When my MIL and step-FIL come for a visit, about Mass...?

[mommamaree]

Oh, let’s please not start this again. The last thread that I started got totally derailed by this topic. This thread only has to do with the question of how to prepare visiting non-Catholic family for going to Mass. Let’s not get into liturgical abuses, please.

I am reposting my previous request, in case those who are still interested in discussing liturgical abuse here missed it before. I am not asking about blessings during communion, and the proper place for liturgical abuse debates is in the Liturgy and Sacraments forum, not here in the Family Life forum. I have already had one thread totally derailed by this debate, please don’t do that again here. Although, I guess at this point it shouldn’t really matter to me…but I just don’t like to see history repeating itself.

 

[O.S.Luke]

I’m sorry - didn’t intend to derail the thread. I just thought it germane to the conversation of preparing a non-Catholic to attend and what to do/not to do.

I’ll butt out - someone can answer me offline.

 

[mommamaree]

I’m sorry - didn’t intend to derail the thread. I just thought it germane to the conversation of preparing a non-Catholic to attend and what to do/not to do.

I’ll butt out - someone can answer me offline.

Thanks, I appreciate that. I know that you didn’t intend to derail the thread. I am just particularly avoidant of that topic on this forum because I tried to start another thread recently regarding what I thought was a sweet expression of a child’s faith, and it ended up being pages upon pages of increasingly hostile posting about liturgical abuse surrounding blessings. Aaargh.
There are some really knowledgeable people in the Traditional Catholicism and Liturgy/Sacraments forums who can help you figure out this issue though. Seek them out there and you’ll get more answers than you know what to do with.

 

[Lutheranteach]

Hi everyone,

Our family are new Catholics, and we are soon having my MIL and step-FIL to come for a visit. They are Lutherans, wonderful people, great parents and faithful Christians. But since they are non-Catholics, and do not understand the Real Presence, nor many of the teachings of the Church, I understand that they are not to receive Communion when they come to Mass with us. They are so supportive of our joining the Church, even though they are not willing or able to join (plus they are quite happy in their Lutheran church), so I want to be very careful about what I say and how I say it when preparing them for attending Mass with us. My husband is not as conversational in general as I am, and I usually carry the conversation with his Mom (his Mom and I love each other dearly, she is my Naomi!), so I suspect the bulk of the chatting about what to expect at Mass will fall to me, even though they are ‘technically’ my in-laws (though I don’t think about them as such).
Anyway, what do I do? I do not want to neglect to say anything, just in case they mistakenly believe it is the same as communion in their church. There are a number of obvious differences in the order of service, but they are very much the type of people that like to notice and comment upon the similarities and links, without much emphasis upon any distinctions. Great for building bridges with new family members, I might add!
So, has anyone, as a new Catholic, or who has family members who may not be aware of the closed communion within the Catholic church, gone through a similar thing. I want to be charitable, and would never ever ever want to sound ‘holier than thou’ to these people who are so wonderful and encouraging. Any thoughts or advice would be welcome! Thanks!

I would suggest that you brush up on Lutheranism. You are wrong on at least one account, Lutherans do believe in a real presence. They should feel somewhat comfortable at mass, they will 90% of the service, etc. I would not be so fast to say they don’t understand. Many Lutheran have a very good understanding of the Catholic Church and what Catholics do this or that, they understand it, they reject it, but they understand it. Lutherans and Catholics should get along like the U.S. and Canada. Distinct entities but quite friendly and familiar.