Eucharistic Adoration Etiquette... What should I do?

[TempleofTheSoul]

I try to go to Adoration every week and every once in a while I come across a woman who reads prayers from a prayer book VERY LOUDLY and will also sing VERY LOUDLY the hymns in her prayer book.

I know there are some people who will during Eucharistic Adoration cry spontaneously or prostrate themselves in front of the Blessed Sacrament and I have absolutely no problem with that at all and am often moved by it. BUT this one woman’s loud chirping of prayers and hymns from her prayer book distracts me so much that I can’t concentrate while I am trying to meditate on Our Lord in the chapel.

What would be a polite way to tell her tone it down without taking away from her how she expresses herself in prayer at the Blessed Sacrament Adoration chapel?

Thank you and God bless

 

[Sherry_G]

I am not sure there is a “proper” way to handle this one. Perhaps you could meet up with the person on the way out after EA next week, stike up a friendly conversation with them and discuss your position on EA and how much it means to you to come and worship Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament in silence. That Jesus speaks to you in the silence, when all is quiet. Perhaps this will give them something to think about next time. Beyond that, maybe talk to your priest and ask for his suggestions or something be available in the chapel about respecting the prayer time of others and worhipping in silence? I now what you are talking about and it is very disquieting. I was never successful in getting a small group to stop their vocal prayers in our Adoration Chapel. I wa always pleased when I saw they were not there, but maybe Jesus didn’t mind their words.

 

[po18guy]

Yes, this is a tough one to handle. I try always to maintain complete silence before our Lord. Some parishioners may not realize the spiritual connection to our Lord that occurs in His presence. I have seen a couple of people bring drinks with them If you can, try to find another hour when you can arrive - the later at night the better, in my experience. In the middle of the night, there is just something about the utter silence and solitude that you experience with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that speaks directly to your spirit.

 

[504Katrin]

Yes, this is a tough one to handle. I try always to maintain complete silence before our Lord. Some parishioners may not realize the spiritual connection to our Lord that occurs in His presence. I have seen a couple of people bring drinks with them If you can, try to find another hour when you can arrive - the later at night the better, in my experience. In the middle of the night, there is just something about the utter silence and solitude that you experience with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that speaks directly to your spirit.

that’s an interesting opinion. Why is this an issue in your eyes?

 

[nannymar]

I try to go to Adoration every week and every once in a while I come across a woman who reads prayers from a prayer book VERY LOUDLY and will also sing VERY LOUDLY the hymns in her prayer book.

I know there are some people who will during Eucharistic Adoration cry spontaneously or prostrate themselves in front of the Blessed Sacrament and I have absolutely no problem with that at all and am often moved by it. BUT this one woman’s loud chirping of prayers and hymns from her prayer book distracts me so much that I can’t concentrate while I am trying to meditate on Our Lord in the chapel.

What would be a polite way to tell her tone it down without taking away from her how she expresses herself in prayer at the Blessed Sacrament Adoration chapel?

Thank you and God bless

I don’t know whether this will help but take it as a suggestion from someone who has experienced the same problem. Perhaps if you approach this woman about beginning a prayer group with vocal prayers. Eg. each could have their turn of emptying their hearts.
If she would like it to be during a time of Adoration perhaps she could discuss this with the Pastor and place it in the bulletin as such. example: our Adoration hours are mainly “silent” but for those who may wish to participate in vocalizing prayer before the Blessed Sacrament contact______ and she will inform you of the times for this unique kind of prayer to(for) the Lord. My experience was a woman had an i-pod with the Chaplet and ear plug but what came out of her mouth was not discernable and as you say distracting. I first asked our Pastor how to handle the situation and he said simply tell the woman our Adoration hours are meant to be in silence. She continues to come but not with her i-pod. I’m sure she has received much grace by this act of humility. We also have a “prayer group” where she can voice her feelings and frustrations.

 

[TheMc]

po18guy:

I have seen a couple of people bring drinks with them.

that’s an interesting opinion. Why is this an issue in your eyes?

You don’t see that as an issue? Unless you need to, it’s really quite disrespectful to eat or drink in church.

TempleofTheSoul:

What would be a polite way to tell her tone it down without taking away from her how she expresses herself in prayer at the Blessed Sacrament Adoration chapel?

Maybe try talking to the pastor. At our perpetual adoration chapel, there’s a sign that says:

Complete Silence
No Food or Drink
No Sleeping
No Panhandling

Maybe that would do the trick.

