When you visit a church outside of Mass

[acadian]

I’ve never really had the opportunity to visit church outside of Mass times because the church is always locked. Just recently, though, I was given a key to the church.

I stopped in today - using the excuse of putting up an altar server schedule in the sacristy - but I really wanted to stop in and say hello to Jesus, too.

But it felt awkward to be in the dark, empty church. Do you kneel in front of the tabernacle? Sit in a pew? Kneel? Stand? Speak aloud? Or pray silently? Or just listen?

I don’t see myself as having long stretches of time to spend there at this point in my life, but I often pass in front of the church and have always thought it would be nice to slip in for a few minutes. But what do you do when you get there?

 

[Grace_and_Glory]

I live on a college campus, and the Catholic chapel is usually open during the day for people to stop in. When I go, I usually just slip into a pew and pray silently. Sometimes I meditate on the daily Mass readings (there are missals in the back of the Church), and sometimes I just stop in to say hi to Jesus.

 

[TarlsQtr]

But it felt awkward to be in the dark, empty church. Do you kneel in front of the tabernacle? Sit in a pew? Kneel? Stand? Speak aloud? Or pray silently? Or just listen?

Short answer:Yes!

Slightly longer answer: Don’t feel uncomfortable doing any of the above (although I personally wouldn’t feel I was paying enough respect by standing) as long as you do it with respect and love for Jesus.

 

[VstandingstillV]

Last year, before I moved to college, I was the pianist and choir director at church and many times after the kids would leave I would find myself alone in the church either practising or packing up to leave. I’ll admit that at first it was uncomfortable for me just like you say it is for you. For me it was uncomfortable because of the silence and the stillness in the church. But as I grew used to it, the more I found myself listening and speaking to God, not blabbing AT God (you know the prayers right before you zone out that go like this… Dear Lord, thank you for so and so and such and such and help me in blah and bless this family and Hail Mary full of. . . . zzzzz) I found out something in just sitting and listening and it brought something deeper into my relationship with God. It is this: as you sit in the quiet church just listen, come before God and still your soul and listen. It’s hard to do, isn’t it? Especially when you come from a world of loud business. I know I have to rope my thoughts in constantly 'cause they’ll start wandering around what I’m going to do tomorrow, the people I met today, the chores, homework, etc. But if you can find that stillness it’s amazing what God does with the quiet soul. Go you for trying it out!

 

[the_phoenix]

…, I was given a key to the church.

I stopped in today - using the excuse of putting up an altar server schedule in the sacristy - but I really wanted to stop in and say hello to Jesus, too.

But it felt awkward to be in the dark, empty church. Do you kneel in front of the tabernacle? Sit in a pew? Kneel? Stand? Speak aloud? Or pray silently? Or just listen?

You are SO LUCKY to have a key to the church !!!

If it were me, I would genuflect, kneel or sit in a pew, pray silently, listen, and look at the tabernacle. If you know that nobody else will walk in on you, or if you’re not shy, you can prostrate yourself in front of the Real Presence of Christ in the tabernacle.

You are also lucky that the church is dark. A dark church is SO BEAUTIFUL, because then it’s far easier to envision Jesus as the Light of the World! If you saw the film “Into Great Silence” about the Carthusian monks you’ll better understand what I mean.

~~ the phoenix

 

[InLight247]

I’ve never really had the opportunity to visit church outside of Mass times because the church is always locked. Just recently, though, I was given a key to the church.

I stopped in today - using the excuse of putting up an altar server schedule in the sacristy - but I really wanted to stop in and say hello to Jesus, too.

But it felt awkward to be in the dark, empty church. Do you kneel in front of the tabernacle? Sit in a pew? Kneel? Stand? Speak aloud? Or pray silently? Or just listen?

I don’t see myself as having long stretches of time to spend there at this point in my life, but I often pass in front of the church and have always thought it would be nice to slip in for a few minutes. But what do you do when you get there?

Please don’t feel awkward for spending time with Jesus.
I am fortunate enough that our church is open daily from 8:00 a.m. till probably 10:00 p.m. I stop at the church everyday for one hour to be with Jesus.

You can sit, you can kneel, you can pray silently or whisper.
I usually either sit or kneel in the pew. Sometimes I sit on the step to the altar so I can be closer to the tabernacle and under the foot of the Cross. I pray the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, do my mental prayer, or just talk to Jesus and listen to Him.

By all means stop by the church as much as you can. Jesus likes us to be with Him. He is lovingly waiting.

 

[acadian]

You are SO LUCKY to have a key to the church !!!

It’s because my computer crashed. I lost all of my email addresses (and much else), but I knew my pastor had the email of one of my HS friends - a Poor Clare nun. They were friends in college. I caught him after Mass one day and asked if he had her email handy. While I was in his office, he picked up a key off of his desk and asked if I had a key to the church. “No,” I said. He asked if I WANTED a key to the church. I could only nod. We are getting a new pastor. My luck, he’ll change the locks!

If it were me, I would genuflect, kneel or sit in a pew, pray silently, listen, and look at the tabernacle. If you know that nobody else will walk in on you, or if you’re not shy, you can prostrate yourself in front of the Real Presence of Christ in the tabernacle.

You are also lucky that the church is dark. A dark church is SO BEAUTIFUL, because then it’s far easier to envision Jesus as the Light of the World! If you saw the film “Into Great Silence” about the Carthusian monks you’ll better understand what I mean.

~~ the phoenix

Thank all of you for the wonderful advice. Keep it coming.

 

[baltobetsy]

When I was in my early 20’s (about 30 years ago) I had the key to the church across the street from my office, because I belonged to a musical group that was rehearsing there regularly. Every day on my lunch hour I went in to visit. The Blessed Sacrament was kept in a tabernacle at one of the side altars in the front of the church. I would go very close to the tabernacle and pray. When I was absolutely certain I was alone, I would sing - chanting psalms and singing the sacred solos I was preparing for my lessons. It was a wonderful, wonderful time.

Betsy

 

[TOP]

Hi Acadian,
I stop into churches usually when I’m in town. I look for a lit candle by the tabernacle to see if the Lord is there. I genuflect, kneel and pray. Sometimes I light a candle for deceased friends and family. My home parish doesn’t have perpetual adoration so I just go to a front pew. For adoration, I have to go to another town. Both churches doors have been always open. Nothing wrong with stopping by to say hello or just to look for peace. Sometimes, He says hello back . Tim

 

[Biblioassistant]

I work on campus and the chapel in the Newman center is always open. The Blessed Sacrament is in a closet (which vexes me) but I can go there, sit down or kneel and then say some prayers, or read my office or just say hello to Jesus. There are no rules.