Listening to my personal MP3 player during Eucharistic adoration

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A few weeks ago, I downloaded (legally) Fr. Benedict Groeschelle’s “The Rosary is a Place” album (which I highly recommend, by the way).

Often, the people praying the Rosary in a group in the church I go to for adoration are praying so fast that it’s difficult to keep up, much less meditate on the mysteries. (In fact, the last time I prayed with them, they got through 5 decades of the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy both within about 20 minutes!)

I don’t want to judge them – it’s probably because of habit. I remember being in plays in high school and having to intentionally speak slowly because, if you’ve been saying the same words over and over again, you tend to speak faster than you realize.

Anyway, on to my actual question…

A couple times I’ve brought my personal MP3 device to adoration with me so I can play Father Groschelle’s album while praying the Rosary… which leads me to a few questions:
  1. Is it disrespectful to listen to an mp3 player during adoration?
  2. Even if it’s not disrespectful, should I refrain because people might be offended/scandalized by the sight of someone (seemingly) listening to music during adoration?
  3. Should I stop worrying about what other people in the church might be thinking about me and, instead, focus on adoring the Lord?
Any opinions are appreciated.
 
dan said:
A few weeks ago, I downloaded (legally) Fr. Benedict Groeschelle’s “The Rosary is a Place” album (which I highly recommend, by the way).

Often, the people praying the Rosary in a group in the church I go to for adoration are praying so fast that it’s difficult to keep up, much less meditate on the mysteries. (In fact, the last time I prayed with them, they got through 5 decades of the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy both within about 20 minutes!)

I don’t want to judge them – it’s probably because of habit. I remember being in plays in high school and having to intentionally speak slowly because, if you’ve been saying the same words over and over again, you tend to speak faster than you realize.

Anyway, on to my actual question…

A couple times I’ve brought my personal MP3 device to adoration with me so I can play Father Groschelle’s album while praying the Rosary… which leads me to a few questions:
  1. Is it disrespectful to listen to an mp3 player during adoration?
  2. Even if it’s not disrespectful, should I refrain because people might be offended/scandalized by the sight of someone (seemingly) listening to music during adoration?
  3. Should I stop worrying about what other people in the church might be thinking about me and, instead, focus on adoring the Lord?
Any opinions are appreciated.
Click to expand...
I would say 1, and I think Father Groschelle would say the same. Reason how can you hear the Lord speak to you?

Now reading may be different, because you are more likely to pause and meditate on what you have been reading. Of course trying to part of the group may be what the Lord would really like to see you do, but I am not Him to tell you.🤷

Hope you get a lot of feed back to help you think about this, PAX
 
If they pray too fast, you can simply ask them to pray slower. If they never change, it is better to find your own time to go the Eucharistic Adoration.

When you go by yourself, you don’t need to use MP3 to meditate on the mysteries. Besides, you might be right that we don’t want to cause scandal or to distract people.
 
I would say it’s bordering on disrespectful, and would almost certainly offend other people, so not a good idea.

If you find it difficult to concentrate then leave the Rosary for another time and place where you can use your mp3.
 
If I was by myself at adoration, or with a group who wasn’t praying as a group, I’d certainly listen to an mp3 player of Father Groeschel. But if I was with a group who was praying as a group, I wouldn’t.
 
I think in listening to something by Fr. Groeschel, you’re probably not doing anything wrong yourself, as long as you leave some time for quiet prayer, so that, as another poster mentioned, you’ll be able to listen better to what God might be trying to tell you. However, I think the amount of scandal that someone using an MP3 player during adoration would cause outweighs the good you might get from listening to it. I’d save it for personal, private prayer, personally. ^^
 
I am 100% in favor of mp3 players at adoration!!! I put some on Gregorian Chant and am able to “enter in” in an instant. It’s not loud enough for anyone else to hear, and not loud enough that the Lord can’t speak to me.
 
I don’t think there’s a problem with it, as long as you use headphones/earphones that make the sound audible to you alone. I have been in our adoration chapel on numerous occasions where people are listening to something (the Rosary, etc.) on tape, and I have not been offended or scandalized by it. But occasionally the headphones are of poor quality and I can overhear the whole thing, which can be distracting. Just make sure you are the only one who can hear it.

Also, be sure to allow some time during your prayer time for some heart-to-heart prayer.
 
