Church name: St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church
Church address: 36 N Ellsworth St, Naperville, IL 60540
Date attended: October 30
Church category: Tridentine Mass
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The engagement of the five senses was immediately impressive to me, as it was in the Orthodox service I attended. The colors in the church were yellow and blue, which symbolize energy and stability, and cultivated a sense of reassurance in standing with the generally peaceful atmosphere of the service. There were plants around the altar, which to me was calming and representative of the promise of new life. There was a lot of meaningful symbolism. The dome of the church was designed to depict an open sky with heaven shining through, and the structure under it was designed to depict the new Jerusalem. Inside of this was a small temple which represented Mary. The wafers for the Mass were taken from this temple and it’s as if we were taking the incarnate flesh from her open womb.
How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?
I found a lot of value in experiencing a Catholic service and observing its differences from Orthodoxy and Protestantism. The level of audience participation was less than in the Orthodox service overall. At the Orthodox service, the priests and the congregation all sang songs. At the Catholic service, only the priests sang while the congregation listened. But there were some aspects which were more inclusive. I partook of the Mass and was surprised when the priest fed it to me! That was a first in my experience. There was a blend of formality and informality. The priest made a joke in reference to the Cubs, and I was taken aback by his light mood in the midst of the solemnity of kneeling and reciting. I was most struck in this service by realizing that these people are regular people. I’ve always viewed the Catholic church as doctrinally sound and part of the body of Christ, but distant and serious. At the service, I saw one of my friends from Wheaton and learned that he is Catholic, which I was unaware of. I also attended the service with another Catholic friend from Wheaton, who I did know was Catholic. Seeing him worship within his denomination brought insight into him as a person and brought me greater respect for Catholics and value for the unique ways in which they honor God. It gave me context in which to place the beauty of the Catholic church. They took an offering for the earthquake victims in Italy, which was notable to me especially considering their Roman roots.
How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?
I gravitated towards the pictures and paintings on the walls and stained-glass windows. I was drawn to reflection by the events which inspired these images. The use of these images originated in large part due to the fact that many lay people could not read or write Latin, so they were provided with material for pondering through the art in the church, in order that they might participate in the service. I had trouble understanding the songs, so I found myself in the same position. This was an amazing experience because I had the chance to engage in history and encounter what people in the church have experienced for centuries. As I referenced earlier, there was a peaceful sense to the service. My Catholic friend told me that mass is the time in the week where you don’t need to create peace in yourself, but just go and receive peace. I saw where he was coming from. There were many pauses within the service that would have felt awkward in a Protestant service, where we generally rush, that served to foster reflection and meditation. This is something I’m working on incorporating more into my daily life and relationship with God.
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