Using a Missal at Mass

  • Thread starter Thread starter landon13
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I’ve been interested to see two posters say that their parish does not supply missalettes or similar, as often on these boards everyone chimes in with advice to non-catholics going to Mass for the first time to ‘read the missalettes provided’, and yet I’ve never seen any in the parishes in the UK I’ve attended.

We have laminated cards showing the order of Mass and the new translations for the creed etc. and sometimes parishes have newsletters with the readings printed out, but nothing much more.
 
paperwight66 said:
I’ve been interested to see two posters say that their parish does not supply missalettes or similar, as often on these boards everyone chimes in with advice to non-catholics going to Mass for the first time to ‘read the missalettes provided’, and yet I’ve never seen any in the parishes in the UK I’ve attended.
Click to expand...
I’ve seen two parishes in Canada (I’ve visited five parishes here) that did not have missals in the pew. 🙂 I think it’s not THAT uncommon to NOT have missals provided.
 
paperwight66 said:
I’ve been interested to see two posters say that their parish does not supply missalettes or similar, as often on these boards everyone chimes in with advice to non-catholics going to Mass for the first time to ‘read the missalettes provided’, and yet I’ve never seen any in the parishes in the UK I’ve attended.

We have laminated cards showing the order of Mass and the new translations for the creed etc. and sometimes parishes have newsletters with the readings printed out, but nothing much more.
Click to expand...
Missalettes seemed to first appear in American parishes in the 1970s. Of the ones in use today, some have the full readings for both Sundays and weekdays, some have the readings for Sundays only, and others are really just hymnals that give the citations for the readings but do not actually include the readings. They all include the Mass parts.

My parish bought hymnals (with Mass parts for the new translation) a couple of years ago so we do not have the text of the readings. We would have to provide our own missals for that.

The woman who sings next to me in choir has some hearing loss (she hears notes but has trouble distinguishing words) so she reads from the USCCB website on her iPad. I sometimes look over to see the Second Reading. I know the Gospel readings and the Old Testament readings so well that I usually get more out of them by hearing someone read differently from the the “voice” from my eyes. But for some reason I have a much harder time hearing the Second Reading.
 
CB_Catholic said:
Are you saying you actually glare at people in disgust during Mass??? If not, why are you posting such a thing? If people are glaring at others in disgust, at Mass, of all places, shame, shame, shame on them. I do believe you highly exaggerate and somehow have blown this all out of proportion to what it is. I personally think it is quite “pretentious and ignorant” to glare at people during Mass because they use a silent, innocuous reading device like a tablet, which is smaller than a Missalette, or for any other reason. Why aren’t the eyes of these disgusted people on the altar, where they belong, instead of glaring in disgust at others?

This has nothing to do with respect. If we can use electricity and microphones, surely we can use a silent, small, hand-held reading device. You are totally and thoroughly off base here. Totally. Glaring at others at Mass:eek:
Click to expand...
It’s already been established in this thread that people have noticed them, been distracted by them, and that it has bothered them. Why would you or anyone continue to use them in Mass knowing this is already happening? Whether you can understand it or not isn’t the point and continuing to do so would indeed be pretentious and ignorant. Up in the choir loft I can see everything down below and do not need to see bright screens distracting me from the Mass, though I haven’t seen anything like this in Mass yet and pray I never do. Quite sure the pastor would ban them anyways. Those that share my opinion on this aren’t the ones in the wrong since we’re not even doing anything. Glaring at others in Mass isn’t the issue; one that would do that in the first place would be doing so as the result of what the person being glared at is doing. It’s not something one does if they can help it. Best off not to stand out and give anyone a reason to glare.
 
SMHW said:
I know the Gospel readings and the Old Testament readings so well that I usually get more out of them by hearing someone read differently from the the “voice” from my eyes. But for some reason I have a much harder time hearing the Second Reading.
Click to expand...
Amen to that. Paul’s epistles require a lot of thought. In fact, I’m not so sure they should be taken out of context. I understand Paul a lot better when I read his whole letters, rather than just a snippet of them.
 
