Nuts & Bolts techniques to minimize irreverent pre-Mass chit chat

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Nuts & Bolts techniques to minimize irreverent pre-Mass chit chat.

Here are two ideas to suggest to your priest:
  1. Assemble a group of people who are regulars for each of the Masses. Their job is to arrive 15 minutes before their “assigned” Mass and publicly recite the rosary. It would help if the rosary leader leads from the ambo and used the microphone. This will minimize chit chat, increase prayer, and will probably expose many people who don’t know the rosary.
  2. The organist (or some other assigned person) pops a Gregorian chant CD on the audio system. At the right volume, this will create a prayerful atmosphere and shut down much of the chit chat.
I’ve seen these two techniques in action and they really work!

What are some of your ideas?
 
Oh, God, please no! I have been to masses at my home parish where just exactly that happens. And I HATE it!!!

About 20 mins. before Mass starts, someone runs up to the ambo, turns on the mic, and drones out a rosary. I’m sure they are sincere and well-intentioned and that some people really do like it, but it’s highly distracting (I can’t collect my thoughts in silent prayer) and inhospitable (It feels rude to get to mass early and find I’m walking in on a prayer already. And if I choose not to pray with it, well then I’m self-conscious that I stick out like a sore thumb.)

Not a minute after the rosary has ended and the leader has left the ambo, the organist winds 'er up into a slow solo until someone comes out to officially welcome everyone and announce the processional hymn.

Getting to mass and getting to a pew with your family is penance enough! Why can’t I just have some simple silence where someone’s not expecting me to pray along or listen to them? Even low whispers/hushed chatter/white noise would be more welcome to me!
 
Yeh, I have to agree with ChemicalBean. I want it QUIET.

One parish I know does this effectively by never having built a new church. They do have 5 Masses a weekend. Their little church has no narthex, but a big porch outside and heavy-duty doors to the church. When you pop open the door, the silence comes out at you.

Another parish has signs posted in the narthex: “WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THESE DOORS, REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD GOD IN THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. PLEASE BEHAVE ACCORDINGLY.” It works well!
 
When I was a young’un churches had these people called “ushers” who would approach people who were acting irreverently and kindly ask them to behave themselves.

Somehow I don’t think that would work today.

We also had people called “parents” who would do the same for the children. I know that doesn’t work these days. :rolleyes:
 
Whatever happened to “the glare”? My grandmother could execute it flawlessly. I wouldn’t dream of using it. The secrets of its use weren’t transmitted to me.

Personally, I’d prefer *genuine *silence before mass.
 
These are great ideas! I’ve been battling in my head whether or not to do something about the chitter chatter before the college campus Mass I usually attend. Naturally, it is especially difficult for college students to resist talking before Mass.

It’s difficult because it’s basically in a big open rectangular room, since we don’t have our own chapel on campus that is big enough to fit everyone on Sundays. Needless to say, there isn’t much around to lift our minds and hearts to God besides the Crucifix behind the altar.

I’ve thought of talking to the Chaplain about myself leading a rosary, but it would conflict with the choir practicing before Mass. I’ll talk to Fr. to at least get him thinking about it and see if he has any ideas.
 
Pug said:
Whatever happened to “the glare”? My grandmother could execute it flawlessly. I wouldn’t dream of using it. The secrets of its use weren’t transmitted to me.

Personally, I’d prefer *genuine *silence before mass.
Click to expand...
Yes, silence please!

My mother never had a glare but she had a very effective (and invisible to onlookers) little pinch on the arm that betokened further punishment after Mass in the event of continued misbehaviour. If I have children of my own I may adopt it.
 
Whatever happened to “the glare”? My grandmother could execute it flawlessly. I wouldn’t dream of using it. The secrets of its use weren’t transmitted to me.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately the glare only incites rude behavior now. The glare only works when those you use it on think there might actually be consequences for ignoring it. As most children today are pretty used to adults making threats that they’re never going to back up kids just call you on it. They especially know nothing is going to happen if it is from a stanger. Afterall if you actually did try to say something to them their parents would be mad at you not them (another thing that is different today). What’s really bad is that these kids already becoming adults with the same attitudes.

Fortunately the kids at my parish have those strange phenomina known as parents. So they’re pretty well behaved.
 
rtconstant said:
As most children today are pretty used to adults making threats that they’re never going to back up kids just call you on it. They especially know nothing is going to happen if it is from a stanger. Afterall if you actually did try to say something to them their parents would be mad at you not them (another thing that is different today).
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Yes. I agree that it is no longer accepted to say anything to someone else’s child. It wasn’t that way before. Amazingly, I successfully yelled from my front stoop at some budding “hooligans” tossing glass bottles onto the street and sidewalk. I have become what I always feared…
 
lepanto said:
Nuts & Bolts techniques to minimize irreverent pre-Mass chit chat.

