Sick People at Mass

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Today at Mass I unknowingly sat myself and 3 children in front of a family that was obviously sick (actually, we were there first and they sat behind us.). The boy, who was directly behind me, was very congested and coughed on the back of my neck. There was no place else to sit.
I moved myself and children down a couple of feet when we stood for the Gospel reading. It wasn’t far enough. Normally, I would never dream of leaving before Mass has ended and I like to remain in my pew until the last song is finished. Today, when people started to get in line for Communion, we left.
I don’t want to be uncharitable, but I am caretaker of my 80 year old mother. If I give her even a slight cold, in her frail condition, it could kill her. I didn’t want to make that family uncomfortable, and I was very self conscious about moving down and then leaving. I didn’t want to leave early. I am mad at myself but also a little more than miffed at them. I think if you’re sick you should stay home. How would you handle this?
:confused:
 
Are you sure they were ill and not suffering from allergies? I know I can sound like I am horribly sick but all it is is my nasal allergies acting up. You know, coughing, sneezing congested, frequent blowing of my nose, sucking on hard candies to stop the tickle in the back of my throat and no, allergy medicines are not always sufficient to remove all symptoms.

As for being near anyone who is ill, you should know that some viruses you are contagious before you have any symptoms so, wash your hands frequently, especially after touching anything others may have touched and especially after handling money! The best way to avoid getting ill and passing it on to anyone else.

Brenda V.
 
Brenda_V said:
As for being near anyone who is ill, you should know that some viruses you are contagious before you have any symptoms so, wash your hands frequently, especially after touching anything others may have touched and especially after handling money! The best way to avoid getting ill and passing it on to anyone else.

Brenda V.
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This is hard to do before recieving communion.
 
Many people carry illness but never show any signs of it. There is nothing you can do (short of living in a bubble) to prevent coming into contact with germs. You can carry disinfectant gel to sanitize your hands.
 
If I am sick and still able to physically go to Mass, than I usually do. In such cases, however, I attempt to sit near the back or where the least amount of people are and I don’t generally shake hands during the sign of peace. I refrain from receiving from the Chalice, and as I normally do anywho, receive on the tongue.

🤷
 
Generally, if I am sick I’ll try to sit away from everyone else. However, I don’t believe that being sick is an excuse for missing mass if you are physically able to get there. I would personally feel that I would be committing a sin by not attending mass.

I guess if I was really contagious, I might not receive communion…but i’m in no position to even suggest that to anyone.

I appreciate your predicament with being the caretaker of your mother. Since you said the boy sneezed on your neck, I would naturally recommend a shower upon returning home (consider it your cross of the day).

From what I have heard, most colds are most contagious before you even get physical symptoms. You could also catch an airborne disease without knowing that the person next to you has it.

I guess it’s a hard one…I feel your pain and definitely feel for your position. But it’s also hard to ask someone to commit a mortal sin by missing mass? Might be a good one for an apologist…

Andy
 
FLCathMom said:
Many people carry illness but never show any signs of it. There is nothing you can do (short of living in a bubble) to prevent coming into contact with germs. You can carry disinfectant gel to sanitize your hands.
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👍
 
You know, we were at daily Mass and I noticed right away that Fr. had a bad cough. The next day I was talking to the secretary about CCD and she also had a cough. Today my little one is running a fever.

It happens. Such is the nature of things.
 
If you’re sick stay home!
“Greater love hath no man, than to lay down his life for a friend.”
I know there are unseen germs lurking around out there and we are all bound to get sick sometimes. It’s just life. But if YOU KNOW you are sick, I don’t think it matters that you’re physically able to get to Mass. I would hate to think of some little kid (or three or four of them) suffering and their poor parents up all night cleaning up vomit because I didn’t have the compassion to stay home when I knew full well I shouldn’t be at Mass. If you’re too sick to go to work or school, then you’re too sick to go to Mass.
I think putting the welfare of others first is a loving thing to do.
I have seen feverish, exhausted looking, congested children sprawled across their parents laps and I wonder to myself,“What are you people thinking?” That child should be in bed! I don’t get it, I think looking out for others is what our Lord asked us to do.
 
