the baptismal font asking for water and a blessing when we do christenings 😃
 
One_Sparrow said:
This is a hot topic here in the forums so much so, that a sticky has been put out on it (click over onto the sacraments section and its the 4 or 5 one in the list). It is trying to pile most of the relevant conversation on it into one area. The main sticky will open up a letter which includes a statement the poster states was issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship. EWTN also has a nice article on this topic which also includes a statement from the CDW (I believe its the same one on the forum).

As for what you have experienced, its a common practice seen in many forms in different parishes (that does not make it right or wrong). What was done in a Lutheran service I feel might be even less important to this point. And the EM making the sign of the cross, I’ve seen that too as they bless the person.

I’d like to point out that the communion line is not a time to go to the altar to have someone pray for them as you phrase it but rather to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist. I don’t see everyone lining up at the baptismal font asking for water and a blessing when we do christenings 😃
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Hi Sparrow, But you see people dipping their hands in the Baptismal font everytime they enter and exit the worship space because they want to be reminded of their baptismal vows and receive the blessings of that reminder and chances are if there is a baptismal font, people will bless themselves with it at a baptism. No one is there to guide them through it, or pray for them, or bless them but the Lord.

Pray or bless, a person comes up to recieve them. I realize that priests or deacons are the only one who has the authority to give the blessings of the Eucharist to a person and they show that by praying the works 'in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. A simple cross blessing is not saying that, it is showing the mark of Christ or a blessing of Christ. As I understand it, unless a priest shows that authority by saying those words, it is not a true full sacrament, it may be a blessing, but not a sacramental blessing of the eucharist or confession or any other sacrament. Those coming up for a blessing are not receiving the eucharist, but a blessing. The priest has shown the authority of the sacrament of the Eucharist, which the person will not receive.

From my thoughts Jesus would not say to anyone ‘no you can’t come’ rather Jesus would say let the children come and I’m not really here to dispute or make anyone comfortable, but I am but one of many who see this practice done and it has been an acceptable practice. In particular it is a practice of a person to receive the desires in their heart to receive Jesus in the Eucharist.

I guess I would like to see in the Cathechism where the EM can’t offer blessings on anyone during the communion.

I sourced many Catholic sites and found conflicting information. This just a couple of them. Those who go up to communion for a blessing are not receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist and I believe that’s where the difference is. We are not Jesus, Jesus is Jesus, the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit and will do what it wills, and as Christ increases so must WE decrease.

home.catholicweb.com/DOSP_OFW/files/Blessing_by_an_EMHC.pdf

Liturgically, parents are invited to trace the cross on the forehead of their child during the baptism ritual and sponsors are invited to trace the cross on the senses of the candidate for full communion during the Rite of Welcome. Also, catechists are encouraged to bless catechumens and candidates throughout the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process.

Lastly, a properly designated lay minister is allowed to assist with the distribution of blessed ashes on Ash Wednesday (cf. BB, no. 1659) and with the blessing of throats on the feast of St. Blase (cf. BB, no. 1628).
Since in the last two examples lay ministers may assist the ordained with those blessings it certainly is acceptable that an EMHC may offer a blessing to a person who comes to them in the communion line with arms crossed.
Within the context of our diocesan training for EMHCs we give these simple guidelines:
 The EMHC does not bless people with the consecrated host. This specific blessing is left to the ordained and only at the conclusion of the celebration of Eucharistic exposition with benediction.
 The EMHC may place a hand on the individual’s shoulder and say “May God bless you.” They do not make the sign of the cross over the individual in the manner of a priest or a deacon as this gesture is reserved to the ordained.
 They then move on to giving communion to the next person in their line.

catholicdoors.com/faq/qu389.htm

WHAT TO DO?

If anyone presents himself in the Communion line with crossed arms indicating that they want a blessing instead of Communion, the priest or the Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister can say, “May Jesus be in your heart.” There should be no gestures and no blessing given. Hopefully this will diminish the number of persons who are expecting a blessing in lieu of Communion.

Would it be wrong for me to offer my blessings to those who read this? Because I do offer them!!
Quite respectfully I submit these thoughts.
 
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