Participating in the Mass

[SienaFriend]

It really bothers me lately that many people do not sing, respond or show any expression of being thankful or even enjoying mass. I am lucky to be at a parish I love and is very sound and faithful. But even with 5 masses on sunday and full ones at that, I very often am surrounded by non participation. Isn’t this a requirement to go to communion? I know you can go if only veniel sin so I guess it wouldn’t count as mortal, but I just don’t get it.
I know when I was someone who didn’t attend often etc. I was more afraid of being embarrased in not knowing what to do or say. It seems like people are embarassed to participate and these are regulars, not visitors from what I can tell. If they are bored or ? participating will make it go by faster if that is what they want.
I often wish that before mass starts when they ask people to shut off or silence their cell phones they would at least once in awhile inform us of what participating in the mass is and how important it is to do so.
I have started asking The Holy Spirit to pour down on us before mass starts, but I think I’m going to try and pray for more to desire to participate and for all to experience feelings in their hearts when they do. I pray sometimes to be invisible just so I can really be present and not distracted or distracting. But I should not feel like a distraction just for being sincere and reverent.

Look at this, can you believe she has the nerve to ask what the constitutes participation in the mass…she has no clue and she came here to ask questions! oh there it is…it’s that part where she says if they want it to go by faster, there is never anyone who is just sitting there wishing it was over. Look she even is hoping that they give some instruction or little info here and there so that new comers and those who have been way are edified in some way, can you imagine? Sincere and reverent, she actually tried to convey that she felt uncomfortable being in awe at mass, to be deep in meditation to the point that sometimes she isn’t aware that all have stood at the entrance hymn, she’s a freak, she wants to be invisible , what for, you think she is embarrased and but feels that our Lord is speaking to her and she is in love and can’t help it, and because she’s lately had a bunch of people around her that she thinks, are thinking she is phony and fake when she can’t help what happens, and she wants to be invisible so she can just leave he and be with Jesus and Mary and the Saints and be completely consumed…why did she even come her to this charitble group to start a big fight and spew on and on and not let go of it,just has to keep throwing us one more blow day after day. Next thing you know she will play tag team.
NOT

 

[SienaFriend]

I very often am surrounded by non participation. Isn’t this a requirement to go to communion? I know you can go if only veniel sin so I guess it wouldn’t count as mortal, but I just don’t get it<<

Sorry I missed seeing your post, kind of got caught up in being beat up. For what it matters I was trying to say, that I thought it was important to speak the creed, to say the responses like Amen, or if you are at a baptizim and the priest says, do you renounce Satan and congregation is supposed to (I thought-that was my question are we supposed to) say I do…I am not saying if you do not want to renounce satan that you should…
Just the normal responses to the priest…basically I guess it comes done to manners to, like peace be with you, zip…don’t say anything…guess it’s fine, just felt uncomfortable to me, but I don’t think I’m allowed to say this kind of stuff on here. I was trying to ask if it was important or needed to participate like that to go to communion. I know all about the one year confession and all that. Like I have heard priests and deacons and have read before that if you come in after all the readings and run up for communion it isn’t right. But that wasn’t initially what my question was. Wanted a stinking deffinition of participation. Which apparently is not allowed, and I showed too much emotion in my first question post. I don’t even care anymore, I probably am kicked out anyways. Just as well, I’ll go back to being bed ridden for a year with a blown back and oh forget it…i’m out of here

 

[Monica37]

Sienna,
I really think we got off on the wrong foot. I am not trying to say anything about you personally. What I think is a huge problem is that there are people who have a different way of responding.

Let me tell you my experience and maybe you can see where at least I’m coming from.

I am military. I have no choice where I’m stationed. I was in Kentucky for a long time. I had 2 choices of Mass to attend within a 1 hour minimum distance. Both churches were run by the same priest. He was very liberal. There was a lot of hand holding, “praying over” EMHC, jokes during the homily, little catechesis, etc. I love the EF. I love the silence, reverence and beauty. It was very hard for me to go to a Mass that was so “active” for lack of a better word. I don’t sing (bad experience in childhood and won’t go into here), but was told that I had to. Often, we would be told by the priest or deacon that if we were not readers, EMHC, or in the choir we were not actively participating. That phrase was thrown in my face quite a bit. I was really stuck in a situation that was not good for me spiritually.

I am now in a place where I can attend an EF regularly and have no desire to fight with anyone on the issue of which is better, silence or activity. However, I guess I just have a sensitivity toward people who may be trying to find a quiet moment with the Lord (they may be stuck too). I think there are a lot of us who have had the phrase “active participation” defined for us and thrown at us and we may quite sensitive to that term. I will not speak for anyone else, but I am just saying that when discussing this topic, you may want to be aware that that phrase can (and obviously as you have seen) provoke a negative response from some (aparently me included).

Terribly sorry to have given you the impression that you were being attacked, again that was not my intent. I wish my typing had been more articulate. If I have not been clear here either, please let me know. I don’t want to fight, just clarify.