How to find and go to Mass when you travel
- Aimee Boudreaux MacIver
- 23 hours ago
- 5 min read
Why you should prioritize Mass when you travel
As we filed into the pews of a dark French church, our group certainly stood out. Most of the parishioners were African migrants; our group was American young adults. The Mass—9 pm—fell much later than those available at home on Sundays. We didn’t understand the language, but we managed to follow along with the universal liturgy. At the end, the priest smiled widely and welcomed us in limited English. He said something to the congregation, who also smiled and waved warmly to us. The experience felt like an encounter with a family we had never known.
Going to Mass when you travel is not only essential; it can also open new ways of praying and experiencing the one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.
While traveling, we’ve been to Mass in spectacular basilicas, tiny seaside chapels, open-air fields, hotel ballrooms, gyms, private residences, medieval monasteries and convents, and even the middle of the ocean. We’ve found that it’s almost impossible to find yourself physically unable to find and attend Mass during a trip, but also that doing so requires some strategy.
How to find and go to Mass when you travel
Use the holy grail Mass-finding app: Masstimes.org
When you need to find Mass in an unfamiliar city or country, start here. Search by location to find parishes nearby with schedules, addresses, and additional details about the church. I always verify with a quick parish website (see below), but MassTimes is the fastest first step to answer that urgent question: where and when will we go to Mass? Make sure your current location and preferred time of day is loaded before seeking options (if you’re in Europe, you may have to convert times like 17:00 and 19:30). Remember to check the proximity to and from your location so you can factor in the travel time required.
Always confirm via local parish websites (push that translate button!).
Use Masstimes to locate options, but always, always verify with the local source. Most churches, shrines, and basilicas have websites that list opening hours, special feasts and events, and liturgical times. And, perhaps most importantly: contact info. Don’t be intimidated by a website written in a language you don’t speak; just click the translate button on your browser.
Check for local feasts and special events.
Did you know Ascension Thursday is observed as a major feast in France? Or that Poland throws special parades and liturgical events of the Feast of Corpus Christi? In Rome, the Monday after Easter is also a national holiday. Spend a few minutes researching the local feasts and devotions of your destination, as well as the feast days of saints who are connected to the area. Similarly, check the parish website for concerts and other special events happening there. Your trip may overlap with some incredible cultural experiences.
Avail yourself of vigil Masses.
Remember that Saturday Vigil Masses are a blessing when Sundays feel impossibly packed. If you’re transferring cities on Sunday, an early checkout and long travel day can make finding Mass feel impossible. A Saturday vigil solves this before it becomes a problem. It also frees Sunday morning for an early start at a site that opens at dawn, or for a slower, quieter morning before the crowds arrive.
Prepare for slight shifts in the local customs for liturgy.
While the liturgy around the world remains universal, local customs for standing, kneeling, and other liturgical procedures may vary slightly. For example, in many European and Latin countries, communion lines do not form in tidy consecutive rows as in the United States. Instead, people just go forward whenever they wish. Sometimes a congregation will stand when you’re accustomed to kneeling, or vice versa. It’s not a problem—just a point of awareness so you won’t be confused.
Don’t be afraid of a different language or rite.
I’ve found a surprising thing happens when you go to Mass celebrated in another language: you pay more attention to the liturgy itself. In order to follow along, you must focus on the physical components, gestures, and body language of the liturgy. There’s a beautiful opportunity to contemplate that the Church is the same Church everywhere. (Universal, even!)
If you want to read the Mass readings in your own language, use USCCB. It’s old-school, but offers a free liturgical calendar and Mass daily readings. There are zero features or frills, which feels blessedly simple in a sea of bells and whistles. Save the daily Mass readings page as a shortcut on your home screen to create an app-like, single click direct portal. From there, you can read the text or play it aloud.
A little lagniappe
Visit churches as a pilgrim, not a tourist.
Catholic churches are active houses of worship and prayer, not museums. Along with sublime spiritual benefits, attending Mass also allows you to enter iconic churches more quickly than tourists. For example, Notre Dame in Paris opens a totally separate, fast-track queue for people entering to attend Mass or venerate the Crown of Thorns. The same is true at St Peter’s Basilica, the Duomo in Florence, and many other churches packed with visitors. Research ahead to find Mass or prayer times and where to queue for these entrances. Another pro tip: attending Mass inside a renowned cathedral is an excellent time to experience free music when the ancient organs fire up for liturgy. You’ll never forget the bone-melting roar of an organ filling vaulted ceilings.
Bring cash for tithes, candles, small gift shops, or Mass offerings.
Participate in the life of the parish by contributing to the collection. Many churches contain small gift stands or kiosks where you can purchase books, medals, or holy cards from a special place. You can also gift someone an offering of votive candles or Masses. One of the best “souvenirs” I gave Colin was an offering of Masses at Notre Dame des Victoires, a Paris church with deep personal meaning for our family. Many of these transactions require cash instead of card.
Carry intentions for your loved ones.
Medieval pilgrims carried letters listing names and petitions. Missionaries crossed oceans with entire villages’ prayers entrusted to them. Invite your loved ones to send you their special intentions so you can pray for them through your trip. Keep their intentions close on your notes app or carry written intentions. You can choose various markers to offer for these intentions. Flight delays, metro rides, sacred sites, and other elements of your itinerary can become acts of charity.
Bring a wrap for church dress codes.
Many non-American churches require covered shoulders and knees for entrance. If your outfit doesn’t cover these parts, bring a lightweight wrap to wear while you’re at Mass.
What to do when you can’t find Mass.
Catholics are required to make sincere, reasonable efforts to fulfill the Sunday Mass obligation even when traveling or on vacation. But sometimes, despite our best efforts and desires, we are simply physically unable to attend Mass. Before you depart from home, talk to your pastor about a dispensation. This dispensation is a last resort and doesn’t replace a genuine effort to find and attend Mass, but having it will ease your mind just in case. In the event Mass is impossible, read the Mass readings and make an act of spiritual communion.
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Contact me. I am a Catholic author, artist, speaker, pilgrimage leader, and travel concierge.
I'd love to collaborate with you on your next retreat, day of reflection, pilgrimage, trip, or event.
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