Christina Calderon Church Visit #2 St. Mary of Angels Catholic Church

St. Mary of Angels Catholic Church

Address:1850 N Hermitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Date: Oct 29

Category: More Liturgical

1. The mass I attended at St Mary of Angels Catholic Church was very different from the typical Sunday service I attend. Mass is how Catholics fulfill the Third Commandment to keep the Sabbath day. The service I attended involved readings from Scripture, prayer, sacrifice and hymns. At the beginning of Mass the priest and congregation recited “the Penitential Rite” that basically states and confesses everyone as a sinner. The congregation then joined the priest in singing the Kyrie. The Gloria came next and was a hymn praising God. After this there was a prayer stating the Trinity to be 3 persons and a prayer confessing everyone's sins for the week. Another man walked onstage to recitePsalms 22 (the passage of the day). After this ended, the congregation sat and listened to what is known as the “homily” which is a reflection on a reading done by clergy. That day it was 2^nd Thessalonians 2:16-3:5 (a passage about relying on the Lord for strength). After these readings, everyone stood and recited the Apostles Creed, a profession of faith. Finally, as the mass came to a close, the pirest placed bread and wine on the table. He invited us to pray that the sacrifice be acceptable and everyone responded “Amen”. The Eucharistic Prayer was then recited and communion began as everyone came towards the table to take bread and wine. Once everyone sat down there were announcements and a blessing/dismissal. This was very different from my regular church context. It was more structured and everyone seemed to know when to sit and stand. It also felt a lot more traditional singing hymns and stating creeds professing one's faith.
2. I really enjoyed the unity of Mass. It was interesting to see everyone come together, to know when to stand and sit, and hear all the voices together singing beautiful hymns. I also really liked the sense of tranquility I received during the Mass. While it was quiet, I felt a spiritual peace that I only receive when meditating on scripture in silence. I also did enjoy singing the hymns. While I do not attend a church at Wheaton or at home that involved hymns, I found them to be beautiful. Though I did have trouble keeping up at first, the hymns were pretty repetitive so I was ultimately able to get the hang of it. I also enjoyed stating the Apostles Creed. I do not think I would appreciate this portion nearly as much if I did not understand the background and significance of the Apostle Creed. Yet because I do, it was interesting to see everyone come together and profess their faith and what they believe in unity.
3. What I found most challenging was the structure of the Mass. The church I attend, one can sit in the back if they want without feeling judged or stand if they are feeling the Spirit. Yet, at the Mass, it is quite obvious it is your first time there when you are the only one standing up and everyone else is sitting down. This might turn some people off and make them scared to go to Mass for fear of being judged. I also did not like how there was not really a clear cut message for the day. While there were multiple bible verse stated, there was not much reflection on them. As someone who is used to sermons, I thought there would be more reflection on passages, but there was not.
4. While the structure of the mass was sometimes hard to keep up with, I did really appreciate how the mass returned to the “base” of their beliefs by reciting the Apostles Creed. Often times in my home churches, one's beliefs are not always stated. Yes, we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior, but when it comes to affirming those beliefs and the Trinity as 3 persons in one, that does not take place. I really liked how Catholic mass constantly reaffirms their beliefs by reciting the Apostles Creed because understanding one's theological beliefs are imperative when one's faith is shaky. I also found a peacefulness while Scripture was being read that really allowed me to reflect on the passages myself. While I do like to have some guidance in this process through a sermon, I did appreciate how the silence really allowed me to reflect on the words being said and apply the passages to my own life.