Question on iPhones during Mass

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What about when he said “put them away”? Did you maybe leave something out? 😃
 
angel12 said:
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Loud-living-dogma:
What about when he said “put them away”? Did you maybe leave something out?
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Well, yes. I left out the OBVIOUS fact that he was talking about using them to take pictures during Mass.
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Okay. Do people use their phones at Mass with the pope? Anybody know?
 
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Eh, I’m cool with it. My sister and her husband use an app on their phone to jump to the parts of the bible the sermon is coming from. I’ve never had a 2nd thought about it…
Francis said:
once asked young people to carry Bibles instead of phones.
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Interestingly enough, in this day and age, that’s where many people keep bibles and other books.
 
Permissible. Ok
In my opinion, and that’s all it is, the Mass is the most personal of encounters and a screen detracts from that personal encounter.
For the same reason I do not believe video screens as worship aids are a wise idea at Mass.

It’s a prudential matter, and our culture is saturated with passive information and entertainment. It seems to me that Mass ought to be a place where personal connection is fostered, not just another place to use devices.
Just my opinion.
 
That’s a understandable opinion. I certainly hate video screens at mass, yet I use my phone for the daily readings. First of all, one does need to take steps to block out passive information if doing so. I find it almost impossible to just listen to the readings and follow along. Most priests (and many deacons) do a good job reading the gospels, but lay people do a horrible job with the readings. Not their fault, they are simply trained to do it the wrong way. I used to carry a St Joseph’s missal with me in my car for daily mass. But the iMissal app on the phone is just too convenient, so that is what I do. Is it a personal example of “normalization of deviancy”, I hope not.
 
Joe_5859 said:
you will still have people that assume you are playing Angry Birds during Mass
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Yes… when I was a candidate in RCIA I opened up my phone to follow the mass readings, people said “What is she doing?!”

…I brought a book after that, until I could memorize all the prayers.
 
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UpUpAndAway said:
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JackMcCoy:
True, but so many people do not use their silent mode. Over the last year, I have heard many ring tones during Mass. The safest thing is just to turn the phone off. Again, this is solely my opinion. 🙏🙏🙏
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Yes, I hear phones ring during Mass on a regular basis.
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This surprises me. I don’t often hear phones at Mass.

I USED to. Back in the 199Xs and the 200Xs. Back when people were new to cell phones and didn’t know how to put them on silent.

Now, I almost never hear them. If I do, it’s usually at Christmas, Easter, a wedding, a funeral, or other time where people who are not often in church are present.
 
I can only tell you my experience, which I’m glad you do not share. 🙂
 
UpUpAndAway said:
The Holy Father is talking about people who are holding up their phones in church in order to take photos and/or shoot video. This is obviously not what’s being discussed in this thread.
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Right.

If you think about it, this is going to be the Holy Father’s main experience with phones at Mass. When I was at a papal Mass a few years back, there were lots of people holding up phones and even tablets to take pictures and videos. I can imagine how frustrating that would be for him because it’s Mass, not a sideshow.

The situation is not the same in the vast majority of Catholic parishes. Except for First Communion Masses. 😝 😐
 
I’m sorry that people are making you feel that way. I felt that way initially, and btw, I use Universalis, too. It’s been great for me and a real blessing. I like getting into the mass, and as a result I am demonstrative when I pray (something I am not, when I’m distracted, thus the app has changed my whole experience for the better). If people want to assume I’m playing, and not praying, I could care less, anymore. Honestly, I’m not talented enough to multitask like that.
 
To me it just feels like having a phone out defeats one of the purposes of mass.

But as many have stated, it’s fine.

When I go to DL, someone having their phone out next to me would be distracting.

Sure, we “need to focus on our own spirituality”, but we’re also gathered there as a mass, not a collection of individuals.

One more opinion for the pile, eh? 🙂
 
Honestly I’m more likely to have my phone go off in mass because it lives in my purse and I forgot than because I’m actively using it.

I’ve had a few comments. I usually respond with a very cheerful “oh yeah, did you know they have missals on these now?”
 
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goout said:
It seems to me that Mass ought to be a place where personal connection is fostered, not just another place to use devices.
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Really, though, does having your nose in a book foster a personal connection?
If you’re going to follow along with something, I don’t see any real difference between using a book and using a phone/tablet.
 
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I suspect this is the main reason cell phones go off at Mass. People put their phone in their purse or jacket pocket before they leave the house and forget all about it by the time they’ve reached the door to the church.

Sometimes it’s the priest, deacon, or a lay parish ministry person who is the ‘offender’ since those folks often use their phones to communicate with each other as they are running all over the parish facilities getting things ready prior to Mass.
 
If all of us were taking selfies and recording the mass the Holy Father would have a point.

Some people have problems following the small print on the missal and rely on tablets or phones to magnify the text so they can follow along.

Again, context is key.
 
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Would rather see people using phones at Mass than critiquing them or having them not come at all.

iPhone usage at mass is fine. Android, too. 😂
 
I would suspect that if you look towards the back of the missal you will find the week day readings. I don’t know who publishes your missals; OCP puts the readings in, in front of the music.
 
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