Do people chew gum during Mass at your parish?

[e-catholic]

In our church paper this week our Pastor expressed his displeasure with finding several (10 or more) people chewing gum during Mass on Easter. He was even more surprised when he found that people pushed it into their cheek when they wen to communion, in order to hide the fact that they were chewing it.

I was surprised at this, I haven’t known this to happen before. Has anyone else ever witnessed this. This has to be the most disrespectful thing you could do especially if you are receiving Communion.

 

[Cat]

Yes, people chew gum during Mass at our parish.

I prefer to take a charitable viewpoint. There are certain meds (e.g., Enablex) that cause extremely dry mouth, bad enough that a person can cough and choke. Sometimes the mouth gets so dry that lesions develop inside the gums or throat. Chewing gum helps alleviate this. I know from experience. (I also drink huge amounts of fluids.)

The other possibility is that smokers chew gum out of consideration for others who are bothered (sometimes even nauseated) by “smokers’ breath.” To be honest, I would tell the smoker that it’s not just the breath, it’s the clothing that reeks. But he/she means well.

I’m not naive. I’m sure that many of the Mass gum chewers do not fall into either of these categories; e.g., not too many young people are on Enablex. But like I said, I prefer to always take the charitable viewpoint.

BTW–I do know at least one young person who is on Enablex. She was in a horrific car crash that causes occasional urinary incontinence. So like I said, it’s always best to err on the side of charity, and not judge someone. The same measure we use to judge others will be used to judge US.

 

[e-catholic]

Yes, people chew gum during Mass at our parish.

I prefer to take a charitable viewpoint. There are certain meds (e.g., Enablex) that cause extremely dry mouth, bad enough that a person can cough and choke. Sometimes the mouth gets so dry that lesions develop inside the gums or throat. Chewing gum helps alleviate this. I know from experience. (I also drink huge amounts of fluids.)

The other possibility is that smokers chew gum out of consideration for others who are bothered (sometimes even nauseated) by “smokers’ breath.” To be honest, I would tell the smoker that it’s not just the breath, it’s the clothing that reeks. But he/she means well.

I’m not naive. I’m sure that many of the Mass gum chewers do not fall into either of these categories; e.g., not too many young people are on Enablex. But like I said, I prefer to always take the charitable viewpoint.

BTW–I do know at least one young person who is on Enablex. She was in a horrific car crash that causes occasional urinary incontinence. So like I said, it’s always best to err on the side of charity, and not judge someone. The same measure we use to judge others will be used to judge US.

I don’t think this has anything to do with judging anyone. There is a rule of a one hour fast before Holy Communion. Also, have you ever thought about the fact of someone going to Communion with gum in there mouth? Our Lord gets stuck in their gum, and goes into the trash on the way out the door.

Is it just me or are there other people here who are appalled by this?

 

[SMHW]

Since many people who come to Mass on Easter Sunday are not regulars, I would not be surprised that some would be chewing gum on that day. That’s not to say that your pastor should not have said something; just that I don’t think such behavior at Easter is necesarily a good indicator of the Mass behavior of those who show up on the Second Sunday of Easter.

But yes, I imagine people at my parish do chew gum for a variety of reasons, some legitimate, some not. But it’s not something I see regularly.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I’ve seen people chewing gum at Mass, and then go up to receive. I’ve also seen my former pastor, tell them to get rid of the gum, before giving them communion.

I try not to let such things bother me, for I may not be aware of the things that I do that makes the Lord unhappy.

Jim

 

[rstegeman]

I have seen this and it does seem very disrespectful…unless there is a medical need for it of course. It has been a while and thankfully not at my parish, but I have seen at Christmas mass people playing solitaire on a pocket pc type device and actually saw someone watching a football game on a pocket tv. Talk about disrespectful. I can’t remember about the tv watcher, but I do remember seeing the solitaire being played during the Mass.

 

[kell0618]

In our church paper this week our Pastor expressed his displeasure with finding several (10 or more) people chewing gum during Mass on Easter. He was even more surprised when he found that people pushed it into their cheek when they wen to communion, in order to hide the fact that they were chewing it.

I was surprised at this, I haven’t known this to happen before. Has anyone else ever witnessed this. This has to be the most disrespectful thing you could do especially if you are receiving Communion.

LOL. Funny you should post this…

No, I have never noted anyone chewing gum in my parish (except for one man with severe health problems who must chew gum constantly to keep his mouth moistened. He obviously removes the gum prior to communion and chews very discreetly) UNTIL Easter. LOL.