ServusHumilis said:
Oy! Last thing I want to see in Mass are people with “smart phones” or “iPads” out. In fact if I started to see this I would probably complain to the priest, who to begin with likely wouldn’t allow such a thing. Mass is about the last safe haven away from such annoyances, until inevitably someone’s cell phone in their pocket rings. :mad:
Click to expand...
I don’t see why reading on a page-sized screen is any different from reading from a page in a book. I have an extremely good Missal app on my mini iPad, and when we return to Italy at the end of this month I’ll probably use it in my church there, as I don’t speak enough Italian to be able to follow the readings without a translation.

Technology has advanced, there is no harm in using it. iPads and small tablets are not telephones and make no noise unless you have the volume unmuted. I don’t like hearing phones ring in Mass, but that’s not the same thing at all.
 
ServusHumilis said:
It’s already been established in this thread that people have noticed them, been distracted by them, and that it has bothered them. Why would you or anyone continue to use them in Mass knowing this is already happening?
Click to expand...
To follow along. You really didn’t know what missals are for?

There are curmudgeons who are distracted by “foreigners” in their parishes. Your right not to be distracted isn’t absolute. In the estimate of most, the right to use an electronic missal trumps your right to not see electronic missals.
 
johnmann said:
To follow along. You really didn’t know what missals are for?

There are curmudgeons who are distracted by “foreigners” in their parishes. Your right not to be distracted isn’t absolute. In the estimate of most, the right to use an electronic missal trumps your right to not see electronic missals.
Click to expand...
Such contraptions are indeed foreign to the Sacrifice of the Mass and will no doubt cause unnecessary distractions. This has nothing to do with “rights” and church is the last place to be bringing individualistic attitudes in the first place. Missals are already available in every parish I’ve ever been to. In cases where there are no missals I would see less of a problem with them since one would likely have the device with them already and have no other option, but when Missals are already available there is absolutely no reason for them. It’s quite simple; one should not do something they know is going to cause uneasiness to those around them, whether they can comprehend the issue or not. Doing so would make them the agitator and puts them in the wrong. Why even give the impression of playing with a phone in Mass? There’s an appropriate time to have phones and similar devices out and then there’s some not so appropriate times. The Sacrifice of the Mass will never be one of these appropriate times.

Am I the only young person that doesn’t like the direction the world is heading in? My cell phone broke the other day and all of a sudden I find myself wondering if I should get back to reality and not even bother to replace it. I think I’d sooner not be available for contact during every waking moment of my life.
 
my answering machine broke last week, so I’m doing telephone the old fashioned way…when I don’t answer, I don’t answer! (Its driving everyone else nuts) 😃
 
We don’t have Missals available at our church, just the Farnworth booklet on a Sunday.
 
ServusHumilis said:
Glaring at others in Mass isn’t the issue; one that would do that in the first place would be doing so as the result of what the person being glared at is doing. It’s not something one does if they can help it.
Click to expand...
Sorry, glaring at others is something you can help doing. It’s not an involuntary reflex like breathing; it’s a voluntary choice, done to make others aware that You Are Offended.
 
We have missalettes in our pews, and we read along. I helps my children pay attention and it helps me understand exactly what is being said. It’s better for me than simply listening, when I can accidentally let my mind wander.

I found an old st Joseph missal at a used book store, and I read it periodically at home. It’s beautiful! I love to see the Latin on one side and the English on the other. One day I will go to a Latin mass, I do believe there is one not too far from here.
 
agnes_therese said:
Sorry, glaring at others is something you can help doing. It’s not an involuntary reflex like breathing; it’s a voluntary choice, done to make others aware that You Are Offended.
Click to expand...
It is the ultimate in entitlement to expect others to behave as you believe they should behave.

Ultimately if someone is distracted by ANYTHING at Mass, that’s on them not on the source of distraction.

I find tight pants distracting.

I find children distracting.

I find the music distracting.

I find the crucifix distracting.

