Austin Stapella Church Visit 2

Church Name: Holy Angels Church

Church address: 180 S Russell Ave Aurora, Illinois 60506

Date attended: November 1, 2015

Church category: Tridentine Mass

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

The service was quite different from my worship experiences in the past. I have attended Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Universalist, Eastern Orthodox, and English Catholic services. I've been to a Buddhist Temple, Hindu Temple, Synagogue, spent most of my life at a Non-Denominational Mega-Church and currently attend an Anglican Church. This service was truly unique among all of them. The building was very large, the stained glass windows had beautiful imagery of scenes from the bible. Artistic depictions of the stages of the cross hung below them. At the front was a large crucifix hanging over an altar where the Priest stood. The Priest stood facing away from the congregation, reciting Latin very quickly. Besides the language barrier, perhaps the most noticeably different aspect of the service was the movement. As an attendee of an Anglican Church I am used to moving during service however the rotation between standing, sitting, and genuflecting was very frequent. There were times when I felt as though I was two steps behind the rest of the congregants. The homily was less than five minutes and rather than a sermon, it was more a description of the concept of Sainthood.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity? 

I very much appreciated having the opportunity to experience a glimpse of what Mass was to most of Christendom throughout history. The service allowed me a deeper insight into the sharp contrast between clergy and laity that forms when the language bars the peoples understanding. Though I appreciate the reverence and respect for God that this service brings, I understand the frustrations of the reformers. The congregation cannot connect with God in the same way that the Priest is able to. It certainly makes me able to see how this practice of the Priest speaking to God, in a language that is not your own, can result in a laity that is uninformed, and disconnected from the word of God. All the emphasis is on the Priest, and although I love the communal nature of the service and the idea of a holy intercessor, it is clear how this kind of service can lead to a mindset that focuses on the priest "being religious for you," instead of actively leading the holy life.

 

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

After attending a Non-Denominational Mega Church for most of my life, something that stood out to me about this service is the emphasis on the reverence we should have for God. The majesty and holiness of God is something that was sadly not emphasized in the church body I grew up in and this service, as well as the Eastern Orthodox Church, gave me a desire to treat God with more awe and wonder than I have in the past. The idea of a Priest interceding for me is appealing. I have felt discontent with the complete lack of church authority and the hyper-individualism displayed in many Protestant circles. When the priest speaks to God on behalf of his congregation, there is security in that, I can feel as though I am being led by a figure that I can trust and I feel the stronger emphasis of belonging to a corporate body. However, has not the veil been torn? Though I think Protestantism can learn something about Christs relationship to the corporate elect, rather than the sole focus being on the individual relationship, I think it is worth mentioning that since Christ's sacrifice, the presence of God has found its way into each member of the church, not just the clergy. We are a royal-priesthood and all of us are called to holiness and communion with Christ. I hope to strike the right balance between these two extremes in my own life and in the church body I call home.