Saying rosary during mass

[Newbie2]

I saw an interesting thing during mass yesterday, something other forumites have seen and commented on in the past; a woman was holding her rosary and apparently saying (to herself) the rosary during mass. I didn’t notice when she started, but she had finished about halfway through the Eucharistic prayer, took the case out of her purse and put it away.

The only reason I can think of that she prayed the Rosary through the mass is that she started before mass and didn’t have time to finish. However, there’s no way she could have hoped to finish before mass started, since it took her all 2/3 of the way through mass to finish i.e. if that was the explanation, she would have had to start about 40 or so minutes earlier that she did. I guess it looked more to me like she was purposefully saying the rosary during mass rather than getting caught short having intended to say and complete the rosary before mass began.

I don’t mean to be critical, but I just wondered why anyone would distract themself from mass by saying the rosary. It wasn’t distracting to anyone else, as far as I know, it didn’t distract me, but such a thing is curious to me as to why someone would do that.

To me, mass would distract from saying the rosary and the rosary would distract from the mass.

 

[K-McD]

I think the age of the woman would be helpful. Older people, those who were attending Mass when it was in Latin, got use to saying the rosary during Mass because they didn’t understand Latin. I believe they felt they were lost and needed something to do until communion. When the language was changed, these people continued out of habit to pray the rosary during Mass. That’s my understanding.

 

[Newbie2]

I think the age of the woman would be helpful. Older people, those who were attending Mass when it was in Latin, got use to saying the rosary during Mass because they didn’t understand Latin. I believe they felt they were lost and needed something to do until communion. When the language was changed, these people continued out of habit to pray the rosary during Mass. That’s my understanding.

Probably late 50’s.

 

[K-McD]

Probably late 50’s.

I’m tempted to say, “yep, that’s old”, but I’m 45 and not that far away. Oh, well.

 

[Harrison]

I think the rosary is a good way to meditate on the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, so I don’t see the same problems with praying the rosary during mass that you do. I think we should all be focusing on the Sacrifice of the Mass and uniting our prayers to the Sacrifice, which really is full, active participation in my opinion.

We also do not know if this person paused to pay attention to the readings or listen to the homily, which are both good things to do as well.

 

[Snerticus]

Personally, I think that when we “participate in the mass” we should participate in the mass. I understand the reasoning behind older people saying the rosary when the mass was in Latin because they didn’t understand it, but now that most masses are said in English, saying the rosary during mass is pariticipating in the rosary, not the mass. Essentially, we might as well stay home until we are ready to give the enitre mass our full attention.

It also bothers me when I see people reading the bulleting during mass too, which to me is much worse than saying the rosary.

We’re standing in the presence of a King. We need to focus on Him because we are there to priase Him. Saying a rosary, while an excellent thing to do in *any *other situation, is not appropriate once mass begins.

It does kind of upset me, but you know, I’m not one to multitask so to me it would be really distracting. But I know people who claim to be great at multitasking, so maybe to them it’s not distracting at all. I just pray for them for both understanding that what they do is wrong and also I pray for their intentions while they pray their rosary. It’s not a good thing to get so upset that you become distracted too. (I’m not saying that the OP was upset, it certainly doesnt seem that way. But I know I used to get so angry when I saw people reading the Bible or saying the rosary or reading the bulleting during mass. So I’m speaking here from personal experience, not judgement.)

Snert

 

[twosweetgirls]

Perhaps there may be some distraction for her–a mental illness or challenge–and praying the Rosary within the Holy Mass is her way of dealing with it so she can be there.

 

[bilop]

Personally, I think that when we “participate in the mass” we should participate in the mass. I understand the reasoning behind older people saying the rosary when the mass was in Latin because they didn’t understand it, but now that most masses are said in English, saying the rosary during mass is pariticipating in the rosary, not the mass. Essentially, we might as well stay home until we are ready to give the enitre mass our full attention.
It also bothers me when I see people reading the bulleting during mass too, which to me is much worse than saying the rosary.

We’re standing in the presence of a King. We need to focus on Him because we are there to priase Him. Saying a rosary, while an excellent thing to do in *any *other situation, is not appropriate once mass begins.

It does kind of upset me, but you know, I’m not one to multitask so to me it would be really distracting. But I know people who claim to be great at multitasking, so maybe to them it’s not distracting at all. I just pray for them for both understanding that what they do is wrong and also I pray for their intentions while they pray their rosary. It’s not a good thing to get so upset that you become distracted too. (I’m not saying that the OP was upset, it certainly doesnt seem that way. But I know I used to get so angry when I saw people reading the Bible or saying the rosary or reading the bulleting during mass. So I’m speaking here from personal experience, not judgement.)

