A Summary of my Catholic Experience

[_LDSToronto]

Just sayin'... I for one have never been bored at a Catholic Mass.

I have.


Peace,
Ceeboo

LOL - you've probably also been to way, way, waaaaaaaaay more than I have (me - maybe 20-30 times)

H.

[_Ceeboo]

LOL - you've probably also been to way, way, waaaaaaaaay more than I have (me - maybe 20-30 times)

H.

Nope, about the same here. (LOL)


by the way: I LOVE your avatar!
It causes me to smile EVERY SINGLE TIME I look at it. Every time! :)

[_quark]

1. To offer entertainment to the people who attend
2. To be kept awake by a comedic Priest
3. To decide what type of worship you prefer
4. To be pleasing to the human eyes
5. To collect candy for children

Granted, I also found just a little sliver of 2 through 5 above. The Priest did have a couple of one-liners that were pretty good. He was talking about how he wasn't going to count how many times we raised our hands for the sins we committed or something. Sorry, I can't relay the punchline to you!

Regarding #3 - it caused me to think not so much about the worship to prefer but the wafer Seriously, what is up with those little flat cookie things? And the priest got a real big wafer cookie thing. I was really interested in it and regret to say I wanted to try it.... just a little taste.

Regarding #4 - very much so!

Regarding #5 - café covered this one pretty well and I admit it would help my own kids enjoy it more. When I was small, the bishop's wife would give me Smarties. Mmmmmm, Smarties.... And I always thought people referred to her as Mr. Fisher, not Sister Fisher...

[_Jersey Girl]

I used to live in a deep South state and had several occassions to attend a "black" church. Wow! Fabulous! Something that a RCC could never replicate.

Interesting comment! I was raised Protestant and was also a member of an SBC for about 12 years. Throughout my lifetime, and for various reasons, I've attended RCC, Eastern Orthodox, Presbyterian, Lutheran, LDS and even attended a Hindu funeral service.

I've always thought that a black gospel church is where I would feel most at home.

:-)

[_Jersey Girl]

The Mormons took worship to a new height. Catholics took a heightened worship down to the people. Pros and cons, I suppose.

Do you think that Catholics taking a "heightened worship down to the people" is a pro or a con? Could you explain more what you mean by that?

When you see regular people; moms, grandmas, youth, etc. all helping with the most sacred part of the ritual, it gives it a real down to earth feel.

Did it feel like a family?

[_Chap]

The Catholic Mass is entirely cemented with and surrounded by the Holy Eucharist (The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ). From the beginning of the Mass (reading/teachings from the Old Testament) followed by the time when Jesus walked among us (readings/teachings of the New Testament), followed by the Last Supper (Consecration of the Holy Communion), ALL OF THIS....... leading to the very reason we gather in the pews. That is to offer THANKS to the LORD for paying our debts, cleaning our slates, and offering us forgiveness, so that we might GO IN PEACE and offer the very same to all.

Jesus Christ (who can be seen on the cross by all who are present, and Lovingly stands in our place) is at the very center of the Catholic Mass and it is Jesus Christ that we are there to offer our thanks for His ultimate sacrifice, His gift of grace freely given, His forgiveness, His enormous example of Love, and His rising from the dead that we celebrate.

Yup. Good times ...

[_Hoops]

Regarding #3 - it caused me to think not so much about the worship to prefer but the wafer Seriously, what is up with those little flat cookie things? And the priest got a real big wafer cookie thing. I was really interested in it and regret to say I wanted to try it.... just a little taste.

You might want to research this a bit before further comment. To a RCC member, this is kind of super-duper important and they would prefer that you call it by its proper name.

[_why me]

I would like to admit that a huge contribution to my positive experience at Mass is related to my inverse feelings about the Mormon church. The fact that I was standing (and sitting and kneeling) in this room without any obligation to any set belief or structure caused me to focus on worship all by itself. I could sit calmly in deep introspection.

I had no voice in my head telling me what the proper mode of worship was. There was no thought control (as stated by Pink Floyd). Freedom of the mind is what I yearn for these days. The thought of a TRI makes me ill.

Actually, there is a reason why catholics are sitting, standing and kneeling during the Mass. And there is an obligation to do so unless of course there is a physical reason not to. And the Mass is very structured. I cannot see deep introspection when one must be alert to when one must stand or kneel. However before the mass, one can have introspection or during the week if the church is open. Then is a wonderful time for prayer and introspection. The point is to concentrate on the ceremony leading up to receiving the communion. And of course in a catholic mass there is a proper mode of worship.

Are yo sure that you were at a catholic mass?

[_why me]

Regarding #3 - it caused me to think not so much about the worship to prefer but the wafer Seriously, what is up with those little flat cookie things? And the priest got a real big wafer cookie thing. I was really interested in it and regret to say I wanted to try it.... just a little taste.

They have no taste. However, you can buy them from a catholic religious store and eat as many as you want. They are not blessed so, it would be okay.

[_why me]

The Catholic Mass is entirely cemented with and sorrounded by the Holy Eucharist (The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ).
Just my take.

Peace,
Ceeboo

I said the same thing on the thread. You hit the nail on the head. This can be lost in the shuffle when it comes to non-catholics who only focus on beauty.