Showiness during Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter TrueRomanCatholic
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TrueRomanCatholic said:
During the sign of peace, he doesn’t shake hands, he extends his hand so his palm is parallel to the floor and fingers perpendicular to the floor.

We’re forced to shake his hand as if we’re about to kiss his ring finger!!
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Well you are not forced to do the shaking hands thing. Just keep your hands folded in prayer and slightly nod.
 
I would find this very annoying, but look on the bright side; it makes for a great story around the supper table.
 
blackforest said:
I could easily be wrong, but this parishioner you describe may have some disorder of mental and/or developmental health,
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That explanation occurred to me too. Try and be nice to him, though you needn’t go as far as kissing his ring!
 
Ego driven holiness is not holiness.

Our desire should be not to stand out above those around us.

The bottom line, pray for this person for its mere’y the example of a misguided soul.

Jim
 
It is difficult to stay focussed in mass when others are loud etc etc. Look at it as a personal cross you have to carry.
 
I think that this is simply a case of there being nowt so queer as folk.

I used to go to a church where one gentleman was very particular about bowing every time the names of Jesus and Mary were mentioned. And when I say every time I mean every time. In case any forum members do not know the hymn ‘Ye who own the faith of Jesus’, let me explain that it mentions the name of Jesus once and the name of Mary no fewer than 23 times: each of the seven verses concludes with the line, ‘Hail Mary, hail Mary, hail Mary full of grace’. He would bow five times during the first verse of the hymn alone. Arguably this did look a little showy, but I am sure that it was done with the best of intentions.
 
You have no idea if he’s driven by “ego” or by a mental tic or disorder.

We shouldn’t make assumptions about why a person behaves in a strange way when we don’t know them.
 
I don’t know how necessary it is to speculate about why he’s like this. That’s between him and God.

OP, I’m sorry it’s distracting to you at Mass, but I would just use it as an opportunity to practice patience and reign in your focus to what you’re really there for! If you can make it through Mass with a parishioner that theatrical, and manage to keep your mind on Christ the whole time, what marvels that would do for patience in other difficult occasions.
 
I’d like to see this for myself. It sounds very piquant. I enjoy seeing someone’s uniqueness, especially when they have the mettle to show it at Mass.

Why not be sympathetic of his enthusiasm. Snubbing and complaining seems like a very critical reaction.
 
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I didn’t mention anyone specifically nor was I implying that it was toward anyone in this thread.

Jim
 
This thread really tweaked my OCD and got me wondering about my own actions during mass that I never gave any thought to before.

Does my voice annoy other people? Do I respond or sing too loudly? When I give the sign of peace do I look like a cardboard cut out of the Pope rotating 360 degrees giving a blessing. Worst of all, does using my phone as a missal upset everyone within three rows of me?

I really have a lot of insecurities and I try to leave them at home and not bring them along with me to church, as I used to think of it as being a place where only God has the right to judge you. Now I’m not so sure.
 
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