Snert

I completely disagree. Sunday Mass attendance is an obligation, we are never better off staying home, even if we do nothing but daydream or think about our wordly problems while at Mass.

People pray differently. A person praying the rosary could be uniting their prayers better than someone following along. Or maybe, the person can follow along and pray the rosary.

I occasionally have prayed the rosary when the Mass was paricularly irreverent, the music particularly bad (non-Catholic and inappropriate) or the homily particularly poor (borderline heresy), to control my anger.

While praying the rosary druing Mass is not ideal, I don’t see how it can be condemned, especially given the number of people who chit-chat during Mass.

God Bless

 

[Snerticus]

I completely disagree. Sunday Mass attendance is an obligation, we are never better off staying home, even if we do nothing but daydream or think about our wordly problems while at Mass.

People pray differently. A person praying the rosary could be uniting their prayers better than someone following along. Or maybe, the person can follow along and pray the rosary.

I occasionally have prayed the rosary when the Mass was paricularly irreverent, the music particularly bad (non-Catholic and inappropriate) or the homily particularly poor (borderline heresy), to control my anger.

While praying the rosary druing Mass is not ideal, I don’t see how it can be condemned, especially given the number of people who chit-chat during Mass.

God Bless

Touche about my comment on “better off staying home”. You’re right mass is an obligation and even a person who purposely ignores the mass and plays video games during the whole thing is better off going than staying home. As much as I’d like to say otherwise, if they agree to come to mass and ignore Jesus in His presence, it’s better than staying home and ignoring Him. Although I only see it as “just squeaking by” and still consider it a sin, just not as bad as if they stayed home.

However, I still don’t think that praying the rosary is appropriate at all, even during a particularly irreverant or heretical sermon. I went to mass many a time when I moved here to Phoenix at a parish that seemed to me to be heretical. It was loud with music almost the whole time, people clapping and raising their hands and swaying a lot, and downright irreverant to me. I ended up crying a lot and didn’t want to be there. But I went and endured for Christ’s sake, and I prayed for the people to understand that what they were doing was not in the Church’s best interest, let alone their own. I eventually found another parish.

Also, chit-chatting during mass or reading the bulletin is not the same as saying the rosary. Saying the rosary means that you are essentially “trading” the rosary for parts of the mass you don’t particlarly like. It seems to me (and I may be mistaken) that because the rosary is a good thing and a sacramental that people automatically assume that they can say or participate in it during mass. To me, it’s not a substitute and therefore should be avoided during mass under most circumstances. Don’t get me wrong, if you have a few more beads left as mass starts and it’s only going to take a minute to finish then I think that it may be okay to finish it (not sure here as I’m just giving my opinion). I’ve done it myself but I don’t feel comfortable with it when I have.

Snert

 

[Monica37]

I say leave the lady alone. We have no idea why she prays the Rosary during Mass and I don’t think anyone has a right to say she should or should not be praying the Rosary. If we are noticing these things then maybe we are not doing what we are supposed to be doing. I find it funny when people say, " I just say a prayer for them so that they will understand the Mass and participate more fully" when these people are probably praying fervently for you that you will focus more on the Mass and less on them.

Apology in advance for the snootiness, but I’m getting really tired of people regulating how people (who are not causing any kind of scene) at Mass should behave.

 

[Penance94]

St. Leonard recommended praying the Roasary during Mass…

 

[Snerticus]

I say leave the lady alone. We have no idea why she prays the Rosary during Mass and I don’t think anyone has a right to say she should or should not be praying the Rosary. If we are noticing these things then maybe we are not doing what we are supposed to be doing. I find it funny when people say, " I just say a prayer for them so that they will understand the Mass and participate more fully" when these people are probably praying fervently for you that you will focus more on the Mass and less on them.

Apology in advance for the snootiness, but I’m getting really tired of people regulating how people (who are not causing any kind of scene) at Mass should behave.

Sorry Monica, but I repeatedly said it was my opinion and not what the Catholic Church teaches. I certainly have no intention of regulating what people do or don’t do. I have my own things I probably do that make others angry. However, your comment about someone praying the rosary who is not participating at that point in the mass praying for me to participate more in the mass is uncalled for.

I never said to codemn this lady if you read all my posts. I simply gave my opinion. You don’t have to agree with them.

