Chatting in the Pews: Subject Matter?

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I’m curious to know what people are talking about before Mass in the pews. If you chat, please contribute to the poll.
 
I guess it’s “chatting” - I’m a 4th grade religious ed teacher and Mass is part of the class, so before Mass, I’m usually telling the kids to either get the missalettes out and look at the readings or pray silently, but in either case, stop talking; greeting parents who come to sit with their children; and dealing with requests for tissues, the bathroom, etc. Obviously, I try to keep my part in these discussions quick and quiet.
 
more often than not other, my fiance and I show up early enough that we each have a chance to look over the weekly bulletin. more often than not we discuss events we want to attend etc.
 
Hi

I go to Church with my son. We get there early enough to pray and then sit and wait in in silence mostly. Personally I am taking in the good feelings of being in the presence of Jesus and occasionally my son will point to something in the weekly bulletin and so have a bit of a whisper about it maybe a smile about the jokes on the last page.
 
no one should be chatting about anything people are praying and this is very disruptive. My children are 5 and 6 and are not aloud to talk before Mass
 
There shouldn’t be anything that could be described as chatting before Mass. Whatever talking is necessary (asking parishioners if they can fill in at the last minute as servers or readers, for instance) should be done as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.

This does not stop my kids from asking questions or making comments, the topic of which may have to do with anything from asking whether enough time has elasped since their last cold for them to receive the Precious Blood that week or wondering who the celebrant will be, all the way to giving some totally unrelated content that they are just certain that they will forget if they don’t say something that very moment. Example: last Sunday, one of my children just had to tell me that I should not forget to get and fill out a sign-up sheet that they had brought home on Friday, as it had to be returned Monday morning without fail. In other words, things that more organized minds find a way to bring up at a more appropriate time. Tongue-in-cheek, I chalk this up to karmic debt, as I was a difficult kid to get to stop talking, too.

Other times, though, it is a question about the Mass from a family member who is not Catholic, which we do generally answer on the spot, albeit as quickly and quietly as we can.

I could volunteer the content of the conversations of those who are loud enough to be heard four pews in every direction, but as you were charitable enough not to ask what the content of the chatting of others was, I will be charitable enough not to go there any more than I have. Suffice it to say that it usually falls in the same category as the just-remembered sign-up sheet. :rolleyes:
 
We have three children 10, 6 & 5. Getting to Church early is a bit of problem. I feel good that we arrive just in time. If we do chat, it’s usually about the readings and getting after the little one’s. Their energetic. We are very focused on getting our oldest to follow along with the Mass and I print out the readings for her and my wife. She has her own Bible (Kids version that is printed to look like a teen Mag) and used to read it instead of following along. I finally snapped that she wasn’t really getting the Mass. Our church doesn’t have a missilet which is unusual in my experience. Sure I spelled that wrong. My son (6 yr old) reads quite well (tests off the charts for his age) and is obsessed with finding the hymm and reading along. He doesn’t sing. Not sure why. He is very anxious about his first communion and would do it now if he was allowed. The littlest one seems quite disinterested. Then again she’s seems disinterested in everything.
 
“I’m so glad you’re well enough to be here today!”

Betsy
 
I put down “other” I usually chat with God and let him know that I am really thankful for all I have, and I ask him a few favors. I know that at least I might be mumbling if not chatting. Probably some people think that I am a weirdo talking to himself.
 
Any chatting before Mass is done outside on the sidewalk.

The exception was the First Communion Mass last spring. Father asked the parents to remember that they were NOT in a reception hall, and that they should be chatting with the good Lord about the children who were about to receive Him for the first time. After he went back in the sacristy, the conversations resumed, and I don’t think it was people praying aloud. It didn’t get a whole lot better once Mass started…
 
There’s no chatting before mass in my parish, because the rosary is said before each mass.
 
The time in the pew before Mass is great for prayer and reading the readings. 🙂
I look over the prayers and readings at both the EF and the OF Masses.
Some days it is hard to concentrate with choirs practising and people chatting.
 
Does the bulletin have to be read and discussed prior to Mass? Can you take it home with you or do you have to leave it in the pews?
 
sorry I read “chanting in the pews” and thought this was another topic

If I am “on” for that Mass it means I am getting first communicants or catechumens in their places with their parents and sponsors, explaining the rules about no photo or video during Mass, going over responses and actions for whatever rite is happening for those who missed the meeting, conferring with the Mass coordinator, ushers, or deacon, taking gum away from people (adults are the worst) and so forth. That is why I go to another Mass to feel I actually assited at Mass.

In our parish there is usually music before Mass and rosary immediately after precisely to cut down on commotion inside. I wish I didn’t need to do or say anything on these days but it is a fact of life.
 
Ockham said:
I’m curious to know what people are talking about before Mass in the pews. If you chat, please contribute to the poll.
Click to expand...
Talking in the pews before (or after) Mass is irreverent and shouldn’t be done.

Maybe you mean talking in the sacristy…
 
In our parish, the Rosary Society starts up a Rosary about 1/2 before Mass. As people come in, they join in the Rosary.

When it’s finished, it’s just about time for Mass to start.

So about the only ‘chatting’ people do before Mass is to Christ, through Mary 😉
 
Ockham said:
Does the bulletin have to be read and discussed prior to Mass? Can you take it home with you or do you have to leave it in the pews?
Click to expand...
I noticed the examples of Mass attendees around the approximate 50- 70 year age group chatting before and at times during the Mass. Is this some sort of interpretation of “Spirit of Vatican II” ? Mass went from Latin to Novus Ordo, so let’s remove statues,remove kneelers, hide the tabernacle in the closet,read our bulletins during Father’s homily,chat away before, during Mass, no examination of conscience, small confession lines,empty out the pews for Communion, irreverence in the Communion lines, receive communion, throw Jesus back in the closet. and run right out the door. No wonder the youth in the past 40 years leave the Church in their teens and early twenties. Father John Corapi S.O.L.T. has been teaching Catholics since the 1990’s on the sixteen documents of the Second Vatican Council. Spirit of Vatican II of Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) is correctly interpreted about God the Holy Spirit to Pope John XVIII and the Cardinals on faith and morals of the church and the modern world. Not to be “modernist,” “relativist,” and/or “progessivism.” I’m 45 years old and left the Church at 18 years old in 1982. I returned at 37 years old in 2001. I expected to learn from my elders about Mass and almost left in 2003 to become Southern Baptist. But I stayed Catholic and will continue. The big problem is lack of catechesis. I have hit many Catholic books for the past eight years along with Catholic radio, tv, internet. Mainly alot of today’s Mass attendees are clueless about even the basic tenets of their faith. Pass this message to your parish. God Bless.
 
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