Something nice

[fred_conty]

I thought I would start a thread for seniors to share their better memories about their church. This is for all, whether catholic or other, and also for anyone for any age who wishes to relate to us their pleasant memories about their church.

I’ll start it off by telling something that happened when I was in catholic grade school.

We had about 20 sisters who taught us in grade school, and I was alway ennamored with their black and white starched habits they wore. It seemed to make them so much more impressive because of their religious habit. They also had this huge wooden rosary hanging down off their belt to their side, so that when they walked it made a clanging/russeling sound.

On Sunday morning, they all came out of the convent walking together in pairs with their hands inside their sleeves, and were looking down as they went to the church. Then they would file into the first 3 pews in front, and kneel.

To me I felt like I had joined a religious order and made me feel close to God just seeing them together in front. It was so nice to know we had them praying with us and made a difference to my faith. Just one of those nice things that I will never forget.

Do you have any nice thing about church that touched you?

 

[englishredrose]

something nice

Today I went to the local nursing home to be a part of the Church as our Priest and Deacon takes Communion there regularly. This afternoon wasn’t about me but about visiting the people in the home. But it was so very nice. Four well known hymns and a simple short prayer each time and the Host. Perfectly simple. Perfect. I have just emailed the Priest as I do… saying how nice that was on a personal level. It was sheer peace amongst my/ the choatic world am in… …:flowers::heaven:

 

[Della]

I was brought up Episcopalian. What I remember most fondly is the hymns and the beautiful liturgy. That and how our little church was decorated for each season, Christmas and Easter being the most impressive. I had a very mature voice at 12 years old, so I sang in the adult choir, which was a real joy for me. I still love the Church seasons, celebrating them and seeing the decorations in my current parish. Our current senior pastor loves all the pomp and ceremony that I love, as well. It takes me right back to my childhood and my first stirrings of faith.

 

[JRKH]

Raised Catholic - - As I thought about this, the thing that I seemed to remember the most was 40 hours devotion and passion week.

Also - I always took a little pride in the fact that our class was the first to make our first communion in the new (and to us - huge) Church.

Then there were the early Sunday masses where we boys (my two brothers and myself) wound up serving because the scheduled servers didn’t show up. I did so enjoy serving at mass.
I think that the boys scheduled knew mass would be covered because we always want to early mass as a family.

I guess it’s just the collection of little things that make my Church memories so special.

Peace
James

 

[lalindsay225]

I remember from my childhood the excitement of going to the children’s Christmas Eve Mass, and than home for a simple dinner and my mother’s Christmas cookies. And my parents always had a Mantovani Christmas album playing. It was beautiful.

The church I attended as a girl also had beautiful stained glass windows. Even now, I melt at the sight of stained glass. (Sadly, the church I attend now has very little stained glass, not to mention electric prayer candles, but that’s OK – those are only cosmetic.)

Another thing I remember from childhood that they don’t do at my current parish is the Blessing of Throats, on the Feast of St. Blaise.

 

[JRKH]

…

Another thing I remember from childhood that they don’t do at my current parish is the Blessing of Throats, on the Feast of St. Blaise.

Oh yea - Thanks for reminding me of that.
As a small child - before one could receive communion - this was something “special” that we could do…Go and kneel at the altar rail. It made this little one feel more “grown up”.

Peace
James

 

[Joe_5859]

Another thing I remember from childhood that they don’t do at my current parish is the Blessing of Throats, on the Feast of St. Blaise.

Everytime I got my throat blessed as a kid, I seemed to get a sore throat within a week. I always figured that my sore throat would have wound up being worse without St. Blase.

 

[fred_conty]

Everytime I got my throat blessed as a kid, I seemed to get a sore throat within a week. I always figured that my sore throat would have wound up being worse without St. Blase.

It seemed that way with me as well.

Does anyone remember the crowning ceremony of Mary in the month of May?

Every year all the kids in grade school gathered in their classrooms on a Sunday all dressed up, and sweating something awefull. This was before air conditioning and we have one fan in the front of the classroom.

When it came time to leave for church we would process out in two’s down the sidewalk across a street and around to the front of church. Then each class took their assigned places to sit. Some of the eighth graders were chosen to go with the girl to crown the statue of Mary. Everyone was singing.

One year, in fourth grade, when walking to church around 4-5 pm, it seemed as if the sun turned everything to a faded yellow. And I remember how holy this seemed at the time.