Blessed Sacrament Chapel Used as "Cry Room"

[Old_Convert]

I have noticed something that is very disturbing to me going on at my parish lately. Our church has a chapel for the Blessed Sacrament off to one side away from the altar (which is bad enough IMHO), and people are now using this chapel as a cry room! People are in their during Mass letting their children crawl and run around while the parents sit there and visit . . . during Mass! I always try to go to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for a short time after Mass to make my thanksgiving. I come in and kneel down reverently to pray . . . and these people just keep right on talking in a normal tone of voice and keep right on letting their children have the run of the chapel! Am I invisible, or what?

I know that Jesus said that the little children should be able to come to Him, but in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel? And if they are allowed there, couldn’t they be taught–at least the little bit older ones–to try, at least TRY to be aware of the people in there who are trying to pray!?! Not to mention the adults who are laughing and talking as if they were in some kind of restaurant or something.

I could bring this up to the priests at our parish, but I know what they would say, “Well, at least they’re here . . .” It’s the same if you say anything about people who are improperly dressed for Mass (very low cut blouses, short shorts, etc.) “Well, at least there here . . .”

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[kimbaichan]

Are there classrooms or just meeting rooms at your church? Maybe one of them could be used as a cry room. Call your Pastor or one of the Deacons. Using the Chapel is terrible and IMO starting kids off early learning to be irreverent. There has to be a more appropriate space.

 

[bpbasilphx]

At one Latin parish near me, the Adoration Chapel is untenanted on Sunday and holy day masses, and is used as a cry room then.

 

[Eucharisted]

I could bring this up to the priests at our parish, but I know what they would say, “Well, at least they’re here . . .”

Never trust yourself! Bring the matter up with the priests and with the Lord. All will be ordered by God for the greater good, as He so pleases. Trust in Jesus!

If the priests do nothing, than Jesus has given you a pastor to bring it up to. If the pastor dose nothing, than bring it up to His vicar: the bishop. If the bishop dose nothing, than bring it up to the Vatican. If the Vatican dose nothing, than wait for Jesus to act.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

This is not a good situation! Definately bring it up to your pastor, but also think of something you can say directly to the people.

Maybe to the kids who are running around when you go in. “Oh let’s be really quiet and respectful of Jesus. He’s right over there.” Then point out the tabernacle.

To the parents, “Jesus is present in the tabernacle. Can you please take your conversations out to the narthex?” All said with a pleasant smile and tone of voice. Somebody may have chased them out of the main church with ugly looks during Mass and they shouldn’t be chased away entirely.

Does your church have a cry room? I think many people don’t really think about Jesus being in the tabernacle during Mass–they just think about Him on the altar. If there isn’t a cry room, maybe these families felt the little chapel (thinking of it as just an empty room) was better than being out in the narthex. It actually would be better if they stayed in the main church if there was no where else to go.

 

[I_Believe]

I have noticed something that is very disturbing to me going on at my parish lately. Our church has a chapel for the Blessed Sacrament off to one side away from the altar (which is bad enough IMHO), and people are now using this chapel as a cry room! People are in their during Mass letting their children crawl and run around while the parents sit there and visit . . . during Mass! I always try to go to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for a short time after Mass to make my thanksgiving. I come in and kneel down reverently to pray . . . and these people just keep right on talking in a normal tone of voice and keep right on letting their children have the run of the chapel! Am I invisible, or what?

I know that Jesus said that the little children should be able to come to Him, but in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel? And if they are allowed there, couldn’t they be taught–at least the little bit older ones–to try, at least TRY to be aware of the people in there who are trying to pray!?! Not to mention the adults who are laughing and talking as if they were in some kind of restaurant or something.

I could bring this up to the priests at our parish, but I know what they would say, “Well, at least they’re here . . .” It’s the same if you say anything about people who are improperly dressed for Mass (very low cut blouses, short shorts, etc.) “Well, at least there here . . .”

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Just going to have to get used to it. Sundays are the days when the pews are full of folks just going through the motions. They don’t believe in the Real Presence.

Sad, but that’s the only explanation. I see it at my parish. Weekdays, it’s quiet, and those who want to chat do it outside. Sundays after Mass, you would think your are in a bingo hall full of folks half drunk. They have no respect for Christ the King, or those who do.

And frankly, it’s not their fault. Their conduct is a direct reflection of what is lacking in what they hear from the pulpit, and of their upbringing.

If you are near Chicago, try St John Cantius parish.
cantius.org/

 

[nannyma]

At one Latin parish near me, the Adoration Chapel is untenanted on Sunday and holy day masses, and is used as a cry room then.

Hello CA member, I would like to know what you mean by “untenanted”. Do you mean that the Blessed Sacrament has been removed? If that is so then I would think the tabernacle door would be left ajar. Even, even with these conditions in place this “place” is consecrated for a specific purpose, a sacred holding room.
On Holy Saturday when the Blessed Sacrament is removed with the door ajar______Have you been in the Chapel in this time? God Bless,nannyma

 

[bpbasilphx]

\ Hello CA member, I would like to know what you mean by “untenanted”. Do you mean that the Blessed Sacrament has been removed? \

**Yes, that’s what I meant by “untenanted.”

There is not a tabernacle there, but on the High Altar. A monstrance is moved to this chapel by the priest before the first daily mass and removed afterwards.

