Reciting the Nicene Creed as part of mass

[Katzpur]

On another forum I frequent, a Catholic told me that the Nicene Creed is recited as part of every Catholic mass. I told him that I'd been to two Catholic masses and in neither of them was this the case. He swore I was wrong. I let it drop because it seemed kind of stupid for me to tell a Catholic what does and does not happen as part of a Catholic worship service. Having read the Nicene Creed many, many times in the past, I can't imagine I would not have recognized it had I heard it said as part of the mass, but I suppose anything's possible. So tell me, was he right? Is the Nicene Creed always recited as part of mass or not?

 

[Kathryn]

No - not in my experience as a former Catholic. Either the Apostle's Creed OR the Nicene Creed (and I think there may be another one as well, now that I think about it) is always a part of the Mass.

By the way, the liturgy of the Mass is beautiful and full of portent. Literally every word is sacred and steeped in meaning, theology, and history. I love it. I have theological issues with Catholicism, but I miss the experience of Mass very, very much. Ninety percent of it or more would be totally compatible with most mainstream Christian beliefs.

As a Methodist, one thing I really love is that we have communion often and we actually use the order of the Mass nearly exactly as the RCC. About the only thing missing is the incense!

 

[Katzpur]

No - not in my experience as a former Catholic. Either the Apostle's Creed OR the Nicene Creed (and I think there may be another one as well, now that I think about it) is always a part of the Mass.

Uh... Kathryn, it sounded like me that you just contradicted yourself. Could you reread the question and maybe clarify your answer?

By the way, the liturgy of the Mass is beautiful and full of portent. Literally every word is sacred and steeped in meaning, theology, and history. I love it. I have theological issues with Catholicism, but I miss the experience of Mass very, very much. Ninety percent of it or more would be totally compatible with most mainstream Christian beliefs.

I've only been to two masses. One was a Christmas Eve midnight mass here in Salt Lake City. It was several years back with a Catholic friend and co-worker. She offered to let me go with her so that I wouldn't feel intimidated by not knowing what was going on. Then, it was so crowded that we ended up getting separated. The last time was the Sunday before Christmas last year. My daughter and I went to New York City and were able to attend the mass at St. Patrick's. Both occasions were absolutely beautiful and very spiritual experiences for me, but for the life of me, I can't remember hearing the Nicene Creed recited at either one.

 

[Kathryn]

I don't think I contradicted myself. I believe you asked if the Nicene Creed was always recited as part of the mass. I said this:

Either the Apostle's Creed OR the Nicene Creed (and I think there may be another one as well, now that I think about it) is always a part of the Mass.

The Apostle's Creed is not the Nicene Creed. They are similar but not the same.

Nicene Creed:
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, of things visible and invisible.And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the begotten of God the Father, the Only-begotten, that is of the essence of the Father.God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten and not made; of the very same nature of the Father, by Whom all things came into being, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.Who for us humanity and for our salvation came down from heaven, was incarnate, was made human, was born perfectly of the holy virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit.By whom He took body, soul, and mind, and everything that is in man, truly and not in semblance.He suffered, was crucified, was buried, rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven with the same body, [and] sat at the right hand of the Father.He is to come with the same body and with the glory of the Father, to judge the living and the dead; of His kingdom there is no end.We believe in the Holy Spirit, in the uncreated and the perfect; Who spoke through the Law, prophets, and Gospels; Who came down upon the Jordan, preached through the apostles, and lived in the saints.We believe also in only One, Universal, Apostolic, and [Holy] Church; in one baptism in repentance, for the remission, and forgiveness of sins; and in the resurrection of the dead, in the everlasting judgement of souls and bodies, and the Kingdom of Heaven and in the everlasting life.

Nicene Creed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Apostles Creed:

1. I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.2. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.3. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.5. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.6. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.7. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.8. I believe in the Holy Spirit,9. the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,10. the forgiveness of sins,11. the resurrection of the body,12. and life everlasting.Amen.

Apostles' Creed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

One or the other is always used during the Mass. But the Nicene is not ALWAYS used.

See?

 

[ninerbuff]

Being a former catholic, it's the apostle's creed that's usually recited each mass, but like Kathryn said it's very familiar to the Nicene creed.
However I disagree about mass being beautiful. As a kid and a teen I couldn't wait till mass was over because it was the same rituals over and over and over again with some small changes during Easter and Christmas.

 

[Kathryn]

Being a former catholic, it's the apostle's creed that's usually recited each mass, but like Kathryn said it's very familiar to the Nicene creed.
However I disagree about mass being beautiful. As a kid and a teen I couldn't wait till mass was over because it was the same rituals over and over and over again with some small changes during Easter and Christmas.

To each his own. Millions of people the world over find the order of the mass to be beautiful and profound - but kids the world over consider it torture, I'm sure.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

No - not in my experience as a former Catholic. Either the Apostle's Creed OR the Nicene Creed (and I think there may be another one as well, now that I think about it) is always a part of the Mass.

By the way, the liturgy of the Mass is beautiful and full of portent. Literally every word is sacred and steeped in meaning, theology, and history. I love it. I have theological issues with Catholicism, but I miss the experience of Mass very, very much. Ninety percent of it or more would be totally compatible with most mainstream Christian beliefs.

This. If there's one thing apostolic Christianity got right it's how to put every word and action during services to good use.

If you've never attended, I suggest attending the following at least once: A Catholic Solemn High Mass (Latin), a Byzantine Orthodox Divine Liturgy, and a Coptic Orthodox Divine Liturgy.

I'll quit going off-topic now.

 

[Katzpur]

I don't think I contradicted myself. I believe you asked if the Nicene Creed was always recited as part of the mass.

The Apostle's Creed is not the Nicene Creed. They are similar but not the same.

One or the other is always used during the Mass. But the Nicene is not ALWAYS used.

See?

Yup! Thanks. If the Apostles' Creed was recited, I may not have picked up on it.

 

[Katzpur]

To each his own. Millions of people the world over find the order of the mass to be beautiful and profound - but kids the world over consider it torture, I'm sure.

It was beautiful to me because of its majesty and perhaps because of the setting. Funny you should mention how it might affect kids, though, because just the day before yesterday my husband ran across a poem my totally non-religious (but raised LDS) now 31-year-old son wrote when he was in junior high or high school. Here it is:

UNTIED LACES

Sometimes I'm made to go to church
and wear itchy pants
tight around my waist
then tuck in a shirt
that doesn't fit
that's long and ugly and red
and those tight shoes to match
with untied laces
my tie strangles me
for three straight hours
I go to church praying
that this will all be over soon

(I need to clarify one thing: If my son ever wore any pants that weren't at least two sizes too big, sitting just barely above his butt, with the crotch just above his knees, he would have said they were "tight around his waist.")

 

[ninerbuff]

Not only did I "have" to attend mass at my parents bequest, but I also attended a catholic private school my last 2 years of high school. We had many days where we had to attend mass on school days and believe me when I say that mass was the last thing that we wanted to do on a school day.

 

[Kathryn]

I'd just like to point out that this thread is in the Catholic DIR, so all comments should be respectful of the Catholic faith.

Katzpur - GREAT POEM! Hilarious.