 

[504Katrin]

You don’t see that as an issue? Unless you need to, it’s really quite disrespectful to eat or drink in church.

Maybe try talking to the pastor. At our perpetual adoration chapel, there’s a sign that says:

Complete Silence
No Food or Drink
No Sleeping
No Panhandling

Maybe that would do the trick.

I didn’t mean to say anything about food in church. I find eating disrespectful also. Couple of weeks ago though I had a cold and I was sneezing and coughing the entire program you get the picture. It wasn’t too bad tho so decided to go to church but brought some water in order to keep my throat wet so that I wouldn’t have to cough so often.

 

[corsair]

Many folks have absolutely no understanding of why they are even there, Personally I prefer silence. Someone that tends to vocalize cause a distraction in praying for others. There is such a thing as courtesy.

I also agree that there should be no food or drinks. Things like this lend a trivialization to being with Christ.

As another has said, “find another hour”.

 

[po18guy]

that’s an interesting opinion. Why is this an issue in your eyes?

I see it as disrespectful to our Lord, reducing one’s being in His presence to a casual situation. I base this on simple etiquette, as well as Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:33-34 "So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another–if any one is hungry, let him eat at home–lest you come together to be condemned’. If a burger and fries would be improper, how is a drink any more appropriate? Can we not remain with Him for one hour without eating or drinking? Also, there is a one hour fast before worshipping Christ in the mass. Is it a burden to fast for one hour (or even less) while in His presence outside of mass?

 

[TempleofTheSoul]

Thanks for all of the responses. The suggestion of talking to the pastor and putting up a sign that says ¨Silence During Adoration¨ may be what I have to do. When it comes to the suggestion of me changing my hours…I don´t see why I should change the hours that I go since I am not the one causing the distractions. And besides I tend to go at different hours all the time, but someway somehow many times I will come across this woman and her loud praying. So changing my hours is not relevant.

This might be God testing me or getting me to get the nerve up and politely tell her to tone it down for the sake of the others that have to put up with it as well. Only God knows.

This isn’t the only etiquette problem I have encountered but I won’t turn this into a bashing thread with a bunch of my complaints. For now this is the one thorn in my side that grates on my nerves during my Adoration time.

Thanks again and God bless

 

[po18guy]

Thanks for all of the responses. The suggestion of talking to the pastor and putting up a sign that says ¨Silence During Adoration¨ may be what I have to do. When it comes to the suggestion of me changing my hours…I don´t see why I should change the hours that I go since I am not the one causing the distractions. And besides I tend to go at different hours all the time, but someway somehow many times I will come across this woman and her loud praying. So changing my hours is not relevant.

This might be God testing me or getting me to get the nerve up and politely tell her to tone it down for the sake of the others that have to put up with it as well. Only God knows.

This isn’t the only etiquette problem I have encountered but I won’t turn this into a bashing thread with a bunch of my complaints. For now this is the one thorn in my side that grates on my nerves during my Adoration time.

Thanks again and God bless

What the prayerful but loud person is doing, I would think, is better kept for a holy hour while our Lord was in Reposition, and silence was not expected.

I was once spending a holy hour before the Tabernacle when Vietnamese choir members came in and began practicing. At first I was annoyed, but then I suddenly heard God being praised through words I could not understand. It became a beautiful backdrop to my prayer and actually increased the spirituality of the moment. Quite different from what you have to contend with, however.

Expect that person to complain if silence is enforced

 

[TheMc]

It wasn’t too bad tho so decided to go to church but brought some water in order to keep my throat wet so that I wouldn’t have to cough so often.

Yes… I should have said that. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a water bottle, if you need one.

 

[anonymous_in_fl]

This is precisely why I go to Nocturnal Adoration! I have a key to the chapel, and I go from 2 am to 3 am. Yes, it is a sacrifice to get up in the middle of the night, especially if it is bad weather.

But I was so tired of no silence in the Adoration Chapel during the daytime hours!

Now when I go, I have lots of silence and solitude!

I can be alone with Him whom I love.

 

[po18guy]

I expect to be thoroughly excoriated for this, but if you cannot go without water or food for one hour, while in our Lord’s presence, you should not be at adoration, you should be in the emergency room. How does such a person get through mass?

Could it be a generational thing?

 

[paperwight66]

I expect to be thoroughly excoriated for this, but if you cannot go without water or food for one hour, while in our Lord’s presence, you should not be at adoration, you should be in the emergency room. How does such a person get through mass?

