What non-Catholic students need to know about attending mass

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whiterose34

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I am a middle school teacher at a Catholic school. This is my first year teaching religion. Because I’ve been going to Catholic church my whole life, I can’t break down in my head the basic things that non-Catholic students need to know when attending church. Most of my students are not Catholic.

I know to teach them they can watch Eucharist but not participate in it if they are not Catholic or Eastern Orthodox.
I know to teach them to kneel when they reach the alter coming into church and do the sign of the cross, then to stay kneeling and pray to begin.
I know most of the things they can learn by looking at other students, but many of our students aren’t Catholic.
What else can you think of? I’m trying to think of things that aren’t obvious.They will know when to stand and sit and kneel because they can look at other people and get the hang of it.

Thanks, and God bless.
 
Hmm, why do they have to behave as Catholics if they’re not? Yes, you can teach them respect for the Mass, but do they really have to learn to cross themselves if they’re not Catholic or another religion that uses that symbol?

Do they have to kneel and pray if that’s not something they do in their own ecclesial community? My husband has been coming to Mass with me for 38 years and he sings in our choir but he doesn’t kneel, it’s not something they do in their Church. Anglicans and Lutherans will usually kneel if they’re attending Mass in our Church but most other faiths don’t.

Oh, and teach them the difference ‘altar’ and ‘alter’. 😃
 
Phemie said:
Hmm, why do they have to behave as Catholics if they’re not? Yes, you can teach them respect for the Mass, but do they really have to learn to cross themselves if they’re not Catholic or another religion that uses that symbol?

Do they have to kneel and pray if that’s not something they do in their own ecclesial community? My husband has been coming to Mass with me for 38 years and he sings in our choir but he doesn’t kneel, it’s not something they do in their Church. Anglicans and Lutherans will usually kneel if they’re attending Mass in our Church but most other faiths don’t.

Oh, and teach them the difference ‘altar’ and ‘alter’. 😃
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They don’t have to do it, but from what I’ve seen the last few years, most of the kids want to follow and respect our religious traditions. It’s different for kids who attend their Baptist churches every Sunday and Wednesday, but the kids who don’t go to church, they are searching and some of them want so badly to be Catholic. I want to teach them tradition ,and let them know to talk to me if they aren’t comfortable doing something that is part of our tradition.
 
I definitely agree with Phemie. Especially you should not get them to make the sign of the cross when they genuflect. It’s not recommended, for one thing, and more importantly, if they don’t do it correctly, it could look irreverent.
 
To be quiet before and after Mass, as some attendees like to have a silent atmosphere to pray.
 
That we take John 6 literally.

That at the part of the Mass that we call the Consecration, that the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of Jesus. What we call “The Real Presence”.

John 6.

That is the essence and uniqueness of Catholic Worship.

And that if people want to read some interesting aspects … they could read the contemporary book, “Eucharistic Miracles” by Joan Carroll Cruz.
 
As others have reiterated, non-Catholics don’t need to cross themselves, genuflect, etc.

Whenever my non-religious SIL comes with us to Mass at Christmas she stands when we stand (we don’t kneel here, but I assume she’ll sit when we start kneeling), sits when we sits, and remains in the pew during Communion. When we pray, she doesn’t cross herself, but respectfully bows her head.

Just teach them to be respectful, and to remain in their pew at Communion, while refraining from visiting.
 
They should know:

*Modest dress, and avoid wearing shirts with vulgar sayings, concert tees, mentions of alcohol on shirts etc

*To stand when others stand, sit when they sit. If there are kneeling required with kneelers at Mass, then they can sit during those.

*Quiet voices before Mass. No talking during Mass unless they choose to follow along with the missal for the people’s parts. No disturbing others near them. No going for Communion unless they are Catholic.
 
Thanks for all the info. I only will have one new student, and he is Catholic and I know the rest of the students know everything you’ve listed already. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t forget anything, because our first mass is the first day of school.
 
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