And on Sundays, it’s the cry room when the Sacrament is not present.**

 

[lizaanne]

**

And on Sundays, it’s the cry room when the Sacrament is not present.**

I still think this is an inappropriate use of sacred space. It turns into just another room to run around and play in.

~Liza

 

[bpbasilphx]

I still think this is an inappropriate use of sacred space. It turns into just another room to run around and play in.

~Liza

As a matter of fact, I think this was ORIGINALLY a cry room BEFORE it was used as an Adoration Chapel during the week.

I agree, it’s not acceptable to use a chapel for a cry room.

But is it appropriate to use a cry room for a chapel?

 

[lizaanne]

As a matter of fact, I think this was ORIGINALLY a cry room BEFORE it was used as an Adoration Chapel during the week.

I agree, it’s not acceptable to use a chapel for a cry room.

But is it appropriate to use a cry room for a chapel?

I don’t see why not - as long as it is understood going forward that it is no longer a cry room and has been totally dedicated as a place to worship Jesus in the Eucharist. This can be done with appropriate remodeling and redecorating so that it no longer resembles the previous purpose of the room, for the adults and also for the children who used to play in that space.

~Liza

 

[TheDoctor]

I have noticed something that is very disturbing to me going on at my parish lately. Our church has a chapel for the Blessed Sacrament off to one side away from the altar (which is bad enough IMHO), and people are now using this chapel as a cry room! People are in their during Mass letting their children crawl and run around while the parents sit there and visit . . . during Mass! I always try to go to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for a short time after Mass to make my thanksgiving. I come in and kneel down reverently to pray . . . and these people just keep right on talking in a normal tone of voice and keep right on letting their children have the run of the chapel! Am I invisible, or what?

I know that Jesus said that the little children should be able to come to Him, but in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel? And if they are allowed there, couldn’t they be taught–at least the little bit older ones–to try, at least TRY to be aware of the people in there who are trying to pray!?! Not to mention the adults who are laughing and talking as if they were in some kind of restaurant or something.

I could bring this up to the priests at our parish, but I know what they would say, “Well, at least they’re here . . .” It’s the same if you say anything about people who are improperly dressed for Mass (very low cut blouses, short shorts, etc.) “Well, at least there here . . .”

Thoughts? Suggestions?

OK, just so I understand:
a) Is this a separate room closed off from the main Church where the Blessed Sacrament is always exposed?
b) Is this a alcove off the main Church where the Tabernacle is?
c) Is this an alcove/room off the main Church where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed when not in the main Tabernacle?
If it is (a) or (b), then it should not be used as a cry room out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament present there.

If it is (c), then when the Blessed Sacrament is not exposed there it just becomes another room or area in the main Church and can be used as a cry room.

Now, what parents should and should not allow their children to do in a cry room, that is another thread…

 

[Old_Convert]

TheDoctor:

The answer is B. This is an alcove off the main church where the tabernacle is located. It is separated from the main church by a large stained glass window in the middle, but the sides are always open to the church. There are sliding stained glass window doors on each side, but I have only seen these doors closed once in three years. The Blessed Sacrament is always there, except during the times during Holy Week when the tabernacle is empty. This was definitely not built to be used as a cry room.

As for just putting up with it as someone replied, that might be fine for me, but I wonder if the Lord likes “just putting up with it!” It seems like He has to “put up with” so much irreverance today. When is enough . . . enough???

 

[TheDoctor]

TheDoctor:

The answer is B. This is an alcove off the main church where the tabernacle is located. It is separated from the main church by a large stained glass window in the middle, but the sides are always open to the church. There are sliding stained glass window doors on each side, but I have only seen these doors closed once in three years. The Blessed Sacrament is always there, except during the times during Holy Week when the tabernacle is empty. This was definitely not built to be used as a cry room.

As for just putting up with it as someone replied, that might be fine for me, but I wonder if the Lord likes “just putting up with it!” It seems like He has to “put up with” so much irreverance today. When is enough . . . enough???

B huh? Ouch! Tend to agree with you on that. I have had to take my share of kids out of Mass but even in the narthex I would not let them run amok.

To make the best of a bad situation, would father be open to listening to your concerns and perhaps teaching some proper behavior in front of the Tabernacle? (P.S. - maybe look at it this way, if the Tabernacle was located in the main body of the Church and there was a service in the chapel, would anyone feel comfortable letting their kids behave the same in the Church? Sometimes looking at a situation 180 degrees helps people get a new perspective on it).

 

[maryjk]

At one Latin parish near me, the Adoration Chapel is untenanted on Sunday and holy day masses, and is used as a cry room then.

At our parish, we do the same thing, but use the room as a classroom for Sunday school.

The Tabernacle is removed on Friday afternoon and returned Monday morning.