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.

Tosh. I’m Catholic born and bred, properly brought up in the religion. I do not ‘partake of the fruit’ but would if I felt like it. I merely accompany family who I’d spend the whole time with anyway to Mass possibly twice a year. No need to be bollocking me when I used my experience to try to encourage the OP back to Church. Ha, not very Christian of you! 🤣

Nope, and I went to mass every week until I was 18, took communion each time and went to confession maybe twice. I did my first communion, confession and am confirmed as well! My mum was a single parent though and still took communion so we are probably just terrible Catholics all round.

Anyway OP I hope it goes well for you.

That makes me feel better, thank you!

Clearly we have nothing to confess:-)

I am not saying people are not welcome. I am just remarking on an interesting phenomenon

I am not bollocking anyone! It's just a statement of fact

Recently returned lapsed Catholic. Slightly different to you in that I did know the parish, the priests, quite a few of the congregation, so I was confident of being welcomed back. If you don’t know them, I’d wait to introduce myself - like someone else said you need to find a place/priest you like. And don’t worry about getting stuff wrong - it’s being there that counts.

Judge not lest ye be judged

you can go in and out of any catholic church and nobody will bat an eye lid

Sorry, I wasn’t being judgy. This was just something I remember being taken really seriously when I was young. I’m quite old though! I don’t think there’s any rules about single parents.

If a Catholic deliberately misses mass and doesn’t go to confession they are in mortal sin and if they die will go to hell - it’s in the catechism. And that’s why you can’t take communion. There are so many rules like this that congregations don’t know it’s such a confusing denomination.

My DH is catholic, attends mass regularly but hasn’t been to confession since he was 15. I go occasionally, as a none catholic I don’t take communion and I can’t kneel due to bad knees. No one stands at the door checking you in so just turn up.

My husband says that’s really old school and you have to be at least 90 to believe it. Technically correct but no one takes any notice of it now. Just that they haven’t got round to repealing it yet.

Pointing that out in hope the person takes a moment to reflect on that is not a judgement. Certainly no more a judgement than your comment

@Recycledblondeits in the catechism.

This is a very timely post, I’m also a lapsed Catholic and have been thinking about returning for some time. Main problem is finding a service that works with my children’s clubs. I also never had a Confirmation ceremony so I guess I need to go a few times and then speak to the Priest about how to do that.

Just turn up. Also lots of people don't kneel who have bad knees. It is no big deal.

Grew up as a Catholic having done the whole thing of baptism, holy communion, confirmation, attending catholic schools, brownies, guides, joined the choir and attended social functions run by the many groups that used the facilities.
Now lapsed, but did attend more frequently while GD was going through her Holy Communion programme last year - strangely enough - no matter which church I attend - it feels like coming home. Daft but comforting.

Jus go. You don’t need to meet with the priest beforehand. You can meet him on the way out at the end. I’m sure he’ll be delighted you’re there. People with dodgy knees at our church just sit with a bowed head.

I'm not Catholic but went to mass every now and then with my nana because she would bring me to the shop afterwards and buy me sweets. I went to mass recently for a friend's kids sacrement and was actually really surprised at how much the rituals had stayed in my brain. I'd say just go along and go with the flow and see what happens.

Please don't worry about any of this.
If it's a while since you went to church, you may find things are less formal than when you were last in the habit of going.
I would just turn up to a convenient service and lurk on a pew towards the back so you can see what people do.
In my church, I would say only about half the congregation kneel, mostly because they are elderly, but some seem just to choose not to and remain seated
Rememebr, no one is particularly interested in watching you!.

I grew up Catholic and rejected it as soon as I had the choice.

one thing I do know about Catholics is that you are supposed to be able to walk into a church anywhere in the world and be welcome. That was part of the argument for having the mass in Latin back in the day, so that it was the same everywhere. There was also gate keeping, but universal access was part of it.

you are always welcome and can just show up

Catholicism is pre-denominational

It shouldn't be confusing but people are poorly catechised

Lapsed Catholic here, but have had to go back to church for various funerals etc so I know what it’s like to be out of practice. If it’s any reassurance it all comes back to you, like lyrics from when you were a teenager that you think are long forgotten until the music starts.

One big change from my youth though (which caught me out) - it’s no longer ‘and also with you’, it seems to be ‘and with your spirit’ which proper threw me when I was ‘and also with you’ing away. Definitely showed me up as the heathen! And I was in the front row too… in front of a bishop, with 3 rows of monks over the aisle 😳 No one mentioned a thing though, I think they were just pleased to see a full House. The priest will likely be glad to have you, the words may be out of practice but they generally seem to appreciate the sentiment,

@BlueJuniper94shouldn’t it be front and centre though if it’s that crucial? Im guessing it’s not because people would think it was ridiculous

Just turn up and stay seated when others kneel. Sometimes I kneel, if I have my toddler on my knee sometimes I don’t. Nobody will notice or care, trust me. Take an up to date missal if you need prompting, as the mass changed about 10 years ago so the responses have also changed slightly. I’m glad you’re returning to Christ.