Gum at Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter beckyann2597
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

beckyann2597

Guest
Okay, so I show up late to Mass on Sunday and take the free seats near the back entrance I walked in through. My 2 year old is trying to run up to the alter and I am having my older daughter read along with the misselette and fill in her Mass worksheet. I am a busy mommy. I look over to the teens sitting next to me (maybe 14, 16 and a little brother 10) and notice they are chewing gum! Its bugging me all through the Gospel reading, so during the homily, I take a peice of paper from my purse, tear it in half, hand it to them and say, “spit out your gum”. The oldest throws the paper on the floor and smirks at me. During the sign of peace I say peace and tell them that they can’t chew gum at mass. I say,“You don’t chew gum at school, and you don’t at Mass either.” The oldest rolls his eyes at me and the 14 yr old sister says glaring at me, “I chew gum at school–whatever”

At this point I am getting a bit ticked, and we are almost ready to recieve communion and I DO NOT want them recieving while chomping on their gum. And we are in the line where our Pastor will be distributing communion.

The lady behind me (a friend) catches onto what is happening and starts telling the kids to spit out their gum, that Father might embarress them in front of everyone if they even try. They laugh at her and say “whos gonna make me”. She is astonished at their defiance, and says to me–“Say something to Father if you need to, or I will if you want me to.” I go up to communion and to Father I say"Please make sure the children behind me have spit out their gum." I decide to leave it at that and recieve communion and walk with my kids back to the pew. The kids leave at the end of mass and I catch the lady who had my back. She siad that Father took them aside and blest them, and gave one of the communion after a very quick chat. Then I catch Father after Mass, and he’s like–Okay, fill me in–What was happening? I let him know I was trying to be nice to them, not chastising–(he liked the not at school,not at Mass approach) but make them aware of the rules. He siad that it was fine and that we are a family and sometimes we call eachother out.

Would you have called them out too? I’m glad I did, but I admit it was a little scary.
 
Yes. It is a shame that today we don’t see the same type of disciplinary assistance from all the faithful in mass to educate and discipline those who need it. I have had to tell grown adults to not talk about the days events while mass was going on. It is disrespectful and I applaud you for helping to form some kids.
 
This is Catholic 101 - do not chew gum in church. However, nobody teaches it anymore.
 
I was talking to my husband after Mass about it (He is the music minister and was singing during that mass, so didn’t sit with us). I was saying, Do you remeber being that rude to anyone at Mass? Even your parents? I would have spit out my gum at their age. I was a pain to my parents at home at times, but I wouldn’t have dreamt of doing that during mass. My husband siad he would have NEVER acted that way to anyone, especially his parents–especially at mass. I also siad to him that if one of our kids acted like that I would have taken them outside and slapped them. Thats what would have happened to me, which is probably why I would never act up!
 
Where were the parents of these kids?

BTW - you did a good thing!
 
40.png
kage_ar:
Where were the parents of these kids?

BTW - you did a good thing!
Click to expand...
I don’t know where the parents were. There was a lady next to them, but she didn’t even look at them during mass and certainly didn’t pay attention to what was going on, so I don’t think she was with them, but then who did they come with?
 
Beckyann good for you and the other lady. This week I saw a middle age lady spit the Eucharist out into her cupped hands. At first I thought I was losing my mind, but no my wife turned and looked at me with that "did you see that " look. After mass on the way home we both agreed that was what we saw.
 
You did a wonderful thing that not many people would have the courage to do. Kudos! :bowdown2:
 
40.png
beckyann2597:
Would you have called them out too? I’m glad I did, but I admit it was a little scary.
Click to expand...
Very bold and very good of you.
I’m not sure I would have had the guts.
It’s a wonder that these kids even attend Mass.
With their attitude, they probably won’t for long.
At the Life-Teen Mass I used to attend this was always a problem and the kids were instructed not to chew gum during Mass before Mass began and if the priest saw them chomping away during Mass he would come off the altar to confront them and get them to spit it out.
 
hilde the dog:
Beckyann good for you and the other lady. This week I saw a middle age lady spit the Eucharist out into her cupped hands. At first I thought I was losing my mind, but no my wife turned and looked at me with that "did you see that " look. After mass on the way home we both agreed that was what we saw.
Click to expand...
Wow! Now that’s scary. That’s something you should have told the priest about.
I’ve seen a priest go after someone who received the Eucharist in their hand but did not immediately put it in their mouth, attempting to leave Church with the Body of Christ in hand.
The priest stopped the person and made him consume it while he watched.
 
40.png
kage_ar:
Where were the parents of these kids?