I wrote about it in my blog here. I think the problem is that so many people drop into church just at Christmas and Easter. At those two times, you are more likely to see people among you that engage in inappropriate behavior simply because they don’t know what is and isn’t appropriate.

Peace.

 

[Spiller]

I “chew” gum at Mass. I start it a good two hours before I will receive so there is no problem with the fast requirements. Long before getting in line for communion, I discretely place the gum in a tissue that then goes in my pocket.

Does anyone know I chew gum at church? Possibly, if they focused hard on me and saw my once-every-20-30-seconds chew. Why do I do it? So my mouth and throat do not go dry and I can therefore sing.

 

[jmcrae]

I “chew” gum at Mass. I start it a good two hours before I will receive so there is no problem with the fast requirements.

What does the start time have to do with it?

Long before getting in line for communion, I discretely place the gum in a tissue that then goes in my pocket.

If you get rid of your gum more than an hour before Holy Communion, then you’re fine. I don’t typically go to Masses that are that long, though.

Why do I do it? So my mouth and throat do not go dry and I can therefore sing.

Water is permitted during the hour before Holy Communion - and much more effective for moistening your throat.

I notice people who should know better chomping away on gum at Mass, too. I think it sets an extremely poor example to the young, besides being a violation of the Communion fast. In any case, why would anyone chew gum in public, let alone at Mass, even if it were not a violation of the fast? Would you chew gum in school, or at a meeting with your boss at work?

 

[MarieVeronica]

Yep. There have even been wads of chewing gum found in the Baptismal font. Disgusting.:tsktsk:

 

[Spiller]

What does the start time have to do with it?

Because it’s an inert piece of paraffin (and other inert materials) no more than 30 minutes after I begin chewing it. After that point I’m not consuming anything. In no way is that breaking the fast.

If you get rid of your gum more than an hour before Holy Communion, then you’re fine. I don’t typically go to Masses that are that long, though.

See above.

Water is permitted during the hour before Holy Communion - and much more effective for moistening your throat.

Actually I think those that swing water during Mass (except for medical reasons) can be quite annoying – especially when it’s from a 1.5 liter bottle.

I notice people who should know better chomping away on gum at Mass, too. I think it sets an extremely poor example to the young, besides being a violation of the Communion fast.

I don’t “chomp” on gum during Mass. That’s inflammatory and wrong. Further in no way am I breaking the fast – you are just wrong about that. No different than if I sucked on a little pebble (also inert) during Mass to stimulate saliva. You need to focus on what’s taking place in the sanctuary…

In any case, why would anyone chew gum in public, let alone at Mass, even if it were not a violation of the fast? Would you chew gum in school, or at a meeting with your boss at work?

Again, it’s not a violation of the fast.

Anyone having trouble with others chewing gum in public needs to look inward because the problem is surely with them. Perhaps they have only learned how to “chomp” on gum and assume that how everyone chews gum. That’s certainly not the case. I chew gum because I enjoy it and in a church setting it keeps my mouth and throat from going dry while singing without breaking the fast.

 

[Spiller]

Yep. There have even been wads of chewing gum found in the Baptismal font. Disgusting.:tsktsk:

It would be crude to place any trash in a baptismal font. To try and infer that this is somehow unique to people who chew gum is wrong. To try and infer that it’s a necessary consequence of chewing gum is also wrong.

 

[MarieVeronica]

To try and infer that this is somehow unique to people who chew gum is wrong. To try and infer that it’s a necessary consequence of chewing gum is also wrong.

I assure you, I wasn’t “inferring” that this is somehow unique to people who chew gum. The OP asked, specifically about gum chewing in Church. What I described is the occasional result of gum chewing in my parish church. And it has happened more than once. For it to land in the Baptismal Font, even “occasionally” is disgusting. The Pastor has posted about it, more than once… in the bulletin.

 

[Deacon_Ed_B]

Yes, I have seen people chewing gum in Church. I politely point out to them that they are not suppose to do so, especially if they want to receive Communion.
Deacon Ed B

 

[VietCatholic83]

Yes I do see people chewing gum during mass and it irritates the heck out of me. while many of the culprits are my own peers (20 somethings) I do see teens and adults do likewise. This in one of my pet peeves. For me, it has everything to do with reverence: for the sacred action taking place at each liturgy and for the reception of our lord in Holy Communion. I feel that chewing gum or anything such as food, crackers etc are not appropriate for Mass. It’s not a ballgame at Shea! I say ditch the gum.