Could it be a generational thing?

Well, to be fair, if someone has a cough and is at Mass, there are many opportunities to make a noise coughing while not being annoying - during hymns would be the obvious place. But during Adoration where silence is expected, a cough could be a real problem.

 

[TempleofTheSoul]

Well, to be fair, if someone has a cough and is at Mass, there are many opportunities to make a noise coughing while not being annoying - during hymns would be the obvious place. But during Adoration where silence is expected, a cough could be a real problem.

I´ve had a bad sore throat that caused me to get fits of coughing that could only be alleviated with drinking some water. So I brought a bottle of water with me to Adoration so I wouldn´t be a bother to anyone else. And if my cough was getting to be too loud I would go outside until it subsided.

I think in such instances having some bottled water is not an issue. Now if you have soft drinks, a snack and other foods in Adoration with you then I would see it as a problem for you are not taking seriously your time with the Lord and are treating it as more of a lunch break.

God bless

 

[po18guy]

Well, to be fair, if someone has a cough and is at Mass, there are many opportunities to make a noise coughing while not being annoying - during hymns would be the obvious place. But during Adoration where silence is expected, a cough could be a real problem.

In neither case that I have observed was a cough a problem. They simply had a drink along with them. Must we retain our worldly comforts while in the presence of the Comforter? Point is, this can lead only to further excesses or abuses. We are a faith of discipline and obedience. If we lack either, we need to address it, out of respect for God, and the others who are present.

 

[debraran]

I don’t see a sip of water as direspectful. You are supposed to be spending time with Jesus, not be afraid to wet your throat discreetly and stay with him. To say if you have to cough, leave the room, seems odd to me, if a cough drop or water would help.

Mother Angelica got me to start going to adoration. She said don’t feel you have to pray the rosary or keep your mind busy, just sit for a while or talk to him in prayer. I bring new shoes, things I got as gifts, talk to him about my troubles, my joys.
To me it’s a time to be with someone I adore and who I can talk too as a friend. The idea that Jesus would object to me taking a sip of water seems more “man-made” rule than his.

It sould seem obvious not to eat, talk loudly, etc. but sometimes people do take one thing and expand it, so I can see why if you said “water” some might think why not soda, beer, etc. although it seems absurd.

I think Catholics get too into rules and who is doing what right or wrong. Adoration is between you and Jesus, I learned to block out others doing things that were distracting whether it was talking or prostrating themselves, saying the rosary outloud. I will even tell Jesus, I’m sorry, but I’m trying to stay focused, I need a little help. He usually does. : )
Sometimes I think that the person with the cough drop or small water bottle might be getting more out of adoration than the ones trying to “do it perfectly” and getting so distracted by others. He wants his sheep with him and the more they come, the more grace they will receive. Jesus knows what’s in their hearts and they aren’t trying to be rude, they aren’t judging and they are trying.
I just can’t imagine God thinking spending time with him must be done in discomfort to be good when a little thing would make a difference. Just like someone who comes to be with him for 15 minutes might be more devout and loving than the one who comes for hours thinking it is garnering him/her special graces.He knows your heart and intentions.

 

[josethekke]

I try to go to Adoration every week and every once in a while I come across a woman who reads prayers from a prayer book VERY LOUDLY and will also sing VERY LOUDLY the hymns in her prayer book.

I know there are some people who will during Eucharistic Adoration cry spontaneously or prostrate themselves in front of the Blessed Sacrament and I have absolutely no problem with that at all and am often moved by it. BUT this one woman’s loud chirping of prayers and hymns from her prayer book distracts me so much that I can’t concentrate while I am trying to meditate on Our Lord in the chapel.

What would be a polite way to tell her tone it down without taking away from her how she expresses herself in prayer at the Blessed Sacrament Adoration chapel?

Thank you and God bless

I think it is alright to pray loudly if the prayer is coming from the heart

 

[asia53]

Well, to be fair, if someone has a cough and is at Mass, there are many opportunities to make a noise coughing while not being annoying - during hymns would be the obvious place. But during Adoration where silence is expected, a cough could be a real problem.

I’m on medication for a medical condition. One of the side effects of the medication is a dry cough. The cough happens spontaneously, and I’m not able to time my cough for a less annoying time. I have water, and take a sip when I need it. Without a sip of water, my cough sometimes turns into a full-scale coughing attack. Very distracting for my neighbors!