Thinking of going to a Catholic Church

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Shinobu

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Hi (I hope this is posted in the correct forum category), For the past couple of weeks I have contemplated going to a Catholic Church. I did not even know if we had one here until some nice people here posted a link to a site that posts mass times. I found a Catholic Church very close by and now I am wondering if I should attend.

I am a bit nervous though and this is why I’ve made this post. Firstly, there is only one Catholic church in this town. I am worried that maybe I will not be welcomed because I am not a Catholic. I was baptised in a Christian Church (I’m sorry I do not remember the Church’s name, it’s been so long) when I was little. I am scared that maybe I will be an outsider and would be more of a nuisance to them. I am also worried about when I should go, my family would attend Church Sundays, however now I could go to daily Mass, which sounds great! I’m not sure if I could just go today and that woulld be okay, or if I need to go on a specific day or something. I’m sorry if this sounds ridiculous, I’m just kinda nervous and shy and I don’t want to intrude on anything.

I am still learning about Catholocism, I bought the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” and have read it daily, so I know a bit more then I did a year ago.

I’m not sure if a Catholic Churchs sermons differ alot from what I am used to, do you have Communion daily? I am used to having Communion once a year near Easter, this would be such a change. I’m sorry to sound so giddy, but I am a bit excited. I hope that doesn’t sound stupid.

Thank you for your time
 
I would encourage you to just jump in and go to the Daily Mass today. Mass will probably seem quite a bit different from what you are used to, but after a little while you’ll get the hang of it.

They do take communion every day, but you are not supposed to take it if you are not Catholic. You can still go up in the line, but when you get the guy with the bread, ask him for a blessing instead.
 
shinobu,

First, welcome!!!

You might want to take a look at a brief primer on the Mass first just so you understand the different parts. There is one on the Catholic Answers main page (catholic.com).

The church undoubtedly has misselettes. These are books that have all of the prayers and scripture readings. They also have instructions of when to sit, stand, kneel etc. which is very helpful your first few times.

Don’t worry about Communion. Non-Catholics do not receive at Catholic Masses. Not even all of the Catholics receive every Sunday. A few people attend Mass daily but it is not the norm.

No one will know that you aren’t a Catholc so there is no reason to worry that you won’t be welcome. Catholics traditionally take their Sunday obligation pretty seriously so it is quite common to have “strangers” show up at Mass. They might be visiting the area or just passing through as likely as to be non-Catholics checking things out. Some churches have welcoming people. If asked if you are new, you can just smile and say “just visiting”. If you want, you might introduce yourself to the priest after Mass. Having a friendly priest is a wonderful asset if and when questions come up.

My suggestion would be to go first on a Sunday. That way, you get to see the whole thing: homily, Creed, music etc. The daily Mass is a bit abreviated. Later, when you might want to pay particular attention to something, the less crowded daily Mass is a good idea.

Jump right in and let us know how it goes. Glad to have you. 👍
 
Welcome Home!

And yes the church will welcome you!

It’s not a private club that you can’t enter if you don’t have the password. If the Holy Spirit has lead you to the Church, we celebrate that with you!

I haven’t completed my conversion yet, and won’t be received into the Catholic Church until Easter Vigil, but I can tell you, You Will Be Welcomed!

As our Priest Said at the beginning of class, we will welcome you and we will love you! And they will 🙂

If you’ve never been to a Catholic mass before, It is different than going to a Protestant Church. That shouldn’t be a problem though, get the missel and find the right date and everything will be spelled out for you. And of course if you get ‘lost’ just do as the others do around you (except for Holy Communion, if you are not Catholic you may not receive Holy Communion)

God Bless.
 
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Shinobu:
Hi (I hope this is posted in the correct forum category), For the past couple of weeks I have contemplated going to a Catholic Church. I did not even know if we had one here until some nice people here posted a link to a site that posts mass times. I found a Catholic Church very close by and now I am wondering if I should attend.

I am a bit nervous though and this is why I’ve made this post. Firstly, there is only one Catholic church in this town. I am worried that maybe I will not be welcomed because I am not a Catholic. I was baptised in a Christian Church (I’m sorry I do not remember the Church’s name, it’s been so long) when I was little. I am scared that maybe I will be an outsider and would be more of a nuisance to them. I am also worried about when I should go, my family would attend Church Sundays, however now I could go to daily Mass, which sounds great! I’m not sure if I could just go today and that woulld be okay, or if I need to go on a specific day or something. I’m sorry if this sounds ridiculous, I’m just kinda nervous and shy and I don’t want to intrude on anything.

I am still learning about Catholocism, I bought the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” and have read it daily, so I know a bit more then I did a year ago.

I’m not sure if a Catholic Churchs sermons differ alot from what I am used to, do you have Communion daily? I am used to having Communion once a year near Easter, this would be such a change. I’m sorry to sound so giddy, but I am a bit excited. I hope that doesn’t sound stupid.

Thank you for your time
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Hello Shinobu,

Don’t be nervous. There is no problem with you going to mass. You can go anytime you want. If you want to go today, go ahead.

