Parish noise level before and after mass

[davy39]

I’m kind of surprised by this post.

First, my parish has this formula : Quiet before Mass, quiet during Mass, LOUD after Mass. And quite frankly I don’t mind. The noise, the chatter, the laughter is the result of putting a family together in one room. That’s what happens with families.

Let’s see… at Mass we have the Father, we have our Brother, we have our brothers and sisters in Christ… and you expect us to just sit quietly?

Why is reverence ALWAYS equated to silence? Why can’t we be joyful before the Lord (especially after having received the Sacrifice that effectively cleansed our souls)? Why can’t we love our brothers and sisters openly before Him? Would He really be offended by such displays?

Sorry guys, I’m a pre-Catholic so I really just don’t get it. I’m used to loud, boisterous, joyful services. I ENJOY the silent reverence but the noise doesn’t bother me in the least.

Our worship space at our church, is connected to the parish hall. There are three doorways between. If they want to talk, yell, laugh, etc, they can go to the hall, and do it in there…Leave the people alone that want to pray…This just shows disrespect for the Blessed Sacrament IMO…

 

[frenchbeatle]

It’s gotten to the point at my parish that unless I get there a full half hour before Mass starts, I can’t pray because it’s too noisy! I am able to pray much better at daily Mass, when it’s quieter. There are still some older people who just don’t realize how loud they are. Plus since the same group of people go to daily Mass, they all greet each other and say good morning.

After Mass it’s even worse in terms of the noise volume. I tried to stay after one day to pray some more, but I couldn’t concentrate. Between the organist/pianist playing away and all the chatter, it’s just too much.

I can only get quiet prayer time at home, in the Adoration chapel, and at the parish I go to while at work.

 

[PabloPira]

I’ve seen at least to ways to work around this problem. The first one, have a group pray the Rosary. Most people will either join or stay quiet.

For the Mass with Children the Rosary does not work for more than two mysteries. Alternative solution: have the choir “practice”. It is not really a rehearsal… actually you sing and sing and keep on singing until it’s time for the Mass. Most children will join singing and you can teach the congregation some new songs that way. I know, it is not quiet, but everyone is either praying or singing to the Lord… much better than talking.

JP

 

[DCNBILL]

Our worship space at our church, is connected to the parish hall. There are three doorways between. If they want to talk, yell, laugh, etc, they can go to the hall, and do it in there…Leave the people alone that want to pray…This just shows disrespect for the Blessed Sacrament IMO…

I think that the way that a church is designed does have much to do with this problem. I have noticed that if there is a nice area for people to gather and talk aside from the Church proper the better the reverence in the church itself.

 

[turtle18]

Even with my mostly secular upbringing, I don’t think I’d actually be able to say a phrase like “Shut up” to someone in a church (even if they deserved it)…

I ask, “would you please be quiet?” But this doesn’t really work most of the time.

 

[dfp42]

It’s gotten to the point at my parish that unless I get there a full half hour before Mass starts, I can’t pray because it’s too noisy! I am able to pray much better at daily Mass, when it’s quieter. There are still some older people who just don’t realize how loud they are. Plus since the same group of people go to daily Mass, they all greet each other and say good morning.

After Mass it’s even worse in terms of the noise volume. I tried to stay after one day to pray some more, but I couldn’t concentrate. Between the organist/pianist playing away and all the chatter, it’s just too much.

I can only get quiet prayer time at home, in the Adoration chapel, and at the parish I go to while at work.

I’m sorry. You seem to be having the same exact problems I’m having. I think the same group of people who go to mass are the ones that talk the most. It’s almost like it’s some kind of social event or something to them. I try to deal with it the best way I can, however it seems as I need to get there early or attend another parish in the mornings etc to not let it bother me. We’ve been having a lot of fill in priests lately and I think it sparks part of the problems with the talking.

 

[benedictina]

I am afraid that the noise problem goes beyond the USA. I am in Canada ( Quebec), and the noise level is deafening. There is no question that one could be able to pray before or after the Mass. Yes, we try very hard to focus on what we are doing, however, if I want to be able to hear the Lord’s voice speak to me, I personally need the peace that only silence can bring. I am a Secular Oblate of the Order of Saint Benedict (Congregation Solemnes, France). There is no question about showing reverence when you are in a monastery. And so, when I am overwhelmed by the noise of everyday life, both in and away from church, I “hightail” it to the Abbey!!!
+PAX

 

[3DOCTORS]

I agree that it is simple, it should be expected, and that the pastor has a right & responsibility to take the leadership in this. (Yes, I agree that lay “instructions” will be mostly ignored, temporarily adhered to, and/or resented.) He needs to make announcements about this when he notices that all are paying attention; he also needs to put notices in the bulletin, and it would help enormously (at every church site) to have posted reminders on the interior entry doors themselves (vestibule doors), regarding respecting the sacred space that others should expect to enjoy.

