Living Religion: Online Mass Celebration of the Roman Catholic
The LIVING RELIGIONS Paper
You are required to visit one religious ritual, demonstration, meeting, etc, preferably from a tradition that is not your own, if applicable.
What to choose? Ideally, something that is new to you. If you’ve never visited a mosque, synagogue, Rosh Hashana service or dinner, a spiritual dance ceremony, a sukkah, Roman Catholic church, one of New York’s cathedrals in the Christian faith, a small storefront church, a Buddhist meditation ceremony, Muslim prayer, a tai chi session outdoors, religion-based musical concert, a Hindu temple, a Sikh ceremony, a Japanese tea ceremony, celebrations of Imbolc, or a “pray in”, here is your chance. Perhaps you pass a place in your neighborhood that has always intrigued you, or you pass some of the religious structures in the area around Hunter that seem interesting? Your curiosity guides you for your choice.
What to consider:
1. First and foremost, respect. Observation and respect, not participation, is a requirement. If the Abyssinian Baptist Church or the 96th street mosque asks you to dress modestly or wear a mask, do not argue. Check vaccination status, too, if applicable for entrance.
2. Come prepared. Check out any guidelines on the site’s website, or call to make sure that visitors are allowed. You do not want to show up to a wedding or funeral, or a closed ceremony.
3. Watch what is happening. Do not depend on google to inform you: see what participants actually do.
4. Take notes.
5. Follow the guidelines below for the paper.
What to write:
• Where you attended (be specific with the name of where you went, the address, and, if online, the website). You must include date and time, even if watching online, as well as the link.
• What you observed happening. Who were the active members, who were the passive members, what was the space like? What does this tell you about the community participating?
• If online, how did the camera record the experience? Was it pre-recorded, or live? Also, what is going on with the broader religious community? Was there interaction between the in person and the online, if applicable?
• Was the experience affected by the COVID 19?
Your paper will be 3-5 pages, double spaced, typed, Times New Roman12 pt font. Worth 10% of your grade, no rewrite option or late submission
No outside sources are required but if you use them: USE MLA for your citations! Also pay attention to the guidelines for plagiarism and academic dishonesty, as well as spelling, grammar, syntax, organization, etc. While this is more of a reaction paper, make sure to offer an introduction and a conclusion, and be clear with your ideas. Each paragraph should have a strong focus.
Course
Professor
Date
Religion and Theology: Roman Catholic
The religion I chose to explore further for this assignment is Roman Catholic. This is because I have always been curious about Roman catholic Christianity, the way they worship, their belief in Jesus Christ, their adoration of the Virgin Mary, and their observance of the Lent period and other ceremonies. Further, I was intrigued by the recent remarks by the head of the catholic church Pope Francis on the controversial debate of LGBTQ+. He stated that being a member of the LGBTQ+ should not be criminalized but instead give people the freedom to choose their sexual orientation and identity. Therefore, for this assignment. I listened to an online mass celebration on YouTube streamed live on the EWTN Catholic channel in February 2023. ( /live/SHx4ZfUjP5U?feature=share).
The video begins with hymns and an introduction to the channel, later followed by writing on the screen The Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The mass begins with the priests and congregation kneeling, while the lead priest opens the service with the cross sign, and the congregation follows. The church is kneeling, and the priest announces The Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ to the congregation. The church then engages in a dialogue where he reads to the congregation, and they reply. It changes to a poetic hymn between the priest and the church members. They end the litany with a song in which the nuns are the choir. The music praises Jesus Christ and recognizes him as the son of God in whom they believe.
Further, there was communal adoration of all members, which was led by the choir. Then the priest in charge introduces a helping priest and the congregation to the mass. The Litany of the most precious Jesus Christ is not mass but adoration. The mass begins with the sign of the cross and acknowledgment of sin while the congregation still stands. They then sing a hymn, and the priest prays. They then sit down, and a deacon helps in reading the bible. The first reading is from the old testament Deuteronomy. Then he reads psalms in which the congregation repeats a familiar verse after every verse. The church stands up, poetically and in unison sings, and then the chief priest reads the bible from the new testament while they are...