Any Catholics here?

[Rubyupbeat]

I am a lapsed Catholic, but dearly wish to worship in our local church. It's been so long that I have forgotten what is expected of me.
Should I make an appointment to see the priest? Or just go along to mass and see how that goes.
Also, and this is very silly I know, but I have very bad knees and can't kneel, is there an alternative for that?
Please don't give all the negative and anti God and Catholic comments please, that's not what this post is for, thank you.

I think it’s completely up to you and what you feel more comfortable with, if you’d prefer to meet the priest and explain about your knee then I think that would be completely fine. I wouldn’t worry about it though, all I’ve ever heard recently is “kneel if you are able”.

I wouldn't worry about kneeling, they will be aware that not everyone can. I would just go along to the service and I'm sure it'll all come back to you.

It's fine. Just turn up to mass. Kneeling optional. Several of our congregation just sit and bow their head instead of kneeling. The priest will probably stand at the door on the way out anyway. So you can always introduce yourself then.

Speaking as a Catholic I'd say just go to mass, no need to contact the priest or anything. As for the bad knees-plenty of people have mobility problems & it's perfectly acceptable to sit while others are kneeling & just bless yourself & do a quick bow or bob rather than a full genuflect towards the altar & Host.

Just go to mass & see how it goes. Take a few tissues as it may bring up all kinds of emotions & memories.

edited as couldn't work out how to spell genuflect.

Lots of elderly people and visitors sit instead of kneel, don't worry about that. Just get yourself to Mass, and it'll come back to you. You don't need a priests permission to attend. You might want to go to confession if you're going up for communion. But you can sit that out too. If you are looking to learn more about the faith and be more deeply involved, contact the priest. He'll be delighted to signpost you, maybe sign up for the newsletter if they have one, there are likely extras on over lent, lectio divina, stations of the cross etc -and there might be an rcia/catechism group. But most importantly just go to Mass.

I’m a lapsed Catholic, no need to see the priest; just go along to Mass and take it from there. I have knee problems too and sit when everyone else kneels.

Also remember that you’re supposed to be in a state of grace to receive the Eucharist so if Confession is too big a step then you can cross your arms over your chest for a blessing (if you want to go up during communion).

I'm a lapsed Catholic. I'd just go along to Mass but I wouldn't be going up for Communion until I'd been to Confession.

100% don’t worry about the kneeling.
You will need to go to confession before you can receive holy communion
You can attend Mass whenever you want but if you want to receive communion you need to go to confession fist.
You can join the regular confession queue or make an appointment with the priest. That is totally up to you.
welcome home 🙂

Just go along, everyone is welcome. There is less kneeling now than there used to be but it is perfectly acceptable to remain seated when it is time to kneel or stand if you have difficulty with either. You could bow your head as an alternative but don't worry.

Go to mass and see how you feel. Don't take communion as you haven't been to confession in years I am guessing. Just saying because these things are noticed by others 😅 if anyone approaches you in a nosy way just tell them the truth. Before you know it you might have a new friend group. You are brave. Best of luck 🍀 🤞

Not a Catholic but attended Catholic Church services a lot. I could never kneel so didn't and my genuflection was a bowing of the head. Nobody batted an eyelid and I certainly wasn't the only one doing that.
If you want to become a member of the congregation, a meeting with the priest would be courteous. If you're only going to go very occasionally or are just seeing what you feel about the idea, you'll be noticed by the priest on your way out. He may stop to have a chat with you. In my case, there was never any pressure and everyone was very kind.

Also Confession isn't the trial that it used to be where you were made to feel bad & given a 'punishment' of so many Hail Marys & Our Fathers. It's now more of a proper Sacrament of Reconciliation & rather than making you feel like a bad person the priest tends to ask why you did/didn't do such & such a thing, what was happening in your life, how you feel about it & how could you have done things differently. It's much more positive.

I would say just go along and see how you feel.

I’m not sure what the priest would really be able to say at a meeting except “you’re welcome to come back any time”.

Catholic here. Just go to mass. Bow your head instead of kneeling. Welcome back 🙏 ☺️

A genuflect towards the alter before seating still seems the norm. Those with bad knees will nod. It's all quite relax, just do as I did when I married in, sit at the back and copy. I certainly didn't kneel when pregant, and my fil doesn't now. If you don't want to receive communion but still wish to be blessed, just approach with everyone else with your arms crossed across you chest, as someone else said. The priests will often invite non or lapsed Catholics to do this.

No need to be concerned about being unable to kneel. There are plenty of people that can't manage that.

I'd be inclined to attend mass and see how you get on.

As everyone else has said, there will be no issue about kneeling, and the priest is more likely to say 'welcome back' than anything else.

People usually don't kneel to receive communion, and if you want to receive but are unsure about walking the length of the church a eucharistic minister will almost certainly be happy to bring the ciborium to you if you ask in advance. Hedging my wording a bit in case you accidentally hit on an unfriendly church.

Go and enjoy Mass OP. It’s all very relaxed and welcoming now-which is a great thing. Don’t worry yourself about standing or kneeling or remembering all the responses. Just let it happen around you. Keep going back. There are some days it works and some days it doesn’t but a wise woman ( not me 🤣) once said “ if you sit by the fire long enough, you will soon begin to feel the heat”

Hello! Go along to Mass 😊 sit forward in the pew and bow your head was my go-to when pregnant, or there's a few at my church who choose to stand instead. I'd say go to Mass a few times, pick up the newsletter and you could chat to the priest on the way out. Welcome back!

Welcome home!
https://westminstercathedral.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Simple-Guide-to-Confession_web.pdf

I went on Sunday after a long time away and the burden that has lifted is beautiful.

Another lapsed Catholic here.

Agree with this, I think. Catholicism is fairly big on guilt but also huge on forgiveness so I wouldn’t be too apprehensive!

I didn’t know this. How things have changed since the 80s! Sounds much more like religious therapy!

Just go along, no need to have a meeting with the priest. I turn up to my family church occasionally, maybe twice a year (I’m 5 hours away)

I don’t take Communion because I don’t believe in transubstantiation and I haven’t been to confession in decades. I don’t kneel (same amount of kneeling as when I was a kid 40 years ago) because my knee won’t cope with that angle. Just get yourself there and if there’s coffee afterwards, go to this. I had a blast speaking to parents of old friends, now in their 80s.

Just go to your local mass.
if you’re unable to kneel or stand then simply remain seated. don't worry about it at all.

Best of luck OP. I'm actually a little jealous, I'd like to find my faith but it's just not there for me. I go to mass occasionally and for family events but would love a spiritual connection.