 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
The church: St Anthony of Padua, Forest Gate, London.
Denomination: Roman Catholic.
Comment: We have received a comment on this report.
The building: This is a very large brick building with lots of stained glass. There are two altars: a high altar and a lower communion table. Many shrines open off the worship space, some commemorating Christ's life and death and others dedicated to saints. To the rear is a parish centre and an area where they sell cards, candles and other devotional objects.
The church: The congregation was very mixed in age and ethnic background. We were invited to use pins to mark our birthplaces on a map; this revealed a world-wide representation. The church has links to a local community of Ursuline nuns. They also sponsor a number of groups meeting the needs of particular people (for example, the Nigerian Catholics Association and the Senior Citizens Club).
The neighbourhood: The church and its associated premises occupy a very large site and dominate the skyline. A secondary school is located nearby. The surrounding area is all terraced housing of the older type (possibly built at the end of the 19th century) managed by a housing association.
The cast: The Rev. Bartholomew Lynch, a visiting priest. Various people read the lessons and led the prayers.
10.00am Mass with folk choir.
How full was the building?
I estimate that there were between 400 and 500 people present, filling about two-thirds of the seats.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
No. I helped myself to a hymn book and a notice sheet. One or two people smiled as I looked around after settling in.
Was your pew comfortable?
Not really. It was a solid wooden pew with an immovable kneeler just at the place where I wanted to rest my feet – so I had to straddle it and was uncomfortable sitting and, even more so, standing.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
It was quiet, except that the echo of the tall building amplified the slightest sound. People were lighting candles and praying at the shrines or with their rosaries.
What were the
exact opening words of the service?
The lead singer said, "Good
morning, welcome to Mass." We then sang a song, after which were
spoken the words "In the Name of God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit, Amen."
What books did
the congregation use during the service?
Celebration Hymnal.
What musical
instruments were played?
There were two guitars accompanying
a group of eight singers.
Did anything
distract you?
The echo was a little annoying,
although I can understand that some people would take from this a sense
of awe, space and devotion.
Was the worship
stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
It was what you would call a folk
mass. On reflection, it was not at all unlike a hymn sandwich. I was amused
that one of the songs was set to a secular tune of the 1960s ("The
Carnival is Over") which I guess has probably now become part of many
repertoires. In addition, all the musicians were well over middle-age.
During the Gospel reading the priest smiled strangely at one point.
Exactly how long
was the sermon?
5 minutes.
On a scale of
1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 – Father Lynch spoke simply
and to the point, but I was amazed at how many sheets of A4 paper he rustled
through for a sermon that was so short.
In a nutshell,
what was the sermon about?
Father preached on the story of
the prodigal son, emphasising the decision of the son to return, the welcome
of the father and the attitude of the elder son. He then said that we
should forgive one another and also our enemies, just as God has forgiven
us.
Which part of
the service was like being in heaven?
Rarely has a service been so emotional
and brought me so frequently to tears. The songs and liturgy were wonderful
and the atmosphere was a great aid to worship. One of the hymns was "Take
Our Bread", which I found especially moving.
And which part
was like being in... er... the other place?
Not being familiar with this sort
of liturgy, I would have liked to have had a sheet of explanation, although
it was easy to follow along with the congregation. It was assumed that
we all were familiar with every part of the worship.
What happened
when you hung around after the service looking lost?
I needed to check out one or two
points so I engaged a few people in conversation. Those I spoke with were
friendly and encouraged me to return. But unless I approached them directly,
no one else seemed to notice me.
How would you
describe the after-service coffee?
There was no coffee.
How would you
feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
6 – Were I to embrace the
Roman Catholic faith (which I don't think I could do), this would be my
church.
Did the service
make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes, very much so, although my
personal faith requires more of a feeling of fellowship. I was, however,
able to appreciate the value of everyone doing the same thing at the same
time.
What one thing
will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The smile (was it a bit cheeky?)
on the face of the priest as he read the Gospel. And also the song "Take
Our Bread".
| The Mystery Worshipper is sponsored by surefish.co.uk, the internet service provider from Christian Aid. By offering email services, special offers with companies such as amazon.co.uk and smile.co.uk, surefish raises more than £300,000 a year for Christian Aid's work around the world. Click here to find out how to become a Mystery Worshipper. And click here if you would like to reproduce this report in your church magazine or website. Top | Other Reports | Become a Mystery Worshipper! © Ship of Fools 2005 |
|
 |