Mass - in 37 minutes

A very interesting cultural experience happened this morning in a very unexpected location: church.

I have been going to Catholic mass on a weekly basis my entire life. Last week I went with some friends to a modern Christian church. But this week I thought I would go to the Catholic church around the corner for a more traditional and familiar experience. The general format of the mass was similar. However key and very apparent differences made this experience one of the most interesting and eye-opening of the trip thus far. 

First, the mass started with one passionate parishioner in the front initiating the hymn and the rest of the congregation following. No piano, organ, or any other instrument was used as accompaniment and the reverberation and lag through the large church created an unintended round. The only other singing came at the end of mass as the priest walked out. This was very different as I am used to at least a piano accompaniment and a cantor leading the crowd.

Every prayer being recited at double speed was another idiosyncrasy. The priest began each prayer and it was off to the races. Being in sync didn't matter and, though no official prize was handed out, every person individually strove to finish the prayer first. I am not sure why this happens but it was a bit refreshing as the prayers back home are always said in unison, very slowly, and I tend to rush the people around me anyway. In the same fast manner, the homily was only 5 minutes in duration.

Third, there was no wine/blood at communion. Many people back home consider the drink optional anyway, but here it wasn't even a choice. Additionally with communion, no formal filing system was used to get everyone through in an orderly fashion. People sort of stampeded to the front of the church and slowly merged to the center to receive communion from the priest. 

When the Our Father began, I thought surely I can get this part right, except about 10 seconds in, my friend and I realized they weren't speaking in English. And whatever language that was being spoken (my guess is Latin) was done so with the usual quick pace (so naturally the prayer was over by the time we began to understand the situation). 

In such a normal place for me to be, I never expected the variety and difference that I experienced this morning. The service, as shown in the title, was 37 minutes long (which you could easily tell by the analog clock visibly hung on a pillar in front of the bulk of the congregation). I don't know if this is routine for Catholic churches in Ireland, but I was definitely surprised and intrigued by the characteristics of their mass when compared to ours.

When in a different country, even the small and natural things can be wild cultural experiences.