Praying after Mass

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1377Louis

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I have developed the practice of staying about 10 minutes in church offering prayers of thanksgiving. It is a time for contemplative prayer, focusing on receiving God in the Holy Eucharist. Most often Parishioners are wandering around in church**** only to visit socially with others, making a distraction for me and others who desire quiet. How can the message be firmly presented in every Parish that socializing after Mass should be done in the ‘vestibule’ or ‘gathering space’, not in church**** ?? 🤷
 
Well, all we can really do is to write a little letter to our pastor, or else speak with him, and kindly make known our thoughts. After that, it’s best to leave it in his hands.

I agree, sometimes folks can be a distraction. But I’ve found if you just say some prayers for them and try to ignore them, it becomes far easier as time goes by.

And more importantly, I have to say that it’s probably our fault that we’re bothered by them in the first place. If we’re serious about our faith, we really should be going out of our way to excuse them and to forgive them. It’s a struggle, but we really should.

Getting angry about it and wanting to force people to keep quiet is probably far more counter-productive than anything else.
 
Logically, if you are irritated you can have the devotion of the sacred understanding of truth. Simply, be what God wants you to be. It helps a lot.
 
LaetenturCaeli said:
Well, all we can really do is to write a little letter to our pastor, or else speak with him, and kindly make known our thoughts. After that, it’s best to leave it in his hands.

I agree, sometimes folks can be a distraction. But I’ve found if you just say some prayers for them and try to ignore them, it becomes far easier as time goes by.

And more importantly, I have to say that it’s probably our fault that we’re bothered by them in the first place. If we’re serious about our faith, we really should be going out of our way to excuse them and to forgive them. It’s a struggle, but we really should.

Getting angry about it and wanting to force people to keep quiet is probably far more counter-productive than anything else.
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yup.
Personally, i think the more that people would actively do this, the more noticeable it would be to the “talkers” and they would pipe down in the sanctuary. 😉
 
LaetenturCaeli said:
Well, all we can really do is to write a little letter to our pastor, or else speak with him, and kindly make known our thoughts. After that, it’s best to leave it in his hands.

I agree, sometimes folks can be a distraction. But I’ve found if you just say some prayers for them and try to ignore them, it becomes far easier as time goes by.

And more importantly, I have to say that it’s probably our fault that we’re bothered by them in the first place. If we’re serious about our faith, we really should be going out of our way to excuse them and to forgive them. It’s a struggle, but we really should.

Getting angry about it and wanting to force people to keep quiet is probably far more counter-productive than anything else.
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Well stated.
 
1377Louis said:
I have developed the practice of staying about 10 minutes in church offering prayers of thanksgiving. It is a time for contemplative prayer, focusing on receiving God in the Holy Eucharist. Most often Parishioners are wandering around in church**** only to visit socially with others, making a distraction for me and others who desire quiet. How can the message be firmly presented in every Parish that socializing after Mass should be done in the ‘vestibule’ or ‘gathering space’, not in church**** ?? 🤷
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Good luck with that; I gave up trying to pray in church decades ago. Instead, why don’t you find a nice quiet park or parking lot on the way home and pray there? People are not going to be quiet in the church, before or after Mass. There is not much respect for the Real Presence anymore. 😦
 
In parishes where I find this to be an issue I often see people move to the first few pews to complete their prayers after Mass. This is because the folks who socialize usually stay further back. You mention that the socializing moves around the church; have you noticed if there is a particular part of the church that they typically stay away from? If so, maybe start a habit of moving toward that location after mass to complete your prayers.

While you could go elsewhere to pray, a church is meant for prayer and there are special graces and indulgences (if intended) associated with praying in a church and in front of the Blessed Sacrament. If you cannot get away from the distraction, then start your prayers by asking the Holy Ghost to guide you, that you may stay focused on your prayers even with the commotion around you. God bless.

:gopray2:
 
God bless you. I’m in agreement. We are blessed in our parish to have a dedicated Adoration chapel/building, and we will adjourn after Mass to there for the silence.

Sadly, our parish is disruptive both before AND after Mass. Sacred silence and prayer is nearly impossible. I do my best, and rest in the fact that God knows that I’m trying my best. Perhaps those people are the ones who need my prayers more than I do.
 
Consider also arriving 10 minutes early for prayer. Rather than a responsive contemplation, you might consider an anticipatory contemplation. Generally, there is less noise and parishioners are more respectful.

