At our Church, after the Mass, the priest asked everyone to stay and he pulled up a chair in front of the altar and began to discuss the sad state of the Church’s finances, and asked for suggestions on how to bring in more money to the Church.
Our Monsignor retired this year after 26 years service, he did bring in a “draw” which was only supposed to run short term, 1 year, 15 years on it’s still going.
It costs a £1 and you can win £1000, £100, £100, and at Christmas 5 separate draws of £5000.
Anyway I don’t remember him discussing it in Church, it seems to work well with willing parishioners going to those who subscribe and collecting the £1 fee.
If someone wins, that ticket seller receives £100, and we have had our Church restored, so it does make up for shortfalls in the collection.
I don’t like the church being used as anything other than for the celebration of the mass or benedictions or sacraments and devotionals (adoration).
However, there has been an ever increasing escalation of encroachments on the sanctity and holiness of the church for things related to “reasonable” elleastical preparation. For example we often have the choirs and musicians come into the church in the evenings to practise. We have wedding rehearsals with people who are not even Catholic (and lots of photographers are very rude) walking about like they own the place talking at the top of their voice while people are praying or trying to go to confession. It’s even worse after a wedding and I have seen photographers lay their gear on the altar and start directing people while everyone is clowning around and laughing.
Sounds like you’ve been to my Church, the noise and disrespect is a joke if it wasn’t so serious.
It sounds like Grand Central Station inside the church. If you see behaviour like this, let your voice be heard.
Oh I did let my voice be heard, but low key, and said "the Altar is for the Sacrifice of the Mass, and I don’t think what yous are doing is appropriate ", then I genuflected to the Tabernacle and went my way.
I wasn’t rude but inside I was very angry.
The inside of a Church and the sanctuary are supposed to be sacred space, reserved for sacred activity. Somehow I suspect that everyone instinctively knows what sacred activity is and is not. There are many in the time we live in who feel a need to mix the sacred and the profane.
Yes, like some of the young women folk, and some who never grow old, like our female reader with a split up her dress like someone ripped it, and her cleavage popping out.
I don’t know, since the clergy won’t speak up I guess someone has too.
I was going to send that woman a letter and ask her "do you think it’s ok to go up and read like someone dressed from a top shelf magazine " ?
If I see her again I may well do.
There were many liberties taken after Vatican II. From what I’ve been seeing and hearing, some of that is being reined in.
Sooner the better.
no its not appropriate and when I’m ordained I will not tolerate it.
I hope so,

35 years ago when we had Sunday night 7pm Mass, we had the hangers on outside and the talkers inside.
Fr Joseph Mullen stood up and said, “people come in here and treat this place like a market, and to all you people standing outside, can you please go home.” I always liked his plain speaking.