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s4angel
Guest
ok this begs to be asked… And why are we paying attention to others in church???
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PatienceAndLove
Guest
I, and my parents, do this. It is an offering of our hearts, prayers, etc to God (I was raised in a more Charismatic parish). Why don’t you ask them why they do it?
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PatienceAndLove
Guest
Sometimes it is hard not to. Even St. Therese referred to being distracted by an elderly nun mumbling the rosary in chapel.
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pammie
Guest
It is hard not to notice some things in Mass and as mere humans, we are distractible.
With the family that raises their hands during Mass, I pray and ask the good Lord to keep me focused on the reason I am there in the first place but I find myself distracted by it. I’m working on it.
We have a big parish with a parish school which equals lots of kids. A typical mass will have crying kids, cell phones going off, kids crossing the alter to use the bathroom, people seating themselves during the readings–it can feel a little crazy. Despite the background noise, every Sunday, a miracle happens and Jesus is there–where else would I want to be
With the family that raises their hands during Mass, I pray and ask the good Lord to keep me focused on the reason I am there in the first place but I find myself distracted by it. I’m working on it.
We have a big parish with a parish school which equals lots of kids. A typical mass will have crying kids, cell phones going off, kids crossing the alter to use the bathroom, people seating themselves during the readings–it can feel a little crazy. Despite the background noise, every Sunday, a miracle happens and Jesus is there–where else would I want to be
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Sina
Guest
I agree, why do I pay attention to others during mass? My husband asks me the same question all the time. I pray about it. Mass is the WORST place for me to be looking at other people and the habits.
I have a hard time sleeping at night because I live downtown and hear things outside my window. Not a good place for me.
I have a hard time sleeping at night because I live downtown and hear things outside my window. Not a good place for me.
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s4angel
Guest
oooohhhh the cell phones. Especially the ones that play music instead of just ringing usualy it is sometype of rap. the priest in my church finnaly made it a rule that all cell phone either to be placed on vibrate or turned off. Ever hear the bells chime and then someone rapping to a song that is sexualy explicit goes off next to you. I usualy just smile and shake my head. The children well I am usualy the one wearing the shoes and when I see someone else with children who are everywhere I kind of laugh to myself yep been there probably will be again next week.
Sometimes someone will pass me wearing shall we say inappropriate attire for church and I think how innappropriate and then beg forgiveness because I to sometimes make other mistakes in church.
The point is not allowing yourself to stand in judgement and thus distracting yourself with thoughts from the pupose of the mass.
Sometimes someone will pass me wearing shall we say inappropriate attire for church and I think how innappropriate and then beg forgiveness because I to sometimes make other mistakes in church.
The point is not allowing yourself to stand in judgement and thus distracting yourself with thoughts from the pupose of the mass.
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Cat
Guest
I will agree about disabled people.
There is a man in our parish who has Tourette’s. He can’t sit still at Mass.
There’s another man who uses an oxygen tank–this thing beeps and puffs constantly.
There are kids who are truly ADH, and they’re working on getting meds stabilized. And there are kids and adults with Asbergers’ Syndrome who also have a hard time paying attention and sitting quietly.
I have a friend who lives in a group home for schizophrenics. She dearly loves Mass, but usually can’t come because she gets nervous and upset around other people.
I know people who have bladder control problems and just can’t make it through a whole hour depending on how their meds are working.
I say we should stop noticing when other people leave Mass or do distracting things except to make sure they are OK. You just never know. Sometimes a hymn or reading can remind someone of a person they love, and they get verklempt and have to leave. Once during a Protestant service, my husband, who had been awake for over 48 hours doing a work project, was so upset by the hymn (it was “rocked up”) that he just sat down and put his head on his hands. No one bothered to ask him if he was OK, which I thought was sad–what if he had been having a stroke?
I think we should just let God work in the hearts of others. And like I said, just make sure all our brothers and sisters in Christ are OK, and if they aren’t, help them.
There is a man in our parish who has Tourette’s. He can’t sit still at Mass.
There’s another man who uses an oxygen tank–this thing beeps and puffs constantly.
There are kids who are truly ADH, and they’re working on getting meds stabilized. And there are kids and adults with Asbergers’ Syndrome who also have a hard time paying attention and sitting quietly.
I have a friend who lives in a group home for schizophrenics. She dearly loves Mass, but usually can’t come because she gets nervous and upset around other people.
I know people who have bladder control problems and just can’t make it through a whole hour depending on how their meds are working.
I say we should stop noticing when other people leave Mass or do distracting things except to make sure they are OK. You just never know. Sometimes a hymn or reading can remind someone of a person they love, and they get verklempt and have to leave. Once during a Protestant service, my husband, who had been awake for over 48 hours doing a work project, was so upset by the hymn (it was “rocked up”) that he just sat down and put his head on his hands. No one bothered to ask him if he was OK, which I thought was sad–what if he had been having a stroke?
