Strange? Occurrence at Church

[AJB328]

So I recently started attending Mass at an ICKSP church and in the last two weeks noticed something I’ve never seen before. A few weeks ago during the morning Mass I noticed a woman sitting on a tiny bench way in the back of the church, it almost looked like she was sitting on the floor.

I was concentrating too much on receiving communion to notice if she’d gone up, but I think she did. Later that night I went back for Holy Hour and she was in the same exact spot on the tiny bench. A week later, I noticed the same woman in the same spot for morning Mass and Holy Hour that night, though last week I noticed her carrying the bench to the Sacristy (or at least in that direction). And I noticed she usually goes up to and prays at the alter rails after the Mass.

Is this some type of devotion or regular thing I just don’t know about?

 

[LoyalViews]

Maybe she has a medical condition and can’t sit in a pew? I would just ask her!

 

[ErinTherese25]

Perhaps she is a religious? She could be in a third order and therefore not in a habit. That wouldn’t necessarily explain why she sits in the back like that, but maybe why she sits on her own, is there so often, etc.

 

[Leon_Bloy]

I don’t think it’s any particular kind of devotion, and I would not ask her, myself, in case there is some embarrassing or very personal reason. It doesn’t (as I know you know!) sound like there is anything harmful going on…

 

[johnthebaptist1]

So I recently started attending Mass at an ICKSP church and in the last two weeks noticed something I’ve never seen before. A few weeks ago during the morning Mass I noticed a woman sitting on a tiny bench way in the back of the church, it almost looked like she was sitting on the floor.

I was concentrating too much on receiving communion to notice if she’d gone up, but I think she did. Later that night I went back for Holy Hour and she was in the same exact spot on the tiny bench. A week later, I noticed the same woman in the same spot for morning Mass and Holy Hour that night, though last week I noticed her carrying the bench to the Sacristy (or at least in that direction). And I noticed she usually goes up to and prays at the alter rails after the Mass.

Is this some type of devotion or regular thing I just don’t know about?

To me,I beleive that she could be an angel,trying to help you or guide you. Is she wereing the same dress.? Has she turn and look at you?. If you see her again,she how she looking at you.Let me know ok. God Bless

 

[JuantheTuba]

Maybe she’s the local parish trad police, policing the pews for irrevrency among the laity.

Just kidding, but the description of the lady sitting separately from the pews in the back reminds me of a recent Fisheaters thread where they were discussing a person who did the same but for the purpose of monitoring the congregation for any Mass etiquette faux pas.

 

[Armor_of_Light]

Weekend at Bernies?

Maybe give her a little nudge to see if shes alive…

 

[yinekka]

If it were me I would concentrate on my devotions and not bother the woman. You said that you saw her returning the bench to the sacristy so presumably the priest knows what she is doing and why. It is really none of your business.

 

[TrueLight]

LOL@ some of these responses.

I vote for either a medical condition or some sort of penance. But one can always ask.

 

[Phemie]

We had a couple who used to pull up chairs from the narthex to sit behind the last row of pews. I thought it was sad that so many people wanted to sit in the last row that some people felt it necessary to make up their own last row – particularly when starting about 5 rows up the pews were pretty much empty. Fr. got rid of the chairs.

The woman in this couple would also get up when the first reading started to check the posted schedule to see if the person reading was the one scheduled. It never failed, she did it at every Sunday Mass she attended. Had she’d been a stranger you might think she simply wanted to know WHO was reading but she was a long-time parishioner and knew all these readers.

Some people just have odd habits.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Well, one can always get to know the soul, then there be no need for speculation. Course then we would be deprived of allowing our imaginations to run wild.