I feel a bit stupid now...

[Chica31]

I am feeling really silly now, I don't understand the catholic church at all, there seem to be so many rules.

I grew up C of E and my family were always a big part of the church. Nearly 8 years ago we moved to Spain. Especially after the birth of my daughters I have really missed not being part of a church so I thought I would try the catholic church in our village. Of course is it soooo different, the words of the mass seem very similar but every thing else is not at all. I have only been for 2 weeks but nobody has spoken to me. I took DD who is 3 to the mass today as she wanted to come, of course she didn't understand why I didn't go up to the rail to take communion. She has always seen me go up in the UK of course. So I thought, well I will take her up for a blessing. Of course, the priest looked at me as if I had 2 heads! I now realise why after doing research on the internet when I got home.

I don't know, I just feel silly and a bit fed up, I really liked the mass, it just doesn't feel very welcoming. A bit shut up and I am the outsider. I just know in the UK I would have seen a new person and gone to talk to them straight away, and now this.

What do you think I should do?

[jaynebxl]

There are lots of non Catholic Churches around in Spain .., I reckon you would feel mor at home in one of those. There are even lots of international churches in English.

[MareeyaDolores]

book

[sashh]

I've only seen a blessing at communion like that at an RC wedding where the groom wasn't RC.

OP

I'm an atheist but attended RC schools and went to the odd mass outside school. The words of the mass are exactly the same each time (apart from bidding prayers / reading / hymns and the sermon) so everyone knows them.

Try Sunday morning, there may well be tea/coffee and biscuits afterwards. Saturday evening is a relatively new thing and a lot of people (IM limited E) go to get mass over and done with and enjoy a Sunday lie in.

[newbielisa]

We can pick up an Order of Service type sheet, which is just as well as I'm still lost since the words all changed.

[MaryBS]

I've never seen that website before, but am aghast that it would suggest its not right to go up for a blessing. i'm an ex-Catholic (if thats possible) who is now Anglican, and I always go up for a blessing if I am in a RC church. Its encouraged if you cannot receive communion for whatever reason!

Based on that advice, I would mistrust anything that website said about the RCC.