Mass

If you are not Catholic you are still welcome to join us! Those of all faiths are welcome to join us for mass. Non-Catholics may not receive Holy Communion, so when everyone goes forward for communion you can come forward for a blessing (please cross your arms against your chest to indicate this) or you may remain in your seat, whichever you are more comfortable with. This practice is not in a spirit of exclusion but because the Catholic teachings are that the bread and wine are truly the body and blood of Christ. In receiving Communion, Catholics  affirm this belief and those who are not Catholic should not receive communion for that reason. This is also an act only for those initiated into the Church, so even if your beliefs align with the teachings of the Church you should wait to receive communion until fully initiated into the Church. 

If you are looking to learn more about the Catholicism or interested in becoming Catholic, find more info here Becoming Catholic (R.C.I.A.)

If you are new to mass or haven't been in a while or simply like to follow along, the mass parts and the readings are in the missalettes in the pews. It takes a little bit of practice to navigate but it you start in the beginning it goes through to whole mass and in some sections you find the readings by date. The mass parts and readings for daily masses can be found in the back half. The red books in the pews are for the songs. For an explanation of the structure of mass see here.

Holy Days of Obligation are days when we are required to attend mass in addition to the obligation every Sunday (and also refrain from unnecessary work, like on Sundays). These days are an opportunity for us to recognize important things in our Catholic faith. The days recognized can vary by country, but in the United States there are six. The celebrations for some days can be transferred by the bishop to a Sunday. If there is a Holy Day of Obligation, there will be a mass at Newman, you can check our Calendar & social media for information.