Okay, now going to Adoration, as in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - the reason to go is to spend time with Jesus? When we go, it is okay to pray the Rosary, a Marian devotion, read a book, very, personal and individual, and listen to one’s MP3 player, also personal and individual. What about working on mission rosaries? I am able to make the knots, string the beads, etc. kind of the same way that I crochet - mindlessly - and am able to talk to Jesus while I make them. Would this be an appropriate activity in the Chapel? I am scheduled one hour a week and I like to drop in whenever I am in the area. I carry my mission rosary supplies with me everywhere I go because I never know when I might find time to work on them. Would my time in the Adoration Chapel be such a time? I in no way wish to bring scandal by doing so.
 
Have you heard the old saying? – “When in doubt, don’t!”

The very fact that you are asking us, tells me you have not been interiorly confirmed by the Holy Spirit, who gives a peace and assurance that moves us to follow Him. Absent that conviction and rest, ‘knowing’ we are pleasing the Lord, it is best to avoid the practice.

Fr. Groeschel’s associate was speaking on TV this morning about an eager beaver who came to a desert father asking for advice on prayer. The wise father saw that he was tempted by excess zeal, which is never good for the long haul, so he told him to pray an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. Disillusioned, the fellow left, thinking of his practice of prayer all day long. A few days later, he returned to the father again and said this wasn’t working for him. The father then advised him, well then, omit the one hour in the morning. 😃

You mentioned that in formal group prayer, they go too fast. Would you apply the same principle if the priest was saying mass too fast? That is, listen to a recorded mass on your MP3 so you could concentrate better?

Public prayer is always the prayer of the community, and the Lord is gathered among you Even if your personal devotion has to suffer somewhat, save it for your private prayer times.
 
dan said:
A few weeks ago, I downloaded (legally) Fr. Benedict Groeschelle’s “The Rosary is a Place” album (which I highly recommend, by the way).

Often, the people praying the Rosary in a group in the church I go to for adoration are praying so fast that it’s difficult to keep up, much less meditate on the mysteries. (In fact, the last time I prayed with them, they got through 5 decades of the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy both within about 20 minutes!)

I don’t want to judge them – it’s probably because of habit. I remember being in plays in high school and having to intentionally speak slowly because, if you’ve been saying the same words over and over again, you tend to speak faster than you realize.

Anyway, on to my actual question…

A couple times I’ve brought my personal MP3 device to adoration with me so I can play Father Groschelle’s album while praying the Rosary… which leads me to a few questions:
  1. Is it disrespectful to listen to an mp3 player during adoration?
  2. Even if it’s not disrespectful, should I refrain because people might be offended/scandalized by the sight of someone (seemingly) listening to music during adoration?
  3. Should I stop worrying about what other people in the church might be thinking about me and, instead, focus on adoring the Lord?
Any opinions are appreciated.
Click to expand...
I would save this for listening to at home, rather than in during Adoration. Call me conservative, but I also would not read a book during Adoration, since I would not read a book if Jesus was sitting in front of me at home etc. I think Adoration is a good time to enjoy silence and to listen to God speaking to us.

Would you mind PMing me with info on how to dowload it? I tried to google but couldn`t find it.

Sincerely,

Maria1212
 
I know of one seminary where the students have an hour of adoration in the morning. Some were using:

www.pray-as-you-go.org

To lead them into prayer. And the person in charge looked it up, was very impressed, and recommended it to the rest of the group as one option! If it’s leading you into communion with God (which is what adoration is about) and isn’t annoying others, I don’t think it should be a problem. Maybe find a quiet corner, and sit near the back, so that those likely to take offence don’t see you…
 
Maria1212 said:
I would save this for listening to at home, rather than in during Adoration. Call me conservative, but I also would not read a book during Adoration, since I would not read a book if Jesus was sitting in front of me at home etc. I think Adoration is a good time to enjoy silence and to listen to God speaking to us.

Would you mind PMing me with info on how to dowload it? I tried to google but couldn`t find it.

Sincerely,

Maria1212
Click to expand...
Would you pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet to Him either though? :hmmm: I know I wouldn’t, but it’s perfectly proper and even lauded to do so during Adoration.
 
LilyM said:
Would you pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet to Him either though? :hmmm: I know I wouldn’t, but it’s perfectly proper and even lauded to do so during Adoration.
Click to expand...
With the rosary, we meditate on Scripture and Jesuss life, I should have been more specific in my post. I think it is okay to read spiritual reading, like the Bible or a prayer book. But I wouldnt read non-Spiritual reading during Adoration.

Sincerely,

Maria1212
 
Have you tried emailing Fr. Groeschel for his advice? I wonder what he’d say.

My initial thought was 1kings19:11-13. God was in the sheer silence.
 
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