Rudeness in Adoration

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AlruwhAlquds

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I was just in adoration and noticed a priest being rude to an older woman. This is a small adoration room, the priest is a visiting priest and not part of our church. Sometimes he celebrates mass at our parish when he visits. Anyway, me and another two others witnessed it. He was in the front of adoration and the older woman was in a pew behind him and adjacent to him. I had my eyes closed but suddenly he whispers loudly, “Excuse me, EXCUSE ME!” to her, since she was into praying and probably had her eyes closed. Then he whispered loudly again, “I can HEAR everything you’re saying!” And motions to his ear very abruptly in frustration. Me and the other two in adoration sort of jumped, and glanced at each-other when he basically chewed her out. He was loud enough for me to snap out praying of for a moment and I was in the back. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the older woman, she didn’t seem like she would be loud. Me and the other two didn’t hear her. I only say this because, moments before entering adoration she complimented my coat and tried to hold the door for me. She didn’t’ strike me as someone who would be annoying.

And don’t get me wrong, people can be loud in adoration and they should be redirected. If this woman was praying loud enough for him to hear, he should redirect her but in not such a angry manner. I’ve seen priests approach others and ask them to try praying in their minds and etc or “please keep your voice down” privately to the person, that would be more appropriate.

This priest looks considerably younger than her and annoyed by her. All I did was pray for both of them. I ended up leaving shortly after, but wished I stayed back to see if she was ok. I get it… priests are human, I’m not expecting them to actually be Jesus himself. But this was out of line. Has anyone else experienced that?
 
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My Adoration pet peeves:
  1. A person’s cell phone goes off. 😱😫😠
  2. People using their cell phones to pray. 😫😱
  3. People talking out loud.
  4. People who aren’t modestly dressed.
These things REALLY irk me at the RC Adoration chapel I go to occasionally.
 
Is there a set of guidelines or rules for adoration? Like how exactly are you supposed to genuflect? Can you stay for less than an hour? Is it okay to read spiritual reading? Etc.
As a convert I don’t know all this stuff - I need it spelled out.
 
There’s a very old, very small Mexican woman who I occasionally see at Adoration that prays the Rosary in Spanish and she whispers to herself, which in a completely silent room ends up being pretty loud and noticeable. I think it’s very sweet and lovable how she doesn’t realize that she’s being loud and it personally sounds beautiful to me, so I don’t mind, though I can also understand how it might bother other people since the room is technically suppose to be quiet.

For what happened at your parish, I suppose father was maybe trying to correct the situation on behalf of other parishioners that visit the chapel and did a clumsy job at it. I would just pray for them and move on imo. Priests need prayers just as we all do in this journey of life.

Peace.
 
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I often whisper very softly at Adoration. Usually I am either alone there or else it is a chapel big enough that people can sit far enough apart to not hear it. I would add that both of the big chapels I frequent often have considerable noise coming in from just outside for various reasons, so if someone is looking for totally silent adoration they weren’t going to get it there anyway.

It’s too bad the priest was rude to the older lady. Some priests are not good with people. Hopefully she realizes that and will just avoid the annoying priest next time, or if he’s young maybe he won’t be there long.
 
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Jen, yes. Act like our Lord is in the room. Bow on both knees, get on your right knee then your left (right knee first). Bow down and do the sign of the cross and get up. I have visited other parishes before and no everyone is traditional and will either not bow or not use both knees. I was told you can stay as long as you like, you can spiritually read as well and meditate. You are spending time with our Lord, you are his daughter/son, it’s all good.
 
I use my cell phone to pray in Adoration but I sit in the back row so the glow from my screen won’t distract anyone else. I pray the Liturgy of the Hours on my phone and also have a journal app I use.
 
I agree, as I said…she really should be redirected. The rest of us in the room were just taken back by his frustration level. He’s a visiting priest that comes by at times because his parents are parishioners there. But yes, I did pray for both of them. Thanks for your take on it.
 
I dont see anything wrong with using your cell phone to help you pray. There are worse things to use it for. If you forget your books or are unable to get to any, it’s a good thing God gave us brains to come up with the internet on our phones. You are using it for Him, I wouldn’t worry about it.
 
I don’t think cell phones are horrible in adoration anymore. I think the best thing you can use the internet for is for Him. Young people especially have access to them. Catholic bible apps are readily available.
And for the parents who have barely have time to make it to adoration and forget their fav prayer books (like me) the cell phone is helpful to find those prayers. I think Jesus would be pleased to know that the cell phone is being used for Him. So I stopped judging those with cell phones in adoration.
 
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I use my kindle and phone for reading or looking up prayers.

If it has unknowingly bothered anybody else in the chapel, I wish them best, but I can’t control pet peeves or scruples from other people, just as long as I’m being reasonably unnoticeable. I could stop using them, but I see this as a step backwards rather than forward because they aren’t going to go away.
 
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Priests have hard days as well.

I’d just accept that’s what father said and trust in his authority.

Humans are always imperfect - even the clergy.
 
If you can go for an hour, great. I try to go for an hour. Occasionally if I’m doing errands and pass by the Adoration chapel, I’ll go for a few minutes.
 
I’m trying to figure out why a silent cell phone would bother anyone in adoration. I got nothing. 🧐

What about a cell phone bothers you?
 
Why is this in non-Catholic religions, seems like it should be on another portion of the forum.
 
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Perhaps she means the light that comes out of the mobile phones - if it is a darker room…

Or perhaps it is the fact it might be considered disrespectful to use a mobile phone in front of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist.
 
I’m not sure, I guess I goofed. I don’t know how to fix it…sorry.
 
I’m not sure either. Kindles are used for books, it’s a device. If someone is using that for a prayer book or has their prayer journal up on their phone or iPad…why is that disrespectful? How is it different than holding a journal up? I guess you can argue the light on the phone. But that’s if it’s in a dark room.

Sometimes I think cell phones are too “new” for some people who refuse to change their minds. Religious folks hated rock in roll music when it first came out and now we have Christian rock bands. Some people need to realize that time changes and we evolve. It doesn’t have to be bad.
 
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