Catholic worship is extremely different from what I experience within a Baptist worship service. Since I was just a little girl I have always only attended Baptist churches, this project expanded my religious encounter as I attended a Catholic mass a previous Sunday. I attended a sunrise service at St Madeleine Catholic Church in High Springs with a customer of mine from my workplace while I typically attend Westside Baptist Church in Gainesville with my family. Within the worship I couldn’t help but to notice the tremendous amount of differential ways of worship and rituals. As I have only been to Baptist churches I was not sure what I was walking in to, but attending a Catholic mass opened up my religious thoughts toward other forms of religious
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When walking in I noticed several small trays filled with water at each door, which the believers would place their fingers in to experience the “holy water.” Also, before stepping on or off the altar, the speaker/priest would bow to Christ as he was on the cross that was placed upon the altar. Bowing would also occur when the members would walk in before taking their seats along with the prayer of the Sign of the Cross; which is where you put your hand on your forehead, then the middle of the chest, then each shoulder. I understand that the Sign of the Cross is saying “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.” Within each prayer the congregation would repeat “Lord hear my prayer” after each request, along with repeating numerous terms or verses the Priest would mention or read from. Another constant performance the congregation would take part in is kneeling, as there was a bench in front of each pew. The congregation would kneel randomly during the service, whether it be right when they arrived at their pew or during the sermon. Finally, one ritual that surprised me the most was within the communion as each member would drink from the same cup of wine and eat from the bread. These differential behaviors of belief were intriguing to me as the mass prolonged …show more content…
I for the most part received around the same answers that St Madeleine Catholic Church left them feeling more of a Godly individual, as each individual places Christ above all. Also, that with having God in such a superior state of mind they are truly living with Christ within their actions and behavior. With this, I also asked these individuals if they attend every Sunday and if not how does this leave them feeling, I received an answer of that they feel much different and left with not feeling as good of themselves as they do when they actually attend each mass. With these members attending each Sunday sets their attitude with a consistent foundation of who they are as members of the church and as individuals alone. With all of the congregation drinking out of the same wine glass, this intrigued me to ask the friend I came with why this happens. She told me this is to keep the tradition of the last supper, as Jesus drank from a cup then passed it around to the disciples to share. Catholics are trying to imitate this continuous type of ritual within the drinking of the same cup as a whole of religious members. Within asking these members of the church these few questions, it left me with more of a sense of who they are as a religious society and why they chose to worship God as Catholic
When walking in I noticed several small trays filled with water at each door, which the believers would place their fingers in to experience the “holy water.” Also, before stepping on or off the altar, the speaker/priest would bow to Christ as he was on the cross that was placed upon the altar. Bowing would also occur when the members would walk in before taking their seats along with the prayer of the Sign of the Cross; which is where you put your hand on your forehead, then the middle of the chest, then each shoulder. I understand that the Sign of the Cross is saying “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.” Within each prayer the congregation would repeat “Lord hear my prayer” after each request, along with repeating numerous terms or verses the Priest would mention or read from. Another constant performance the congregation would take part in is kneeling, as there was a bench in front of each pew. The congregation would kneel randomly during the service, whether it be right when they arrived at their pew or during the sermon. Finally, one ritual that surprised me the most was within the communion as each member would drink from the same cup of wine and eat from the bread. These differential behaviors of belief were intriguing to me as the mass prolonged …show more content…
I for the most part received around the same answers that St Madeleine Catholic Church left them feeling more of a Godly individual, as each individual places Christ above all. Also, that with having God in such a superior state of mind they are truly living with Christ within their actions and behavior. With this, I also asked these individuals if they attend every Sunday and if not how does this leave them feeling, I received an answer of that they feel much different and left with not feeling as good of themselves as they do when they actually attend each mass. With these members attending each Sunday sets their attitude with a consistent foundation of who they are as members of the church and as individuals alone. With all of the congregation drinking out of the same wine glass, this intrigued me to ask the friend I came with why this happens. She told me this is to keep the tradition of the last supper, as Jesus drank from a cup then passed it around to the disciples to share. Catholics are trying to imitate this continuous type of ritual within the drinking of the same cup as a whole of religious members. Within asking these members of the church these few questions, it left me with more of a sense of who they are as a religious society and why they chose to worship God as Catholic