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Was raised protestant, with some Catholic family so I have attended services before, making Catholic services extremely fascinating and exotic to me (was a pallbearer at one a few years ago - some mafia there, but I'm not Italian). Only attended one mass with Catholic friends in high school on one of their youth group retreats - believe I took communion though Protestants are usually not permitted. More of a Deist now, but my faith is complicated - just got back from my non denominational Church. Went to a funeral for a bartender friend who drank himself to death last fall, just took the blessing. Did do the cross with holy water when exiting.

What should I expect if I go to a Latin mass?

/U/AOU move to religion if necessary

Was raised protestant, with some Catholic family so I have attended services before, making Catholic services extremely fascinating and exotic to me (was a pallbearer at one a few years ago - some mafia there, but I'm not Italian). Only attended one mass with Catholic friends in high school on one of their youth group retreats - believe I took communion though Protestants are usually not permitted. More of a Deist now, but my faith is complicated - just got back from my non denominational Church. Went to a funeral for a bartender friend who drank himself to death last fall, just took the blessing. Did do the cross with holy water when exiting. What should I expect if I go to a Latin mass? /U/AOU move to religion if necessary

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I am Catholic, and have intermittently attended a Tridentine Mass (i.e. latin Mass), although I usually attend the Novus Ordo. You can find a parish near you with this web-site:

Please don't accept communion if you are not fully in union with the church, and have not had a recent confession. Accepting communion would be a sign to everyone that you are fully accepting and in union with all that the Catholic Church teaches. Not only that, but if you have not had a recent confession, then you would be accepting "unworthily" and therefore committing a grave sin.

As for what to expect, there are usually latin/english missals at the entrance, so you can follow along if you do not know latin (or the Mass in general). My suggestion would be to sit near the back of the church so you can view the whole congregation, or you can sit way up front to view all that the priest is doing close-up (don't use the front seat, but sit maybe 3 or 4 back). It is very ritualistic, compared to the free-wheeling protestant bible churches.

I believe you will find the Tridentine to be very solemn and serious. Don't expect everyone to smile and do high-fives, most people are there to pray and not chit-chat and make best buds. These people take their faith seriously. It used to be that there was fellowship after Mass in the church hall, and that would be the place to approach people and talk, but with Covid-crazy taking over the country, there might not be that opportunity.

Good luck and God bless.