Posted on 12/13/2005 9:55:03 AM PST by Pyro7480
Today, I went to Mass, and as I was entering the church, before the Mass had started, there was a group of people "carrying on" in the vestuble. There was a handful of them, so their voices carried into the nave. The priest hearing Confession could hear them conversing, and he was seated near the sanctuary. There were people in there already praying, so I thought what they were doing was inconsiderate. Even more important, there were acting irreverently in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
When Mass ended, they did the exact same thing. I decided to say something to them, so I gathered the courage I needed, and walked over to back, and said, "Ladies and gentleman. Could you please take this outside. There are people trying to pray here." Some of them started to walk, but others, either not hearing, or ignoring me, continued to talk. As I was leaving, I was disappointed to see the deacon was also back there, talking to so them.
Catholic ping!
Respect is not on the current list of cultural virtues...
You did the right thing. And yes, it does take courage to approach others who have forgotten that a church is a house of prayer and worship. Next step? Contact the pastor.
This is by no means just a Catholic issue. Protestants are every bit as yappy in the wrong places and at the wrong times.
I agree! Before and after mass some people treat the church like some kind of social gathering place. Often the priests do not do enough to encourage quiet.
Don't get me started on the people who very casually walk into mass late, or leave after communion. ;)
Isn't there a door that would be closed between the vestibule and church? Or is it too thin a door? Whatever the case, you were absolutely right to ask those people to show some respect and consideration. As for the deacon...I've seen pastors carrying on with select parishioners INSIDE the Church before Masses.
Respect and common courtesy are two things that have been going the way of the Dodo bird for quite some now in all facets of society.
The "vertical" aspect (Jesus in the tabernacle) has gradually been eroding for some time.
You might have over-reached, asking them to leave the building. It may have been better to ask if they'd mind keeping their voices down while in Church. That in turn, might have prompted them to move.
When I finished my after Mass prayers, the people who were still left were in the vestuble, so I did end up closing the doors.
Back in the '70s we used to have a 10:30 mass on Sunday mornings in the "hall". The "hall" was the basketball court of the parochial school and the priest was a young man in spirit, if not in age. He had long hair and a long beard and was really into the '70s. He was backed up by a rock band and all the kids used to go to that mass while the parents attended the 10:30 mass in the church.
Of course, that became the meeting place for all the teenagers to catch up on what happened the night before at all the parties and the priest had to routinely interrupt the mass proceedings to quiet down the groups of talkers hanging out in the back. Perhaps these attended similar churches of the '70s? Just a thought.
I've done the same thing with one of our ushers and his cronies that gather in the back. It gets to be senior citizen social hour. I don't think they realize how loud they are. If it gets too bad, I ask them to take it outside or at least hold it down to a low rumble.
Even if I might not be praying myself, I can look around and see one or two folks on their knees that appear to be engaged in a rather intense manner. Maybe it's been a while for them. Whatever, they deserve some quiet.
I'd love to have my pastor discuss this section of the General Instructions more frequently:
Even before the celebration itself, it is commendable that silence be observed in the church, in the sacristy, in the vesting room, and in adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the sacred action in a devout and fitting manner.
Good for you!! There is a time and place for friendly chatting, and outside the Church is where it should be.
It happens all the time and it is very, very annoying. Especially since you asked them nicely and they just ignored you. This guy might have the right approach:
http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/wl/121205australiracial/im:/051211/481/xrg11012111146;_ylt=AnirIHMz1O1xONGaK4RCqFvlWMcF;_ylu=X3oDMTA5bGcyMWMzBHNlYwNzc25hdg--?sp=-1&lsp=3000
I have a couple of friends who are extremely devout, but sometimes, they will need to ask each other something after mass, and during the start of adoration, and I have gotten up and went outside because I just couldn't pray with their voices filling up the church. It's a small building, and voices carry. And one of them I know gets horrified by all the noise herself...
Funny how these things work...
I'd talk to your pastor and ask him to mention, from the pulpit, that their behavior is rude, irreverent and disrespectful and must stop. If he balks then call the bishop.
I know exactly what you mean. Unfortunately, my priest does it too.
Our pastor periodically reminds people of this from the pulpit, but they do revert to this mindless chattering after a few weeks.
So, I think you're quite right to gently persuade people to move their conversations outside. Another approach might be to start singing Picardy, better known as "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence". ;-)
I would say that the rise in this sort of behavior corresponds to a general decline in the social cohesion of our neighborhoods. So the corrective could be looked at as an opportunity to fill that need and restore the parish to its historical position as the center of social as well as religious life. Why not encourage one of the parish organizations to provide (for a nominal fee, if necessary) some refreshments in the parish hall (or church basement) after every Mass? Then concerned parishioners or the ushers could politely direct the chatterboxes to take their conversations to the more convivial environment, leaving the nave free for its intended purpose: prayer.
That approach worked very well for visitors to a monastery church I used to attend. Once it became a matter of habit for people to gather in the hall after Mass each week, the inconsiderate behavior disappeared.
What happen to sitting in the front .
It's not just catholics. I'm often disappointed that sometimes when I'll go to church I often bring a christian book to read or I'll read some of the psalms to kinda focus my mind on worship before the service starts and you have all these people who are just yapping away like their at the saturday morning hair salon.
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