Roping off pews

[sandraladeda]

If people prefer to sit in the back row, they can still sit in the back row of the open area…their early exit for washroom needs, or need to deal with small children without disruption is still possible.

I can see how a priest would prefer to address a gathering of people, rather than a scattered group, with one in that far corner, one here, one there. I think it might feel like one is not really connecting with the congregation if they all seem so disconnected from one another.

I do prefer a sense of community when I worship. I don’t like when the nearest person is standing 20 feet away from me, and I have to give them a lame little wave at the sign of peace…but that’s just me, I am a front row kind of gal, so no one ever has to invite me forward! I can’t get close enough!

 

[lak611]

As I read your post though, I still couldn’t see why roping off pews does anything to change the number of people; 100 members is 100 members whether you are elbow to elbow or a few feet apart. It’s not like you aren’t heating that area or something like that.

What you are saying is true. I guess my observation is just that if a parish starts roping off pews due to lack of congregants, it may be on its way toward closing eventually.

 

[m134e5]

Hi,
I don’t know what area this would fit, but what do you think of roping off pews in the back of the church so parishiners had to sit more upfront? Our church did that because we have less people attending and they wanted it to feel like a community more.
I always sit middle to front, but others like to be alone and one of my daughters who is a bit claustaphobic, doesn’t like to sit elbow to elbow with someone (like last mass)
He also has us saying hello and introducing ourselves to our neighbors in the beginning of mass, which again I think is a nice thought, but makes me mildly uncomfortable. No one you don’t know,ever calls you by your name again of course and I think you can’t force becoming friends. Shouldn’t this be something that happens after mass, not right before, maybe in a coffee-and type thing? I’m probably being a kill-joy, but I just don’t find it very reverent and I find myself at another parish some weeks.
Thanks for any thoughts.

If there aren’t very many people attending, I can see roping off some pews. If the congregation can all sit comfortably in the front, maybe the priest won’t have to use a microphone, and he wouldn’t have to stand at the front of the church to wait for the lone parishioner in the back to come up for communion. The parishioners shouldn’t be forced to sit on each other’s laps either though…and if they possibly will need to leave in the middle of Mass…I would suggest they duck under the rope and sit in the back pew anyway (although the priest may say something from the pulpit about that…and I somehow doubt those priests that would do that would say something for all the congregation to hear if someone started to walk out of Mass with a host or something, or someone who would cause scandal by receiving communion was trying to receive).

 

[debraran]

His main theme was “coming together” which is great, but not “squisihing together” which is what it is like. I was surprised how many they roped off…we came right on time last week and all the pews were full (everyone sits at the ends as you might see in your own churches) I went to sit in the last pew without anyone and my leg hit the rope…I should of just hopped over it instead of sitting elbow to elbow with someone who obviously didn’t like me and my 2 kids that close to her. I had to really close my eyes an put it out of my mind but my daughter suffered a bit.
I’m going to write a letter, but I know, although a lot of people are grumbling and he doesn’t seem to care, maybe they didn’t mention medical things and how forcing community doesn’t work.
Since he does this at both churches he pastors, I wish they would just use one church, save money and then there would be more community.But no one wants to give up “their” church so they stay for now. He has the parish councils meeting together now, but the masses fluctuate, 8am at one, 10 at the other, etc.
Well, luckily I found a great Dominican church nearby, but my daughters really wanted to make their confirmation next year with their friends so we will go every other week.

 

[az_4_faith]

I started attending daily Mass about 12-13 years ago with my then-three year old son. It was Lent and I wanted to start a devotional practice with my youngest.

Needless to say, his behavior was terrible. But I sat in the back away from everyone and dealt with him. Eventually, he settled down and tolerated the Mass with me.

I could never have attempted that if we were forced to sit close to everyone. My son would have been too distracting (at least, much more than he was sitting far away) and I wouldn’t have wanted to disturb anyone.

This is just one small example of why everyone has their different reasons for sitting where they do.

If your pastor is striving for intimacy, perhaps he should construct a small chapel for daily Mass and leave the big Church empty.

 

[paramedicgirl]

Forcing people to sit up front and making them greet their neighbour is forced friendliness. Sometimes I need to sit at the back, like when I am on call and may have to leave. I don’t want to be disruptive by sitting up front when I am packing my pager. Otherwise I prefer to sit near the front.

I can’t stand the forced meet and greet before Mass. It’s artificial, and there’s plenty of time to greet people before or after Mass, outside of the Church. If I am in a Church where I know they do the forced meet and greet, I will sit at the back, not to be unfriendly, but because I am very uncomfortable with having it forced on me.

 

[debraran]

I do think these things take away from the real reason of the mass…you would never see them doing this at some churches or even Mother Angelica’s. Sometimes it seems like they have an idea of what they want, they hand out scripts in a sense and then you play your part. My friend told this pastor she had been staying home with her 3 very young daughters because she didn’t want her squriming toddler distracting everyone in the front. He just said to come and she made sure she sat up front and he saw how hard it was for her and the “looks” but we’ll see what happens.

Another thing I think people are too sensitive about is the sign of peace. At the Dominican church I go too now on occasion, I noticed they smile and nod or wave, but only about a 1/4 shake hands. I read a few posters that were so angry and hurt that so and so ingnored their childrens hands or wouldn’t make eye contact, etc. Working in the health field for many years, I can tell you MANY reason people, young and old, would have not to shake someones hand, especially in the winter or after seeing them wipe their nose, cough into their hands, etc. Some have weakend immune systems…saying hello should be sufficient, not having to touch you. When someone wont make eye contact, I just chalk it up to a quirk of theirs and wish them well…I don’t feel hurt. Sometimes you have to think outside your own box.

 

[the_phoenix]

Regarding the forced meet and greet at the start of Mass, here’s how I deal with it:

“Hello, I am a Conservative, Pro-Life Catholic.”

Regarding the roping off of pews to keep people out of the back row, if you happen to be in a parish where the Communion Line starts with the back row and the front row receives last, then it’s best to sit in the back row so that you get to spend more time with Jesus in Communion. In any case, I believe in allowing people to sit where they feel most comfortable.

~~ the phoenix