WHAT TO EXPECT
The supreme form of Christian worship is the Mass celebrated in the Catholic Church. The Mass (from the Latin mittere, "to send") is composed of two major parts: the Liturgy of the Word, when we hear the proclamation of passages from the Bible, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, when we follow Jesus's command to have a meal of bread and wine that become his Body and Blood. When we celebrate the Mass, we step out of our current time and space and enter into the eternal offering of Jesus to his Father in heaven, a mystical reality that is almost incomprehensible to us mere humans.
The Holy Eucharist is the "source and summary" of all Catholic belief. It is the true and sacred Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, not a symbol or memory, but a participation in the eternal offering of Jesus to his Father. Receiving the Holy Eucharist is a sign that the communicant believes and accepts all that the Catholic Church teaches and believes. It is received while kneeling at the altar rail (anyone unable to kneel is welcome to stand). Anyone who cannot come to the altar rail because of mobility issues is asked to notify an usher before Mass. Anyone unable to receive the Eucharist (non-Catholics, young children, those otherwise not properly disposed) may, if they wish, come to the altar rail to receive a blessing from the priest or deacon. Please cross the arms over the chest to indicate this desire. We welcome everyone to our worship and to explore the richness of our beliefs, traditions, and practices!
We host a gathering, traditionally called the Collation, after every Sunday's 9:00 a.m. Mass (except major holiday weekends) featuring an abundant spread of treats from the homes of our members. Please join us for good food and conversation!
We sing in English, the local language, and in Latin, the ancient and timeless voice of our Faith, and our choir offers music by the best of centuries-old composers. Read more on the 'Music' page.
We believe that our attire speaks of our respect for the sacred liturgy and for one another. We honor proper Sunday dress.
Children and young adults are a vital part of our parish community. We encourage families with children to sit in a pew where the altar is clearly visible. It is especially important for younger children to see what is going on during the Mass, especially those who are not yet able to read and follow along in the missal. There are also copies of a picture book of the Mass available for use during Mass; you may find these in the Narthex (please return them when finished). See our 'Faith Formation' (K-8) and 'Youth Ministry' (6-8, 9-12) pages to read more about these programs for the younger members of our parish!
The church and grounds are open daily from 8:00 a.m. until late afternoon or early evening, depending on what events are scheduled.
During weekend Masses, free parking is available in the Charleston Place garage (85 Hasell St) - after inserting your garage entry ticket at the exit booth, scan the barcode found in the bulletin. There are also a very limited number of non-metered street parking spaces directly in front of the church, some of which are for vehicles with handicapped placards/plates, for use during Mass only. At all other times except during weekend Masses, the City of Charleston requires payment in the garage and will ticket vehicles parked out front.
If you are visiting Charleston, here is our approximate distance from some popular downtown locations:
Next door to Charleston Place Hotel and across the street from KKBE Synagogue
3/4mi from the Union Pier Cruise Terminal
1mi from the South Carolina Aquarium
1/2mi from Marion Square
3/4mi from the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry, the Charleston Museum, and the City of Charleson Visitor's Center
3/4mi from Colonial Lake and Moultrie Playground
3/4mi from Waterfront Park
1/2mi from Charleston County Public Library (main branch)
1/2mi (or less) from the College of Charleston
1/4mi from the Charleston City Market
1/3mi from the Gibbes Art Museum
1mi from White Point Gardens
1/2mi from the Cathedral of St John the Baptist
Images of the church interior are forthcoming.
We gladly welcome you.
The supreme form of Christian worship is the Mass celebrated in the Catholic Church. The Mass (from the Latin mittere, "to send") is composed of two major parts: the Liturgy of the Word, when we hear the proclamation of passages from the Bible, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, when we follow Jesus's command to have a meal of bread and wine that become his Body and Blood. When we celebrate the Mass, we step out of our current time and space and enter into the eternal offering of Jesus to his Father in heaven, a mystical reality that is almost incomprehensible to us mere humans.
