Decorum in church

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ontheway
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
O

Ontheway

Guest
Are there rules of behavior when in church, particularly during church services? Are you bothered by people greeting each other as they are going to communion? Should there be some rules that were observed in the past?
Are we comfortable being too comfortable in the presence of God in the Sacrament?
What behavior have your observed that can serve as a good example and what irritates you the most?
 
Perhaps I don’t get out enough, but I have never seen people use the communion line to exchange greetings in my part of the world.
 
OraLabora said:
Perhaps I don’t get out enough, but I have never seen people use the communion line to exchange greetings in my part of the world.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I see it fairly regularly at one of the churches I attend. They will wave and shake hands. This seems to be true of some of the ushers as well.
 
No, I don’t see this either. But then, I’m concentrating on Mass. :rolleyes:
 
I should be concentrating on Mass and become distracted at times, sadly. Yes, I see folks waving and shaking hands while in the communion line. No, I don’t think it’s appropriate. And no, there’s nothing I can or should do about it. The only thing I’ve ever felt compelled to speak about was when I saw someone take the Host and not consume it.

Lots of things irritate me. People genuflecting to the pew and not the tabernacle, people not genuflecting at all, people not bowing before receiving, people wearing clothing that is beyond immodest… But honestly? Offer it up. Take it to confession. Better to use these moments as opportunities to better yourself than inwardly chastise others.
 
I guess my church is fairly quiet. No shaking hands or talking during communion. Nothing untoward. It’s a pretty friendly parish, too, with lots of Italian-Americans who like to talk. But, that happens after mass.
 
A few years ago, I could have given a long list of behaviors that irritated me at mass (naturally none of which I thought applied to me - but I did fall into a ‘holier than thou’ phase at the time). Now I concentrate on my behavior, unless the Holy Spirit nudges me in which case I will respond.

I am only a bit sad when I see people not singing or praying out loud - our mass has been stopped a couple of times when the priest gently pointed out that people needed to participate because sitting in the pew was not enough. It also discourages the children e.g. they tend not to join in, but when separated from their families at their First Holy Communion mass, they all sang and responded because everyone else around them were doing the same.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top