Alcohol Consumption in the Church Narthex Following Mass

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So wife & I went to a parish orientation at a local RC after Mass yesterday evening. Afterwards they had a reception with snacks and wine. This was held in the narthex. It surprised me and scandalized my wife especially since we were just feet from the baptismal font. Seemed very odd to us – so much so that my wife & I left immediately.
I really can’t get my mind around this… having alcohol right after Mass.
Thoughts?
 
I could see being scandalized if people were getting drunk after Mass, but there isn’t a single Apostolic Christian Church that shares the baptist belief in the evils of alcohol. Alcohol can and is used for evil, but certainly isn’t on its own.
 
If it was in a fellowship hall then that’s a lot more palatable. But here we are in full view of the altar. Also, not sure what the purpose was to even have alcohol there was… seemed odd.
 
DadDave said:
If it was in a fellowship hall then that’s a lot more palatable. But here we are in full view of the altar. Also, not sure what the purpose was to even have alcohol there was… seemed odd.
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Um, the wine that is consecrated and becomes Jesus’ blood contains alcohol. I realize that is a sacrament, but there is no reason the building should fall down because wine is consumed in the sanctuary.
 
DadDave said:
If it was in a fellowship hall then that’s a lot more palatable. But here we are in full view of the altar. Also, not sure what the purpose was to even have alcohol there was… seemed odd.
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If there is nothing wrong with something, then there is nothing wrong with it in view of the altar, and as you said, it was in the Narthex.

I could see an issue with that sort of thing in the sanctuary itself (but only because that is a space dedicated to worship and with few exceptions absolutely nothing else should take place there).

It sounds to me that the only issue is that you’re holding on to these Baptist beliefs that alcohol is bad, rather than accepting the Catholic teaching that there is nothing wrong with it in moderation.
 
The wine part doesn’t bother me, but I don’t think the narthex is an appropriate place for wine and snacking. I would say the same thing if they were having tea and cakes.
 
I don’t see why the narthex would be any different from any other place outside the nave. Some churches that lack social halls use the narthex for coffee hours, etc.

Our Lord’s first miracle was to change water into wine at a wedding in Cana. The Church certainly does not view moderate alcohol consumption as sinful, and fellowship with other Christians follows Our Lord’s example.
 
I’m a lifelong RC and I have nothing against a few drinks, but to drink in Church should no be allowed. So I agree with the OP. The Lords wine is something different.
 
martininthefiel said:
I don’t see why the narthex would be any different from any other place outside the nave. Some churches that lack social halls use the narthex for coffee hours, etc.

Our Lord’s first miracle was to change water into wine at a wedding in Cana. The Church certainly does not view moderate alcohol consumption as sinful, and fellowship with other Christians follows Our Lord’s example.
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👍 In our parish, the narthex and the Church hall are one and the same. The narthex is not a sacred space just because it is in the Church building anymore than the bathrooms and book store might be.
 
Thousands of churches use the narthex for social events following services. This is not at all unusual. And while you are of course free to believe that one should not consume alcohol in church, this is not a belief of the Catholic Church.
 
Jesus himself drank wine. Just as long as no one is getting drunk there shouldn’t be anything wrong with that =)
 
I personally don’t think it has any business in church. I don’t see it different then any other drug.
 
Jessup said:
I personally don’t think it has any business in church. I don’t see it different then any other drug.
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Well, guess we can’t use soap in the Church either. Either that or the FDA is going to have to remove the “drug facts” label from the side of the bottle…

-ACEGC
 
What is so bad with consuming wine inside Church? You guys obviously haven’t been to Vespers with Litya.
 
They base their entire belief on that one Scripture that says, “Do not get drunk on wine.” And totally ignore the fact that JESUS even created wine at Cana! :rolleyes:

And you know the old proverb, “Baptists can recognize one another everywhere, except in line at the liquor store…”

😉
 
America has always had an uneasy relationship with alcohol, in part due to our Puritan past. I am not aware of any other Christian country that attempted to outlaw alcoholic beverages, as we did in the early Twentieth Century. of course, it was Evangelical Protestantism that led the Temperance Movement in the Nineteenth Century that led to Prohibition. The law would have done any Islamic country proud.

The fact that alcohol is a drug is irrelevant. It is legal, and traditionally acceptable. In Judaism, it is part of the culture, and part of their liturgy. At Passover, it s actually recommended that one get mildly intoxicated during the Seder. Certainly Jesus, and His disciples drank wine. They could hardly have been observant Jews without doing so. Alcohol also has health benefits when used in moderation.

Alcoholism is certainly a problem in society. I know in TEC that most diocese have a policy that requires that if alcohol is served at church functions, equal provision must be made that non-alcoholic drinks are readily available.

In my mind, Our God is not a god who is against our having fun. I think that we do not have enough opportunities for fellowship in the Catholic Church. I wish we were moe like Protestant in this regard.
 
Jessup said:
I personally don’t think it has any business in church. I don’t see it different then any other drug.
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If people commonly used other drugs in such low quantities that the drugs had only the most minor of effects on them, you might have a point.
 
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