It is good that you are learning about the Catholic Church.

The mass is centered around the Eucharist - Holy Communion - and it is at every mass. That is the main point of the mass so we have communion every day at mass. Do not recieve communion because by recieving communion you profess every teaching of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist is literally the body and blood of Christ, so it is something to have reverence for.

As someone said earlier, the daily mass is a little shorter. There are somethings that are only done on Sundays and holy days, like the Nicene Creed. I would still say go as soon as you want.

No one will know if you are not Catholic. Just follow what other people do and listen and watch what is happening. You are always welcome to come to the mass.
 
Hi Shinobu,

WELCOME! You are always welcome to the Catholic Church. My suggestion is to try and participate as much as possible. Just remember, the Catholics stop the Lord’s Paryer right after “but deliever us from evil.” the Priest says something and then you continue.

Also, try and talk to the Priest, if nothing more than to say Hello.

This will NOT be like you Christian Church. The service is very structured, the best way is to think of it as a re-enactment of the Last Supper.
 
If you were validly baptized in a Christian church you are already a Catholic. Your baptism is valid. Welcome Home!
 
Shinobu:

First of all, I would like to say welcome.

Second, there is a very well know Catholic Theologian/Appologist that has had the very same experience that you are going through right now. His name is Scott Hahn. In his book Home Sweet Rome, he details everything he went through when coming into the Catholic Church. It is available in most larger book stores.

On attending Mass, I would definitely attend both a Daily and Sunday Mass. The Mass is essentually the same except for the Profession of Faith and maybe the Sermon are ommitted from the Daily Mass. I have not been to one that does not have it, but you will be able to find a missalette so you can follow the Mass. Many of the missalettes will also contain the Sunday readings and a listing of the readings for the Daily Mass.

In addition, since this is the Lenten season new converts are preparing to be received into the Church at the Easter Vigil.

The other people here have given you sound advice.

I hope this helps.

PF
 
I was baptized Catholic, but never taught to follow the faith. When I came to college my best friend invited me to Mass with her. I went, and I must say that at first I did feel a little out of place. I didn’t know some of the prayers or when to sit, stand or kneel. But the people I talked to after the Mass were very welcoming. They encouraged me to continue to come to Mass and learn more about it and the faith.

I did continue to come, and last year I took the RCIA program and received the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation at Easter. Since coming to the Church, I have received many blessings, including a job at a Catholic newspaper and a wonderful Catholic fiance.

So my encouragement to you is, even if you feel a little out of place in the beginning, stick it out. I can tell you it’s WORTH IT. And it doesn’t take much time to get the logistics down. If you are interested in joining the Church, join an RCIA class. It’s a great way to learn more about the faith. First off, it would definitely be a good idea to go speak with a priest. He can answer any questions that you have about the Mass, RCIA or Catholicism in general.

God bless you on your spiritual journey.
 
Shinobu,
If it makes you feel any better I was a nervous wreck the first time I went into a Catholic church alone (I’m a convert - my now husband, then boyfriend lived elsewhere and I wanted to learn more about the Catholic thing)! I was nervous about how early to show up, how to even get there, would I sit in someone’s regular seat, what do I do when, do I go up during the Communion, if I don’t go up what would other people think, do I have to give a donation, would I be welcomed or given weird looks, would I do the wrong thing and offend someone? But, after I went once, it got easier each time.

Just to warn you, though, that entering a Catholic church is different from a Protestant one. Don’t take offense if no one is “social” with you. It’s not you. Catholics just view the actual Mass part as going to worship, not socialize with your neighbor. In fact, I think if you came in with a Kool-Aid mustache, at least half of the people wouldn’t even notice because they are too busy praying!

Peace be with You! Keep us up to date on your happenings!
 
Thank you very much for your kind replies. You have taken alot of the fear and nervousness I had, away. I am really anxious to go now, the only thing I do feel nervous about is what my family would think. It’s not that they have anything against it, rather they may think “well why isn’t the Church we go to now good enough?”. That’s the biggest hump that I have to get over, because I worry alot about what my family thinks of me.

Thank you very much again for all your help! I feel much better now.
 
Just find a traditional Latin Mass, so your first experience will be a positive experience.
 
Kevin Walker:
Just find a traditional Latin Mass, so your first experience will be a positive experience.
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For somebody wanting to learn about the Catholic Church, it would be better to go with the norm of the area. Please don’t bring in more confusion.
 
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Shinobu:
Thank you very much for your kind replies. You have taken alot of the fear and nervousness I had, away. I am really anxious to go now, the only thing I do feel nervous about is what my family would think. It’s not that they have anything against it, rather they may think “well why isn’t the Church we go to now good enough?”. That’s the biggest hump that I have to get over, because I worry alot about what my family thinks of me.

Thank you very much again for all your help! I feel much better now.
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God bless you and welcome. I’m sure you will be welcome, whenever you go. Have you mentioned your interest in the Catholic Church to your family? Maybe just mention that you would like to attend a Catholic Mass. I pray they will be OK with this.

