Should Catholic Churches Have Cell-Phone Blocking Devices to Block Signals???

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When my husband was sick, i always had my cellphone whether in church or whereever----if i got a call—i would turn off the phone & go outside & call him—one day somebody fainted in church & the priest asked if anybody had a cell phone to call 911—i was the only one with a phone so we were able to get through to the ambulance–if the cell-phone blocking was turned on—it wouldn’t off been so convenient.
 
Interesting note:

I jus got a new cell phone and it has a vibrating mode called Manner Mode. Not sure if I will use it (I do not take my cell when I go to Mass anyways), since it seems to ve a very intense buzz.

PF
 
The medical profession is discussed at length here but I have to make a comment for the military. I live/worship on a military installation and MANY of our congregants are “on call”. To be honest, if you are a soldier, you are on call 24/7 so there is no being able to leave the cell in the car during Mass. Especially if you are a first line supervisor or Commander. I sing in the choir so I get a birds eye view of all the “zapped” people when their vibrate mode goes off and they just look startled, then look down, push a button and out the door (quietly) they go. I understand the frustration when you hear Mozart #40 going off during the Consecration, but if you’re charitable, you’ll ignore it. Believe me, the person that failed (or just plain forgot- it happens- especially when it’s a mother of three little ones with a deployed husband) to turn off their cell phone will not allow it to happen again after all the dirty looks they receive. As someone else posted earlier… let’s fix the real problems in Mass and not be such Nazi’s about something simple. Ask the person if they just forgot to put it on vibrate and if they are condescending and self-grandizing about it, kindly remind them to put it on vibrate next time. 😃
 
Boy this would be a tough one in the Diocese of San Jose and I suspect many other large urban centers…

Several Parish bell towers are leased out to Cell Phone Providers as “Cell” relay sights due to their elevation… I guess Pastors need to make an announcement “Turn them off or turn them to silent/vibrate mode.”
 
I dont’ think they should block calls for the reasons others have stated. There are people who are on call who have jobs that are important to others LIVES. Having a way to get in contact actually frees them to be able to go to Mass.
Just an aside, I can tell when one of my doctor friends gets a call. She /he very quietly leaves without fuss. (I don’t always see. sometimes just when they come back after making the call) I never hear a doctor’s phone go off in church.

Some people don’t seem to care most thought I think honestly forgot. I don’t get many cell phone calls. My phone is more often on silent still I will always check at the beginning of Mass when the Choir leader asks us to, just in case
 
My guardian angle saved me through my cell phone I was assualted and was able to call 911 before the assualt continued. I always have my cell phone with me. However I do turn it on vibrate when I am in church. I would however like to be reminded to turn it to vibrate in case I should forget. I have had it go off in Church once and I was most humiliated. By the way I was attacked on the way to Church
 
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nike248:
Why don’t you just put it on vibrate?
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I do put in on vibrate, and I ignore it unless it is an immediate family member. In the last 4 months that I have attended daily Mass, I only once received a call from a friend. Ahh, the glories of caller id.

Eamon
 
The worst happened in a rather large church…
I was sitting about 2/3 from the front of church when the man next to me received a cell phone call just as it was time for the people in my pew to get up for Holy Communion. He not only answered the phone but carried on a conversation with the caller all of the way up to Communion. This was very disturbing for me.😦 Remember it was a large church so his conversation from his seat to the front of church was far from short!
 
I attended a wedding a few weeks ago, very small, just the family, but they did have all the trimmings - lasso, coins, bible, unity candle etc., so I thought they would have music, but did not see an organist. then as the bridesmaids began the procession I thought I heard music, figured it was a portable CD player, but not loud enough. then it stopped, I heard it again just as the Bride got to the altar. turned out to be her mom’s cell phone. too bad, it was a nice tune if it was a little louder
 
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thann:
You said what I wanted to say before I could!

Give God ONE UNINTERRUPTED HOUR!!! Is that too much to ask?

