Leaving the fold

There's a first time for everything; I'm convinced.

I attended mass for the first time yesterday.

Yep, a full 6 AM Roman Catholic mass with "Hail Mary" and all.

Shocked? (Probably not if you don't know me at all!)

I grew up Presbyterian, but that didn't mean much to me, honestly. I spent most of my years attending chapel at Hillcrest (our school), which was interdenominational. One week it'd be Baptist, the next Lutheran, and Pentecostal the week after that. So I got it all. And when I went to college, I had no expectations for a church. I only wanted music I could appreciate and sermons I could understand. I tried two Bible churches, two Assemblies of God churches (no kidding!), a Presbyterian church, a conservative Baptist church, an Anglican church (not Episcopal), and even a Mennonite church. I avoided the Lutherans (remembering the sourness of red wine from a visit we took when I was 7) and the Methodists (for no particular reason at all). I hated them all. (Will I go to hell for saying that?) They were all pretty awful.

Only when I was in my second year of college did I discover the other main Anglican congregation in town, Church of the Great Shepherd. I'd had lots of conversations with my close friend Anna about the other Anglican church, and I was adament against attending a liturgical church, where everything was just rote. But Great Shepherd wasn't like that at all. It was lively, and the Holy Spirit was so tangible there. The sermons were powerful and personal, and the music was the kind I loved and found most worshipful. I'd found my church! And to my horror, I found myself falling in love with the liturgy! God has a strange sense of humour. Three years later I joined the Anglican church (Anglican Mission in America). And although I had a great church in San Diego, I really missed Great Shepherd when I moved away. Still do.

So I decided to pluck up the courage and attend mass with David on Sunday morning. He was raised Catholic, and one of my best friends Will became Catholic (from Anglican), so I figured it would be a good experience. Catholic liturgy's better than no liturgy, right?

St. Louis College (and Parish) is right next-door to us, but it takes about twenty minutes to walk there. There was a crowd headed that way, and when we arrived right at 6:02 or so, the church was already packed. I didn't make the sign of the cross with holy water at the entrance. I didn't say the "Hail Mary" after the Prayers of the People. I didn't partake of the Eucharist. and I didn't kneel on the prayer rail. Oh, and I took note of the crucifix at the church front. But aside from that, I felt right at home. It was exhilarating!

But no, I'm not going to become a Roman Catholic. And no, I'm not even going to attend mass regularly. Next week we're going to try and attend St. Piran's, the big Anglican church in town, and I think that will be a better fit. But now at least I've tried mass and can say it was a positive experience! And I wouldn't mind going again someday. But please don't send me a rosary!

image from flickr.com, http://www.flickr.com/photos/acermate433s/197497990/