The Holy Eucharist is the "source and summary" of all Catholic belief. It is the true and sacred Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, not a symbol or memory, but a participation in the eternal offering of Jesus to his Father. Receiving the Holy Eucharist is a sign that the communicant believes and accepts all that the Catholic Church teaches and believes. It is received while kneeling at the altar rail (anyone unable to kneel is welcome to stand). Anyone who cannot come to the altar rail because of mobility issues is asked to notify an usher before Mass. Anyone unable to receive the Eucharist (non-Catholics, young children, those otherwise not properly disposed) may, if they wish, come to the altar rail to receive a blessing from the priest or deacon. Please cross the arms over the chest to indicate this desire. We welcome everyone to our worship and to explore the richness of our beliefs, traditions, and practices!
We host a gathering, traditionally called the Collation, after every Sunday's 9:00 a.m. Mass (except major holiday weekends) featuring an abundant spread of treats from the homes of our members. Please join us for good food and conversation!
We sing in English, the local language, and in Latin, the ancient and timeless voice of our Faith, and our choir offers music by the best of centuries-old composers. Read more on the 'Music' page.
We believe that our attire speaks of our respect for the sacred liturgy and for one another. We honor proper Sunday dress.
Children and young adults are a vital part of our parish community. We encourage families with children to sit in a pew where the altar is clearly visible. It is especially important for younger children to see what is going on during the Mass, especially those who are not yet able to read and follow along in the missal. There are also copies of a picture book of the Mass available for use during Mass; you may find these in the Narthex (please return them when finished). See our 'Faith Formation' (K-8) and 'Youth Ministry' (6-8, 9-12) pages to read more about these programs for the younger members of our parish!
The church and grounds are open daily from 8:00 a.m. until late afternoon or early evening, depending on what events are scheduled.
During weekend Masses, free parking is available in the Charleston Place garage (85 Hasell St) - after inserting your garage entry ticket at the exit booth, scan the barcode found in the bulletin. There are also a very limited number of non-metered street parking spaces directly in front of the church, some of which are for vehicles with handicapped placards/plates, for use during Mass only. At all other times except during weekend Masses, the City of Charleston requires payment in the garage and will ticket vehicles parked out front.
If you are visiting Charleston, here is our approximate distance from some popular downtown locations:
Next door to Charleston Place Hotel and across the street from KKBE Synagogue
3/4mi from the Union Pier Cruise Terminal
1mi from the South Carolina Aquarium
1/2mi from Marion Square
3/4mi from the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry, the Charleston Museum, and the City of Charleson Visitor's Center
3/4mi from Colonial Lake and Moultrie Playground
3/4mi from Waterfront Park
1/2mi from Charleston County Public Library (main branch)
1/2mi (or less) from the College of Charleston
1/4mi from the Charleston City Market
1/3mi from the Gibbes Art Museum
1mi from White Point Gardens
1/2mi from the Cathedral of St John the Baptist
Images of the church interior are forthcoming.
We gladly welcome you.
READY TO REGISTER?
Welcome! To make Saint Mary of the Annunciation your home, you need to register with us. Please complete the web form below.
Who should be registered? Members of your household who (1) live locally and (2) worship regularly at Saint Mary of the Annunciation, including non-Catholic members. Household members age 18 and above need to complete their own registration.
Transferring from another Catholic parish? Once you have registered with us, please notify your previous parish that you have transferred. Doing so is a big help to each parish's administrative efforts.
Can you be registered in more than one parish? That depends. If it is another local parish, no, you may not. Canon law states that you may register in an additional parish only if you maintain a residence in another out-of-town location.
Welcome! To make Saint Mary of the Annunciation your home, you need to register with us. Please complete the web form below.
Who should be registered? Members of your household who (1) live locally and (2) worship regularly at Saint Mary of the Annunciation, including non-Catholic members. Household members age 18 and above need to complete their own registration.
Transferring from another Catholic parish? Once you have registered with us, please notify your previous parish that you have transferred. Doing so is a big help to each parish's administrative efforts.
Can you be registered in more than one parish? That depends. If it is another local parish, no, you may not. Canon law states that you may register in an additional parish only if you maintain a residence in another out-of-town location.