The signs - and an occasional friendly reminder from the pulpit to take note of the signs - really do work. They had them in my old parish and not in the current parish and you can tell the difference. The old parish did happen to be the traditional rectangular style and the parish I’m in now is a round church.

But I think it has more to do with the tone the pastor sets. Because my current parish still has a significant portion of the older folks and I think many of the younger ones would respect the idea of silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament if it were emphasized. Our new pastor says to e-mail him with suggestions and I might just take him up on this!

 

[sovegna_vos]

Our parish Priest has an effective was of fostering reverent silence before Mass.

1. In the newsheet every week right at the top there is a notice where we are reminded out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament and the Church as a house of prayer to avoid loud talking
2. Every week our Priest sits in silent contemplation/prayer in the front pew for the half an hour before the Mass.

As a result of the above, you can hear a pin drop before Mass. Its wonderful.

He’s a great Priest.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Our parish Priest has an effective was of fostering reverent silence before Mass.

1. In the newsheet every week right at the top there is a notice where we are reminded out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament and the Church as a house of prayer to avoid loud talking
2. Every week our Priest sits in silent contemplation/prayer in the front pew for the half an hour before the Mass.

As a result of the above, you can hear a pin drop before Mass. Its wonderful.

He’s a great Priest.

WOW. Be sure and let him know how much you appreciate this!

 

[catmom50]

I have found the same thing happening at my parish also. I get there about a half hour before Mass so I can pray but it’s just too noisy!!! It’s like a convention going on.

I love my parish though because everyone is really friendly and I feel right at home there. Just wish that some would respect those who are trying to pray and tone it down a little or save the “catching up on things” till after Mass is over.

 

[CatholicZ09]

This kind of situation usually doesn’t bother me, but when I think about it, it ends up bothering me. At my parish, the actual congregation keeps sacred silence before Mass begins; however, the ushers are the real problem. I was actually going out to light the candles before Mass this past Sunday, and while some were praying the rosary, I heard someone bellowing out with laughter. Also, when the ushers are greeting, and especially when they know some of the people they are greeting, they can get very loud and it’s really distracting. To me it is disrespectful not only to God/Jesus, but also to the other members of the congregation who are trying to respect their surroundings and keep sacred silence. After Mass; however, mostly everyone is chatting up a storm, but usually most people move on out. Usually a few people stay behind and chit-chat, and it still should be considered that there are people staying behind to pray. It’s not a social hall. Usually I don’t have this problem though, because I serve almost every Sunday, so I don’t have to hear the chatter most of the time.

 

[Victory9]

I came to a diocese that has tried so very hard to “Protestantize” the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as much as possible in the interest of being “ecumenically correct,” and trying hard to “not OFFEND” anyone. It IS the responsibility of the priests to not only insist but demand that proper reverence be given to Our Lord in His house; He is God, after all, and deserves real reverence from His children. It’s also a matter of plain and simple good manners ~ to Our Lord and to the people who are trying to pray, before and after Mass. Even the Protestants show some measure of reverence for being in Our Lord’s house by at least keeping their voices down to a reverential and polite ‘low’ or whisper. They know where they are.
As for St Therese, she had to deal with only one Sister who sat right next to her, not an entire congregation of people who held the belief that “no one can tell ME what to do…”, which is the state of American thinking in the 21st century.
If one is bothered by the noise level, there are others as well. If you want to go elsewhere, so do others and so have others.
Parishioners have rights, and there is no reason why you can’t charitably mention to all the priests that something needs to be done. If enough people do mention it, he will get the point. We had a pastor who flat out told the congregation that they need to be respectful of those who are praying. In our parish, he received a lot of mail and phone calls criticizing his ‘actions’, but he held his ground. He suffered from a lot of parishioners who ‘didn’t agree’ with what he said, be he stood firm. Eventually he had the music people play soft, gentle, reverential music before and after Mass, so that the pray-ers could pray without distraction; the talkers eventually quieted down. Because he let the parish know in no uncertain terms (with truth and/in charity) that he was the boss, that He was the pastor, and not the many who like to think that THEY have the REAL authority in the parish, it came to pass that many people returned to the parish who lived here but went elsewhere because of abuses.
We have an obligation to pray for our priests, and all need that encouragement. God will indeed Bless those parishioners and priests who make a stand for the truth. Satan will cause dissent and make trouble, but God always wins. We can’t forget to call on the Angels to dispel disruption ~ make a habit of it in patience because the demons will keep pushing until enough people and Angels push back.

