Tell us about your first Mass Experience

[catholicxjw]

Hi Gang:

My first experience attending a Mass that I really remember was when I was a child and one of my relatives got married. I was so totally lost.

It was not until I had read Scott Hahn's book on the Last Supper that I started to appreciate the beauty and meaning in the Mass.

What was your experience?

Jeff S.

[evanescence]

Oh gawd,

I don't remember my first mass but I have been told about my behavior.

This was when i was about 2 years old, I used to run around the church and crawl under the seats, while I was running around the church my older sister who was about 5 would chase after me lol!

When I was getting baptized, my dad had me in a squirrel grip, I was squirming, trying my best to break free.
The priest said "don't worry let her go, she will be alright" as soon as my Dad let me go I ran and head butted the priest, he almost fell over. Poor, poor priest.

Don't worry I'm not like that today ;D

Evanescence

[saintless]

My first Mass was this past May. I was so excited and scared! I read everything I could, and watched Mass on t.v. and the internet. I was afraid of looking stupid, and so I just stood there, with my fiancé next to me. I was in complete awe! I didn't understand everything yet, but I knew that it felt like God was present. The second time I went was the time that really moved me. By then, I compared my first Mass with what I had read and had begun to understand what truly was going on. I remember being brought to tears after it was over, from the feeling of holiness that was present there. I still feel that now, especially when I go by myself. When my children are with me, I concentrate on trying to get them not to behave like Evanescense described. ;D

That first time, though - I had never crossed myself before, and I was so unfamiliar with the traditions that my participation was limited to kneeling when everyone else did. I was so scared I was going to do things the wrong way! But, now I even have my boys learning what holy water is, and how to cross themselves!

I went to the Cathedral of the Madeline this last week, for the first time. It felt like I was experiencing everything for the first time all over again! The Cathedral is so amazingly beautiful! And the Bishop was the one doing Mass, and he did it way different than my parish. He sang most everything, rather than saying it. And they have a chior with organ music there, and it was difficult to sing with them. At my parish, they have a piano and either a soloist or sometimes a small chior, but I can always hear their voices and sing with them easily. I can't wait to go to the Cathedral again! I may go Saturday this weekend, so I can still go to my parish for Sunday Mass. Or if I can get my butt into work early in the mornings sometimes, I can go to the 5:15 Mass at the Cathedral on weekdays.

[sulla]

Earlier this year, a couple weeks prior to Ash Wednesday. We'd had ice and the church was about half full. I had not gone to any church more than a couple times in the last decade, and prior to that I had seldom been anywhere except the Kingdom Hall.

I got up early and walked alone to church -- it's next door. I have been unmoved by any church experience -- JW or evangelical -- until then. Every part of the ancient rite and my experience of it left me awed (like Saintless). Here is what I remember.

When you enter the church you see a dead man nailed to a cross. You know He is dead because of the way He slumps and the wound in His side. Here we want to make the point so that no one forgets: This event is significant and is the center of what will happen here. Growing up, my church was absolutely stark. Barren. It was a classroom for learning and reviewing the entirely rational and un-mysterious rules for life. This is different; people worship here.

I'd been instructed about what to do a little bit, so I knew to kneel upon entering my row. Sign of the cross. It is appropriate to kneel before God. Look at the altar -- something old and important will be done here again.

Before the gospel is read, the deacon receives a blessing and then he holds the Bible aloft. Look at this book covered in gold and remember how important these words are. The reading, a homily, a profession of faith.

Communion. "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." We are all kneeling again and the priest says -- but I don't know the words -- "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed." Can you imagine? I still remember how to find Habakkuk, I knocked on doors to get people to come to my barren church, I learned all of the ways all this was supposed to be wrong, and here was the meaning of the gospel.

I got in line and the priest gave me a blessing, something ordinary: "May the Lord Jesus come into your heart," or something. For me, it was an absolutely pure moment.

So I get to ramble on about it six months later. I am not given to emotion or -- frankly -- earnestness, but that first Mass was pure, genuine, singular. And that's my story.

