Sami Aronson

Mrs. Lucarelli
Honors Comparative Civilizations
9 November 2015

Aronson 1

St. Marys Parish

To begin, mass started at 10 oclock am that morning. Before the members
entered the church they had to dip their fingers in holy water and show the sign of cross.
The moved their hands from their head to their shoulders in a swift motion. This Catholic
mass has multiple similarities and differences to a Jewish service. This mass took place
on a Sunday morning; Jews hold service on Friday nights for Shabbat. The entire mass
was spoken in English and it was easy to understand and follow along with the songs.
They didnt give us a bible to follow along the readings, only a songbook.
Another thing that both religions value greatly is wine and bread. We both say a
prayer for each and praise and thank God for it. In the Catholic Church the bread
represents Jesuss body and the wine represents his blood. In a Shabbat service the
prayers are all in Hebrew unlike in Church. At St. Marys they held a separate easier
service in a different part of the church for the younger children. The mass praises God
and Jesus greatly. It discusses the Holy Trinity, and the Priest and Deacon both read from
the Bible.
Near the end of the mass those who have been baptized and had their first
communion go up near the alter and receive a host, which is a small round piece of hard
bread. They do the sign of cross and then eat the bread. While doing this those who
havent been baptized or had their communion are sitting or kneeling. After the
concluding song, we leave and the members of the church touch the Holy Water and do
the sign of cross; this represents the last supper.