Reverent silence before and after mass

[Frosty]

In my parish we have three Sunday Masses and the noise level is different at each one. At the 7:30 Mass, you can pretty much hear a pin drop before and after. Pretty much everyone who can genuflects upon entering and leaving the pews but the Church empties immediately following Mass. The Church is about half full and the majority those attending are elderly or late middle-aged. The congregation at the 9:00 Mass is a mix of older parishoners, baby-boomers and a handful of young people. There is almost no talking before Mass but the noise level does pick up appreciably afterwards. Strangely it seems to be the older parishoners at this Mass who like to visit and congregate in the aisles to carry on their conversations. Quite a number of all the age groups stay kneeling in private devotion for differing periods of time. The 11:00 Mass is completely different again. This is the most popular Mass and the Church is usually full. All age groups, lots of families with little children and a large group of teenagers. The talking before Mass is like a mild hum but not terribly distracting. However, afterwards a real cacaphony breaks out. Groups of people either gather in the aisles or huddle in the pews having a merry old time. It’s almost like a high school reunion every Sunday! Trying to get out the door one has to almost push people out of the way. Part of the problem is that although there is a large narthex at the back of the Church, the pastor we have now, has chosen to move the tables containing the bulletin, diocesan newspaper etc into the back of the nave and to greet parishoners there as well. He does this both before and after the 11:00 Mass which I think is a contributing factor to the noise level. Perhaps I’m wrong but it does seem to me that using a part of the Church that is meant for worship and where the Tabernacle is in plain sight as a greeting place sends the message that talking is perfectly okay.
During the week, I attend the 12:00 daily Mass at the Cathedral. It seats about 2,000 people and is always at least half full. It begins with one of the deacons reciting the Angelus. There is absolutely no talking either before or after Mass. Probably half of the congregation remains after Mass has ended. Many remain in prayer in their pews, many others move over to the Lady Chapel to recite the Rosary, some go to pray at one or another of the other chapels and a good many move to kneel in front of the Tabernacle for perpetual adoration. It is heartening to know that there are still Churches where reverent silence is observed.

 

[Tommy_Joe]

After reading this thread I think I’ll spend even more time in prayer thanking God for our parish.

Ours is ministered by the FSSP and there is NO talking,…ever,…not before, not after, or at any other time inside the church. Not a peep!

However, after the Mass is over, there are on the average 80 people visiting with each other out under the trees for as long as thirty minutes to an hour.

Your priest can put a stop to all the talking in the church if he wants to. A good chewing-out before the homily would probably work wonders.

 

[stuart12]

I know how you all feel. Our parish is terrible at times with all the noise, I do not mind talking but it must be remembered that a Catholic Church is the holiest place on earth because it has the Blessed Sacrament reserved. One must always remember that one is in God’s presence and should be extremely reverent. I am not a traditional but this modernism in the Church is awful. I usually try to stay after Mass to pray or go to Confession, however the noise at times is unbareable. I have been praying the rosary quietly on my own and a few times people have came up and asked me how I was, and how is school etc. I appeciate their concern, but if they want to talk; talk to me outside. Our pastor did mention the noise problem a long time ago, as it is asked for in the suggestion box, but nothing seems to have been done. I am a new Catholic so I do not feel it proper to approach the priest (even though I get on well with both).