All of us are sick in a spiritual way.
It seems people in the USA are extremely paranoid when it comes to illness, why is this?, I have never encountered such fear here.
I like St Francis’s example of kissing the leper, this shows true charity.
God Bless
 
CreosMary said:
All of us are sick in a spiritual way.
It seems people in the USA are extremely paranoid when it comes to illness, why is this?, I have never encountered such fear here.
I like St Francis’s example of kissing the leper, this shows true charity.
God Bless
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Well, I’ll tell you why. At least my perspective.
Someone who is feverish and sore all over decides that she thinks she can *“make it through” *Mass. She sits behind me and hacks and coughs all through Mass. She offers her hand to everyone during the sign of peace. Mass is over and she goes home, misses the next day at work and that’s that…for her.
Meanwhile, my children come down with her illness. I am on a very tight budget with nothing to spare. I spend $18.00 on cold medication and miss three days of work to stay home with them. Now I’ve caught it. No down time for me though, someone must take care of my invalid mother. I buy $7.00 gloves and $8.00 mask to try and avoid giving it to her. She gets it anyway and is to weak to expectorate. It settles in her lungs. Not only is she miserable but, surprise, surprise, she has to go to the hospital. 9 days. $7000.00. All because of someone who KNEW they were sick and should have been home in bed. You want to talk about TRUE CHARITY??? Don’t you think TRUE charity would be not causing your neighbor undue hardship.
I had to laugh when someone mentioned taking a shower and considering that my cross to bear. Sheesh, if only it was that easy. How about this cross. If you’re sick, don’t pass it to others if you don’t have to. Stay home and watch Mass on EWTN. If you think you’ve committed a mortal sin because you didn’t want to cause others undue suffering, then confess it to a priest. What do you think he’s going to tell you?
Someone also said missing mass because you’re sick is an excuse. I think going to mass deathly ill just because you’re still ambulatory is an excuse to be thoughtless and shows no charity. Spiritual sickness!
 
Not everyone who coughs is ill. My mom has chronic bronchitis, asthma and allegies. She sounds sick to most people but what she has is not contagious.

I really do sympathize with your situation. I think people that are sick enough to be achy, feverish -even really bad colds should stay home. I have chronic medical problems so being sick is an added issue I could do without.

There was a man who sat in front of us one day at Mass who was coughing and constantly sniffling . He actually wiped his nose on his shirt sleeve more than once.:eek: Not to mention putting his hand to his nose repeatedly. I handed him a travel size pack of tissues from my purse. Later he actually shook hands with everyone during the sign of peace. I was really hoping he would have the common sense not to do that. I couldn’t bring myself to not shake his hand, I felt rude not to. I discreetly passed the hand sanitizer from my purse to my husband and daughter. I told my daughter not to put her hands near her face. We receive communion on the tongue so I did have to worry about that aspect. We thoughly washed our hands right after Mass. None of us got sick.

There are sick people everywhere. Over disinfecting actually harms the immune system. But if you come in direct contact with someone you believe to be sick you best defense is washing up thoughly as soon as possible.
 
I want to make it clear that I am talking about people who KNOW they are sick. I know not everyone who coughs and has sniffles is ill and we all know that long after you get over an illness there can be that lingering cough.
People get so upset if a sick person sits next to them on an airplane. How is this different? Surrounded by people in an enclosed, stuffy space with no where to go.
I carry hand sanitizer and use it religiously. We practice good hand washing. I know there are sick people everywhere. It just irks me when someone who apparently thinks it’s ‘no big deal’ puts me and the ones I love at risk with no thought of the burden that I or others like me have to bare due to their lack of consideration.
I would like all of you who think I’m paranoid or not showing charity to let me know where and what time you go to Mass. I’d like to sit by you next time I have the flu. Oh don’t worry, you’ll know me. I’ll be the big feverish, coughing, sneezing, oozing thing headed your direction.
Seriously, I want people to think about what something that is so easily avoidable yet seems harmless to them, might mean in the life of their neighbor.
 
For most people I know, having a cold virus is an irritation, inconvenience, and annoyance. It does not render them “deathly” ill.

If I or my children are truly ILL, we will stay home. I don’t consider a cold virus to be reasonably severe, though I realize that for a few people it can become more severe (for most it won’t).

Things like stomach bugs, obviously stay home.

In this day and age, people NEED the Eucharist more than they need to avoid a sniffle.
 
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