Called to Worship

• Called to worship-outside carillons ring 10 minutes before Mass calling us to worship; we should be in church and seated when the bells toll at the beginning of Mass.

• Arrive early and use the time for personal prayer and preparation for receiving Christ. It is important that we show proper respect to the Eucharist while allowing others to worship without distraction.

• Fast for one hour before Communion from all solids and liquids (except water and any medicine you might need to take). This is a small sacrifice we offer to Jesus to show our respect and reverence for His true presence in the Eucharist.

• Dress with dignity. In order to show our Lord that we have deep respect for the real Presence of His Body and Blood present in the Eucharist, we dress with dignity. God has given us the greatest gift, His Son, and in return, it is appropriate to present ourselves in proper clothes and attitudes as a sign of reverence and respect for this gift.

• Bless yourself with Holy Water upon entering and leaving the Church. Holy Water is a popular sacramental and religious tradition used to bless oneself. Its use upon entering Church is a reminder of one's Baptism and a gesture of purifying oneself before approaching the presence of God.

• Keep your voice low when greeting one another in Church. Nurturing the family community is indeed important. However, we must be mindful of the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist as well as being considerate of others who are praying.

• Our parish offers a Cry Room, so if a child becomes fussy, you can feel free to escort them to the Children's Crying Room and stay with them until they are ready to return to the main church.