TOUR OF A CATHOLIC CHURCH

DO YOU KNOW … Why a Catholic Church is laid out the way it is? What the different areas and objects mean? The background of the different celebrations? The history of the Church and the way things are

done now at Mass? Who can celebrate at Mass? What is our job as the congregation at Mass? Why are churches so intricately built? Why can’t Catholic churches be more simple? Why do they look so different to other churches? Where do they get the design? Who is the owner of the church, the Pope?

FOYER A.____________________ This is the main

entrance of the Church where people greet each other and where everyone enters the Church.

BAPTISMAL FONT / POOL B.____________________ This is the womb of the

Church where new Christians are born from water and the spirit. Water is the main element in this place. Water is life giving and also can take it away.

NAVE C.____________________ This is the main area of

the Church where the people gather facing the main part of the Church.

PEWS They sit on D.____________________ made of

wood or chairs facing the front.

KNEELERS In the holiest moments of the Mass, the faithful

kneel on E.____________________ to show reverence and adoration to what is happening during the celebration.

CRUCIFIX F.____________________ a large cross with the

body of Christ hanging from it. We use this and not simply a cross because for us it is the man on the cross who is the focal point.

CATHEDRA G.____________________ The larger chair in the

front of the Church. It is reserved for the BISHOP, the head of a DIOCESE.

PRESIDER’S The other smaller chair is the

H.____________________ Chair, which is occupied by a priest to celebrate Mass since the Bishop can’t always be there.

ALTAR I.____________________ Is the table of the meal

where the BREAD and WINE are changed in to the BODY and BLOOD of Christ. It is covered with an ALTAR CLOTH of different colours, depending on the Church season.

CHALICE J.____________________ is the name for the cup

which holds the wine which will be changed to the Blood of Christ

PATEN and the K.____________________ is the name of

the vessel that holds the bread which will be changed into the Body of Christ.

SACRAMENTARY / ROMAN MISSAL

L. ____________________ This is the book from which the Presider reads. Prayers and words are taken from the Bible and ancient texts going back to the early Church. Recently it has been renewed and the words made to match the original Latin. We started using the Third edition of it in Advent 2011.

PASCHAL / EASTER M.____________________ Is the main Candle

which signify the presence of Christ, our light and light of the world. It is mainly lit during Easter to signify Christ’s resurrection.

STATIONS OF THE CROSS N.____________________

Are the 14 pictures which denote the passion of Christ. They are a focus of prayer, especially during Lent. They are in the chapel in our Cathedral.

LECTERN, AMBO OR PULPIT O.____________________ Is the place from where

the readings are proclaimed, not only read.

LECTIONARY P.____________________ Is the book from which

the readings are proclaimed during Mass. It is not a Bible, but a collection of the readings for each Mass of the year.

SANCTUARY Q.____________________ Is the area that includes

the Altars, Priests’ chairs and the lectern.

RECONCILIATION ROOM R.____________________ Is the place where the

faithful come to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation – it is often referred as the confessional.

SACRISTY S.____________________ Is the place where the

priests and the altar servers put on their vestments before the celebration and where the vestments are stored. The white garment is called Alb – latin word for ‘white’ – the priest also wears a Stole – over his neck like a scarf and on top a Chasuble. The Deacon wears the Stole like a “sash.” The Bishop also wears a Mitre (tall hat), Crosier (wooden-staff).

TABERNACLE T. ____________________ Is the special small

storage where the body of Christ is kept – it is in a special and worthy place to signify the holiness of its contents.

SANCTUARY LAMP U. ____________________ This light is lit to

signify that the Body of Christ is present in this Church – it is found close-by the Tabernacle, which holds the body of Christ.

VOTIVE CANDLES V. ____________________ These are candles in

front of a statue or a special place which when lit signify our prayers to God which are aided by the Saint or the special place where they are lit.

STATUES, STAINGLASS WINDOWS

W.____________________ These are physical forms of holy persons which, like family pictures, remind us of their example of faith and their gift of praying for our needs.

AMBRY X. ____________________ This is where the Holy

Oils are kept which will be used for Baptisms and other special celebrations. They are three oils: The Oil of the Catechumens, The Holy Chrism and the Oil of the Sick.

PURPLE Y. ____________________ This colour is the colour

of the Season of Lent as well as Advent – it signifies Royalty as well as repentance. Red is the colour for the Passion of Christ and Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit – 50 days after Easter), White for Easter and Christmas Time and Green for Ordinary Time (in between special seasons, like after Christmas and before Lent, and after Easter until Advent).

CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY FAMILY

Z. ____________________ The newest Catholic Church in the Diocese of Saskatoon, and the Mother church for the whole Diocese.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN? EXIT SPLIP

Is there anything new you did not know about the Church you learned?

Write it down on a slip of paper with your name.