I am asking for help... :)?

Question

I have a religion project due on Monday where I have to interview someone (Catholic) from the 50s. However, I do not know anyone who was born in this time since my grandparents have passed on and my aunts and uncles are all of a young age. Can someone please be generous enough to answer my questions. I would trully appreciate it. God bless.

The questions are:

1.What do you remember the church being like before the 1960s?
2.Was this a good time for you?
3.What do you remember the church being like during the 1960s?
4.Was it much different then the earlier years of the church?
5.In what ways was it different?
6.What changes did you react to most strongly?
7.Why did you react to these changes in this matter?
8.Did you like or dislike these changes?

Thank you all who will participate in helping me NOT ONLY recieve a good grade but learn more about the church! :)

Answer 1

1. The altar was against the front wall. The priest would say mass with his back to the people. The altars in every church were large and very much detailed with carvings, the architecture was gorgeous. The mass was in Latin and even though I knew the responses, I didn't always know what they meant in English. Women had to cover their heads with either hats or lace (mantilla's). Boy's and men had to be dressed up with neckties and such. Women and girls were frowned upon if they didn't wear skirts or dresses for mass. You were not allowed to touch the Host. Only a priest could administer Communion because of this rule. You could not chew the Host. You received Communion kneeling at the altar rail. You had to fast for 3 hours before receiving Communion.

2. Many changes occurred during this time. It was like any new experience, it took time to get used to it.

3. Beautiful altars were ripped out and plain ones that faced the people were installed in their place. The mass was said in English. People participated in the prayers more than before.

4. Yes. It became less formal but more of a blessed occurance for the people.

5. The biggest difference was understanding the mass; what was going on. People could now stand when receiving Communion. Attire became less formal. Fasting was cut to 1 hour.

6. Funny, but the thing that bothered me most was why couldn't they keep the old altars and just add the new ones in front of them?

7. It just seemed that the church buildings lost a lot of their dignity because of that.

8. As the mass became more modified over the years, I now love the changes in it. It is so beautiful the way as a group we ask for forgiveness for our sins, and in hope we ask God to please accept our sacrifice in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. The priest performs the Consecration just as Jesus had told His Apostles to do in memory of Him. Immediately after the Host is Consecrated and Jesus is present, the first prayer we say as a congregation is the Our Father; the prayer Jesus said when teaching us how to pray to God Our Father.

In today's fast pace society, cutting the fasting time down to 1 hour also allows for more people to receive Communion.

The only thing I can say that I'm not pleased with is the sometimes too un-formal attire. We should dress ourselves with dignity before entering the house of the Lord.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I will try to help you somewhat. I was born in the late 50's. Most of the memorys that I have would be in the early 60's. As a child I remember the Mass being in Latin and not understanding a lot of it . In the 50's women were required to wear something on thier heads, a hat or some type of covering. Women did not have a active role in the Church like today. The Priest conducted the Mass and was the only one give out Communion. The Church body knelt when recieving Communion at the Alter rail and the Priest would put the host on your tongue. You were not allowed to touch the host or to chew it. It was required that you fasted before Mass. The Alter was back against the wall and the Priest said Mass with his back to the people. I remember my sister getting married to a non- catholic and it was required before they were married in the Church that he sign a paper that any children from that marriage would be raised in the Catholic faith. Babies were Baptised within a few weeks of birth. In the 1960's Vatican II changed the Mass from Latin to English and the alter was moved down /instead of the Priest having his back to the people he now faced them. As a member of the congretion I now felt more of a particapant than before. Music became a bigger part of the celebration. And over the years Communion went from kneeling at the alter rail to proceding up the aisle and recieving the host in our hand. The Church went from a being almost unapproachable entity to having everyone feel like an active particapant in the Mass. Many of the older people had a lot of problems with these changes because it was the way they had been raised and it seemed that the church was becoming to free. Also women no longer were requried to wear anything on thier heads in Church and over the years women have taken a more active role in the Mass. To understand the difference in the Mass from the 1950's to today you should look up the changes of the Vatican II and Pope John. I was born and raised into the Catholic faith, I may not always agree with everything but the changes brought about in the 60s were mostly postive.

Answer 3

Telephone a Catholic retirement home and ask if you can speak to some of the people for a school project. Usually they are very happy to do this and the people who live there are usually thrilled to talk to younger people. You'll also find it very a rewarding and pleasant experience. When you go bring a tape recorder and ask if you can tape your conversation, or print copies of your questions and get several people to answer them.

Good luck and enjoy.

Answer 4

sorry i am not catholic, i dont think that we have many people here that are both catholic and old enough to have been in the church in the early 50's

Answer 5

My mother is trying to answer you questions, you will more than likely get a good grade if she answers them all. I might call my Grandparents aswell! Good Luck!