And if you are tired of people regulating others, then why are you trying to regulate them?

Snert

 

[Sarabande]

Most of the older ladies I know who do or used to say the rosary during mass did so because they were just taught to do that. They watched their mothers say the rosary during mass and learned it while in Catholic school and they continued doing it. My grandmother, for example, didn’t say the rosary during mass because she couldn’t understand the Latin. Yes, she wasn’t fluent in Latin, but she understood what was going on, so it had nothing to do with not understanding. (She actually has a better understanding of the mass than people my generation who grew up just in the vernacular. I’m not saying that one was better than the other, please note. ) She prayed the rosary during mass because that was how all the other ladies in her parish and her older sister and mother prayed. They were taught that it was praying twice. You prayed the mass and prayed the rosary at the same time as part of prayer during mass. A lot of women her generation basically were taught the same way. She doesn’t do it as much anymore because she received some criticism from people about it, and didn’t want to be judged, so she stopped for the most part. I’m very close to my grandmother and I know that she focused very intently on the mass even while she prayed the rosary. It is sad that younger generations, especially those who are children of people in my grandmother’s generation, have gotten them or try to make them stop their way of prayer. (I’m definitely not saying this is what the OP was doing. She/he was just stating a personal opinion about the other woman.)

I’m thinking that this woman in her 50s must have watched and learned from her own family regarding praying during mass and she was one of the few who did not stop. Some people can focus on more than one thing especially if they are related - like prayer. Perhaps she is also good at doing that, especially if she has been doing it since she was a child.

 

[Monica37]

Sorry Monica, but I repeatedly said it was my opinion and not what the Catholic Church teaches. I certainly have no intention of regulating what people do or don’t do. I have my own things I probably do that make others angry. However, your comment about someone praying the rosary who is not participating at that point in the mass praying for me to participate more in the mass is uncalled for.

I never said to codemn this lady if you read all my posts. I simply gave my opinion. You don’t have to agree with them.

And if you are tired of people regulating others, then why are you trying to regulate them?

Snert

I was going to type a big answer, but I don’t like to argue or fight with anyone. Snert, my post was not directed at you. If you read any of my posts on this forum you will see that I try very hard to not do that.
Yes, we all have opinions, my thoughts were more geared toward leaving people to do what they feel is best for them. This woman and many others who pray differently may have a situation where they feel this is the best way they can participate in the Mass. The Rosary describes the life of Christ which is what the Mass does as well except that the Mass has the Eucharist which would be left out if she had stayed home and prayed. I spent many a Sunday just trying to get through an uncomfortable Mass (too long to go into here). I used to get upset when people seemed irreverent and not doing what I thought they should do. I think had I prayed the Rosary instead, I may have been able to handle it in a more charitable way. So I come across as more empathetic to people who outwardly appear to be less participatory because I am.

All I am trying to do is give a different perspective as someone who may appear to not be participating.

 

[Snerticus]

Most of the older ladies I know who do or used to say the rosary during mass did so because they were just taught to do that. They watched their mothers say the rosary during mass and learned it while in Catholic school and they continued doing it. My grandmother, for example, didn’t say the rosary during mass because she couldn’t understand the Latin. Yes, she wasn’t fluent in Latin, but she understood what was going on, so it had nothing to do with not understanding. (She actually has a better understanding of the mass than people my generation who grew up just in the vernacular. I’m not saying that one was better than the other, please note. ) She prayed the rosary during mass because that was how all the other ladies in her parish and her older sister and mother prayed. They were taught that it was praying twice. You prayed the mass and prayed the rosary at the same time as part of prayer during mass. A lot of women her generation basically were taught the same way. She doesn’t do it as much anymore because she received some criticism from people about it, and didn’t want to be judged, so she stopped for the most part. I’m very close to my grandmother and I know that she focused very intently on the mass even while she prayed the rosary. It is sad that younger generations, especially those who are children of people in my grandmother’s generation, have gotten them or try to make them stop their way of prayer. (I’m definitely not saying this is what the OP was doing. She/he was just stating a personal opinion about the other woman.)

I’m thinking that this woman in her 50s must have watched and learned from her own family regarding praying during mass and she was one of the few who did not stop. Some people can focus on more than one thing especially if they are related - like prayer. Perhaps she is also good at doing that, especially if she has been doing it since she was a child.

Agreed. I remember when I was a kid all of the older women in the parish said rosaries at mass. I’m not condemning them as I think that they think it’s the right thing to do.

