Sacred Heart Parish Experience

For my final assignment, I chose to attend Sacred Heart Parish which is a Catholic Church located in Bridgeport, PA. I made the decision to attend Sacred Heart at the recommendation of a close family member, who is an active member of said church. Prior to attending this religious service, it had been approximately 8 years since the last time I had visited a religious institution. The first thing that I noticed upon my arrival was the appearance of the structure. Sacred Heart Parish exhibited many characteristics of a very traditional European Gothic Cathedral, in fact, it quite strongly resembled a medieval castle from the outside, which certainly allowed it to stand out among the rather modern brickwork structures that were far more prevalent …show more content…
Upon the conclusion of the reading, she requested that we respond in song. A second reader, whom was adorned in more modern formal attire, then approached the podium, this time relaying a story about Jesus Christ. The audience, again, responds to the story by singing a hymn. As the hymn came upon its conclusion, Father Sullivan again stood at the podium; He proclaimed that “We will now stand, and listen to a reading from the Gospel of the Lord.” Upon which the audience rose from their seats. After the reading, Father Sullivan gave his interpretation of the text, presenting analogies that tied the events that had occurred within Jesus’ life to those that occur within our own lives. As the Gospel reading came to its conclusion, Father Sullivan requested that we make a proclamation of faith to the Lord with the Apostle’s Creed. In which, everyone responded with, what I recognized as the Nicene Creed. Finally, Father Sullivan requested that we would say a prayer for members of the faith who are too ill to attend the ceremony. He also requested that we extend our prayers out to the soldiers whom are risking their lives to protect the freedoms of …show more content…
Father Sullivan then approached the altar, and silently performed some manner of prayer over the unleavened bread and wine. Father Sullivan then enunciated in a melodic manner “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” to which the crowd responded “It is right to give him thanks and praise.” Father Sullivan then melodically sang a prayer over the bread and wine, in which proclaimed that we should, at all times, give thanks to God the Father, and his son Jesus Christ; And with the assistance of the Angels and Archangels of heaven that may be present, Father Sullivan attempts to transubstantiate the unleavened bread and wine into the authentic body and blood of Jesus Christ himself. Father Sullivan says one final prayer over the holy Eucharist, thanking the Lord for his sacrifice, as well as a remembrance to the words of Jesus Christ, as he told his disciples to remember him as often as they consume wine, for it represents his blood, which he shall shed in the deliverance of sins. As the prayer came to its conclusion, the audience responded by uttering the word “Amen.” melodiously. Father Sullivan then approached the podium, and requested that we all deliver the Lord’s Prayer. After stating the Lord’s prayer, Father Sullivan requested that we