When you do go, please just realize that sometimes people just do not know everyone’s situation, and are very intent on there own prayer. Don’t feel rejected, if no one speaks to you. Just smile or nod at those you see, and look for a responsive face, if you wish to speak to someone.

I have had very mixed experiences when I’ve attended other Churches, but never anything bad. I think the more friendly times were when I looked for fellowship.
 
Thank you all for your kind replies. I just wanted to post back in case anyone was curious. I intend to go to the Catholic Church here in town, I’ll wait until after Easter though, I am nervous enough going for the first time, but I feel I will be even more out of place with any special Easter ceremonies they have. I will just attend our Protestant Church for Easter time then visit the Catholic Church after.

There is one question that’s been on my mind. I know I cannot take communion until I am a Catholic, however when that time comes, how do they receive the wine/juice? I watch mass on EWTN and see them take the communion wafer but then I do not see them drink anything. If it is done, how is it done? Do you all drink from the same cup? Thank you

As for telling my family, I think I will just attend the Church and ease them into the idea. If you read my other topic you will see my Grandmother isn’t too found of Catholocism. However, I am 24 and capable of choosing my own Church and if God wills it then I can’t ignore him.

Thank you so much!
 
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Shinobu:
Thank you all for your kind replies. I just wanted to post back in case anyone was curious. I intend to go to the Catholic Church here in town, I’ll wait until after Easter though, I am nervous enough going for the first time, but I feel I will be even more out of place with any special Easter ceremonies they have. I will just attend our Protestant Church for Easter time then visit the Catholic Church after.

There is one question that’s been on my mind. I know I cannot take communion until I am a Catholic, however when that time comes, how do they receive the wine/juice? I watch mass on EWTN and see them take the communion wafer but then I do not see them drink anything. If it is done, how is it done? Do you all drink from the same cup? Thank you

As for telling my family, I think I will just attend the Church and ease them into the idea. If you read my other topic you will see my Grandmother isn’t too found of Catholocism. However, I am 24 and capable of choosing my own Church and if God wills it then I can’t ignore him.

Thank you so much!
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I encourage you to go to Mass on Holy Thursday and Easter. They are beautiful.

Since Jesus is fully present in any particle of the Consecrated Host it is not necessary to drink the Precious Blood. It is an optional practice. And yes, we share the same cup, when it is offered.
 
Welcome! I grew up protestant (Baptist, specifically), and I’m becoming a Catholic this weekend at Palm Sunday Mass. Believe me, it was hard for me to break it to my family, but they took it so much better than I thought. Others may not. They figure, well, I’m an adult. It’s my decision. In the long run, what God thinks is so much more important. Always respect your parents, but you are not obligated to run your life in accordance with their wishes (at least not once you’re an adult).

As mentioned, it would be best to go to just a “normal” regular mass service. The Latin masses that some refer to are an exception to the rule. They are indeed beautiful, but are not representative of the vast majority of Catholic churches in the world.

As noted, you will not be taking communion, since you’re not fully entered into the Church. However, it is not an exclusive club, as such. The point is that one must fully understand and believe in what it stands for and in what Catholics believe before partaking. However, the priest (or other person administering the communion in addition to the priest) will offer you a blessing if you cross your hands over your chest as you walk up to them.

If you do decide that the Catholic Church is for you, you should definitely call the local church and ask about their R.C.I.A. program. It’s the program for adults who wish to enter the Church, including Christians baptized through other faiths. Maybe you’d even enjoy having a chat with a priest? They are always available for talking about such important matters if you call and make an appointment with them.

God bless… I hope that you feel the Holy Spirit working in the Church as I have.

-Michael
 
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Shinobu:
Thank you all for your kind replies. I just wanted to post back in case anyone was curious. I intend to go to the Catholic Church here in town, I’ll wait until after Easter though, I am nervous enough going for the first time, but I feel I will be even more out of place with any special Easter ceremonies they have. I will just attend our Protestant Church for Easter time then visit the Catholic Church after.

There is one question that’s been on my mind. I know I cannot take communion until I am a Catholic, however when that time comes, how do they receive the wine/juice? I watch mass on EWTN and see them take the communion wafer but then I do not see them drink anything. If it is done, how is it done? Do you all drink from the same cup? Thank you

As for telling my family, I think I will just attend the Church and ease them into the idea. If you read my other topic you will see my Grandmother isn’t too found of Catholocism. However, I am 24 and capable of choosing my own Church and if God wills it then I can’t ignore him.

Thank you so much!
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In the Catholic Church it is understood that it is not necisary to recieve both body and blood because they both contain the full body and blood of Christ. You only need to recieve one, but most churches offer both because the Church recognizes that it is more accurate to have both. Everyone drinks from the same cup.

Don’t be nervous, there is no reason. When you go, no one will even know you are not Catholic. There are people who do not recieve communion every Sunday who are Catholic, to keep reverence for it, so they would not notice you not recieving.
 
Well, I am going to try for tommorows mass. I am so nervous!! I shouldn’t be, but geez I am. Thank you for your posts.
 
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