 

[jmcrae]

Because it’s an inert piece of paraffin (and other inert materials) no more than 30 minutes after I begin chewing it. After that point I’m not consuming anything. In no way is that breaking the fast.

This seems very legalistic, to me, and smacks of excuse-making.

Actually I think those that swing water during Mass (except for medical reasons) can be quite annoying – especially when it’s from a 1.5 liter bottle.

Sure, but at least it is not a violation of the fast.

Anyone having trouble with others chewing gum in public needs to look inward because the problem is surely with them.

I have never heard of civilized people chewing gum in public. Are we cows? Can’t we get through a couple of hours without having to chew on something? I don’t chew gum in public because that’s what I was taught in the Public School System, that it is extremely rude to chew gum in front of other people, especially a teacher, police officer, or other authority figure.

At Mass, we are in the presence of God, not to mention the priest; surely God and the priest rate at least a little bit more politeness than a mere public school teacher or beat cop.

I chew gum because I enjoy it and in a church setting it keeps my mouth and throat from going dry while singing without breaking the fast.

The rest of us can manage; what makes you so special? (How do you sing clearly with something in your mouth, anyways?)

 

[Spiller]

Yes, I have seen people chewing gum in Church. I politely point out to them that they are not suppose to do so, especially if they want to receive Communion.
Deacon Ed B

Who says they are not to chew gum at Mass?

Granted, if you can tell they are chewing gum, that’s a problem in itself. Further if they are chewing gum that is still releasing material then that would impact the fast. And finally if they dared come-up for communion with gum in their mouths (or fingers) that would be horrible. But I don’t see how chewing gum as I do in any way violates any Church instruction, nor do I see how it negatively impacts good manners.

The ONLY time I had an issue with chewing gum was when I was picked as an EMHC just before communion began. In the rush I found myself in the sanctuary with gum in my mouth. No way could I place it in a tissue in that situation. I had no choice but to quietly swallow it.

 

[jmcrae]

Who says they are not to chew gum at Mass?

The Deacon does; why isn’t that good enough for you?

 

[Spiller]

This seems very legalistic, to me, and smacks of excuse-making.

“Legalistic?” Are you serious? Look at your own comment. I’m not consuming anything. It’s a non-starter.

Sure, but at least it is not a violation of the fast.

Making some progress here, excellent.

I have never heard of civilized people chewing gum in public. Are we cows? Can’t we get through a couple of hours without having to chew on something? I don’t chew gum in public because that’s what I was taught in the Public School System, that it is extremely rude to chew gum in front of other people, especially a teacher, police officer, or other authority figure.

I have never heard a prohibition of chewing gum in public for “civilized people.” Again, when you chew gum you might equate it to a “cow”, but that’s simply not how I or millions (billions?) of others chew gum.

At Mass, we are in the presence of God, not to mention the priest; surely God and the priest rate at least a little bit more politeness than a mere public school teacher or beat cop.

There is nothing impolite about the way I chew gum. Notice how your comments have changed. First it was all about the fast. When that was shown to be a non-issue you are now suggesting that chewing gum must be an impolite process. The fact is it need not be – no more than it must necessarily break the fast.

The rest of us can manage; what makes you so special? (How do you sing clearly with something in your mouth, anyways?)

Now you are taking a third avenue to attack me. The fast didn’t work. Nor did the “chomping” or “civilized” inferences. Now it’s a matter of inferring that you think I must consider myself to be “special” because I chew gum at Mass.

First I’m not sure the “rest of us can manage.” I see a lot of people idly swigging on water bottles (the florescent green 1.5L ones are especially popular it seems) or worse during Mass, I see people popping-in hard candy and yes, even the outlaw gum chewer.

As it is I’ll continue to chew gum during Mass because I’m not breaking the fast, nor am I doing anything inconsiderate to God or my fellow parishioners, except maybe those actually scanning the faithful looking for problems. As for singing with gum in my mouth, a single stick of 2 hour old Trident is not about to hamper my voice.

In fact, chewing gum at Mass does none of those, yet in does in the words of St. Augustine allow me to pray twice as it allows me to sing.

 

[Spiller]

The Deacon does; why isn’t that good enough for you?

Nope.