Is it OK to listen to an MP3 player prior to Mass and afterwards as well?

[Zachary]

Sorry, I got that. But I don’t understand the problem with using a Kindle to follow along with the Mass. Or as a prayer book?

If you have a problem with someone using a Kindle during Mass/Communion, do you also have a problem when someone reads from the Missal or a prayer book?

What’s so hard about reading before Mass then listening to the readers?

And books have been with us forever and mean something different than iPods etc do. No one’s gonna think you’re doing a crossword if you’re holding a bible or The Word Among Us. They may, however, think you’re playing a level of CandyCrush because the choir is annoying

I get it, believe me - father of 2 and hard time not being distracted. But I certainly wouldn’t hire a nanny to sit with me at Mass. I just think that opining that others are buffoons is fruitless.

 

[Urn]

The thread really highlights in a very practical way just how good and how bad advice can be from different individuals.

First; as I defined from the very beginning, I would be listening to music BEFORE and AFTER and NOT during the celebration of the Mass. The music will not impinge upon my participation in the Mass in any way whatsoever. It’s almost as if some intentionally ignored that point.

Second; yes it would most definitely be better if people acted with good manners and didn’t make so much unnecessary noise at Mass. That comment not only goes without saying, it’s a non-starter in this case. I have absolutely no way in which to influence people to act with better manners, nor do I have any means to pressure my pastor to clean things up. It just ain’t gonna happen and focusing on that does nothing but derail the discourse.

Third; the 20-30 minutes before Mass isn’t meant to be my personal Via Dolorosa each Sunday. It’s not a good thing to mortify myself each week by allowing myself to be exposed to an audio/visual cilice each Sunday. This is a time for me to relax, focus, read the readings and prepare to take part in the Mass.

Fourth; Some people need to stop and think before offering a response based only on emotion, because it has not been done that way before or because they have the need/desire to control others. Critical thinking plays an important part in this one.

 

[maryjk]

What’s so hard about reading before Mass then listening to the readers?

And books have been with us forever and mean something different than iPods etc do. No one’s gonna think you’re doing a crossword if you’re holding a bible or The Word Among Us. **They may, however, think you’re playing a level of CandyCrush because the choir is annoying **

I get it, believe me - father of 2 and hard time not being distracted. But I certainly wouldn’t hire a nanny to sit with me at Mass. I just think that opining that others are buffoons is fruitless.

At first I would have said it might be a generational but I’m closer to 50 than 40.

Nine times out of 10, if I am reading, I am reading my Kindle. It has all of my fiction books and most of my prayer books. It also holds a bible.

I agree we should worry somewhat about what others think. BUT, my life is not run on what others think. There are prayers I pray after I receive Communion. It shouldn’t matter where those prayers are printed, in a book or on my Kindle.

In just a few years, books will be a thing of the past, like land line phones. (Yes, I still have a land line, but I bet we won’t have it in a year.)

 

[Brendan_64]

Sorry, I got that. But I don’t understand the problem with using a Kindle to follow along with the Mass. Or as a prayer book?

Did I ever say there was?

However, I do think that this creates a barrier, and there really is no need for it. You don’t often see people walking along with their head stuck in a book as the y walk along, ignoring everyone else around them. You do however regularly see people walking along the street with their eyes glued to an electronic device (kindle, smart-phone, tablet etc). The pattern of use (by many) that seems to go with portable electronic devices) is that it is OK to cut out those around you and walk along totally absorbed in what is on your device. They are used very anti-socially. This, unfortunately, sends out a message, and this message might be sent out if people used them at Mass. Do you really want to see parishioners walking from their car to the church with their eyes glued to electronic devices (even if they are reading prayers) and cutting out those around them? Do you really think that that wouldn’t happen?

 

[Urn]

What’s so hard about reading before Mass then listening to the readers?

That’s NOT the point! I DO read the readings before Mass. I DO listen to the readers and I DO follow along in my missalette. That’s simply how I adsorb the best. If that bothers/distracts you then it’s something you need to work on yourself.

And books have been with us forever and mean something different than iPods etc do. No one’s gonna think you’re doing a crossword if you’re holding a bible or The Word Among Us. They may, however, think you’re playing a level of CandyCrush because the choir is annoying

Get over yourself already! If someone is looking into a Kindle during the readings, use some logic and deduce that they’re likely following the reading. If you can’t do that then just mind your own business. It’s not as if they are walking around during Mass, slapping backs and talking about eating breakfast after Mass.

I get it, believe me - father of 2 and hard time not being distracted. But I certainly wouldn’t hire a nanny to sit with me at Mass. I just think that opining that others are buffoons is fruitless.

Non value added to this discussion.

 

[Brendan_64]

Would you say that to a person that made an extra effort and drove an extra long distance to attend a certain parish each Sunday because they appreciated the quiet reverence of that parish?

