What's Catholic mass like at a St. Anthony's church and avarage catholic church in general?

Question

Also what goes on excacly at those churches?

I have a Catholic cousin and have never attended a mass myself but have been curious about what goes on at those things. She's more strict about being a Catholic then my Aunt is.

Answer 1

Here is an outline of the Mass:

+ Introductory Rites
. + Entrance (All stand)
. + Greeting
. + Act of Penitence
. + Kyrie Eleison (Latin for "Lord have mercy")
. + Gloria
. + Opening Prayer

+ Liturgy of the Word
. + First Reading - usually from the Old Testament (All sit)
. + Responsorial Psalm
. + Second Reading - usually from a New Testament Epistle
. + Gospel Reading (All stand)
. + Homily (All sit for the sermon)
. + Profession of Faith (the Nicene Creed) (All stand)
. + Prayer of the Faithful (prayers of petition)

+ Liturgy of the Eucharist
. + The Preparation of the Gifts - the bread and wine are brought forward and placed on the altar, our monetary offerings are also collected at this time (All sit)
. + The Prayer over the Offerings (All stand)
. + The Eucharistic Prayer - during this prayer the bread and wine change into the Body and Blood of Christ (Catholics kneel, visitors may kneel or sit)
. + The Lord's Prayer (All stand)
. + The Rite of Peace (We offer each other a sign of peace)
. + The Breaking of the Bread
. + Communion - non-Catholics are requested out of respect not to receive Communion, they may approach the altar with their arms crossed over their chest to receive a blessing (Stand or kneel according to local custom)

+ The Concluding Rites
. + Announcements (All sit)
. + Blessing (All stand)
. + Dismissal
. + Procession

Come and visit anytime.

When you visit, please:
+ If you feel comfortable then pray and sing with the rest of the congregation.
+ Sit and stand when everyone else does.
+ If you feel comfortable kneeling during the Consecration then do so, otherwise sit.
+ Out of respect do not to receive Communion, according to local custom, and only if you wish, you may approach the altar with their arms crossed over your chest to receive a blessing.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

That's going to be hard question to answer. The basic form of ALL Catholic masses is the same. With a few exception, all Catholic churches will read the same readings on the same days and, if they have a priest celebrating mass, they will celebrate Eucharist.

Now, different churches carry out these same things differently. Some have wonderful lectors (the people who proclaim the readings) and some have so-so lectors. Some priests give great homilies, some don't. And the music can be very very different; anything from an organ to piano and soloist to a praise band.

I can give you an outline of what happens at a Catholic mass if you want. Either email me or post an update to this question. Hope that helps!

Answer 3

What is the Mass?

A good way to describe the Mass is to say that it is Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday made present today in ritual. It is not merely a meal which reminds us of the Last Supper, or a Passion Play which helps recall Good Friday, or a Sunrise Service which celebrates the Lord”s Resurrection. It is Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The bishops at the Second Vatican Council brought together these three mysteries in a multifaceted description of the Mass: “At the Last Supper, on the night when he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the eucharistic sacrifice of his body and blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until he should come again and in this way to entrust to his beloved Bride, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet ‘in which Christ is eaten, the heart is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us” ” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, #42).

The basic “shape” of the ritual of the Mass can be described as a meal. This is not to say it is “just another meal” or that we are ignoring the Mass as sacrifice. Not at all. The point is, the shape of the Mass, even when viewed as sacrifice, is that of a meal. For our purposes, we can be greatly helped in our “walk through” the Mass if we remember this basic “meal shape.”

When friends gather for a meal, they sit and talk: Eventually they move to the table, say grace, pass the food and eat and drink, and finally take their leave and go home. On our walk through the Mass we will follow this same map: we will see ritual acts of 1) gathering, 2) storytelling, 3) meal sharing and 4) commissioning.

(Click on link for more detail on gathering, Bible reading, meal sharing, and commissioning)

Answer 4

It would be the celebration of the Mass, the sacred worship that has been with the Church since Christ founded Her 2,000 years ago.

Answer 5

A beautiful liturgy, with readings from the old and new Testaments. Visit one sometime, and experience it.

Answer 6

Boring & mundane. They do the same thing every week in the same order.