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mirandajb
Guest
Amen to that
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Miserissima
Guest
Reminds me of a scene in an old movie (was it *Going My Way *or Bells of St. Mary’s?) where a curmudgeon finds a change of heart and goes into a church. While there, he finds man’s best friend and takes him home as a pet.
One of the reasons people have service dogs is to help them in just such situations as might be encountered at Mass. Both dog and human need to work with each other as often as possible.
There have been three or four guide puppies in training that have been at Mass in my parish over the years. They have all been very well behaved. The people around the puppies have managed to be relatively well behaved too.
There have been three or four guide puppies in training that have been at Mass in my parish over the years. They have all been very well behaved. The people around the puppies have managed to be relatively well behaved too.
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Flos_Campi
Guest
Service dogs are a wonderful idea !
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Brenda_V
Guest
I agree with the poster who said to just let Father know ahead of time that you will be coming to Mass with a service dog. That is all he needs to know but of course answer any of his questions.
I think this is so awesome that your daughter is on the list for a service dog.
Brenda V.
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Cobbfmly
Guest
IMO, other than service dogs, the only time animals should be allowed into church, regardless of who the owner is, is on the Feast of St. Francis when conditions are such that the blessing can not be held outside the church (i.e. raining).
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Wolseley
Guest
I see no problem at all with a service dog or a seeing-eye dog in church at Mass, and (in my own humble opinion, of course) I don’t think God does, either. 
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Melanie01
Guest
Run it by your pastor…so he is aware of this and as has been posted previously the dog will probably be better behaved than some of the human parishioners. The only concern would be that the dog could be a distraction, after a couple of weeks, the dog will be a given and most likely ignored by most.
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jrabs
Guest
I see no need to run it past a pastor - though you certainly can.
A working dog is trained not to be a distraction. Most will not even know he is there.
One cannot compare a house dog to a working dog. A working dog is rather obvious as compared to a house pet. I cannot imagine any priest or any parishioner having a problem with it.
I also feel that it is good to make you child comfortable with bringing the working dog to Church. Later in life, your child will be off on their own and will need to feel comfortable in doing such. I see no reason not to start now if it helps in making your child’s life easier.
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Biblioassistant
Guest
Our pastor has three dogs, two cats, and about 100 guppies. He’d be fine with a service dog, and so would I. I work on a college campus, and some of the students have them - they are well behaved and wonderful dogs.
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Miserissima
Guest
There’s only one way I can compare the two: pet allergies. To a person allergic to dogs, it wouldn’t make a difference.
But even then, would being near a service dog for the duration of Mass cause a sneezing fit? I doubt it, but I’m not allergic so I don’t know how sensitive a person can be.
Heh, I suppose if someone’s that allergic, they can offer it up and move to a different pew, right?
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jmcrae
Guest
I have allergies. My strategy would be simply to not shake hands with the person who has the dog (not to be rude, but I would be assuming that they had recently touched the dog) - if I were to get dog dander on my hands, I would get very sick - I don’t sneeze, but my sinuses swell up to the point where it’s difficult to breathe, and my eyes get red and itchy, which is very uncomfortable. If I don’t get to my medication in time, I can end up being quite sick for several days.
I would just sit a few seats away, rather than next to where the dog is, and avoid touching anything that the dog had touched. Service dogs are no problem because they are very well-behaved - they aren’t very likely to try to jump up, or stick their noses at me to try to be petted. (I find that sort of behaviour in dogs to be very annoying.)
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Sr_Sally
Guest
I would not have any problems. Please check with your parish, but I’m sure they wouldn’t have an issue either!
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PaixGioiaAmor
Guest
Everyone knows this. No need to point this out EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. someone uses the term.
Keep in mind that those terms are so commonly used in almost every parish in the United States that people aren’t even thinking about it when they say it.
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BlyssfulDreamer
Guest
I would have no problem…would you have a problem with someone with someone in a wheelchair or using a cane? I realize a dog is different of course, but if you are allergic…move, change pews and don’t shake hands.
:heart:Blyss
:heart:Blyss
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Katie1723
Guest
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Karl_M
Guest
You’re not pouring concrete, let me tell you.
What bugs me is the people with the SCREAMING kids who sit there like everything is fine. I don’t mean a little crying or kids being fidgety. That ties for first place the children who are loud in church (no doubt the same ones who throw the major temper tantrums in stores).
When I was in kindergarten, our teacher (who also may have been Noah’s kindergarten teacher
) told us that if we fidigeted in church (moving around, swinging our legs, etc) it was because we thought we were more important than God and wanted people to pay attention to us instead of Him. I still remember it to this day, and that was at least two or three years ago (or a couple of decades, whatever). It may have sounded harsh, but guess what? We didn’t act out during Mass.My mother went to church in the non-padded kneelers and nun-with-yardstick days, and they didn’t act out, either.
So, it’s something to think about.
I almost forgot the point of the OP. I don’t think service animals would be a problem. If you sit in the same place all the time, then people who are allergic will move around or talk to you about it.
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Seminarian_Matt
Guest
Using “Eucharistic Minister” as opposed to “Extra ordinary Minster of Holy Communion” is a liturgical abuse that must be politely corrected every single time.
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Cobbfmly
Guest
Please remember that many of the children that are acting out in church (or public in general) in today’s world were likely to have been institutionalized a couple of decades ago because they have developmental disabilities such as autism. Parents of these children are doing their best, although at times it may not appear they are due to the child’s behavior, to train their children how to act in church (or public).You’re not pouring concrete, let me tell you.
What bugs me is the people with the SCREAMING kids who sit there like everything is fine. I don’t mean a little crying or kids being fidgety. That ties for first place the children who are loud in church (no doubt the same ones who throw the major temper tantrums in stores).
When I was in kindergarten, our teacher (who also may have been Noah’s kindergarten teacher
My mother went to church in the non-padded kneelers and nun-with-yardstick days, and they didn’t act out, either.
So, it’s something to think about.
I almost forgot the point of the OP. I don’t think service animals would be a problem. If you sit in the same place all the time, then people who are allergic will move around or talk to you about it.
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PaixGioiaAmor
Guest
This whole conversation reminds me of a time when one of my choir members brought her dog to rehersal.
I have to say, the dog was quite well behaved. She sat at the feet of her master very quietly and nicely for the duration of rehersal.
I have to say, the dog was quite well behaved. She sat at the feet of her master very quietly and nicely for the duration of rehersal.
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