Using a Sunday Missal?

[Erin_m87]

Hello,

Im very new to Catholicism and having a hard time learning and remberig when and what to say during mass. Would getting a Sunday Missal help? I’ve seen them in the back of the pews but have no idea how to use them. Please help! I often attend alone and sometimes feel so awkward.

Thanks.

 

[Tietjen]

Hello,

Im very new to Catholicism and having a hard time learning and remberig when and what to say during mass. Would getting a Sunday Missal help? I’ve seen them in the back of the pews but have no idea how to use them. Please help! I often attend alone and sometimes feel so awkward.

Thanks.

Yes, a Missal or Missalette can aid you. I would suggest using the missalettes on the back of the pews rather than purchasing a Daily Missal as they are rather expensive.

 

[Catholic_Wife]

Hi Erin! I applaud you desire to participate more actively in the Mass. When I returned to the Church, I didn’t remember what to do or say. Getting a Sunday missal (which can be found for less than $25) helped me, in that I could read ahead of time and re-read the responses. Getting a missal of your own would allow you to get comfortable with the layout of your missal and know where the responses and readings are. Plus, you’ll always have it if you visit another parish.

However, if you want to spare yourself the expense, I would suggest getting to Mass early to understand the layout of the missal there. If it’s the kind in which the missal is separate from the music book, it will be easy to follow along because when you get to the end of a section (the readings of the day, for example), it tells you what page to go to for the next section (i.e. the profession of faith). If it’s like the one my in-laws’ parish used to use, the Order of Mass is in one section, the readings are in another and the hymns in yet another section.

No matter the layout of the missal, you can take slips of paper or post-it notes as bookmarks to help you find the appropriate pages as Mass progresses. And don’t be afraid to ask someone sitting near you (quietly and after they finish praying) to help you. Simply explain that you aren’t Catholic (*yet ) and want to follow along with Mass. I’m sure most people would be happy to oblige. Or you can ask one of the ushers to help you with the missal.

 

[St_Hilary]

Hello,

Im very new to Catholicism and having a hard time learning and remberig when and what to say during mass. Would getting a Sunday Missal help? I’ve seen them in the back of the pews but have no idea how to use them. Please help! I often attend alone and sometimes feel so awkward.

Thanks.

 

[St_Hilary]

To save you money, I would not buy a missal. Why? Because each churcch has what is called a missalette and you can find the entire mass in these books.

Open up the missalette and it will indicate where the mass begins and will have responses.

God bless you

 

[bitznbitez]

Hello,

Im very new to Catholicism and having a hard time learning and remberig when and what to say during mass. Would getting a Sunday Missal help? I’ve seen them in the back of the pews but have no idea how to use them. Please help! I often attend alone and sometimes feel so awkward.

Thanks.

You can go that route. But the best advice I can give is relax and don’t worry about it. Just sit/stand/kneel and listen. It will be absorbed faster than you realize. People won’t think less of you if you don’t speak, they won’t even notice.

Call the church office, explain you are new to the church and are visiting and ask what resources they have.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

You might call the Religious Education Office at the parish and ask if someone would walk you through the missal at some mutually agreeable time.

 

[alwayslooking]

To save you money, I would not buy a missal. Why? Because each churcch has what is called a missalette and you can find the entire mass in these books.

Open up the missalette and it will indicate where the mass begins and will have responses.

God bless you

Not every parish has missalettes. The priest at a parish that I frequent doesn’t provide missalettes, only hymnals.

A St. Joseph Sunday Missal can be purchased for $25.00-$30.00. Annual St. Joseph missals that need to be repurchased year to year can be purchased for $5.00.

I believe that a missal is a great tool for looking over readings at home and incorporating the liturgy into your prayer life throughout the week.

 

[SMHW]

c

Hello,

Im very new to Catholicism and having a hard time learning and remberig when and what to say during mass. Would getting a Sunday Missal help? I’ve seen them in the back of the pews but have no idea how to use them. Please help! I often attend alone and sometimes feel so awkward.

Thanks.

Without knowing what exactly is in your pews it is hard to give specific advice.

Some parishes provide a paper missalette which includes the readings specific to the particular day but some provide only hymnals. But even hymnals may contain a section that has the peoples’ responses for the Mass. A missalette will defintely have a section with people’s responses. Some hymnals such as short “Breaking Bread” tell you what the Sunday and Holy Day Old and New Testaments readings are but don’t actually include the reading.

You’ve gotten all kinds of suggestions. I suggest you get to Mass early some day and page through what is in your pews. Once you see what’s there you will be better able to ask someone for additional help if you need it.