Do you have a "Mass Kit"?

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Duesenberg

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No, I’m not asking about Mass kits priests use to celebrate the Mass away from churches. I’m talking about personal Mass kits for the laity? I have my own Mass kit well honed at this point. It includes
  • My Daily Roman Missal.
  • A Pieta Prayer Book (or something similar.)
  • A few rosaries and a komboskini. I like to gift rosaries to people (especially kids) on the spot.
  • An Eastern Catholic handcross. A gift from a beloved late priest.
  • A small bottle of water.
  • Tissues.
  • A bag of Fisherman’s Friends cough drops (often for those around me.)
  • Foam earplugs (use before Mass)
  • An MP3 player and headphones (use in place of earplugs sometimes.)
  • A beautiful Tallit.
  • A battery powered fan. Never used it myself but I have loaned it to a number of people who looked like they were in misery.
This Mass kit has been of great service to me and to others! I wish it wouldn’t have taken me so long to develop it. In a sense, it has helped me to continue attending Mass…
 
I grab six kids and hope we get out of the door on time. If I’m lucky, I remember the diaper bag, which happens to have my prayer book in. Not that it matters, since I cannot divert my attention to private prayer on a Sunday at church.
 
This sounds like a good idea but I haven’t done it. I am in the habit of leaving my purse at home for Mass (my husband gets the wallet out for collection). But maybe I should bring it, because I always have ear plugs in there for other annoying times at other places. And I sometimes cover my ears when praying after receiving communion, because I like to pray at that time, but communion time seems to be a favored time for enthusiastic sharing of self-expression by the folk guitarists. Also I do not like many of their old-favorite hymns, like the ones about the so-wonderful “we the people”, and “I, the Lord”. I could just unobtrusively tune it out with handy earplugs.
 
Clean and respectful clothes on - check
Clean teeth and breath - check
Face and hands washed - check
Church envelope (with bank check in it) - check
Hair brushed - check
Shoes on - check
Purse - check
Car keys - check

Kit complete
 
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Eliza10 said:
This sounds like a good idea but I haven’t done it. I am in the habit of leaving my purse at home for Mass (my husband gets the wallet out for collection). But maybe I should bring it, because I always have ear plugs in there for other annoying times at other places. And I sometimes cover my ears when praying after receiving communion, because I like to pray at that time, but communion time seems to be a favored time for enthusiastic sharing of self-expression by the folk guitarists. Also I do not like many of their old-favorite hymns, like the ones about the so-wonderful “we the people”, and “I, the Lord”. I could just unobtrusively tune it out with handy earplugs.
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Good for you…

I think to some degree I did it because I was tired of a “fire-drill” every Sunday morning getting my stuff in order and because I found the perfect leather satchel for $2.00 at a local thrift shoppe. I do enjoy quietly “ministering” – be it giving an inexpensive rosary for some child transfixed by my own, or offering a tissue or cough drop to someone in need. I’ve seen this sort of thing done by ushers in Protestant parishes.

The best though is turning on the fan and handing it to someone who looks as if they are really struggling. Maybe I’ll add a second fan next summer:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DZYUL6A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_gSodzbY5H1XAH
 
Its a very kind way to minister to others! Tissues - very helpful! There have been times I have been SO GLAD for an old tissue from someone’s purse!

Doesn’t the fan make noise, though? Maybe those plastic/paper fans would be a quiet choice? Like these: https://www.amazon.com/Solid-Color-...1511413700&sr=8-8&keywords=paper+plastic+fans}

Also, if your purse can take on more, little mini pads of paper and golf pencils https://www.amazon.com/ProActive-Sp...&qid=1511413989&sr=1-14&keywords=golf+pencils for and/or some fidget/squish clay for restless fidgety little ones?
 
No, the fan is quite quiet, but the next one I plan to get is almost silent from what I understand.

These ways of ministering to people seem to be completely foreign in the Catholic Church in my experience, yet they are quite common in other churches and synagogues.
 
Sunday morning Mass I go to with my family? Some sheets of paper that has the parts of the Mass and some prayers so my soon-to-be seven year old son can follow along.

Sunday evening Mass I do music at? My cajon, a microphone + cable, and an alarm to help remind me to go to confession that’s available before that Mass.
 
I just take my church offering envelope and put some pound coins in my pocket for any retiring collection. I turn off my mobile on the walk to church. I don’t take a handbag with me.

Other than that, I only need my Magnificat!
 
Yup, us ladies have the advantage there - a lot of this stuff travels with me in my purse anyway. Plus I have all the Catholic liturgy and prayerbooks and Bible on my phone.
 
I, like other women have said, carry everything in my bag. I even carry my bible and a journal with me. I don’t carry extra rosaries but it is a good idea.

I’ve never seen anyone use a tallit in a Catholic Mass.
 
For a weekday Mass: Missal & rosary (and spare change for votive candles)

For Sunday Mass: Missal, rosaries (in case someone forgets theirs or doesn’t have one), lighter/matches, pen & notepad, prayer book, any altar linen that was washed and pressed the week before, key to the church (that last one is very important)
 
Duesenberg said:
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7_Sorrows:
What is a komboskini?
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A knotted rope for praying the Jesus Prayer – “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner, amen.” AKA “Chotki” in Russian.
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Okay. Thanks. I have never heard of it before.
 
Eliza10 said:
This sounds like a good idea but I haven’t done it. I am in the habit of leaving my purse at home for Mass (my husband gets the wallet out for collection). But maybe I should bring it, because I always have ear plugs in there for other annoying times at other places. And I sometimes cover my ears when praying after receiving communion, because I like to pray at that time, but communion time seems to be a favored time for enthusiastic sharing of self-expression by the folk guitarists. Also I do not like many of their old-favorite hymns, like the ones about the so-wonderful “we the people”, and “I, the Lord”. I could just unobtrusively tune it out with handy earplugs.
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Ear plugs and ear buds are a huge gift in my opinion. It completely blocks out the din in my parish church which can be just hideous. It’s just wonderful. I can focus on the readings or prayer or even listen to some good music without interruption. Once again, they are just great – I wish I would have made them part of my kit 20 years ago.
 
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