I think we should just let God work in the hearts of others. And like I said, just make sure all our brothers and sisters in Christ are OK, and if they aren’t, help them.
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Cat
Guest
I’ll be honest. There is one behavior that distracts me terribly during Mass.
I HATE IT when people don’t bother to open the hymnal and at least follow the words of the hymn. They don’t have to sing if they don’t want (although it wouldn’t kill them). But at least pay attention to the words! Even if they don’t open the hymnal (maybe they are illiterate), why can’t they at least look like they’re listening? (I’ve seen a lot of internationals do this–they can’t read the English or Latin words, but they smile and nod the rhythm while the hymn is being sung.)
I don’t care if the hymn is childish drivel (in their opinion).
A human being wrote that hymn with the idea of glorifying God, and I think the least we can do is pay attention. There are some very deep messages in the most simple of poems. (e.g., "Jesus Loves Me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so).
JMO!
I HATE IT when people don’t bother to open the hymnal and at least follow the words of the hymn. They don’t have to sing if they don’t want (although it wouldn’t kill them). But at least pay attention to the words! Even if they don’t open the hymnal (maybe they are illiterate), why can’t they at least look like they’re listening? (I’ve seen a lot of internationals do this–they can’t read the English or Latin words, but they smile and nod the rhythm while the hymn is being sung.)
I don’t care if the hymn is childish drivel (in their opinion).
A human being wrote that hymn with the idea of glorifying God, and I think the least we can do is pay attention. There are some very deep messages in the most simple of poems. (e.g., "Jesus Loves Me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so).
JMO!
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Sarabande
Guest
I understand what you mean, but you can’t make people like or have a special feeling towards something that you or I may find deep or meaningful. Who knows, they may have read the words or know the words and music, but it just doesn’t do anything for them. If there are hymns that I really can’t stand, I’ll also close the book and pray since I tend to literally get panicky and sick if I don’t focus on prayer during that hymn. It’s better for me to pray and focus on mass than to get nauseated and have to run to the bathroom.I’ll be honest. There is one behavior that distracts me terribly during Mass.
I HATE IT when people don’t bother to open the hymnal and at least follow the words of the hymn. They don’t have to sing if they don’t want (although it wouldn’t kill them). But at least pay attention to the words! Even if they don’t open the hymnal (maybe they are illiterate), why can’t they at least look like they’re listening? (I’ve seen a lot of internationals do this–they can’t read the English or Latin words, but they smile and nod the rhythm while the hymn is being sung.)
I don’t care if the hymn is childish drivel (in their opinion).
A human being wrote that hymn with the idea of glorifying God, and I think the least we can do is pay attention. There are some very deep messages in the most simple of poems. (e.g., "Jesus Loves Me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so).
JMO!
On the other hand, there are people who don’t need to read or nod their heads to the rhythm in order for them to be actually paying attention. They may actually are getting something spiritual out of the music, but don’t need to look at the hymnals to do that. Many times, when I’m listening to a choir or any other kind of music, I just close my eyes to really appreciate what is being sung. If the hymn is unrecognizeable and doesn’t have music underneath the words for me to read, I’ll just close the book and listen.
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ToMo
Guest
You were absolutely correct to do as you did. People should be more cognizant of the fact that they are not in their living rooms, and that they are before Our Blessed Lord in the Tabernacle, and that shortly after the Our Father, they will be before Christ, at the foot of the cross on Calvary.
Bravo!
Bravo!
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RosalieM
Guest
To Sina:
Try using foam earplugs. I use them all the time at home, especially when I sleep. You can still hear, but the sound is muffled. I used them once in church during Eucharistic adoration when someone kept muttering their rosary in audible whispers. (That’s when all you hear is “sspppsss ssspsss ssssppsss”). I was able to meditate on the monstrance in perfect silence. It seems people have a hard time sitting still and/or being quiet in church.
Try using foam earplugs. I use them all the time at home, especially when I sleep. You can still hear, but the sound is muffled. I used them once in church during Eucharistic adoration when someone kept muttering their rosary in audible whispers. (That’s when all you hear is “sspppsss ssspsss ssssppsss”). I was able to meditate on the monstrance in perfect silence. It seems people have a hard time sitting still and/or being quiet in church.
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bear06
Guest
Maybe the better response would have been to ask her if she needed something. That way you could find out exactly what the situation was. I suppose we should assume the best about someone even when it looks bad. I’ve attended Mass with a guy who has Turret’s syndrome. Of course the people in Mass assumed the worst and were horrified by his mumbling explatives under his breath. I was too but it was too buy, hey, at least he wasn’t yelling them out. 
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