Mass question: can I step out during the sermon?

[Irishmom2]

Hmmm…you know who is going to notice? The priest. Ours said he can see who is listening, who is texting, and who is reading the bulletin. He also knows which people like to have conversations while he is speaking.

It is actually rude. OP, would you feel if you were speaking to someone and they just walked away? What if they did that every time you tried speaking to them?

You know, some priests are gifted speakers. Some are not. But all of them deserve respect because they can do something none of us can.

So I would say you need to suck it up.

 

[Jen95]

Sometimes I just feel an overwhelming tiredness come over me during the homily… maybe that could happen to you as well.

 

[phil19034]

You should do your best to stay in the pew & and give it up to the Lord.

However, if you think the sermons are really that bad, week after week, then you might want to consider a different Catholic parish (if there is another one near you).

Remember to pray for the priests. Also, if there is part of the homily/sermon you liked, tell him which parts you liked. Priests listen to that feedback and often do more of what people like and less of what people don’t like.

 

[Gorgias]

Sometimes I just feel an overwhelming tiredness come over me during the homily… maybe that could happen to you as well.

Imagine if your priest said to you, “sometimes I just feel an overwhelming tiredness come over me every time you come to me” and then he turns away from you? How would you feel?

 

[Jen95]

Jen95:

Sometimes I just feel an overwhelming tiredness come over me during the homily… maybe that could happen to you as well.

Imagine if your priest said to you, “sometimes I just feel an overwhelming tiredness come over me every time you come to me” and then he turns away from you? How would you feel?

I didn’t say every time, did I? I sometimes get a bit dozey during the homily is all. I don’t “turn away” every time.

 

[Gorgias]

I didn’t say every time, did I? I sometimes get a bit dozey during the homily is all. I don’t “turn away” every time.

Fair enough; I’ll take away the “every time” part. So… how would you feel if, when you went to talk to your priest, he merely said “sometimes, I feel an overwhelming tiredness come over me when you come to talk to me”, and then he turned away. How would that make you feel? Would you think that’s an appropriate Christian action on his part? C’mon… be honest: you know what you were suggesting…

 

[Jen95]

Jen95:

I didn’t say every time, did I? I sometimes get a bit dozey during the homily is all. I don’t “turn away” every time.

Fair enough; I’ll take away the “every time” part. So… how would you feel if, when you went to talk to your priest, he merely said “sometimes, I feel an overwhelming tiredness come over me when you come to talk to me”, and then he turned away. How would that make you feel? Would you think that’s an appropriate Christian action on his part? C’mon… be honest: you know what you were suggesting…

What if I was delivering a weekly monologue at my pastor, and in the middle of it, he got a bit dozey, and his eyes closed and he missed part of what I was saying? It’s not like I announce it, or intend to fall asleep, or physically turn away. I think this approach is less rude than the OP getting up and walking out.

 

[Gorgias]

It’s not like I announce it, or intend to fall asleep, or physically turn away.

“I just feel an overwhelming tiredness come over me during [your] homily”. You wouldn’t take that as an expression of your reaction to him, personally?

Moreover, your advice “maybe that could happen to you as well” speaks to your recommendation that they use that as an excuse. You wouldn’t be offended by that, if someone made that suggestion to another person regarding their reaction to you?

 

[Dlee]

I recall many times growing up when we, as a family, would leave after Sunday School because we didn’t “like” who was preaching.