Why have you chosen your specific branch of Christianity?

Ophelia,

Well I sure did. I remember thinking... Wow, I can't understand a word he's saying, but it sounds pretty. I also recall the little kneeling benches, not sure what you call them, but I thought that was a nice touch, to keep you from scuffing up your kneecaps. I also remember my friend who invited me, was thrilled I would attend with her because I imagine its not easy getting someone who isn't a particular belief system to go to your church.

I actually took part in the eucharist at the charismatic catholic church. Different experience as well, as protestant churches just pass communion around on a platter, rather than having the pastor or priest place it on your tongue.

 

i've only been to two masses...the best was at the notre dame bescilica (sp?) in Montreal. The mass was in french and latin, and we were all asked to say the Lord's Prayer in our native language. I didn't take part in the eucherist (sp?), but the whole thing was really beautiful and definatly spiritual.

not my type of service for all the time (i'm more interactive), but definatly something i really enjoyed

 

For the record, J.R.R. Tolkien, who was a catholic, witnessed to C.S. Lewis, who was an atheist, and as a result, C.S. Lewis became a christian (a protestant, but still.... what a conversation that must've been!!!)

 

Here's a great little quote from an article on the subject:

Overwhelmed by modernity, Tolkien confronted in his works the 20th century and its deadly machines of war, industrialism, and nationalism. In one of the most haunting passages in The Lord of the Rings, he described the following:

Dreadful as the Dead Marshes had been, and the arid moors of the Noman-land, more loathsome far was the country that the crawling day now slowly unveiled to his shrinking eyes. Even to the Mere of Dead Faces, some haggard phantom of green spring would come; but here neither spring nor summer would ever come again. Here nothing lived, not even the leprous growths that feed on rottenness. The gasping pools were chocked with ash and crawling muds, sickly white and grey, as if the mountains had vomited the filth of their entrails upon the lands about. High mounds of crushed and powdered rock, great cones of earth fire-blasted and poison-stained, stood like an obscene graveyard in endless rows, slowly revealed in the reluctant light.

Tolkien's closest friend, C.S. Lewis, argued that only someone who had witnessed the trenches firsthand could have written this passage. Indeed, Tolkien experienced much of World War I in the trenches, losing most of his close friends in battle. He knew whereof he wrote.

http://www.newoxfordreview.com/2001/nov01/bradleyjbirzer.html

 

I actually took part in the eucharist at the charismatic catholic church. Different experience as well, as protestant churches just pass communion around on a platter, rather than having the pastor or priest place it on your tongue.

Worth noting: Episcopal churches do it as the Catholics do, with everyone going to the altar and kneeling, the priest placing the wafer in your mouth, and the chalicer letting you drink from a communal chalice. Which reminds me of one of the special little things I like about the Episcopal Church -- its use of real wine at communion.

By the way, a Latin mass sounds like a wonderful experience. As someone who thrives religiously on beauty, that would have to be an incredible experience. Does anyone know how to find out where they're done?

-Paul

 

dp,

the one i went to (20 years ago) was in a little town called Howell, Michigan. Don't recall the name offhand but it might've been St. Paul's.

 

Hey, I live about 45 minutes from Howell! I haven't heard there was still a Latin Mass church there, but there may well be. I know there's one in Detroit, but I couldn't tell you the name. The best way to find out would be to call your local archdiocese, say that you'd love to see the Latin/Tridentine/pre-Vatican II Mass, and ask if there are any churches in the area that do it. I've always wanted to see it myself, but I never have.

I saw a re-enactment of a *pre*-Tridentine Mass once--the Gregorian Mass? I don't know--whatever one they had before the Reformation. It was very Latin, very long, and very boring. I think they invoked the names of the "top 20" saints about three times. Of course, it was a dismally faithful re-enactment--low, dark, wooden building, no music, just the priest standing there with his back to you, mumbling, and altar servers hiding the Host behind a veil. The only difference between what they did and a real, typical medieval rite was that we all got to sit down during the service instead of standing through it. That meant most of us fell asleep. If you wonder why religious ignorance and superstition flourished during the Middle Ages, and why some people conflated priests with spell-mumbling sorcerers, that was why. (Also, indirectly, why the "magic words" in Harry Potter are half-made-up Latin.)

Just FWIW, the Mass wasn't an official Catholic one; it was done by an Episcopalian priest who was a history buff. If the Catholic Church knew that someone was doing a mock-up of an old, invalid Mass, they'd keel over and die.

 

ophelia,

where ya from? lansing? birmingham? ann arbor? flint? where where?

okay this was a catholic church on the....well if i was on grand river, facing towards lansing, while standing in the middle of howell, it would be to my left, off of one of the main intersections.. before you get to the howell theater. not sure if they still do it, but they were still doing it then.