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.
Matthew 26:39-41
'thann
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Yeah! Exactly!
 
the man next to me received a cell phone call just as it was time for the people in my pew to get up for Holy Communion. He not only answered the phone but carried on a conversation with the caller all of the way up to Communion.
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:eek: :eek: :eek:
Oh, I SOOOOO would have said “something” to that guy! And the Priest should have said something also.
If you are so important that you must have a cell on you at Mass, put it on vibrate! Leave the sanctuary and then call your important caller back.
What ever happened to common sense and common courtesy??!!?
 
You can always tell when daily Mass is going to start by the distinctive tone of Father turning his cell phone off. . . I understand that there used to be a bell when the priest entered . . . well, it’s a whole new world. . .
 
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kaygee:
You can always tell when daily Mass is going to start by the distinctive tone of Father turning his cell phone off. . . I understand that there used to be a bell when the priest entered . . . well, it’s a whole new world. . .
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I think you’ve got something there, instead of sanctus bells, which have gone the way of the dodo, the altar server can play Fur Elise on his cell phone.
 
With vibrate, it should not be an issue whether or not someone needs to be on call or not. Those who do not understand why someone can’t just not be on call for a certain time, clearly do not live in a rural area.

I thank God our volunteer firemen do not turn off their pagers or cell phones (for the on duty officer who does the duty Sat. and Sun. ). **If they don’t go, people die. **

But it appears that this seems to be divided among large cities and rural areas. Common sense needs to be the prevailing rule of thumb.
 
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MariaG:
I thank God our volunteer firemen do not turn off their pagers or cell phones (for the on duty officer who does the duty Sat. and Sun. ). **If they don’t go, people die. **.
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What did they do before they have pagers?
 
What did they do before they have pagers?
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Haven’t pagers been around forever? Just kidding.

I don’t know what they did before pager. But that is the system that is in place now that allows the fastest response time for volunteers to leave where ever they are, respond to a fire station, wait for at least one other to get to the station also, and then respond to a call, sometimes up to 20 minutes or more from where they are at.

I repeat, if pagers or cell phones were banned from rural area churches, the lives of people will be put in jeopardy.

God Bless,
Maria
 
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MariaG:
I thank God our volunteer firemen do not turn off their pagers or cell phones (for the on duty officer who does the duty Sat. and Sun. ). **If they don’t go, people die. **.
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Agreed.

I work in healthcare. Our personnel must rotate call schedules to accommodate those who are terminally ill and their families. We need to be available for them and others who have made the decision to place their loved one in our care on a Saturday evening or Sunday morning.

If you cannot avoid being on-call during Holy Days of Obligation, which I imagine most in the field cannot at times, then the cell can be put on vibrate. (In our organization, cell phones have replaced the traditional pager).

I attend a large church/parish and sometimes during the Mass a cell phone will ring. I don’t like it, but I have always thought that these are people who simply forgot to turn their phones off. It happens. I choose not to make a judgement in the matter. I have never heard anyone answer one during Mass. Of course,I would rather not hear a phone ring during Mass, but don’t agree with a system to block cell phone signals/communication.

Of course the Mass is of highest priority. We are not perfect. God knows this and He knows the intentions of our hearts.
 
I’m not so sure. Medical personal ought to be able to be on-call during mass. Remember the problem the pharisees had with Jesus healing people on the Sabbath. Remember how Jesus responded. Plus I’m a teen, and so if I go to mass, I have to have my cell phone with and on vibrate in case there is an emergency.

But on a differant note, I hear cell phones go off all the time in mass. At my Lutheran church (my brother’s confirmation day) I think one lady’s cell phone went off 2 or 3 times!!! And at mass this evening, not only did someone’s cell phone go off, but they answered it!!! I could hear them talking on their cell phone while we were praying.
 
I am a big fan about turning my cell phone off in public places. I even turn off my cell phone when I attend college classes, movies, and driving. I dont see whats wrong with having a no-cell phone rule (name removed by moderator)lace for mass.
 
I think that there definitely should be a “no cell phone” rule at Mass. Furthermore, if someone’s cell should go off during Mass, we should all be allowed to throw stuff at the offender! Man, that’s irritating! (I’ll never forget the time that a cell phone went off right before a song was about to begin… With a stricken look, one of the singers went running out the side door to answer it… turn the bloody thing *off *before coming in! Sheesh!!)
Peace.
The Canon (who does not even own a cell phone!)
 
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