Going to church outside Mass times

[Gnarlibar]

I was baptised Catholic and have had first Communion but I've considered myself an atheist since the age of 12. I'm now mid-crisis in my mid 40s and feeling drawn towards the peace of church. I just want to sit there and think/reflect for a while. Are Catholic churches generally open to walk into during the day, without attending Mass? I don't want people around me asking questions, however friendly they might be, when I have this emotional pain to work through. I have many practising Catholic friends and relatives but I'm embarrassed to ask them, and I don't want to be attracting attention by trying to go in if it's unusual or frowned upon.

The ones around here are, but I think it really does depend on the area you're in.

Lots of churches are open. I've been in lots of them. There is usually a sign outside that says church open. I've called into many village churches as well as abbeys, cathedrals and monastery. I spend time in them meditating. In the smaller churches normally you are he only one present.

In my experience, lots of Catholic churches are open during the day for prayer, and it's very unusual for anyone to approach you in one if you want to just be anonymous and alone. It's not like other denominations where the church is unlikely to be open and when it is, you are quite likely to be engaged with. Some people think that's a drawback of Catholicism, but I think it has it's benefits - such as in your situation.

Praying you find the peace you seek.

Depends a lot on the church. Ours is open all day and locked only at night. But the next parish over has only a small part (like the porch) that you can come and sit in, which has a glass panel to see into the whole church. And the next parish in the other direction is closed apart from Masses.

If you want to know in advance, a lot of them will publish the information on their websites.

And it's very unlikely that anyone will come up and talk to you. Much more likely to face the opposite problem - that you can't find anyone when you do want to talk to someone!

It's quite common in our parish that people will come in, maybe light a candle, sit/kneel for a while, then go. Some people do attract attention (loudly wailing, for example), but mostly they just sit quietly and no one bothers them.

Yes all the Catholic churches I go to are open most of the day, every day. I sometimes see people coming in to mass right at the end, and then they will stay and pray or light a candle perhaps. So that's a good way of going to church outside of mass time when it's guaranteed to be open!

I hope you find strength and support through your tough time

It does depend on the area, IME, because of the risk of vandalism and theft. Where I live the RC and CE churches are open during the day, both the village I live in and the nearby town.

Some churches are open for a while during the day, they usually have a website so you can check the times. I too have always liked sitting in a quiet church.

Thank you all. I've given up trying to find a quiet time during the day as all the Catholic churches around here are attached to schools and there are children there most of the day. I'm going to Mass today instead. I think I can remember how to look like I almost belong there