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hasikelee
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Is your parish young? I mean, lots of women?
All the women in my extended family absolutely required water so as not to go into puking spasms when they were pregnant.
They pretty much had a bottle strapped to them no matter what why or where.
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paramedicgirl
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sfp
Guest
I’m sorry, but I’m really surprised and disappointed at the scorn given by some of you in this post. 
It is just not right to judge other people’s “needs” in this matter…especially when you are not in their situation or position.
I’ve been a music minister / director for 8 years, and sometimes water is an absolute necessity for a soloist during mass. This is not an issue of “thirst” or “hydration.” It is about being able to perform the ministry properly. Many times, water is necessary to get rid of that nasty little dry tickle in the back of your throat which comes up right in the middle of a song, which can completely eliminate your ability to even talk, much less sing. This happens often when you are singing every song at the liturgy. Those of you who choose to scorn this, but have never been a cantor or soloist, are really in no valid position to debate this.
So, yes…there “is” an immediate necessity “at times.” Is it overdone? Sure, but it’s very hard to say where the line is for other people (unless they are being distracting to others).
This is just one example, but it is not fair for me to pretend to know what other issues other people might have. It’s not my place, and neither is it yours (unless you are the pastor, worship director, or of some other position of authority at your parish, and you happen to notice that the issue is being abused or that it is causing distraction to others.)
Yes, it’s quite ironic that before bottled water was available in our society, this seemed to be a non-issue…However, it is very disappointing that some of you are so critical towards those who may actually need a sip of water for “whatever” reason. You simply don’t know what their reasons are.
That being said, many people are bringing water in (even musicians), who are doing it out of habit, rather than a necessity (myself included), and maybe there’s something we can do to remind them (me)
that it should be used only when necessary. More thought should be given towards how to address “this” issue, rather than so much scorn from some of you.
I’d rather start a post on why people allow their infants to bring “baby rattles” into mass!
HOW can they think this is o.k.??? 
God Bless.
It is just not right to judge other people’s “needs” in this matter…especially when you are not in their situation or position.I’ve been a music minister / director for 8 years, and sometimes water is an absolute necessity for a soloist during mass. This is not an issue of “thirst” or “hydration.” It is about being able to perform the ministry properly. Many times, water is necessary to get rid of that nasty little dry tickle in the back of your throat which comes up right in the middle of a song, which can completely eliminate your ability to even talk, much less sing. This happens often when you are singing every song at the liturgy. Those of you who choose to scorn this, but have never been a cantor or soloist, are really in no valid position to debate this.
So, yes…there “is” an immediate necessity “at times.” Is it overdone? Sure, but it’s very hard to say where the line is for other people (unless they are being distracting to others).
This is just one example, but it is not fair for me to pretend to know what other issues other people might have. It’s not my place, and neither is it yours (unless you are the pastor, worship director, or of some other position of authority at your parish, and you happen to notice that the issue is being abused or that it is causing distraction to others.)
Yes, it’s quite ironic that before bottled water was available in our society, this seemed to be a non-issue…However, it is very disappointing that some of you are so critical towards those who may actually need a sip of water for “whatever” reason. You simply don’t know what their reasons are.
That being said, many people are bringing water in (even musicians), who are doing it out of habit, rather than a necessity (myself included), and maybe there’s something we can do to remind them (me)
that it should be used only when necessary. More thought should be given towards how to address “this” issue, rather than so much scorn from some of you.I’d rather start a post on why people allow their infants to bring “baby rattles” into mass!
HOW can they think this is o.k.??? God Bless.
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baltobetsy
Guest
sfp, check out this advice from an experienced church musician. As a cantor/soloist for over 30 years, I second this advice. The water you drink right now will not make its way to the dehydrated tissues for at least an hour, other than to pass over them briefly while swallowing. Singers help themselves by drinking in advance of singing, not during.I think a good bit of advice for singers is to come to Mass properly hydrated. It’s an endurance/vocal quality thing. If you find yourself constantly needing to guzzle water during Mass, consider tanking up gradually during the course of the morning. Skip the coffee and milk at breakfast and just have a glass of water instead. By all means, take a drink during Mass if you must, but if you’re properly hydrated when you show up, you most likely will not need to.
Betsy
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boppaid
Guest
Again, that doesn’t tell me anything other than you shouldn’t be disruptive and that you must actively participate. However, whether or not sipping water is in fact a disruption or whether it impede’s one’s personal involvement is actually the question.
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boppaid
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But, Blyss, why SHOULDN’T they be allowed? And it would not lead to a slippery slope of a Big Mac as the Church already explicitly forbids that.
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baltobetsy
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Do we have to legislate every possible instance of good manners? There is no church regulation against shouting across the aisle to your friend during the Consecration, but we all know not to do it.
Our society has become increasingly casual and perhaps it’s not surprising that that has begun to seep into our worship. Not surprising, but disappointing. God deserves our best manners.
And I fully expect some posters to ask why it’s bad manners to drink during Mass, thus proving my point.
Betsy
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jmcrae
Guest
So that you can have a glass of water just before leaving the house to come to Mass, and so that you can take water with your allergy pill if you have a reaction to the incense during Mass. I’m sure they weren’t envisioning people bringing sports bottles to Mass and drinking them in front of the Tabernacle.
When they design a water bottle that can be sipped from quietly and discreetly, I’ll agree with you, but that day is not yet here.