[dtbrown]

I hung out in Evangelical Protestant circles for about 11 years after leaving the JWs. I'd visit different Protestant churches...never thought about visiting a Catholic parish. One weekend my wife and I went to a rummage sale that was in the parish hall of a Catholic Church. We were at the sale for awhile and I asked the people running the sale where the nearest restroom was. "Oh, it's in the church." I didn't want to go inside the church but I couldn't tell them that. I still remember the "creepy" feeling I had as I entered the church building . Even though I hadn't been a JW for about 5 years then I still had a revulsion against things Catholic (except for rummage sales!). The door to the sanctuary was open and I paused and took a quick look inside but I stayed in the narthex. It didn't look as evil as I thought it would but I didn't linger.

About 5 years later I was suddenly drawn to the Church after spending a few months at a Lutheran parish. One Sunday I sneaked into the local Catholic parish. Still scared I just went inside and sat in one of the back pews. Then I decided to move further forward so I could see better. It was only then that I realized everyone else was genuflecting and I hadn't. But no one said anything to me. They probably knew I was visiting, I figured. Even though that visit was over 12 years ago, I still remember the Epistle reading. It was from Hebrews about how Christ need not be sacrificed over and over again. I thought that quite ironic as I had just recently resigned from the board of an anti-Catholic ministry and that was something our ministry claimed that Catholics believed: that in the Mass Christ is re-sacrificed over and over again. Just 4 months later I was baptized and confirmed in this parish.

Dave Brown

[evanescence]

Those stories were all very interesting, thankyou for sharing

Evanescence

[billathts]

hello,

I am a cradle catholic, have never been a JW or anything else, so I hope that I am not intruding!!!

I just wanted to comment on the beauty of your experiences. Every once in a while, a long while, still I feel as if I am at my first Mass. Thank you for allowing me to read of your experiences. May the good Lord bless all of you, keep you from all evil, and bring you to everlasting life!!!!! Amen.

[heretic]

I can remember going to mass when I was 5 years old - I always used to cry when they played the organ
no idea why.

[gkchesterton]

I decided to visit an early morning mass a few days ago. I really wasn't prepared for the amount of standing and sitting/kneeling (which I didn’t engage in as I felt it was still inappropriate). The white wine was also a shocker since as Witnesses we are instructed to use red.

The responsorial psalms reminded me that shortly before I left I was having the bookstudy read the psalms in this fashion. I would read and then have them respond. They seemed to enjoy it but looking back I’m a little surprised that no one took issue with it being read that way. Bookstudy overseers are given such wide latitude.

Some questions, I noticed that there was a book in the pews ahead of me. Only some of the church members used it. It was labeled 2006 Missal and I’m assuming it would have been okay for me to flip through it (I wasn’t sure so I left it alone). I’m assuming that this has a layout for each day’s mass with instructions for the faithful, is this correct? Also, what is the appropriate way to handle the sign of peace, especially for one who is visiting? I can’t find anything formal in the GIRM about it. As I was sitting in the back row doing my best to be inconspicuous it was a bit unnerving.

[catholicxjw]

Hi GK:

Yes, the missal has the instructions for the day's mass. You can actually purchase a copy from any good Catholic bookstore.

Also, you can participate in the kneeling and praying as much as you want. I do not believe there would be anything wrong with you participating in the sign of peace. Just shake the hands of the people around you and say "Peace be with you."

When I was visiting a Catholic Church prior to becoming Catholic I did not kneel at first and I did not really understand the genuflecting so I did not do that. However, I did sing and pray with the people and I did offer the sign of peace to those around me.

I did not go up to receive Communion as I knew that would be inappropriate until I had entered the Church.

Also, when I got so interested in the Church that I started attending Mass, I made an appointment to speak to a priest. I explained to them my situation and the priest was very sensitive to my situation. There was absolutely no pressure to enter the Church or not to enter the Church. I found the secret meetings with the priest to be very helpful.

Jeff S.

