What is Catholic Mass like?

Best way to find out is to go to Mass.

Masses differ according to the type of church - some are very high-church; this French site will give you plenty of examples: http://www.ktotv.com/

Some are more like Protestant services, with a muttered Mass in the language of the place - English or Spanish in the case of the US.

Co-ML for Dublin

Something to keep in mind is Catholic mass is for Catholics. If someone goes who isn't Catholic they will not be able to participate as an equal. For example, they cannot receive communion or participate in confessions. But they can still listen to the sermon and participate in song, and prayers.

Opening hymn
First reading- lector
Response hymn
Second hymn- lector
response hymn
Priest reading
sermon
"we pray for" list- lector- prayers of the faithful
a family or pair will present the gifts, bread and wine, and walk them down the aisle to the preist
the priest will bless the gifts
right of initiation "i believe Jesus, the only son of God..."
sign of the peace- all congregation
communion- in my church, people who haven't had communion before or are unable to can go up with their arms crossed and receive a blessing
prayer song meditation
closing- "let us go in peace to love and serve the lord."

(some things might be out of order, but all are elements of the mass)

a major difference, is that catholics have a very specific formula for sunday mass. it's called mass, not service. there can be a service, but mass has communion, when the bread and wine, are literally believed to be transformed into Jesus' blood and body during mass before communion. you can go to a catholic mass almost anywhere in the world, and it will be the same. there are often set readings for each week. the only thing that truly changes from week to week, are the readings and the sermon. on holy days, certain things might have emphasis put on- for instance, saint nicholas, on christmas. some catholics are most strict than others. some churches tolerate little kids giggling and running down the aisles, while others don't. some have liturgical dancers. most have medium sized choirs. songs sung in most churches will be the same anywhere within reasonable boundaries.

good luck! =]

Castle Walls pretty much have it but forgot the sit kneel stand up points. I grew up Catholic and I laughed when I finally met people of other churches and they called it the Church work out. For the opening hymns and other hymns you stand, at the Opening hymn you don't sit down until the Priest says Be Seated. Then after the sermon/homily while they are preparing the communion they kneel to pray. Ushers go to down the isles to the pews and each pew goes up to recieve communion. Sometimes there was a person there with a wine cup. Then the closing song we all stood.

I haven't been to Church in ages but this should still be correct. OH there are also Alter Servers. One carries the cross at the front of the opening hymn and the other two I think we walked behind him. The Priest and Deacon were behind us. The cross bearer put the cross in it's post behind where the priest sat on the right and they have a seat by the Priest so they can hold the book when they read from the prayers. The other two alterservers sit at the left. During commionon they bring up the challace and other cups for the communion. (Before the cominion is brought up the isle the Cross Bearer takes the cross and goes down the isle and he escorts the two people who bring up the gifts - bread and wine) Then the cross-bearer goes to sit with the other two alter servers. During the blessing there are times when we ring bells but I forget the cues now. When the Priest takes comminuon and starts to give the Deacon communion and the other people who pass out communion (they have name I forget) the alterservers go up and recieve communion. After communion the alterservers clean off the alter and the Crossbearer goes back to his seat by the priest. At the end everyone leaves in the same order.

Five exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind.

-- (Terry Pratchett, Reaper Man)

While the above answers do give a general answer, here is a full break down of the order of the mass for ordinary time. Special feast days might have some extra bits, and at certain times the reading are taken from different places.
Introductory Rites
[stand]
Opening song and prayer, the priest enters during the first song.
Kyrie- this is the penitential rite, Lord Have Mercy etc.
Gloria- a specific text (usually sung) of praise
[sit]
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading- Old Testament, usually one of the prophets
Psalm- Sung by the cantor and congregation, counts as a reading, and the cantor stands at the ambo (where the lectors and priest stand).
Second Reading- New Testament, usually one of Paul's letters (i think that is just from the fact that he wrote most of the new testament aside from the Gospels)
[stand]
Gospel Acclemation- Alleluia with a verse in between. The cantor does not come up to the ambo for this, but rather stays back wherever cantors usually sing from
Gospel. Read by the priest, or a deacon sometimes, if there is one there.
[sit]
Homily. The priest talks.
[stand]
Credo- The Nicene Creed is said (We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth...)
Intentions- the lector reads a list of people that we pray for, while the congregation responds with Lord hear our prayer. Sometimes the response is sung.
[sit]
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Preparation of the Gifts, the host and the wine are brought up to the alter, and the collection is taken. In most churches there is a song here

These next few parts are in the Eucharistic prayer. The priest has lots of parts in between these, but these are the parts which the congregation says.
[stand]
Sanctus. Holy holy holy and all that.
[kneel]
Mysterium. Christ has died, Christ is risen etc.
Great Amen. well, it is just a really big repeated, usually sung Amen.
[Stand]
Lord's Prayer
Sign of Peace
Agnus Dei. Lamb of God.
[kneel]
Eucharist, row by row, you file out to receive the Eucharist which by this point has changed in substance though not in accidenc (Aristotelean terms) to the Body and Blood of Christ.
continue kneeling until the Tabernacle (where the Eucharist is kept) has been closed and the priest sits down.
Usually there is a song or two during this.
[sit]

[stand]
Closing prayer and song, the priest walks out during the last song.

