Sadly, quite a percentage of Catholics in the pews don't have a sufficient understanding of the Mass to enjoy and get the most out of it. As a result, many might doze off or chat or come late (or leave early) or think that they've done their weekly hour. On the other hand, not every Catholic is like that and we shouldn't generalize Catholics based on bad examples. As noted in other posts, worship services of the high churches seem rather boring as well. I believe this is one of the reasons why many high church people "convert" to low church denominations. People want to be in a fresh bright environment and have an exciting atmosphere. For them, this is supposed to signify true worship. But is it really? Is having "good feelings" or feeling "emotional" mean true worship? Are we trying to satisfy our feelings or are we really worshipping God? Further, where does (or should) the sermon stand in the worship of God? Sadly, some Catholics go to Mass thinking that the homily is the most significant part of the Mass. But it isn't. It's another topic, but the most significant part of the Mass is the celebration of the Eucharist. We go to worship service to worship GOD. God is the one to be given the attention, not the pastor. So a fiery and charismatic pastor who talks for like half an hour becomes the one who gets all the attention.

As for the Mass, the entire hour is a deep prayer that involves ALL the Church. We sing hymns of praise, we pray for ourselves, we pray for others, we sing prayers, we petition, we listen to Scripture readings, and we partake in the Holy Eucharist. All this, we do TOGETHER as ONE BODY IN CHRIST. That emphasized part is very very important. You can't get any more complete and involved than when everybody prays together as one. This is why the liturgy is of such a fixed format; everybody is doing the same thing. If a Catholic complains about not being "involved enough", then s/he doesn't know what the Mass is about. Hence, s/he's not getting nearly as much as he could.

Some people have also complained that they are not "learning" anything. The Sunday service is not a bible-study session - you can do that at home. You are there to worship God. The scripture readings are to remind us of the various aspects of the Gospel message. And going to Sunday service with selfish pride already indicates who you went to worship.

Go back to my: Catholic Views Page.

Last Updated: 4:52 PM 18/04/2002