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

[Sarabande]

I think it could go either way. It might help you, but others might be confused by it. I know a guy who comes to Mass nearly an hour early every Saturnday and prays the rosary and the Devine Mercy Chapelet by listenting to it on his headphones while he is waiting for confession. I don’t see anything wrong with that, but once I heard another guy tell his wife, “How come he is allowed to listen to the game?” I’m not sure what responsibility someone has to refrain from doing something that is good and helpful for them in order to avoid other, less-mature people from getting the wrong idea.

Yes, that is the concern I would have. Before I realized that you can do such things on your i-phones and players, if I had seen someone doing that in the church, I may have wrongly assumed that the person was being rude for not being able to live without their headsets for a little bit. So, I do think that is something one should consider. Will it give the wrong impression and cause more problems in Urn’s parish, which from his/her posts, seems to have a lot of problems with manners and rudeness already.

 

[malphono]

The 1st Mass of the day at 8 am is always a bit quieter - I guess folks are still a bit sleepy

It seems to be a general rule of thumb, particularly in more “innovative” parishes, that the earliest Mass is usually more sedate. The earlier the better, from what I’m told. I knew one elderly Italian lady who, (in the absence of the Usus Antiquior), invariably went to the 7am Mass for 40+ years (until she recently passed away) for exactly that reason.

 

[englishredrose]

I would be told off quite rightly by saying of course listen to own music privately before and after the service if this helps because am not Catholic, being Anglican. But I know why I am saying this.

I got a really understanding priest and although been going to Church for at least 25 years, all my adult life, most of that time I had been in the choir but fell out a few year ago. (I am now back in the choir but that another story per se). In the few year I had fallen out with the choir we were in interregnum (without a priest) and the stand in priest got me into Serving (again an even longer ago story). At first it was all new enough and I was occupied. Then I got used to it and then we received the current priest. So I was occupied with learning his ways. But then I had time through communion to get rather lost in my own thoughts. I don’t pray with words and therefore didn’t actually use this time to pray as most of you guys and altar servers would do. My own questions got me into a real tangent about what am I doing there and am I Christian - okay we all no doubt ask these at times but I was becoming really unhappy as such through communion and somehow came up with the idea of reading. I was nervous because as we all know it not perceived as the done thing, especially on the Altar. At first I experimented with rereading the service sheet with the readings etc. Then I got brave and via email asked the priest if I could bring a specific book to read. It was a music book that still haven’t read yet because the priest told me that yes but I could bring any book so long as I relax with God etc… All I wanted to do was stop my own inner questions to which he knew about. I sought his permission because of being on the Altar and if anyone objected that I can easily say, I got ‘fathers’ permission. I been teased by the choir a few times as I will read there when we have stopped singing. There a certain amount of curosity and genuine, ‘what am I reading etc’ because last year I was given a kindle making it easy to read anything on the Altar since I was told bring what any book. It worked in that I got what I wanted and the Priest has got what he asked of me.

So for that reason I would say yes, if you are struggling to block out the noise and want to, then bring it along and many many pop songs really do have Christian messages accept they aren’t always obvious. But they are there. Have a chat with the priest before hand just in case anyone does say anything to you may be? I only did with being on the Altar am visible and it not the perceived accepted norm. It has helped me enoromously and I am now ‘relaxed’ with God at that time. More than what I wanted to seek and that was simply to stop the downward sprial questions.

Ps I may be Anglican but there are a lot of anglican wanna-be Catholic and are as strict about what etc in a church and hence I asked the priest and I hope you find the peace I have by daring to step outside the perceived norm. You are not affecting anyone else and allowing them to have their needed chatter but finding a way to be with God. Some of us don’t like the silence as much as those of you who like it. It not a threat, but just don’t need that approach to God. It like asking a singer not to sing their favourite piece is like asking someone who don’t like the silence aspect not to make a noise. They aren’t being rude to you guys who do like it, Just may be understand that silence is from within rather than around. One can have a silent room but a noisy head full of chatter to God and they demand others to be like them where as some of us can have a noisy room but a silent head being with God and don’t demand others to be like us as we can manage but no one thinks of our needs as we are all too busy thinking of our own needs. There are different silences and the chatters may be as close to God as the non chatters who are busily chatting to God .

 

[Urn]

I think it could go either way. It might help you, but others might be confused by it. I know a guy who comes to Mass nearly an hour early every Saturnday and prays the rosary and the Devine Mercy Chapelet by listenting to it on his headphones while he is waiting for confession. I don’t see anything wrong with that, but once I heard another guy tell his wife, “How come he is allowed to listen to the game?” I’m not sure what responsibility someone has to refrain from doing something that is good and helpful for them in order to avoid other, less-mature people from getting the wrong idea.

Taking off the ear buds and stowing the MP3 player prior to the beginning of Mass should answer such “questions.”

 

[Sarabande]

Taking off the ear buds and stowing the MP3 player prior to the beginning of Mass should answer such “questions.”

Yes and no. I know for myself, if I had not known about such apps, I still would have thought that it was pretty rude of a person to be listening to whatever it was while in the church. My knee-jerk reaction would have been, “Can’t people live without their gadgets for even an hour or so? What’s wrong with our society? It’s so messed up.”

So, I think discretion would be important when doing things like that. You’ll have people who will think wrongly… either that you are being rude or that “if he’s listening to the game or whatever than I can, too.” I understand why you want to do this, but you would have to be careful about not starting a new trend of people at your parish who would be using it for the wrong reasons.