 

[Little_One0307]

Hi,

I used to be quite affected by the noise before and after Mass. I have found that going to Masses that are done by monastic religious communities are much more in my taste in the fact that there is blessed silence before and after Mass. Of course I realize that this option may not be available to some people that have posted in this thread.

I have found out that sitting near or at the front of the Church does help in lowering the noise level. I think the talkers sit in the back or I have found that out to be true in the parishes I have gone to.

 

[Love_Divine]

The noise level before Mass at my parish was especially bad today. There was actual yelling going on between some girl and the priest, but not like angry yelling. Chatty yelling, and everyone around me was talking about hockey. It was so bad today that I couldn’t even block it out and concentrate on praying. It was just too loud. I lost my focus and forgot what I was even praying about. I tried to offer it up, but the noise kept distracting me that I couldn’t even focus for the brief moment to offer it up.

I’m almost tempted to go into the washroom before Mass to pray.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

There seems to be a unanimous consensus in this thread that solemn reverence ought to be paid before and after mass, a conclusion with which I heartily agree.

With that said, one of the purposes of mass is fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters. Obviously this is accomplished in merely being present, but is it “fully” accomplished if we cannot, as brothers and sisters, communicate at mass (before or after the liturgy)? It seems to be a conflict, certainly genuine reflection on the liturgy is a prime purpose, but so is fellowship. If everyone is merely shuffled off to the parking lots to do this, isn’t that purpose defeated?

What of joyous celebration as a Church community? Is there ever a time and a place for that on our day of worship (our day of joy) at our place of worship, outside of the liturgy?

 

[ProVobis]

With that said, one of the purposes of mass is fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters. Obviously this is accomplished in merely being present, but is it “fully” accomplished if we cannot, as brothers and sisters, communicate at mass (before or after the liturgy)? It seems to be a conflict, certainly genuine reflection on the liturgy is a prime purpose, but so is fellowship. If everyone is merely shuffled off to the parking lots to do this, isn’t that purpose defeated?

What of joyous celebration as a Church community? Is there ever a time and a place for that on our day of worship (our day of joy) at our place of worship, outside of the liturgy?

One has to distinguish between the worship space and the “fellowship” areas. In many churches, there is plently of room outside the worship space for community activities, discussions of favorite recipes, sports, priest meeting the people, etc. The Church has already defined the limits of “fellowship” during the Mass. (Responses together, exchange of peace, presentation of gifts, etc.)

 

[Little_One0307]

There seems to be a unanimous consensus in this thread that solemn reverence ought to be paid before and after mass, a conclusion with which I heartily agree.

With that said, one of the purposes of mass is fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters. Obviously this is accomplished in merely being present, but is it “fully” accomplished if we cannot, as brothers and sisters, communicate at mass (before or after the liturgy)? It seems to be a conflict, certainly genuine reflection on the liturgy is a prime purpose, but so is fellowship. If everyone is merely shuffled off to the parking lots to do this, isn’t that purpose defeated?

What of joyous celebration as a Church community? Is there ever a time and a place for that on our day of worship (our day of joy) at our place of worship, outside of the liturgy?

Yes there is a place for fellowship, but not where it would distract those who are wanting to reflect and sit silently before and after Mass. It’s called Church functions. Most parishes have times and places that everyone can get together and talk. If you want fellowship get involved with the Ministries at the Church, but please not before or after Mass where it is distracting to those who just wish for silence.

And remember why we attend Mass in the first place. To worship, adore, and praise God. That is first priority, and if some people feel that they need to do that before and after Mass, I think that should be respected. Who are we to interfere with others in their wanting to draw closer to God by our chatter and irrereverant behavior.

I mean think of this. If Jesus was present [which he really and truly is] would you be blabbing before Him? I don’t think so.

God Bless.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

There is time before and after Mass for people who wish to sit in silence.

Just get there earlier and stay until the crowed has exited the Church and you’ll have all the silence you desire.

At week-day Mass in my parish, there is a person who leads the Rosary after Mass. Fine, but he starts it before people have even left their pews after the final hymn.

Our church is very small so talking outside the door, your only about 60 feet from the altar at the front of the church.

Instead of people having fellowship, even outside the church, they rush to their cars and drive off.

Jim

 

[TrueLight]

I mean think of this. If Jesus was present [which he really and truly is] would you be blabbing before Him? I don’t think so.

God Bless.

I’m pretty sure the disciples were blabbing about all sorts of things when Jesus was with them. It was a true fellowship. They fished together, ate together,. washed up together, had deep conversations and yes, small talk.

I do agree there should be as much silence as possible before and after mass. That doesn’t mean if you need to communicate something to someone, you can’t whisper in their ear.

Also, some churches don’t have a gathering place after mass and I don’t think it is enough to say, come out to the functions.

I have actually found a parish with a coffee hour and we had lively, spirited conversation yesterday. I thank God for that.