Thinking of Visiting a Roman Catholic Church

[kdthomas]

For any serious practicing Roman Catholics here ...Was thinking about this earlier. I realized that I have never been to a formal Roman Catholic mass service.

Now to preface this: I am atheist. Hands down, no convincing me otherwise. I will go to my grave convinced that there is no deity. I'm not doing this to seek answers.

However I am simply curious about the ceremony, the history, the atmosphere, the sounds, the building. No agenda. No pictures, no note-taking, no disrupting, no snickering behind others backs. And I understand this isn't trivial to the folks who go. I respect that.

The real, honest simple truth is that I just want to see a mass in person.

Is this rude/inconsiderate? Would I be welcome? Should I ask before showing up? Who should I ask?

 

[runnah]

What do they call a sleep walking nun?

A roaming catholic!

 

[runnah]

Anyways, yeah they'd probably not welcome you if you went at it like they were a sideshow, but if you said you wanted to see what it was all about they should be fine.

Don't wear anything white as it might get stained when they sacrifice the goats.

 

[waday]

I grew up Catholic. Went to church every Sunday. Don't anymore.

But, things haven't changed.

If you want to go to a mass, just go. Find a local church, and go. If you're honestly interested, there shouldn't be anyone or anything holding you back. All you really have to do is follow everyone else--when they stand and when they sit. You don't have to participate, but I'd personally at least stand/sit when they do so as not to be disrespectful.

As long as you're not disrespectful, you'll be welcome. But, when everyone starts to walk in the aisle to go up to the priest or Eucharistic ministers, don't follow them up. Otherwise, you'll be in a really awkward position when they try to give you a wafer and you have no idea what to do.

 

[Dave442]

Everyone is welcome so just go. Mass is always about an hour long unless there is something special going on.

 

[astroNikon]

we do offer free wine (after the wafer/bread/cracker) .... just sayin'

 

[NancyMoranG]

we do offer free wine (after the wafer/bread/cracker) .... just sayin'

We gotta get 'em in the door somehow

Everyone is welcome. You might ask some of your co-workers or such as to different parishes. Some sing the old songs, have very boring sermons and not much 'energy' to them.
Some have children's choir at 1 mass but not at the others. Then, you have more families at that Mass.
Maybe a 'folk 'type' music at another (guitar).
You may find 1 Mass time doing another language for area residents. (that happened to me when visiting somewhere, it was the only Mass I could make that day)

Then, the Priest...being Irish, I love when I find an Irish priest with the brogue. But giving a Sermon, doesn't have to mean being bored or berated. So the Priest is important to helping you be reflective.

We 'celebrate ' the sacrifices made for us so we can live a good life at which we would be welcomed into Heaven.

Maybe others can do a better job at the explanation. But thanks for being curious. And if you are ever invited to Catholic wedding, you will be prepared for what is happening.
I am Catholic-light....I only go a few times a year, but try to be a good person even when not in Church

 

[runnah]

Which is the church where everyone sings gospel? Alternatively the one where people speak in tongues and shake on the floor?

Also this is hilarious.

 

[katsrevenge]

Which is the church where everyone sings gospel? Alternatively the one where people speak in tongues and shake on the floor?

These are a variant of Southern Baptist known as Pentecostal. My gram grew up in one.

 

[Designer]

However I am simply curious about the ceremony, the history, the atmosphere, the sounds, the building.

Is this rude/inconsiderate? Would I be welcome? Should I ask before showing up? Who should I ask?

The history would require reading quite a few books. The architecture is somewhat varied, in that even though the liturgical requirements are the same the world over, you've got different building materials, budgets, and local traditions affecting the design of each individual building.

Not rude in the least, and you would be welcomed. No need to ask anyone anything, nor talk if you don't feel like it. The ushers are used to having visitors attend, and will not say anything. You don't need to "follow their lead" when the regular church-goers start doing things you don't understand.

I recommend that you try to find a place toward the back near a side aisle, not so you're hiding or anything, but merely so you can watch without being in the way. If the congregation files up using the center aisle and then returns to their pew via the side aisles, you can just step out into the aisle to let them back in (unless you are the only one in that row, in which case you don't have to let anyone back in).

Regular Catholics will genuflect, kneel, and Cross themselves at various times, but you can just sit unless you feel like standing when they do. Nobody is going to jump down your throat.

Make a mental list of things to ask somebody later about anything for which you would like an explanation. Some regular parishioners might try to engage you in conversation after the service is over, and they're just trying to be friendly. At a certain point in the service the priest may ask everybody to "share the peace" with the people sitting nearby. Some people in our church keep their hands together and claim "cold germs" or whatever to avoid shaking hands with people. You can shake hands or not, depending on how friendly you are.

 

[minicoop1985]

I'm a staunch atheist as well, but I grew up going to Catholic masses at my mom's request. Some people do take it incredibly seriously and will be quite offended if you don't stand when the rest of them do, or if your child isn't perfectly still, etc. Most people won't care, but I highly advise standing and kneeling.

 

[Designer]

I highly advise standing and kneeling.

There's really no need for visitors to kneel. You probably were admonished by your mother and think that everyone has to kneel.

 

[jcdeboever]

For any serious practicing Roman Catholics here ...Was thinking about this earlier. I realized that I have never been to a formal Roman Catholic mass service.

Now to preface this: I am atheist. Hands down, no convincing me otherwise. I will go to my grave convinced that there is no deity. I'm not doing this to seek answers.

However I am simply curious about the ceremony, the history, the atmosphere, the sounds, the building. No agenda. No pictures, no note-taking, no disrupting, no snickering behind others backs. And I understand this isn't trivial to the folks who go. I respect that.

The real, honest simple truth is that I just want to see a mass in person.

Is this rude/inconsiderate? Would I be welcome? Should I ask before showing up? Who should I ask?

Kd, as an expert on this matter, just go to a service. Not one will know the difference. There is not membership to go in. Get a schedule and check it out. You and everyone is welcome.

I'm a staunch atheist as well, but I grew up going to Catholic masses at my mom's request. Some people do take it incredibly seriously and will be quite offended if you don't stand when the rest of them do, or if your child isn't perfectly still, etc. Most people won't care, but I highly advise standing and kneeling.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[minicoop1985]

I highly advise standing and kneeling.

There's really no need for visitors to kneel. You probably were admonished by your mother and think that everyone has to kneel.

By many more than just my mother.

 

[matt_m]

Lifelong Catholic, educated 1st-12th grade at a Catholic school, drifted away for a while and now back with a daughter in attending the same schools. I say go. It might be courteous to follow along with the standing and kneeling and you may get shot a few looks, especially by some of the older folks if you don't, but its not like they are going to kick you out. Or you could just stand in the back...there are a few that do in our parish that have for years and years. I'd show up dressed respectably (i.e. I wouldn't wear a concert t-shirt and ripped up jeans) but even many of the older folks in our parish have become more casual--very common to see the older crowd in jeans or shorts in the summer and sneakers especially on Saturday evening. The 40's crowd that's pretty standard every mass. The three parishes in our city just had a joint outdoor mass at a city park--no kneeling at all there. Athletes from our CYO program were encouraged to wear their jerseys.