Right now, water bottles make quite a lot of disgusting noises, no matter how quietly people try to sip from them (it’s not actually possible to sip from them; either you open your mouth widely, raise the bottle up high in the air, tip back your head, and aim the water toward your throat, or else you put your lips on the opening and glug from it) - and they’re big - I’m sure the priest feels like he’s accidentally wandered into a Jack in the Beanstalk giant’s day care center when he looks out and sees all those giant bottles on people’s faces.
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Jason_Hurd
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I think the anti-water bottle posters are missing the point. I see many comments asking why people cannot go for an hour without water, or whether there is a multitude of new maladies requiring water every few minutes. The point is that it doesn’t matter why people are drinking water. We shouldn’t be taking notice of them. We should be concentrating on the Mass, and I repeat, if someone sipping from a bottle is enough to distract you from the Holy Sacrifice, then I maintain that you are paying far too much attention to your neighbor’s behavior and far too little to Our Lord. And I guarantee you, someone in a state of grace who is sipping water during Mass will get to Heaven much more easily than the person next to them who has set themselves up as judge and jury in charge of etiquette violations.
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sfp
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You didn’t read my post carefully, Betsy. It has nothing to do with “hydration of tissues.” It has to do with being able to do something about that occasional “dryness” IN YOUR THROAT, that can hamper ones ability to sing or even talk. This DOES happen, and immediate water is the only thing that can get rid of it “quickly.” Sure you can cough for 15 minutes and “hope” that it goes away, but what happens to the singing while this is going on??
Again, this only comes up occasionally, but a soloist or cantor who sings every song is susceptible to it. Maybe you are just blessed with never having this problem for whatever reason, but don’t patronize me because you don’t understand it. It is a REAL problem, and it has nothing to do with hydration of “tissue” or “being thirsty” etc…
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baltobetsy
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But how about God taking notice of them? God who allows us to be present at the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary, and understands that our sip of water is at least temporarily more important than He is.
Jason, when you’re professing your love to your wife or girlfriend in carefully chosen words and romantic actions, do you want her to take a swig from her water bottle in the middle of it, or would you prefer that she be so wrapped up in what you are saying that she completely forgets everything else?
Now you’ll tell me that you love her so much that you want her every need satisfied, and if she wants a drink in the middle of your marriage proposal, it’s OK with you. So you have exemplified self-giving love to her. Can we not do the same for God by putting aside our habits for the duration of Mass?
Betsy
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Faith1960
Guest
If they do things your way, people would be getting up and down to go to the restroom throughout Mass. But they wouldn’t be sipping on water bottles, so that’s good, I guess.I think a good bit of advice for singers is to come to Mass properly hydrated. It’s an endurance/vocal quality thing. If you find yourself constantly needing to guzzle water during Mass, consider tanking up gradually during the course of the morning. Skip the coffee and milk at breakfast and just have a glass of water instead. By all means, take a drink during Mass if you must, but if you’re properly hydrated when you show up, you most likely will not need to.
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jmcrae
Guest
The purpose of something like this is education.
If someone reading along here learns that it is unacceptable in polite society to swig from a water bottle while someone is in the middle of telling you something important - that this is something one does outdoors or in private - then that’s one more person who will ace a job interview, get that promotion, have their marriage proposal accepted (or be proposed to by someone nice), and succeed in life who otherwise might not have - and who will be the one setting the good example at Mass, instead of being the one who needs the good example set for them.
Good manners have far-reaching consequences - good ones. They’re important to have.
Bulletin board messages like this one help to spread the word about what’s acceptable, and what isn’t.
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Faith1960
Guest
I agree with you.
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Jason_Hurd
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Betsy, believe me I understand your concerns, and truth to tell, I am pretty big on etiquette and decorum myself. However, may I respectfully point out that once again I think you have missed the point. If God is upset by the actions of our fellow worshippers, then that is a matter for Him to address with them Himself. It is not our place to be the arbiters of proper behavior during Mass; that is for the pastor of the parish in question to address. The reason I am rather strong about this is that I consider we are doing grave danger to our souls when we presume to know the inmost needs and motivations of another person. Better to avoid indulging our desire for order and say a quick ‘get thee behind me, Satan’ rather than make assumptions about others which can so easily lead to pride, thus endangering our eternal fate.
jmcrae, you make a good point about education. However, again I respectfully submit that this is not our place. There is too much peril to our souls involved in lecturing others for us to indulge the desire lightly. Setting a good example by our own behavior and suppressing our desire to admonish what is, after all, not a sin will remove this peril.
jmcrae, you make a good point about education. However, again I respectfully submit that this is not our place. There is too much peril to our souls involved in lecturing others for us to indulge the desire lightly. Setting a good example by our own behavior and suppressing our desire to admonish what is, after all, not a sin will remove this peril.
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Faith1960
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Because it’s inappropriate to be drinking, eating, talking, playing with toys etc. in church. If you need a drink, go out and get one.
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Faith1960
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I sincerely doubt God approves of all the kids eating during Mass or the mess of crumbs I’ve seen left behind, that were still there a week later. Apparently God isn’t going to intervene so someone else needs to.
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paramedicgirl
Guest
Thre are many things Canon Law and the GIRM don’t forbid in Mass. People are supposed to use their common sense.
Picking your nose is not forbidden in Mass by Canon Law or by the GIRM
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jmcrae
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Nobody here is doing any of this in Church - we’re not walking up to people at Mass and embarrassing them in public.
We’re doing it here on a computer Bulletin Board, where people can learn from it in the privacy and anonymity of their own homes, where they can quietly and anonymously learn that this is impolite behaviour, and now they can decide whether to correct themselves or not, but at least now they know how they appear to others, even though no one ever actually says anything to them at Mass.
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