My mother always taught us to sit quietly with our hands folded in our laps, during the sitting parts of the Mass–and never, never were we allowed to cross our legs at the knees! She said that we were at Mass, not a lounge. She had the same rule for dinner tables, too. Her other rule was: no standing on the kneelers. She reminded us that a gentleman or lady shouldn’t have their good clothing dirtied when kneeling, because some kid put their dirty-soled shoes on the kneeler. She said that it was not necesary to “see” over every one else at Mass.
My own kids, grown and almost grown, think I’m nuts, but I have insisted on the same behavior out of them. They are usually considered a rarity.
The worst thing that I usually see in church are the men who are wearing caps and boys wearing caps. I can cut alot of slack for a boy who has lost his hair to chemotherapy, but these folks have lots of hairl
The worst single incident was during Confirmation in 1999. It was a combined event among three parishes, and we were at a neighboring parish. Of course, the church was packed, and a little warm. Then a most obnoxious and nauseating odor enveloped me. A little girl was having her fingernails painted by her mom! During the Mass!
Karl, I only wish our ushers would usher people to seats! From the choir loft, I have seen folks standing in the side aisles because they did not see the empty seats. Our ushers seem to only collect the offeratory. I can remember in the mists of time (only 13 years ago) when an elderly usher urged me to a seat in a crowded Mass. He didn’t realize at the time, that I was standing in the back because I had an infant in my arms, who would only be quiet with a certain, standing only, rocking motion! He is my favorite usher, and I won’t embarrass him here by naming him.
:twocents:
