Worshipping

The most noticeable aspect of Catholicism and yet its most mysterious is the method of worship, which is filled with ancient rituals and rites. Catholic Mass is centered around the idea that humankind is situated between the material and spiritual world. In other words, humans interact in the material world with their body, and in the spiritual world through divine grace in their soul. The way that Catholics worship (burning incense, using symbols, standing, etc.,)centers on this dynamic relationship between material and spiritual worlds.

Christians believe that a human being consists of a body and a soul; both are created by God and are therefore good. In addition to this, the connection between the two is absolutely necessary, since Jesus had a human body and soul united to his divine nature. Catholic worship expounds on this relationship between body and soul- the material and spiritual world. That's why the entire person is engaged in Mass ritual.

Rites are the necessary words, actions, and gestures of a religious ceremony. For example, the Rites of Baptism and the Rite of Christian Marriage are the exact words spoken and actions performed for these two sacraments.

Rituals are the established forms for rites. They detail the order and means for proper celebration of the rites. An example of this is the Roman Ritual, which is the book used by priests and deacons when they celebrate the rites. It instructs on the necessary materials, the sequence of events, and states what the words and actions should be. The Ritual used to be only one volume, but now consists of individual editions for each sacrament (one for marriages, another for baptisms, and so on).

During the Mass, words are spoken, heard, or read. Bodies stand, sit and kneel. Physical symbols, such as baptismal water or annointing oil, are used for the senses. These outward symbols are used to remind the faithful of the invisible action of divine grace entering their souls.