If I find something in Church teaching that says it’s okay to say the rosary while at mass, then I’ll accept it fully and not have anything more to say. For now though, I just don’t think it’s correct for me to do, and my only hope was for people to understand why I hold this opinion, not to agree with it.

 

[puzzleannie]

.

However, I still don’t think that praying the rosary is appropriate at all, even during a particularly irreverant or heretical sermon. I went to mass many a time when I moved here to Phoenix at a parish that seemed to

it is simply impossible for any person to judge the interior disposition, or “full active participation” in the Mass of another person on the basis of that individual’s demeanor, actions, facial expression or any other outward aspect. Please see the other thread on Mass participation.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=338857

Our task is to focus entirely on Christ’s saving action on the altar, not on second guessing the minor actions and gestures of anyone else in the Church. If the preaching or any other aspect of parish life in your parish is a threat to your faith, go elsewhere, but don’t fall into the trap of judging anyone else.

 

[Snerticus]

it is simply impossible for any person to judge the interior disposition, or “full active participation” in the Mass of another person on the basis of that individual’s demeanor, actions, facial expression or any other outward aspect. Please see the other thread on Mass participation.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=338857

Our task is to focus entirely on Christ’s saving action on the altar, not on second guessing the minor actions and gestures of anyone else in the Church. If the preaching or any other aspect of parish life in your parish is a threat to your faith, go elsewhere, but don’t fall into the trap of judging anyone else.

Okay I get your point, even though I don’t see anywhere in your quote of my response where I’m judging a particular person’s actions. But I do have a question - how is saying the rosary at mass “focusing entirely on Christ’s saving action on the altar”?

And also did I not state that I eventually found a parish after attending mass that I thought was heretical myself? I did not stay home because I thought it was not a good thing, I knew that I had to go to mass whether or not I thought it was heretical, and therefore I went, even though I was extremely uncomfortable. And I participated, even though I felt like not doing so. So why are you pointing out in your second paragraph that I’m judging others by staying at the parish and fulfilling my obligation even though I felt anguish doing it at that particular place?

 

[WetCatechumen]

…

The Rosary is a MARIAN DEVOTION focused upon meditation of the LIFE OF CHRIST.

However, the Mass itself is a specific devotion to Christ, present in the flesh and in the blood. I do not understand why people do not see that this is completely inappropriate.

Focus on Christ and the Mass. Leave your beads in your pocket.

 

[Kielbasi]

…

The Rosary is a MARIAN DEVOTION focused upon meditation of the LIFE OF CHRIST.

However, the Mass itself is a specific devotion to Christ, present in the flesh and in the blood. I do not understand why people do not see that this is completely inappropriate.

Focus on Christ and the Mass. Leave your beads in your pocket.

Praying the rosary during Mass is an old-school practice that was quite common when I was a youth back in the 60s.

I haven’t seen anyone doing it for a while- but among some of those older than me- that’s what they were taught to do. Of course back then, the altar servers made the responses in the mass for the people- the people remained silent during the whole mass.

You ought to be charitable to those that have clinged to this old practice.

 

[japhy]

a woman was holding her rosary and apparently saying (to herself) the rosary during mass … she had finished about halfway through the Eucharistic prayer. …

What did she do after she was done praying the Rosary?

I don’t mean to be critical, but I just wondered why anyone would distract themself from mass by saying the rosary. … To me, mass would distract from saying the rosary and the rosary would distract from the mass.

What leads you to believe the Rosary was distracting her from the Mass? Perhaps it was helping her focus on Christ’s sacrifice better. Perhaps it helps her ignore other distractions.

Pope Pius XII in 1947 wrote this (which was reiterated by the Sacred Congregation of Rites in 1958):
Many of the faithful are unable to use the Roman missal even though it is written in the vernacular; nor are all capable of understanding correctly the liturgical rites and formulas. So varied and diverse are men’s talents and characters that it is impossible for all to be moved and attracted to the same extent by community prayers, hymns and liturgical services. Moreover, the needs and inclinations of all are not the same, nor are they always constant in the same individual. Who, then, would say, on account of such a prejudice, that all these Christians cannot participate in the Mass nor share its fruits? On the contrary, they can adopt some other method which proves easier for certain people; for instance, they can lovingly meditate on the mysteries of Jesus Christ or perform other exercises of piety or recite prayers which, though they differ from the sacred rites, are still essentially in harmony with them. (Mediator Dei 108)