Percolating Parishioners

[contemplative]

Percolating parishioners………………….we’ve all been subject to them……. we’ve all brewed pew percolations of our own. Percolating can mean upper and lower gaseous emissions or loud grumbling hungry stomachs or respiratory emissions via sneeze, sniffle, cough or blow…and don’t forget the hiccups…
What do you do during Mass to lessen the distraction for those around you?
What do you do to assuage the noise?
What do you do when assailed with this sort of distraction during Mass?

 

[LilyM]

Depends on the species of ‘percolation’ and how loudly one is percolating as well I guess!

A single brief bout of coughing, sneezing or sniffling, or even gut rumbling, wouldn’t affect me much, though I might be tempted to forego the Sign of Peace in all but the last case.

If any of it is persistent and loud enough to be disruptive to those around I would, for their sake, leave the church and not attempt to re-enter unless/until it’s satisfactorily under control again.

If it’s emanating from a neighbour and they seem oblivious to the fact, simply offer it up (not much else to be done!)

 

[contemplative]

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut LilyM.
I have great difficulty with a grumbling, rumbling hungry stomach…you know how we all fast before Mass?..some…like myself… go a longer time than an hour without food before receiving Holy Communion. This causes some pretty loud embarrasing stomach sounds sometimes. Does anyone know any good tricks to stop these behemoth rumblings?

 

[palmas85]

Percolating parishioners………………….we’ve all been subject to them……. we’ve all brewed pew percolations of our own. Percolating can mean upper and lower gaseous emissions or loud grumbling hungry stomachs or respiratory emissions via sneeze, sniffle, cough or blow…and don’t forget the hiccups…
What do you do during Mass to lessen the distraction for those around you?
What do you do to assuage the noise?
What do you do when assailed with this sort of distraction during Mass?

Its part of life and pretty much beyond any ones control. I try to ignore it as much as possible or if the sounds are funny as some of them are, I giggle.

 

[contemplative]

Its part of life and pretty much beyond any ones control. I try to ignore it as much as possible or if the sounds are funny as some of them are, I giggle.

yes…pretty much out our control sometimes…a giggle is a natural response to something funny…
I can recall releasing a most deep sigh at the conclusion of a homily once. This wasn’t a sigh of relief that the priest was finished talking but rather a sigh of happiness after hearing good news. I was quite embarrassed by this at the time…I had no way of knowing I would sigh. I guess you could call that percolating with happiness during Mass.
My tummy grumblings do bother me though.

 

[puzzleannie]

in my parish most of those whose bodies are (without their knowledge) exuding such noises are under 2 or over 80, so we cut them some slack. If they are 7th grade boys, I glare at them and the noise subsides.

 

[contemplative]

in my parish most of those whose bodies are (without their knowledge) exuding such noises are under 2 or over 80, so we cut them some slack. If they are 7th grade boys, I glare at them and the noise subsides.

I laughed and had to catch my breath after reading this…