Quotes or documents about talking during Mass?

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Quis_UtDeus

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Hello I’m wondering if there’s any good quotes or documents/encyclicals that mention talking during Mass? It’s an issue in my parish that’s increasingly bothering me
Thank you.
 
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This is plain, old fashioned manners. No encyclical is needed for common sense.

Out of charity, know that the people talking during Mass (or at the movies, or during the theater, or at the ballet, etc.) were simply not taught basic etiquette. Pray for them, set a good example, be loving and kind. If you need to, move to another pew.
 
What would you do with this information? Have you talked to your pastor about it?
 
Are you going to print out an encyclical and hand it to the person?

You don’t need a document of some kind to ask people to practice common courtesy. If someone is chatting away during Mass, it’s fine to politely ask them to stop. You don’t need to back it up with some kind of citation.
 
It seems to me that people in general, not just at Mass, are more animated, more talkative, they talk faster, and are more easily distracted than in times past. It’s not just the smart devices, though that’s part of it. It’s like people are “jazzed up” all the time and don’t take time to reflect on themselves or anything around them.

Add to this that a lot of people don’t really know why they are at Mass, or rather, where the priorities lie. Being in the presence of Almighty God, most of all God Incarnate in the Holy Eucharist, inspires silence by its very nature. If people think of it as primarily a community meeting, a get-together, of course they are going to talk.
 
It seems to me that people in general, not just at Mass, are more animated, more talkative, they talk faster, and are more easily distracted than in times past. It’s not just the smart devices, though that’s part of it. It’s like people are “jazzed up” all the time and don’t take time to reflect on themselves or anything around them.
I have noticed this exact same thing. Glad to know it’s not just me noticing these things. 🙂
 
That is an excellent article Acquinas…thank you for posting it.

Silence is a necessity for everyone in order to deepen our prayer lives. If we don’t cultivate silence our prayer time can be only skin deep.

We need to hear our priests talk about that subject to us. Some parishes in my area do have silence…it seems a good habit has been formed there.

It is not good when there is a buzz of chatter the entire time people are there before Mass.
 
I have it on good authority that it is considered bad form to give the “time out” signal to Father and then turn and shout “Hey! Would you keep it down over there!!!???”

For any who are wondering, no, I haven’t actually done this.

Yet.
 
Even before and after Mass. From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 45:

“Even before the celebration itself, it is a praiseworthy practice for silence to be observed in the church, in the sacristy, in the vesting room, and in adjacent areas, so that all may dispose themselves to carry out the sacred celebration in a devout and fitting manner.”

From Ceremonial of Bishops , Part II Mass, Chapter 1 Stational Mass of the Diocesan Bishop, in the section headed “ Concluding Rite”, n. 170:

“When they reach the vesting room (sacristy), all make a reverence to the cross together with the bishop. Then the concelebrants bow to the bishop and carefully put away their vestments. All together the ministers also bow to the bishop, then lay aside the articles they have used in the celebration and their vestments. All are to be careful in observing silence, out of respect for a spirit of recollection and the holiness of the house of God.”

[Excerpt from the English translation of The Roman Missal , © 2010 International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. Excerpt from the English translation of Ceremonial of Bishops , © 1989, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. All rights reserved.]
 
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Other Quotes:

“30. To promote active participation, the people should be encouraged to take part by means of acclamations, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and songs, as well as by actions, gestures, and bodily attitudes. And at the proper times all should observe a reverent silence.” Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium , 4 December 1963, full document at http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html

“17. At the proper times, all should observe a reverent silence.[footnote 17: Cf. Constitution on the Liturgy, Art. 30.] Through it the faithful are not only not considered as extraneous or dumb spectators at the liturgical service, but are associated more intimately in the mystery that is being celebrated, thanks to that interior disposition which derives from the word of God that they have heard, from the songs and prayers that have been uttered, and from spiritual union with the priest in the parts that he says or sings himself.” 1967 Instruction Musicam Sacram , at http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_.../vat-ii_instr_19670305_musicam-sacram_en.html

“[39.] For promoting and elucidating active participation, the recent renewal of the liturgical books according to the mind of the Council fostered acclamations of the people, responses, psalmody, antiphons, and canticles, as well as actions or movements and gestures, and called for sacred silence to be maintained at the proper times, while providing rubrics for the parts of the faithful as well.” 2004 Instruction Redemptions Sacramentum at http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/c...doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html
 
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