Praying after the mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter prodigalson12
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

prodigalson12

Guest
I’ve started that instead of leaving right after mass like everybody else seems to be doing, I stick around to say some silent prayers, giving up on the social element since it does seem like most people want to do is just leave at the end, and now I’m finding this new phenomina going on and it kind of has me a bit perplexed.

It seems that I’m finding myself not being alone with this lately and it’s always girls that happen to be sitting near me. Is this like some chick way of making a statement, like they are available or something and are showing their devotion at the same time? It seems odd they happen to be near where I’m at when this happens, and when I’m in prayer mode, I don’t want to even dialog with anybody, but it has me kind of perplexed, and I suppose, being one of the only single males that is not in his early 20’s or teens, I kind of stand out there regardless.

(name removed by moderator)ut would be helpful, I’ve learned a great deal lately as to “girl” language, and often didn’t realize what was being said, I don’t know if this is yet another thing?
 
It could mean anything and I would not know. Just from personal experience, I think by staying back to pray we notice all the others who stay back and pray. If I never ever stayed back, I would never have noticed this one family who very quietly prays after Mass. So it might just be a coincidence.
 
Honey, I would venture to say that, rare commodity that you are (devout, normal non-teenage Catholic single guy) the girls you all of a sudden find sitting around you are, indeed, expressing interest in a demure, devout sort of way. 😉
 
Just move up the the first pew and pray and get as close as you can to the tabernacle. I have been staying after mass to pray for a few years now. It’s the only quiet time I get to pray in church and I seem to be able to concentrate better after mass.

What is your posture like when you pray? I fold my hands and bow my head with my eyes closed and folded hands on my forehead. The only time anyone has ever interrupted me was when a man wanted to say ‘hi’ before he left mass at the end - and that was fine with me. Usually, no one bothers me when I pray in that position.

The thing is, I never saw many people after mass staying to pray. Maybe one or two people. The number has increased lately and I see a lot more.

Anyone else notice this?

Snert
 
dixieagle said:
Honey, I would venture to say that, rare commodity that you are (devout, normal non-teenage Catholic single guy) the girls you all of a sudden find sitting around you are, indeed, expressing interest in a demure, devout sort of way. 😉
Click to expand...
Thank you, I feel so uncomfortable, not knowing, it’s a damned if you do, or if you don’t scenario and you have clarified the situation. It was really eerie after today’s mass, literally, it was just me and this cute young gal in front of me there exclusively praying and honestly, I had no idea as to directly why as to wanting to admit it, yet the thought has been coming to me, this is likely the case and you rather clarified it. Thank you!
 
Maybe it’s just an odd coincidence, but they just might all happen to be former Anglicans. 😃
I had to put that in – I grew up an Anglican and the whole congregation, as far as I was aware of, prayed before leaving the church.
In our confirmation classes we were told to pray when we got to God’s house (say hello) and again to pray (say goodbye) before leaving. I still have this habit decades later.
What an awful situation you find yourself in. 🙂
The best way to deal with the prayer aspect is to move and keep your eyes tightly shut.
As for the rest…

Ah, to be young …
 
\I’ve started that instead of leaving right after mass like everybody else seems to be doing, I stick around to say some silent prayers, giving up on the social element since it does seem like most people want to do is just leave at the end,\

**You mean your church doesn’t have a coffee hour afterwards?

One of the things I love about our parish is that most people are not in a hurry to go home after Divine Liturgy. People hang around in the parish hall afterwards for as long as the Liturgy lasted!

As I say as sociable and noisy as a cage full of parakeets!**
 
bpbasilphx said:
\I’ve started that instead of leaving right after mass like everybody else seems to be doing, I stick around to say some silent prayers, giving up on the social element since it does seem like most people want to do is just leave at the end,\

**You mean your church doesn’t have a coffee hour afterwards?

One of the things I love about our parish is that most people are not in a hurry to go home after Divine Liturgy. People hang around in the parish hall afterwards for as long as the Liturgy lasted!

As I say as sociable and noisy as a cage full of parakeets!**
Click to expand...
Well, protestants have that in the same beni as you, in the early church, it wasn’t necessary since people tended to meet together at each others homes, somehow this has been lost in modern times, and I agree, coffee hour should be mandatory after every mass. 🙂
 
prodigalson12 said:
I’ve started that instead of leaving right after mass like everybody else seems to be doing, I stick around to say some silent prayers, giving up on the social element since it does seem like most people want to do is just leave at the end, and now I’m finding this new phenomina going on and it kind of has me a bit perplexed.

It seems that I’m finding myself not being alone with this lately and it’s always girls that happen to be sitting near me. Is this like some chick way of making a statement, like they are available or something and are showing their devotion at the same time? It seems odd they happen to be near where I’m at when this happens, and when I’m in prayer mode, I don’t want to even dialog with anybody, but it has me kind of perplexed, and I suppose, being one of the only single males that is not in his early 20’s or teens, I kind of stand out there regardless.

(name removed by moderator)ut would be helpful, I’ve learned a great deal lately as to “girl” language, and often didn’t realize what was being said, I don’t know if this is yet another thing?
Click to expand...
God bless you brother. The way how people seem to be in such a hurry to leave after mass, yours is such a wonderful sight in the church. If the mass is supposed to where we receive God in body and blood literally we would expect people would be reluctant to leave even after the mass ends. Like how we pray to prepare ourselves before mass, to spend times in personal prayer after it would be equally called for. There is so much to thank God for.