Here are two ideas to suggest to your priest:
  1. Assemble a group of people who are regulars for each of the Masses. Their job is to arrive 15 minutes before their “assigned” Mass and publicly recite the rosary. It would help if the rosary leader leads from the ambo and used the microphone. This will minimize chit chat, increase prayer, and will probably expose many people who don’t know the rosary.
Click to expand...
I had my first experience of this last weekend while traveling. I liked it very much, as opposed to some of the post respondents. I found it to be very consoling, meditative. So much so that I did not notice a tourist who was walking around the sanctuary taking flash pictures of the beautiful interior (my daughter told me later, incredulous that I didn’t see it).
lepanto;1987661 2) The organist (or some other assigned person) pops a Gregorian chant CD on the audio system. At the right volume:
Our priest uses this technique, especially before First Communion Masses and the Easter Vigil. These Masses in particular seem to attract the family members who have not been to church in a long time, and don’t know to maintain reverent silence in God’s house of prayer. It works, and is enhanced when the presider gives a brief opening comment about what he’s doing and why.
Click to expand...
 
Some Nuts & Dolts seem oblivious to anything but their interests and activities.
Grandmothers and, more so, nuns had that “glare”. I remember that some children referred to the men (back before the blue-jeaned women were permitted) as “hushers”.
 
lepanto said:
  1. The organist (or some other assigned person) pops a Gregorian chant CD on the audio system. At the right volume, this will create a prayerful atmosphere and shut down much of the chit chat.
Click to expand...
It seems irreverent to play recorded music in the Church. Music and song are forms of prayer. To automate them changes them from prayer directed from a living mind to the Holy Trinity, and reduces them to an “environmental ornament” directed to the people in the Church, as though the point were to create a mood rather than to encounter God. This literally seems misdirected.

It is my understanding that the use of recorded music is not allowed during Mass – except for instructional purposes in Masses for Children. It seems that the same reasoning that makes recorded music inappropriate during Mass make it inappropriate at all times in the nave and the sanctuary.

Pax Christi nobiscum.

John Hiner
 
John_Hiner said:
It seems that the same reasoning that makes recorded music inappropriate during Mass make it inappropriate at all times in the nave and the sanctuary.
Click to expand...
I couldn’t agree more. A local Catholic hospital chapel has recorded music playing any time Mass is not being held. It’s very tacky.

Of course, it’s better than the other Catholic hospital chapel that has the Koran prominently displayed with prayer rugs available for those who would like to use them. Sorry for the digression.

Betsy
 
We only have Adoration once a month ---- and it drives me crazy when I go in for silent prayer — and Father has recorded music going. It’s usually too loud, and usually some version of “Eagle’s Wings” or “ecumenical/feel good” hymns. Since I have a key to the sacristy (as a cantor), I’ll occasionally go in and turn the whole thing off.
 
Pug said:
Whatever happened to “the glare”? My grandmother could execute it flawlessly. I wouldn’t dream of using it. The secrets of its use weren’t transmitted to me.

Personally, I’d prefer *genuine *silence before mass.
Click to expand...
Ah, yes, “the glare” or “the LOOK.” In church, my grandfather had a glance that could shift your bowels.

I don’t like the idea of the Rosary FOR the purpose of shushing people. It’s done before daily Mass, but even then, there’s a space of silence before the Mass begins.

I think music would be okay, but I’d rather it be an actual organist playing a prelude very, very, VERY quietly.

We could just have signs posted that say,“Very kindly SHUT YOUR PIE HOLES!”
 
meg said:
We only have Adoration once a month ---- and it drives me crazy when I go in for silent prayer — and Father has recorded music going. It’s usually too loud, and usually some version of “Eagle’s Wings” or “ecumenical/feel good” hymns. Since I have a key to the sacristy (as a cantor), I’ll occasionally go in and turn the whole thing off.
Click to expand...
One church that I sometimes have the chance to attend will have what appears to be pre-recorded music before Mass begins - but it’s always classical in nature. I think a decent volume is necessary otherwise people will still talk right over the top of it. However this type of music seems conducive to contemplative silence even when it’s not whisper-quiet.
 
Why not just hunt them down after mass and talk to them privately? :bible1: Matt 18:15
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”
 
John_Hiner said:
It is my understanding that the use of recorded music is not allowed during Mass – except for instructional purposes in Masses for Children. It seems that the same reasoning that makes recorded music inappropriate during Mass make it inappropriate at all times in the nave and the sanctuary.
Click to expand...
Can you give me a reference or citation for that as its something that is done at my parish and I had no idea it was against the Rubrics
 
I once designed a business card with the following text. They were intended to be handed to people as a non-verbal way of “shushing” them while they were talking in the nave.

I never have used them. I imagine that I would need prior permission from the Pastor.

. .[Jesus] said to them, "It is written: ’ My house shall be
a house of prayer,’ . . .
Matthew 21:13.

They shall . . . banish from churches . . . all secular actions; vain and therefore profane conversations, all walking about, noise, and clamour, that so the house of God may be seen to be, and may be called,
truly a house of prayer.
Council of Trent (1562).

. . the LORD is
in his holy temple;
silence before Him,
all the earth!
Habakkuk 2:20

Pax Christi nobiscum.

John Hiner
 
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