RCCV Roman Catholic Churches of Vernon & Area

Welcome.

Whether this is your first time in a Catholic church or your first time back in years, you are welcome here. There is nothing to prepare and no one checking at the door. Just come.

“Come and see.” John 1:39

Where to begin

Come to Mass. Say hello when you’re ready. Take a next step if you want one — at whatever pace suits you. Or explore quietly on your own first.

Your first Mass, honestly

Walking into a church for the first time — or the first time in years — takes more courage than anyone admits. Here is exactly what will happen, so none of it surprises you.

The full guide to your first Mass

Questions people actually ask

Do I have to be Catholic to come to Mass?
No. Anyone may come to any Mass, every week, for as long as they like. Many people attend for months while they think things through.
What should I wear?
Come as you are. You will see everything from Sunday best to work clothes. Nobody is checking.
Can I bring my children?
Please do. Children belong at Mass, and the sound of a restless child does not bother us — it means the parish has a future.
I have been away for decades. Is it awkward to come back?
There is no waiting period, no paperwork, and no explaining required. Walk in, sit down, and you are home. If something weighs on you, confession is quiet, confidential, and gentler than you remember.
I am divorced. Am I welcome?
Yes — fully. Divorce by itself changes nothing about your place at Mass. If your situation feels complicated, a priest will gladly talk it through with you privately, without judgment.
What if I do not believe yet?
Doubt is not a barrier to the building. Come, sit, listen, and take whatever time you need. Faith has never been rushed well.

Older than memory, new every Sunday

The Mass you would walk into this Sunday is not a modern invention or a local custom. Around the year 155, a man named Justin described to the Roman emperor what Christians did when they gathered:

“On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read… Then bread and wine are brought, and the one presiding offers prayers and thanksgivings, and the people assent, saying Amen.”

St. Justin Martyr, First Apology — written c. 155 AD

That is, recognizably, next Sunday at 8:30. Readings, prayers, bread and wine, Amen. An unbroken line runs from that room in Rome through nineteen centuries to a stone church on East Hill — and it has space in it for you. You would not be joining something new. You would be stepping into something that has carried millions of ordinary lives, and knows how to carry yours.

Whichever this is, start here

Or skip all of it and just talk to a person: phone the parish office — a real human answers, and “I don’t know where to start” is a fine opening line.

Prefer to write? Start here.

Two minutes, no commitment. One real person at the parish office reads this and replies — usually within a couple of days. You will not be added to a list, and nobody will pressure you.

Prefer to write? Start here.

Two minutes, no commitment. The right person at the parish will read it and reply. You will not be pressured.

Handled by Welcome team

Plan a first visit

Guides for your first visits

If you have been away

There is no waiting period, no paperwork, and no explaining required to walk back through the door. The Church wants you home.

Returning to the Church

Resources for getting started

A few trustworthy places to read, listen, pray, and keep exploring at your own pace.