P.S. The Fellowship Can Help you Find A Good Priest in Your Area that would be able to assist you if you are ready for that. Just email me at [e-mail]

[gkchesterton]

There is a hard and fast attempt by one fellow I know to get me to meet every Legionary of Christ and Opus Dei priest he knows. He thinks we would get along smashingly. I'm not sure if that's a compliment

Thanks for the offer by the way and I may take you up on it sometime in the future. In the meantime I have a bunch more reading to do. I'm trying for one theological book a week plus a much more intensive bible study program with my family so that we don't loose our religious footing entirely while in-between courses.

[Stitch]

I was baptized into the catholic church as a child, but from a young age I was always fascinated by the stations of the cross, plus the hymns were sung beautifully in our local parish. I have fond memories of the Good Friday service in 1976, as it was the 1st time I saw the entire parish together, and the church was almost standing room only. In my 13 years as a witness, I never felt the spirituality or that close to God as I did in the church, particularly during the memorial.

[arleneveronica08]

I was a child and my grand-aunt took me to a very dark church, where Latin was still spoken at times (the late 1960's), and I was afraid of all the statues. I had already learned in Protestant Sunday School (and from my mother) that Catholics worshipped Mary and idols so the whole experience with parishoners kneeling before Mary--only confirmed it. I also remember some of my cousins telling me I didn't want to sit in the front row and get the smell of "burned incense" on my Sunday dress...As an adult with a more open mind and heart I finally saw the beauty of the church and felt the full spiritual experience especially after all those years of the formal kingdom hall services.

[carloshelms]

I was baptized into the Catholic Church as an infant and I'm sure that I attended mass weekly (read: weakly) at Visitation and St. Elizabeth Parishes in Kansas City, MO in the 50s and 60s. It was a family thing, the importance of which escaped me. Being part of a "hard-living" Irish-Catholic family (work hard, play hard, drink hard, everything hard), Mass was part of the "hard" routine that we took for granted. I was an altar-boy prior to Vat II...regurgitated the Latin without a clue as to its meaning...and went through the Church's transformation without an ounce of appreciation. I attended Catholic schools, including a prestigious academic and athletic factory, Rockhurst High School. I am still amazed that, in all that time, I never "got it"...that it's taken until 2008 at 55 years young for me to find the courage to revisit the legacy of the Church and the legacy of my family: to ask myself the important questions.

Last week I attended Mass for the first time in 30 years. The last time I attended ANY Catholic service other than my dad's funeral was at my own wedding in 1979. What had been complicated and - frankly - difficult to bear, was simple, beautiful and inspirational. I shall consider May 17, 2008 as both my "first Mass experience" and my homecoming. - Carlos the Procrastinator

BTW: I was a Jehovah's Witness from 1979-1990.

[NanaR]

May 23, 2008 10:32:36 GMT -5 carloshelms said:

I was baptized into the Catholic Church as an infant and I'm sure that I attended mass weekly (read: weakly) at Visitation and St. Elizabeth Parishes in Kansas City, MO in the 50s and 60s. It was a family thing, the importance of which escaped me. Being part of a "hard-living" Irish-Catholic family (work hard, play hard, drink hard, everything hard), Mass was part of the "hard" routine that we took for granted. I was an altar-boy prior to Vat II...regurgitated the Latin without a clue as to its meaning...and went through the Church's transformation without an ounce of appreciation. I attended Catholic schools, including a prestigious academic and athletic factory, Rockhurst High School. I am still amazed that, in all that time, I never "got it"...that it's taken until 2008 at 55 years young for me to find the courage to revisit the legacy of the Church and the legacy of my family: to ask myself the important questions.

Last week I attended Mass for the first time in 30 years. The last time I attended ANY Catholic service other than my dad's funeral was at my own wedding in 1979. What had been complicated and - frankly - difficult to bear, was simple, beautiful and inspirational. I shall consider May 17, 2008 as both my "first Mass experience" and my homecoming. - Carlos the Procrastinator

BTW: I was a Jehovah's Witness from 1979-1990.

Carlos:

Welcome Home!!

Doesn't really matter how long it takes us to get to (or back to) the Church, what matters is that we get there ;-)

Your experience gives me hope that my cradle Catholic -- JW -- inactive JW husband will find his way home as well.

Your sister in Christ,

Ruth