Cell Phones in Church

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Hmmmm. I heard a cell phone ring a couple of months ago. It was the first time in years that I’d heard one on a Sunday… other than a time that the deacon had someone call him during his homily as a gimmick for a point he was trying to make about Jesus “calling us.”

(I sometimes hear them at funerals where there are people who may not be regular Church-goers or where people may have a lot on their minds other than whether their cell phones are silenced.)

In any case, we haven’t had a good “cell phones ringing in Church” discussion at CAF for about 8-10 years so it’s about time.
 
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We don’t have missals/missalettes in our Church and I have sometimes seen people on their mobile phones looking up the readings on the USCCB website.

At my parish the cantor or priest will sometimes make an announcement before Mass asking people to silence cell phones. It’s not something that is done at every Mass but it is common on days when there are likely to be non-regulars at Mass: Easter, Ash Wednesday, weddings, First Communions, Confirmations, etc.
 
Our pastor had his cell phone go off during the Homily. He said it a call from the Holy Spirit :crazy_face:

But yeah, he was really embarrassed.
 
When a cell phone rings, I think most people make an effort to quickly turn off the sound. Most likely they simply forgot to turn it off upon entering the church.
 
I have mine with me as I use Universalis for mass readings, but I do turn mobile data off and set it to do not disturb before I enter the Chapel
 
They suggest we pay collection through the common bank app to cut down on cash handling. Same with paying for candles. It felt strange at first, but is convinient for everyone. I usually mute mine, bc the kids will be home so might need me in an emergency. No beeping yet though, or I might be concentrating on more important things.
 
Seagull said:
Do you bring your cell phone into church ?
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I have to bring my work phone when I am on call because I have to respond within 15 minutes. I always check to make sure it is on vibrate, and I sit so I don’t disturb others in case I need to step out during Mass.

When I am not on call I bring my cell into Church because I have the Liturgy of the Hours app on it. Some priests don’t like this, and I have been told by one not to bring it in, but there is a paper copy of the TLOH there.

I think if someone wants to take photos, they should mention it to the priest before the Mass. There are situations where this is common, such as baptisms.

I think there needs to be a more strenuous announcement about encouraging parishoners to leave phones in the car. It can be very liberating! Or turn it completely off and leave it off during Mass. I also think it is very bad form to give children electronics to try to keep them quiet during Mass. This is training them toward the wrong direction. When I was a youngster the only thing we could take to Mass was our little children’s book that explained the order of the Mass and had the prayers.

I was also listening to Relevant Radio yesterday and the point was made that we have gotten much too attached to the phone - in part because of checking the time, so I have gone back to wearing a watch to help me stay off it.
 
I am on call for work and have my phone in my pocket, set to vibrate. I set it when I’m getting dressed before mass. I play music for the mass and have been called or texted a few times. One text was Father asking to delay the start of the entrance song so a special announcement and prayer could be said by the lector before mass started.
 
MchaelPatrick said:
I play music for the mass and have been called or texted a few times. One text was Father asking to delay the start of the entrance song so a special announcement and prayer could be said by the lector before mass started.
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Hah! I sing in the choir and more than once I have seen our choir director receive a text before Mass that I later learned was from the priest or other person on the Church staff.
 
I used to, when I was on call. Always triple checked it was silenced. I think making an announcement just before mass is good. Regularly, I’ll see someone with a phone when it rings. They often seem surprised and embarrassed.
 
Cell phones ringing at mass are annoying, but they are not life threatening like texting while behind the wheel of a car. I would love taking a hammer to their phones if they text and drive.

Just my:
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Honestly, the possibility of a person being a doctor has never occurred to me when a phone goes off in church. I need to be less judgemental and remember that next time it happens
 
We had it with other types as well, when I was growing up. Certain law enforcement personnel had to stay available - pagers at first, then cell phones. Sometimes parents, if the child wasn’t with them, especially parents of children with special needs. We had one or two children who had life-threatening allergies, and if they were being watched by someone else the parents tried to stay available.
 
In the past, I remember some of the electronics (pagers, etc.) did not have a silent or stun option. Today, however, there os no reason to have an audible ring. I or anyone could position their seating for a discreet exit in an urgent situation.
 
I used to get upset about it until a friend of mine whose mother was terminally ill passed and he received the call at Mass…he was worried it would happen, but attended Mass with making his mother’s condition his Mass intention.

So, on the remote occasion I hear one a Mass, I just say a prayer that it was an annoyance and not a message with bad news for someone at Mass.
 
I agree. I had my phone on when I was attending daily mass while my mother was in cancer treatment. Sometimes I forgot to put it on vibrate only, and it rang. I tried to excuse myself as discretely as possible.
 
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