Does This Happen in Your Parish?

[ilySHJ]

CS Lewis in “The Weight of Glory”
These things—the beauty, the memory of our own past—are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself they turn into dumb idols, .

The original poster doesn’t seem to be idolizing the past but rather lamenting the noise and lack of reverence so common in our churches today. Sometimes the cacaphony is more than one can tune out.

In my own church, the sacristan is conversing with people in the pews as she prepares things behind the altar. The lector is exclaiming the success of a work project to people who are literally one pew from the back of the church. After Mass the kids home from college are playing 70’s rock songs on the piano.

Everyone seems oblivious to Christ’s presence. No bows. No genuflections toward the Tabernacle. The priest himself makes a half-bow without breaking stride as he walks in to vest.

We’ve lost our sense of awe and wonder – a sad loss.

 

[babs57]

Everyone seems oblivious to Christ’s presence. No bows. No genuflections toward the Tabernacle. The priest himself makes a half-bow without breaking stride as he walks in to vest.

We’ve lost our sense of awe and wonder – a sad loss.

"The sense of the sacred is part of the virtue of religion:

‘Are these feelings of fear and awe Christian feelings or not? … They are the class of feelings we should have - yes, have to an immense degree - if we literally had the sight of Almighty God; therefore they are the class of feelings we shall have, if we realize His presence. In proportion as we believe He is present, we shall have them; and to not have them, is not to realize, not to believe that He is present.’ "

CCC 2144 quoting from John Henry Cardinal Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, V2

 

[clem456]

The original poster doesn’t seem to be idolizing the past but rather lamenting the noise and lack of reverence so common in our churches today. Sometimes the cacaphony is more than one can tune out.

In my own church, the sacristan is conversing with people in the pews as she prepares things behind the altar. The lector is exclaiming the success of a work project to people who are literally one pew from the back of the church. After Mass the kids home from college are playing 70’s rock songs on the piano.

Everyone seems oblivious to Christ’s presence. No bows. No genuflections toward the Tabernacle. The priest himself makes a half-bow without breaking stride as he walks in to vest.

We’ve lost our sense of awe and wonder – a sad loss.

I should have taken the time to be more specific. I was responding to the “days gone by” type posts not the OP.

 

[grasscutter]

I think the reason for talking is more cultural than a lack of reverence. In any other situations with a group of people, sitting silently would be awkward and possibly impolite. So, the excessive talking (that I totally can’t stand either!) could actually be just habit and and because we are so unused to silence.

If someone tries to engage one in conversation doesn’t smiling and whispering “I can’t talk right now, I’m praying”, work? Would that also be an effective means of leading by example?

 

[babs57]

I think (in my parish, anyway) part of the problem is that we are all so happy to be there and happy to see each other that we sort of overflow. :grouphug: Also, there are so many groups that we all belong to (we are a very small church) that it is convenient to try to get with people before or after Mass to take care of certain business (ie: religious ed, choir, parish council, pro-life stuff, etc.) We often catch ourselves being too boistrous, which we understand is disrespectful to others around us. We just sort of shush ourselves with a ! But I do want to say that once we are inside the sanctuary, there is a very reverant hush.

 

[april32010]

when i was a kid you could get a pack of gum for 5 cents.