 

[Urn]

Yes and no. I know for myself, if I had not known about such apps, I still would have thought that it was pretty rude of a person to be listening to whatever it was while in the church. My knee-jerk reaction would have been, “Can’t people live without their gadgets for even an hour or so? What’s wrong with our society? It’s so messed up.”

So, I think discretion would be important when doing things like that. You’ll have people who will think wrongly… either that you are being rude or that “if he’s listening to the game or whatever than I can, too.” I understand why you want to do this, but you would have to be careful about not starting a new trend of people at your parish who would be using it for the wrong reasons.

Let’s see. In an atmosphere where:

• A horrid din is resonating from the sacristy.
• A handful of insiders are visiting in the sanctuary (their stage) while “setting up”.
• Many, many people in the pews are having loud conversations.
• 2-3 gas bags are walking around the church, glad-handing and asking everyone that will recognize them (many do not) where they are going to breakfast after Mass.
• The cantor/guitarist is “tuning up”.
• The pastor is absent until 3-4 minutes before the Mass.

“A new trend” at my parish might not be such a horrible thing.

 

[Urn]

For what it’s worth, there is a Protestant church near my home that actually radio broadcasts (like a drive-in theater) their services real time within the confines of their church. That way people who are hard of hearing (and there is an ever growing number) can actually hear the service using a tiny radio (about the size of a silver dollar) and ear buds. This keeps them from really having to crank-up the PA system that others would find offensive.

 

[Allegra]

Taking off the ear buds and stowing the MP3 player prior to the beginning of Mass should answer such “questions.”

I presume the other man didn’t intend to listen to the game during the actual Mass either, though anything’s possible.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I like the idea of praying somewhere else if it is noisy in the sanctuary. Does your church have a chapel you could use? I know some in other parishes pray in their cars until just before Mass. I don’t really like that idea and think praying with earbuds would be fine considering the environment you describe. I doubt anyone would notice you at all.

 

[jmcrae]

Would there be any problem with listening to to appropriate music (Gospel, Gregorian Chant, etc.) through ear buds prior to the beginning of Mass and after its conclusion to block out all the talking and other noise so long as no one else could hear it?

I was thinking about the person who wears ear muffs/plugs at my parish to block out all the talking and other noise. The ear buds are tiny – hardly noticeable, the players are very small and I could easily and discreetly remove them prior to the beginning of Mass.

I think I might just give this a go.

Are you really “present” at Church, if your mind is distracted by your music?

 

[Urn]

Christus instituerit missam, in vulgari. Quod satis est mihi,

Yeah. Odd how the Mass is rarely celebrated in Aramaic or Hebrew today, given its history, aye?

 

[Urn]

Are you really “present” at Church, if your mind is distracted by your music?

“Distracted” by my music? What do you mean?

You mean listening and silently singing along with say an MP3 of the Litany of Saints rather than having to endure the din of my parish church?

Is that what you mean?

 

[Urn]

I like the idea of praying somewhere else if it is noisy in the sanctuary. Does your church have a chapel you could use? I know some in other parishes pray in their cars until just before Mass. I don’t really like that idea and think praying with earbuds would be fine considering the environment you describe.** I doubt anyone would notice you at all.**

I sincerely hope that is the case.

 

[bcuster]

So long as you remove them before Mass, I see no reason why you could not do this. Some may complain that it takes aways from the “community aspect”, but as someone who has a very crazy schedule, sometimes I need that 15 minutes before or after Mass, and if my head phones allow me to have that time, why should anyone else be bothered by it?

 

[ProVobis]

Yeah. Odd how the Mass is rarely celebrated in Aramaic or Hebrew today, given its history, aye?

Maronite liturgies have the consecration in Syriac. Very beautiful actually. As far as Hebrew, how about “amen,” “alleluia” (or variation), “hosanna,” etc.?

 

[ProVobis]

Try a traditional mass. It is reverent and silent.

If you must assist at a mass in which the talking interferes with prayerful reflection, go for the little foam earplugs. If only you could also wear a sleep mask to block out the visuals!

I might try the earplugs. The way some of the speakers and cantors shout into the microphone as if God were hard of hearing or something…

 

[Zachary]

Ask Fr Serpa. No one here can give you permission, just our own $0.02. Since you dont think your own priest cares…

 

[Sarabande]

Let’s see. In an atmosphere where:

• A horrid din is resonating from the sacristy.
• A handful of insiders are visiting in the sanctuary (their stage) while “setting up”.
• Many, many people in the pews are having loud conversations.
• 2-3 gas bags are walking around the church, glad-handing and asking everyone that will recognize them (many do not) where they are going to breakfast after Mass.
• The cantor/guitarist is “tuning up”.
• The pastor is absent until 3-4 minutes before the Mass.

“A new trend” at my parish might not be such a horrible thing.

It’s definitely not that kind of place I would like to be in and I do feel for you. “A new trend” of changing all of that would be great. But it seems like the kind of people you’re talking about would take the i-phone/mp3 player thing in the opposite direction of why you are doing it and would just add to the complaints you already have about that parish. I’m not saying you can’t do it, but if you do, I would advise to be as discreet as possible so that you don’t start the wrong kind of trend.

 

[englishredrose]

Are you really “present” at Church, if your mind is distracted by your music?

Are you really 'present in Church if you are just asking God lots of questions and may be a few thank you’s before Mass ? Is that what '‘you’ think being in Church and silent before the Service actually means

 

[Zachary]

Are you really 'present in Church if you are just asking God lots of questions and may be a few thank you’s before Mass ? Is that what '‘you’ think being in Church and silent before the Service actually means
englishredrose;11058312:

What should we be do ing before celebrating rhe Eucharist besides trolling other parishioners?