As for the girls, well, I am quite dense in this but I would thought they stay back for the same reason as you do. 🙂

And bless them too!
 
prodigalson12 said:
I’ve started that instead of leaving right after mass like everybody else seems to be doing, I stick around to say some silent prayers, giving up on the social element since it does seem like most people want to do is just leave at the end, and now I’m finding this new phenomina going on and it kind of has me a bit perplexed.

It seems that I’m finding myself not being alone with this lately and it’s always girls that happen to be sitting near me. Is this like some chick way of making a statement, like they are available or something and are showing their devotion at the same time? It seems odd they happen to be near where I’m at when this happens, and when I’m in prayer mode, I don’t want to even dialog with anybody, but it has me kind of perplexed, and I suppose, being one of the only single males that is not in his early 20’s or teens, I kind of stand out there regardless.

(name removed by moderator)ut would be helpful, I’ve learned a great deal lately as to “girl” language, and often didn’t realize what was being said, I don’t know if this is yet another thing?
Click to expand...
“chick way of making a statement”

chick?!!

Has it ever occurred to you that these young ladies are there to pray, just like a man, and that they really aren’t paying any attention at all to you?

I would suggest dropping the phrase “chick” for women and girls unless you are all by yourself. “Chick flick” is a recognized genre of movies, and that’s OK. But to describe girls as poultry is disrespectful.
 
In most churches I’ve been to it is very challenging to pray after Mass with all the chatting, laughing, and carrying on.
 
Cat said:
“chick way of making a statement”

chick?!!

Has it ever occurred to you that these young ladies are there to pray, just like a man, and that they really aren’t paying any attention at all to you?

I would suggest dropping the phrase “chick” for women and girls unless you are all by yourself. “Chick flick” is a recognized genre of movies, and that’s OK. But to describe girls as poultry is disrespectful.
Click to expand...
Hey, I resemble that remark! I am a ‘chick’ - albeit much older than the ones the OP mentioned - and I don’t mind anyone using the word ‘chick’ unless it is used in a derogatory manner or refers to the tracts by the author of the same name. 😉

I remember a scenario I was in with a friend:

We had just come from a feed store and I had gotten two little banty chicks. I was driving home and my friend Tonya took out the chicks and put them in her hand. A car with some cute guys drove past us on her side, and we both shouted out while we held the chicks up in our hands “Hey, you wanna see two cute chicks?!?”

Well, I thought it was funny anyway. This happened about 10 years ago…

Snert
 
Ockham said:
In most churches I’ve been to it is very challenging to pray after Mass with all the chatting, laughing, and carrying on.
Click to expand...
It’s funny, because - in our parish anyway - if you stay long enough (maybe only 2 to 3 minutes) all the people leave and the chit-chat stops. It’s much quicker and quieter than what goes on before mass. Usually it’s loud up to 1/2 hour before mass at our parish with the talking and choir practice going on. I prefer staying after mass too because I don’t feel rushed.

Snert
 
prodigalson12 said:
I’ve started that instead of leaving right after mass like everybody else seems to be doing, I stick around to say some silent prayers, giving up on the social element since it does seem like most people want to do is just leave at the end, and now I’m finding this new phenomina going on and it kind of has me a bit perplexed.

It seems that I’m finding myself not being alone with this lately and it’s always girls that happen to be sitting near me. Is this like some chick way of making a statement, like they are available or something and are showing their devotion at the same time? It seems odd they happen to be near where I’m at when this happens, and when I’m in prayer mode, I don’t want to even dialog with anybody, but it has me kind of perplexed, and I suppose, being one of the only single males that is not in his early 20’s or teens, I kind of stand out there regardless.

(name removed by moderator)ut would be helpful, I’ve learned a great deal lately as to “girl” language, and often didn’t realize what was being said, I don’t know if this is yet another thing?
Click to expand...
Does it make a difference to you in any way? None of us know these women so we can only guess as to the motives. If it makes you uncomfortable, maybe during Mass you can sit in an area with mostly males or much older females. That way any young women who stay after to pray will probably not be near you. But whether others are making a statement or not, unless you are also making one and trying to connect, it shouldn’t matter.

I love that you stay after to pray. I love that I see this more and more. Just concentrate on and be blessed by this special time with God and don’t worry about the motives of others. Don’t let this stuff distract you; this time in prayer after Mass, so soon after the Eucharist, can be so very special.
 
prodigalson12 said:
It seems that I’m finding myself not being alone with this lately and it’s always girls that happen to be sitting near me.
Click to expand...
It could just be that in seeing one person pray after mass, they’re reminded that they can do that too. It may have been something that for whatever reason it never occured to them to do.

Though at the Saturday evening mass at my parish you end up praying in the dark, since the usher turns off the light pretty quick after mass ends…
 
leitis;5919834 said:
I really love the chapel in the dark! I’ve stopped in evenings when it’s dark and have grown to love it that way.
Click to expand...
 
People always used to stay after Mass, but then the parking lot rush was invented. 😦
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top