In truth, when the mass is ended, we are sent forth, but I do often remain long enough for a Chaplet of Divine Mercy. I try to hear voices and commotion like rain on the roof. I do not like to speak in the Sanctuary, as my attention should be focused on the Tabernacle.
 
po18guy said:
Consider also arriving 10 minutes early for prayer. Rather than a responsive contemplation, you might consider an anticipatory contemplation. Generally, there is less noise and parishioners are more respectful.

In truth, when the mass is ended, we are sent forth, but I do often remain long enough for a Chaplet of Divine Mercy. I try to hear voices and commotion like rain on the roof. I do not like to speak in the Sanctuary, as my attention should be focused on the Tabernacle.
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In some parishes, that doesn’t work. It wouldn’t work in mine. 😦

I try to offer it up…my annoyance, my frustration, my inability to concentrate and focus. However, I should always be praying, not just at Mass. I do believe we should be given the opportunity to do so, though, because sometimes that IS the only time some people pray.
 
It’s their church too…do you have a side adoration chapel? The front corner pews furthest from the entrance? I imagine they aren’t shouting across the church or playing catch…

I occasionally stay a few minutes to say a prayer or three, I’ve never had a problem with noise or distraction.

Of course I’m pushing 30% hearing loss!
 
On Sundays, it’s usually noisy for less than five minutes after mass. Then a certain degree of silence falls. Of course, at that point, families are already arriving for the next mass, and people are lining up in the back for confessions before mass.

One Sunday before mass, I noticed that the congregation seemed to be making more noise than usual. I went up to the one of the microphones in the choir loft and started very softly going “shhhhhhhhh” - close enough to the mic to be heard, yet far enough to just barely be amplified. It worked! 😃

Personally, I don’t mind the chatter after mass. From the choir loft, however, I can see that sometimes people who seem to be trying to pray are the ones approached and drawn into conversation after mass. My heart goes out to these long-suffering souls who are not left alone in their prayers. 😦

Weekdays, however, are lovely for their silence and simplicity.
 
1377Louis said:
I have developed the practice of staying about 10 minutes in church offering prayers of thanksgiving. It is a time for contemplative prayer, focusing on receiving God in the Holy Eucharist. Most often Parishioners are wandering around in church**** only to visit socially with others, making a distraction for me and others who desire quiet. How can the message be firmly presented in every Parish that socializing after Mass should be done in the ‘vestibule’ or ‘gathering space’, not in church**** ?? 🤷
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I have yet to see a Catholic church with a vestibule large enough to contain socializing!

I used to get angry about not being able to pray after mass then I started listening to the conversations. The first day I really listened I heard: an elderly lady being comforted because her son isn’t coming to mass anymore and she is worried for his soul; a mother of six who had major illness in her family being welcomed back to mass; a newcomer to church being greeted; a new baby being cooed over; a man talking about discerning for the diaconate; a child inviting friends to a party to celebrate his confirmation and first communion. Should all of these things happened outside? Probably. But I can’t imagine Christ taking offense at them. He probably took offense at me getting all angry while I was in His house though!

I figure there are 10,080 minutes in a week. I can grab 10 minutes with Jesus whenever I want, but the only time I can greet, comfort and love a lot of these people is at mass.
 
Deditus_Domina said:
I have yet to see a Catholic church with a vestibule large enough to contain socializing!

I used to get angry about not being able to pray after mass then I started listening to the conversations. The first day I really listened I heard: an elderly lady being comforted because her son isn’t coming to mass anymore and she is worried for his soul; a mother of six who had major illness in her family being welcomed back to mass; a newcomer to church being greeted; a new baby being cooed over; a man talking about discerning for the diaconate; a child inviting friends to a party to celebrate his confirmation and first communion. Should all of these things happened outside? Probably. But I can’t imagine Christ taking offense at them. He probably took offense at me getting all angry while I was in His house though!

I figure there are 10,080 minutes in a week. I can grab 10 minutes with Jesus whenever I want, but the only time I can greet, comfort and love a lot of these people is at mass.
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Well said.

This past Sunday our priest put it this way; everyone who has recieved the eucharist at the mass is part of the body of Christ, we must remember that and treat them with the appropriate respect. He was actually talking about people racing out of the parking lot, but I think it applies here as well!
 
My personal philosophie is I don’t speak before and during mass. After it is over, I have always felt is it OK to talk then.

Sadly, a lot of people talk before and during mass. I have learnt that is just the way it is going to be and honestly, I have yet to meet a priest who will actually try and do something about it.

When someone tries to talk to me, I silently whisper ‘no talking in church please’. they usually walk away and leave me. That is all I can hope for
 
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