I find my fellow parishioners distracting.

But it’s MY problem because I am the one allowing myself to be distracted.

To those who are oh so offended by Ipad Missals, I suggest focusing more on your response. You CANNOT CONTROL OTHERS, you can only control how you respond to them and AT ALL TIMES you must respond with charity. THIS is a teaching of the Church.

PS: Agnes, I was quoting you just so people knew what I was responding to and because I didn’t wish to point fingers at any one person I disagreed with. As we seem to agree I quoted you to further back up your point. 😛
 
nickybr38 said:
PS: Agnes, I was quoting you just so people knew what I was responding to and because I didn’t wish to point fingers at any one person I disagreed with. As we seem to agree I quoted you to further back up your point. 😛
Click to expand...
Understood. 😃
 
nickybr38 said:
It is the ultimate in entitlement to expect others to behave as you believe they should behave.

Ultimately if someone is distracted by ANYTHING at Mass, that’s on them not on the source of distraction.
,

P
Click to expand...
I was going to say something like this. I don’t need other people to distract me. Sadly I am capable of that on my own. I was on vacation in New Orleans and went to Mass at the Cathedral and GASP I was DISTRACTED by the beautiful art and statues and was wondering who the statues were rather than paying attention to Mass. Does that mean we should have plain churches. NOPE that is on me. I turned back to God and I know if I went there all the time it wouldn’t be a distraction. I can’t see how a kindle or pad can still be that much of a distraction to people.
It is quieter than the pages being turned (I found this more in the Adoration Chapel than in Mass.) I can hear the scratches from people writing in a prayer journal too. Should that be banned. NO that is on me as well.

I remember when a dear older parishioner sat in front of me at Mass. She was on oxygen and it made noises that did distract me at times. I thought at first that I could switch my usual seat but just offered it up. Now, I miss her being there
 
agnes_therese said:
Sorry, glaring at others is something you can help doing. It’s not an involuntary reflex like breathing; it’s a voluntary choice, done to make others aware that You Are Offended.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure I would be offended as much as curious. If I see a new contraption, I sometimes say “Hey, neat, how do I get one”?

That’s distracting enough. No hard feelings involved at all.
marytk said:
I can’t see how a kindle or pad can still be that much of a distraction to people.
Click to expand...
Wouldn’t you be a little bothered if you were to see the Deacon holding up an IPAD instead of a Missal/Lectionary during the procession? Just sayin…
 
ProVobis said:
I

Wouldn’t you be a little bothered if you were to see the Deacon holding up an IPAD instead of a Missal during the procession? Just sayin…
Click to expand...
I would be surprised. I don’t expect that anytime soon. I can’t see into the future but it maybe that there will be more electronics to help. Maybe we will still use BOOKS in the same way that a syngogue has a hand written scroll of the Torah. (I am talking about years in the future when I won’t likely be here.)
 
ServusHumilis said:
This has nothing to do with “rights” and church is the last place to be bringing individualistic attitudes in the first place.
Click to expand...
You’re the one who brought it up with your demand that everyone conform to your comforts.
ServusHumilis said:
In cases where there are no missals I would see less of a problem with them since one would likely have the device with them already and have no other option, but when Missals are already available there is absolutely no reason for them.
Click to expand...
That’s fair.
 
agnes_therese said:
Sorry, glaring at others is something you can help doing. It’s not an involuntary reflex like breathing; it’s a voluntary choice, done to make others aware that You Are Offended.
Click to expand...
It’s a reaction to what others are doing and nothing more. If one does not want to be glarred at, one should not do something that makes them stand out for others to glare at them.
johnmann said:
You’re the one who brought it up with your demand that everyone conform to your comforts.
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t be doing anything other than reacting to what others are inappropriately doing. I can’t believe I even have to argue about this; don’t teachers still confiscate this kind of junk in class? If I were the priest I would do the same, or at the very least anounce to shut them off. Again, there’s a time and a place to have such things out and the Sacrifice of the Mass is not one of them. It gives a very bad impression.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top