Let Γ(S) be the pure mapping class group of a connected orientable surface S of negative Euler characteristic. For C a class of finite groups, letπ 1 (S) C be the pro-C completion of the fundamental group of S. The C -congruence completionΓ(S) C of Γ(S) is the profinite completion induced by the embedding Γ(S) → Out(π 1 (S) C ). In this paper, we begin a systematic study of such completions for different C . We show that the combinatorial structure of the profinite groupsΓ(S) C closely resemble that of Γ(S). A fundamental question is how C -congruence completions compare with pro-C completions. Even though, in general (e.g. for C the class of finite solvable groups),Γ(S) C is not even virtually a pro-C group, we show that, for Z/2 ∈ C , g(S) ≤ 2 and S open, there is a natural epimorphism from the C -congruence com-pletionΓ(S)(2) C of the abelian level of order 2 to its pro-C completion Γ(S)(2) C . In particular, this is an isomorphism for the class of finite groups and for the class of 2-groups. Moreover, in these two cases, the result also holds for a closed surface.