Do you "people watch" during communion?

[Cran]

I do the people-watch at the TLM because it is not as familiar to me yet as the “usual” mass at my parish, becuase I have a litle fear of sticking out and doing the “wrong” thing

At my home parish, I usually don’t, I’m sitting up in the choir as server and therefore look straight on the other side of the church, but sometimes I glance down to see if it is time for meto get up again… But even if I am not serving, I usually keep in prayer and my eyes closed, until there is some unusual disturbance. Sometimes I would indeed like to watch, but I don’t do because I wouldn’t like to be watched, either!

 

[Genesis315]

Walking up I keep my eyes on the Crucifix. Walking back, I keep my eyes on a Divine Mercy picture. And when I kneel and pray I keep my hands over my face. It seems to work

 

[archangel]

And when I kneel and pray I keep my hands over my face. It seems to work

I bury my face in my hands as well.

Christopher West says he watches and in his mind says “Christ” for every man he sees and “Church” for every woman.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I watch the traffic pattern so my granddaughters don’t run over the older lady who sits on the end of my pew. I watch my elder granddaughter to make sure she receives reverently, and not with a “lick and a promise”, esp. when she receives the Precious Blood. I watch the younger granddaughter, to make sure she doesn’t decide to try to make her Frist Communion on her own, and I watch myself coming and going, to make sure I am reverent in my actions.

I have no time to watch anybody else, except as a personmoving “traffic”. Sorry.

 

[Curious]

I probably don’t count, but when I’ve been to Mass I people watch during communion if I don’t go up with the arms crossed. If I just hang out the pews I like watching them and the different things they do. Some cross themselves afterward, some don’t. Some say “Amen” after the person says, “the body of Christ” and some don’t. Some sort of bob their head before they receive and some don’t. Some look bored, others look reverent.

I’m not Catholic, but if I were, I would guess that at least for the first little while, I would be all swept up in receiving and not paying much attention to others.

 

[THutch04]

Before I became Catholic I got into the habit of people watching. It started out as just something to take my mind off of the fact that I had a lot of sadness about not being able to receive, and truthfully, I just thought it was a beautiful thing to witness.

 

[CarrieH]

I don’t stare, but I do notice people when I’m out in the congregation and not up with the choir. When I catch myself doing that, I give thanks to God that there are so many different kinds of people in the world and that He loves us all!

 

[Matas]

I close my eyes for most of the mass. I open them to see how my sons are doing, exchange a glance with my wife, and/or to watch people receive communion. Other than that, I keep them closed.