Some random things-- When you go into a church, you are supposed to bless yourself by making the sign of the cross with the holy water. Most people also do this on the way out. While there is nothing technically wrong with that, the idea is actually to make yourself pure to come into God's presence.

Before you go into a pew to sit, for either mass or to pray, you genuflect (touch one knee to the ground). This is only done if the Holy Sacrament is reserved (if they keep the Eucharist in the Tabernacle) this is the case in most churches.

Also, whenever someone walks in front of the altar, they are supposed to make a little bow.

here is an actual link to the orde of the mass.
http://catholic-resources.org/ChurchDocs/Mass.htm

2008 -- The Worlds' Collision, a Novel of Metafiction, Madness, Poor Characterization, and the Month of November.
2006 -- Road Trip

Whoa, you are in the Ukraine!

Do they have Catholic churches in the Ukraine? I remember meeting people who were members of the Ukraine Catholic Church, so it may be possible.

I agree with the person above, that you need to go to Mass as a participant observer.

I think the easiest way to see what it's like would be to watch one. The mass is often filmed and put on television, but you might be able to find one on the internet, too.

When I was very young I went to a Catholic church. The only problem was... it was in Latin.

I never knew what was being said, and I always had to follow everyone else to know when to stand, sit, and kneel. I didn't get a thing out of it.

One day, my parents couldn't make it to church, so they made my cousins take me and my brother. None of us felt like going, so we took the money meant for the collection plate and went to the candy store.

Yes... we were sinners! But it was the best day of church I had ever had. :) At least I could understand the guy behind the counter.

ehhh. well if you're not catholic, then it's kinda hard for you to get the whole picture unless you actually sit in on the mass. there are a lot of prayers and (for lack of a better word) rituals that you run through in a single mass, stuff that is ingrained in catholics almost from the minutes they are born and start attending church.

a major thing to know about the average catholic mass is that it's separated into two main parts. the liturgy of the word, which involves a reading from the old testament, a reading from the "letters", a gospel reading, a homily and other things. the other part is the liturgy of the eucharist. this is where the main action takes place, with the consecration and the actual receiving of the eucharist. but you can't fully participate in this part unless you're a catholic.

catholic masses also tend to be more serious than the more contemporary churches of today. you won't find people in the pews soul dancing or shouting in joy or anything like that. church is a place for God, so we treat it with reverance.

how's that for a basic outline? need any specific details?

"It was never suicide. The reason I jumped is because I knew you'd be there to catch me."

Oh... and another memory? We'd choke on the incense used at high mass. Damn! That stuff was strong!!!

I would like to go to mass sometime but my parents are baptist and I have to go to church with them cuz i dont have a car or anything lol :) Thanks so much for your help everybody!!

I know in Ireland we mumble a lot because we don't bother to pronounce the words right. There is very little individualism with everyone answering simultaneously.

Around here they used to televise masses for people who weren't able to make it to the church. Probably a safe bet you can find video of one online if you don't feel comfortable actually going to one.

Another thing is that this is a good opportunity to use setting to add some depth to your novel. There are a wide variety of churches. Some are very rich, some are very poor. Some have a strong local following, others do not.

There are usually even a wide range of people in a mass for a wide variety of reasons.

In ethnic neighborhoods, the masses are often given in that language.

The same mass in the same church can also vary by who the priest is leading it. Some are faster, some are slower. Some are more fire and brimstone, and others are more love your fellow man types.

Hope this helps at all.

I did not notice that you were in Ukraine. Ukrainian Catholics use their own variant of the Byzantine Rite, what I described was the Latin Rite (Roman Catholic), The Ukrainian Byzantine Rite is similar, but comes from a slightly different tradition, I have only been to a Ukrainian Mass once, and it is similar, but much more traditional, and a little less participatory for the congregation, it is closer to the old Tridentine Mass, but with lots of different bits.

By the way, there is a difference between Byzantine Rite Catholics, and Orthodox. The Eastern Catholics have a slightly different (and slightly older) tradition than the Roman Catholic Church, but they recognize the authority of the Pope and the Church, the Orthodox on the other hand do not recognize the Pope, although they have been getting closer to reconciling for a while now.

2008 -- The Worlds' Collision, a Novel of Metafiction, Madness, Poor Characterization, and the Month of November.
2006 -- Road Trip

Recovering Catholic here: I've got one word for the experience of attending mass: BORING.

There are charismatic Catholic Masses though where you can find speaking in tongues and shouting for joy and stuff. Its all done within the context of the Mass, so all the usual elements are there as well, but also includes extra praying and healings and stuff.