BTW - you did a good thing!
Click to expand...
There parents may not have been there. The one that is 16 could have driven.

Great that they go, too bad that they don’t know how to act.
 
A couple Sundays ago our Priest - prior to his homily said that he was so angry to see people chewing gum in mass. He said that he has discussed this with us before (I must’ve missed it although I don’t chew gum anyhow) and this is the LAST time he hopes to have to tell us that WE ARE IN A HOLY PLACE AND NO ONE SHOULD BE CHEWING GUM! He actually sounded very mad. He went onto to say that if anyone comes up for communion with gum in his mouth - he will NOT be given communion. He said “SHOW SOME RESPECT!”

Now when we pull into the parking lot for mass, my kids all ask each other, “You aren’t chewing gum are you?”

And I think… well done Father! :clapping:

And to the OP… well done also! If my kids were misbehaving and I wasn’t there to correct them, I’d want someone else to. Shame on them for being so rude!
 
40.png
beckyann2597:
Okay, so I show up late to Mass on Sunday and take the free seats near the back entrance I walked in through. My 2 year old is trying to run up to the alter and I am having my older daughter read along with the misselette and fill in her Mass worksheet. I am a busy mommy. I look over to the teens sitting next to me (maybe 14, 16 and a little brother 10) and notice they are chewing gum! Its bugging me all through the Gospel reading, so during the homily, I take a peice of paper from my purse, tear it in half, hand it to them and say, “spit out your gum”. The oldest throws the paper on the floor and smirks at me. During the sign of peace I say peace and tell them that they can’t chew gum at mass. I say,“You don’t chew gum at school, and you don’t at Mass either.” The oldest rolls his eyes at me and the 14 yr old sister says glaring at me, “I chew gum at school–whatever”

At this point I am getting a bit ticked, and we are almost ready to recieve communion and I DO NOT want them recieving while chomping on their gum. And we are in the line where our Pastor will be distributing communion.

The lady behind me (a friend) catches onto what is happening and starts telling the kids to spit out their gum, that Father might embarress them in front of everyone if they even try. They laugh at her and say “whos gonna make me”. She is astonished at their defiance, and says to me–“Say something to Father if you need to, or I will if you want me to.” I go up to communion and to Father I say"Please make sure the children behind me have spit out their gum." I decide to leave it at that and recieve communion and walk with my kids back to the pew. The kids leave at the end of mass and I catch the lady who had my back. She siad that Father took them aside and blest them, and gave one of the communion after a very quick chat. Then I catch Father after Mass, and he’s like–Okay, fill me in–What was happening? I let him know I was trying to be nice to them, not chastising–(he liked the not at school,not at Mass approach) but make them aware of the rules. He siad that it was fine and that we are a family and sometimes we call eachother out.

Would you have called them out too? I’m glad I did, but I admit it was a little scary.
Click to expand...
You did the right thing. This is a problem in many Churches. God Bless you for your courage.
 
Reverence is key in church. Chewing gum is irreverent. Sometimes teens need to be admonished. I can’t understand why all the defiance from them. So let’s pray for them instead.
 
40.png
beckyann2597:
Would you have called them out too? I’m glad I did, but I admit it was a little scary.
Click to expand...
Good job! 👍 We are called to admonish the sinner.
 
Bravo to you for taking the initiative with those kids and reporting it to your priest.

We travel a lot and while attending mass in another diocese, we sat behind an adult woman who was “chomping” on her gum all through mass. (I obviously didn’t have the fortitude I received at confirmation to address the issue.)

After mass the young hispanic priest, who gave a wonderfully inspiring homily based on the CCC, asked everyone to sit while he explained to them “again” why you don’t chew gum in mass or when approaching for communion. That woman just looked at her husband and hunched her shoulders, like she didn’t get it. Sometimes adults are worse than kids.

Don’t even get me going on inappropriate dress for mass or I’ll ruin your thread!
 
I’ve seen lectors and EM’s at our parish chewing gum just before Mass starts. I always pray they swallow it before Mass starts or at least before Communion. —KCT
 
I used to belong to a Charismatic Prayer Group. I attended mass with them several times. At one mass, I distinctly remember the members passing around gum just before mass. I refused to take a piece.

I did not stay in the group much longer after that. I was in the group for several years before that. It is amazing how your eyes get opened to things.
 
40.png
KCT:
I’ve seen lectors and EM’s at our parish chewing gum just before Mass starts. I always pray they swallow it before Mass starts or at least before Communion. —KCT
Click to expand...
I would hope that they are not receiving commuion because this is breaking the fast.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top