Church Visit 2

Blog title: Harrison Cowell - Church visit #2

Church name: St. Patrick Parish

Church address: 406 Walnut Street, Yorkville, Illinois 60560

Date attended: 11/1/14

Church category: significantly more or less liturgical

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context? The service, overall, was composed of many customs and traditions. It was hard to keep up with them all. Throughout the service there were many acts of crossing one’s heart and moving from sitting to standing to sitting etc. The service began with congregational response including the Nicene Creed. There was a time of greeting when we “passed the peace.” After, there was a period of worship and hymn singing led by a single vocalist and pianist. Following worship, the priest presented the message which focused on how one as a catholic believer can care for his loved one in purgatory by offering prayers. Praying on the behalf of a family member or friend who has passed away can help with the final purification of their souls before heaven. After the message, the priest asked us to confess sin and then, as a congregation, people walked up to the front to take the sacraments. As part of this time, there was call and response while kneeling in the pews. The service was concluded with a time of worship and a prayer.

This service contrasted my own experience in an evangelical setting most significantly in the fact that the service was focused around rituals. As a result everyone knew how to respond but many were disengaged. There were definitely some people who remained engaged and spoke with conviction but it was obvious that many were there out of habit and out of a works focused mentality. Even the priest encouraged this mentality of works based faith. His message talked about the purifying power of confessions, prayer, and attending mass as a means to prepare and purify oneself for heaven. This contrasted my understanding of salvation. God does call us to prayer, confession, and fellowship within the body, however we are purified by Christ alone. The priest quoted from scripture that I was familiar with and also 2 Maccabees. It was interesting to see that only a few people had a Catholic Bible with them. Most simply listened to the word preached by the Priest.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service? Everyone was welcoming. The service was very liturgical and I found the temptation to become disengaged but there were many around me who responded to every element with conviction. It was meaningful for me to see the conviction they had for their practices. It was also interesting for me to see these practices performed and to see the contrast between the Catholics understanding and my understanding of grace. There was a large emphasis on Christ’s work and yet there was also emphasis on the works necessary for additional purification.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

I decided to participate in the sacraments and didn’t realize that the priest was the one to put the bread in your mouth for you. It wasn’t that awkward, but he could tell I was a little confused. In this way and others, it was interesting to see what the priest did to minister and serve the congregation.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context? It challenged my understanding of grace. God says in his word that we are saved and purified by faith in Christ alone. Nothing we do can add to the saving work of Christ. And yet, as I watched and listened to the message, I was challenged with the idea that Scripture does call us to bear fruit. In light of grace we are free to practice good works reflecting our faith in Christ.