There’s nothing wrong with that in itself, but what part is that person playing in the life of that parish? If they consider it as their parish, and they are actively engaged in it, then that’s great. If however they are there because they have ‘shopped around’ and feel that that particular Mass meets their own personal spiritual needs more than the last one and they go there specifically for the Masses, then I’d question that motivation.

 

[maryjk]

Did I ever say there was?

No, but if you are following the thread, you will notice that Zachary stated that back on Post 72

Well I’m out of here. IPod before Mass is as bad an idea as kindle during communion. There are a million distractions keeping us from Jesus and no need to add more. Listening to music before Mass is not like listening for Jesus.

When I asked him about it, you posted this

I took Zachary’s reference to mean that perhaps we ought not to judge others who are bothering us by being noisier than we would like them to be, but that we should instead look to our own behaviour and actions rather than criticise others.

But I cannot speak for him, so I am only guessing here.

Zachary seems to think that if I read from my Kindle after I receive Communion people will think I am playing Candy Crush (whatever that is.)

 

[Urn]

Good guess

Here’s an OP complaining about rude behavior while engaging in name-calling and coming off as very arrogant. OP starts thread seemingly seeking opinions to move forward yet rudely dismisses all that were not in line with their original idea then condemns those same people as closed minded religious knee-jerk types. This from someone **who’d give up on the Eucharist if others are too talkative before and after Mass (their words) **

What’s a “catholic christian” anyway?

And you’re very judgmental.

YOU BET I am going to dismiss (name removed by moderator)uts that don’t seem to understand that my MP3 player is turned off and packed away BEFORE the BEGINNING of the Mass.

You intentionally LIED (or you couldn’t comprehend what I wrote) when you suggest “…someone who’d give up on the Eucharist if others are too talkative before and after Mass (their words)…”

A huge problem at my parish is how several people comport themselves before and after Mass inside of the church. I have talked about that at length. Someone suggested I attend another parish (a very logical suggestion.) However at that parish the main problem is HORRIBLE abuses (yes, actual liturgical abuses) for the past 25+ years. You popped-off before knowing the whole story, or you intentionally lied. Further, not attending Mass (when I could not travel outside of town) is NOT a matter of “giving up on the Eucharist.”

How utterly offensive!

 

[Urn]

There’s nothing wrong with that in itself, -]but what part is that person playing in the life of that parish? /-]-]If they consider it as their parish, and they are actively engaged in it, then that’s great. If however they are there because they have ‘shopped around’ and feel that that particular Mass meets their own personal spiritual needs more than the last one and they go there specifically for the Masses, then I’d question that motivation./-]

Yes, I agree. I would feel the same about someone that entered a church at the very last minute specifically to avoid the pre-Mass din.

The rest is another matter. While related, it does nothing but obfuscate this specific conversation.

 

[Brendan_64]

No, but if you are following the thread, you will notice that Zachary stated that back on Post 72

Then why ask me about what he replied. I do think he has a point though.

Zachary seems to think that if I read from my Kindle after I receive Communion people will think I am playing Candy Crush (whatever that is.)

And so might quite a few others in the congregation. Unfortunately electronic devices are, probably more often than not, used quite anti-socially. They give off a message that says, “Don’t speak to me, don’t even look at me, because I’m too busy engrossed in this device to be bothered with you, and anyway I probably wouldn’t even notice if you spoke to me.” Rightly or wrongly, that is the message that is given off. Is that really conducive with the spirit of Communion with others?

 

[Brendan_64]

Yes, I agree. I would feel the same about someone the entered a church at the very last minute specifically to avoid the pre-Mass din.

The rest is another matter. While related, it does nothing but obfuscate this conversation.

So you choose the cross out what I have written in my post because you deem it to be irrelevant.You asked me a question, I gave you my answer and you decide that my answer is irrelevant, and you make a point of quoting my answer with most of it crossed out. What exactly are you trying to achieve by that?

I will answer you again and try to make it clearer for you.

It is not about someone just entering Mass at the last minute to avoid the noise. It is about choosing to go to Mass at a particular parish because it meets your needs in terms of reverence etc. but playing no part in the life of the parish. That, in my opinion, is not right.

By the way, feel free to quote this and deliberately score out the bits that you deem irrelevant, it matters not to me.

 

[Urn]

And so might quite a few others in the congregation. Unfortunately electronic devices are, probably more often than not, used quite anti-socially. They give off a message that says, “Don’t speak to me, don’t even look at me, because I’m too busy engrossed in this device to be bothered with you, and anyway I probably wouldn’t even notice if you spoke to me.” Rightly or wrongly, that is the message that is given off. Is that really conducive with the spirit of Communion with others?

The people need to mind their own business.

