The Sign of the Cross is the main symbol we use to remind us that Jesus suffered and died for us, and by his death and resurrection, we are saved.

As Catholics, we make the sign of the cross a lot when we pray. You don’t have to be Catholic to make the sign of the Cross and if you do it, you will fool most people into thinking you are Catholic and then you will be invisible for the rest of the Mass. Nobody has ever been struck by lightning for making the sign of the Cross. Here is how you do it: You do it all with your right hand. Holding your thumb to your pointy finger and your middle finger, you raise your hand to your forehead and say, “In the name of the Father”. Then you lower your hand below your sternum and touch your abdomen with your three digits and say, “and of the Son”. Then you move your hand to your left shoulder and say, “and of the Holy”. Then you bring your hand to your right shoulder and say, “Spirit. Amen”. During Mass, we do this when we enter the Church and at various times during the Mass, especially when the priest does it.

Holy Water reminds us of our baptismal dignity and that we are now children of God and members of his family.

Holy water is water blessed by a priest. As we enter the church, holy water fonts are near every entrance. This is your first chance to practice the sign of the Cross for real! You briefly dip your right hand into the water in the font. This is usually just the tip of your pointy finger as you make the sign of the Cross with the holy water.

After the holy water experience, you look for a pew. You don’t just step in and sit down when you get to your desired pew. First, you genuflect toward the tabernacle. The tabernacle should be prominently visible directly in the center of the apse (on the high altar or behind the main altar). Genuflection is the placing of your right knee lightly and briefly on the ground as you face the tabernacle. It takes 2 seconds. Then you can enter the pew. After entering the pew, you put the kneeler down in front of you and kneel. This is your opportunity to pray for a few minutes before Mass starts.

As Catholics, we believe the Mass is the highest form of prayer we have. That is because it is the very same Sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary for our salvation, extended into the present. During the Mass, the bread and wine are transformed into His Body and Blood for us to receive in Holy Communion. That is why our Mass often seems solemn and devout: we are in the presence of the greatest mystery of our Faith.

During the Mass, we will have readings from the Old and New Testaments, the Gospel, a homily by the priest explaining Scripture and our Faith, and the Offertory Prayer.

We don’t nosh during Mass. We don’t even have a coffee shop in the back of the Church, and we certainly don’t bring a drink into Mass. Additionally, Catholics must fast for at least one hour before receiving the Eucharist, so we certainly cannot have anything during Mass, not even chewing gum. Only bring water if you really need it. At our parishes, after all the Sunday morning Masses, we invite you for coffee and donuts and to meet new friends

If you’re not Catholic or are a Catholic who isn’t spiritually prepared to receive the Body of Christ, you can’t take Communion. However, you can line up with us for Communion, and as you approach the priest, cross your arms over your chest, which will indicate to him that you would like a blessing instead.

These are the books in the pew with you. It is difficult to follow all of it, but someone near you can show you which page we are on. There may also be a separate book for the songs. Feel free to sing along. We need all the help we can get! Most missals even have a prayer you can say called a spiritual communion. This prayer gives you an opportunity for special grace during the Mass because it is as if you are receiving the Eucharist, which is the peak and pinnacle of the Christian faith.

After the Mass is over, you can kneel once again for a few moments and thank God for the good things in your life, including
the Mass if it was a good experience for you. As you leave your pew, you genuflect toward the tabernacle again, then you
leave. Most of us dip our finger in the holy water font on our way out as well and make the sign of the Cross once again.

The priest is commonly waiting for you at the main doors of the church. Father usually takes the opportunity to greet people, chat a little bit, and answer any questions people have.  After morning Masses many gather for coffee and donuts outside (weather permitting) or in the gym at St. Lawrence or downstairs at Sacred Heart.  Join us and make some new friends!