Even when they use the sanctuary as a stage or a walkway before Mass at my parish, what people do really doesn’t concern me. I can simply read or close my eyes. I “look down” at the floor once in a while on purpose during the Mass so as not be be bothered by something – I used to do that regularly when they poured the Precious Blood each Sunday.

On the other hand it takes a great deal more energy to (for example) ignore people walking around the church bloviating about themselves and trying to ascertain where everyone is going to breakfast after Mass.

That could be akin to hearing someone talking on their cellphone during Mass or hearing loud game noises coming out of their iPhones as they played a game.

Apples and oranges.

 

[Urn]

So you choose the cross out what I have written in my post because you deem it to be irrelevant.You asked me a question, I gave you my answer and you decide that my answer is irrelevant, and you make a point of quoting my answer with most of it crossed out. What exactly are you trying to achieve by that?

I will answer you again and try to make it clearer for you.

It is not about someone just entering Mass at the last minute to avoid the noise. It is about choosing to go to Mass at a particular parish because it meets your needs in terms of reverence etc. but playing no part in the life of the parish. That, in my opinion, is not right.

By the way, feel free to quote this and deliberately score out the bits that you deem irrelevant, it matters not to me.

Start a new thread…

 

[maryjk]

Then why ask me about what he replied. I do think he has a point though.

Okay. I quoted you because you tried to answer my question.

And so might quite a few others in the congregation. Unfortunately electronic devices are, probably more often than not, used quite anti-socially. They give off a message that says, "Don’t speak to me, don’t even look at me, because I’m too busy engrossed in this device to be bothered with you, and anyway I probably wouldn’t even notice if you spoke to me." Rightly or wrongly, that is the message that is given off. Is that really conducive with the spirit of Communion with others?

I am talking about reading a prayer DURING Communion. After I have received. Who would be talking to me DURING that time?

Or maybe following the readings, but again, who would be talking to me DURING the readings?

I don’t see how being available for conversation DURING Communion is what we should be doing.

 

[Brendan_64]

Start a new thread…

Kindly do not tell me what I ought to do.

You seem to think that attending Mass and parish life are completely separate things. Personally I think the two things are intertwined and part of the same. No, I will not start another thread simply because you do not like the connection.

Perhaps you think it is OK to regularly attend a certain Mass because it suits your needs, yet play no active part in the life of that parish, I would argue that you would be simply using that parish because you like the Mass there.

 

[ProVobis]

What’s so hard about reading before Mass then listening to the readers?

I heard a priest once say this is exactly what we should be doing if we get there early. I suppose if we absolutely must talk with our neighbors prior to Mass, we could discuss those readings, no?

 

[Brendan_64]

I am talking about reading a prayer DURING Communion. After I have received. Who would be talking to me DURING that time?

Or maybe following the readings, but again, who would be talking to me DURING the readings?

I don’t see how being available for conversation DURING Communion is what we should be doing.

OK, I’ll give you that, you do have a point. Just make sure you’re not secretly playing Candy Crush though

 

[Zachary]

Urn I’m sure you mean well. You are, however being very rude and ignoring most of the etiquette of a wholesome debate. This leads me to believe you are part of the problem. Maybe I’m wrong and you have actually done everything possible with love and charity but you’re not doing yourself any favours with the attitude you’ve laced your replies with.

There’s probably no rule against doing what you suggest. I’m merely pointing out how others might perceive it, even if wrongly so. Electronic devices are perceived in a certain way while print is seen in another. Just as your perception of those around you at Mass is unlikely exactly the truth, you will also possibly maybe be kinda judged for the dangly buds in your ear.

Last point- this is escalating unnecessarily. Not sure what you’re angry about. I’ve offered a reasoned point of view and your disagreement doesn’t make me wrong. All I ask is that you think about my pov without the blinders on.

God bless you and your parish. Don’t let such a small issue hide the Cross from you.

 

[Zachary]

OK, I’ll give you that, you do have a point. Just make sure you’re not secretly playing Candy Crush though

Lol

 

[Urn]

Kindly do not tell me what I ought to do.

You seem to think that attending Mass and parish life are completely separate things. Personally I think the two things are intertwined and part of the same. No, I will not start another thread simply because you do not like the connection.

Perhaps you think it is OK to regularly attend a certain Mass because it suits your needs, yet play no active part in the life of that parish, I would argue that you would be simply using that parish because you like the Mass there.

Stay focused on the subject at hand: “Is it OK to listen to an MP3 player prior to Mass and afterwards as well?”

People introduce extraneous matters ("…active part in the life of that parish…") into a conversation and all it does is confuse matters. It does nothing but gum-up the discourse.

The question is “Is it OK to listen to an MP3 player prior to Mass and afterwards as well?” That’s a pretty direct question to answer if people don’t try to attach extraneous matters to it.