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TEPO
Guest
Do you judge and critique peoples clothes?
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tweetymom
Guest
I don’t do that no matter where I am. Not my job or calling. We are called to be friendly and love one another. And thats what I do.:tiphat:
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TEPO
Guest
Sorry, I deleted that post after I read your’s. I got excited and posted a little too quickly…
As long as you realize the importance of your role, then I guess you’re okay. You dont seem judgemental to me…
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TEPO
Guest
As you can see, I’m still shook up about the whole thing…
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tweetymom
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Sorry you are all shook up. Did you talk to your Priest? Oh by the way were is the Sonoran desert?
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stbruno
Guest
I think it’s a great idea because it fosters the idea that we as Catholics are a body of Christ, not just have an individual relationship with Christ. And when we work together, we accomplish much more…
It’s like a single charcoal may be able to burn for a while, but a whole bunch of charcoal feeds a flame that grows and spreads and touches others and lights a flame in them as well. That’s what we need to be to others…a charcoal flame that spreads to others so that we can take as many others as we can to heaven.
It all begins with community and greeters invite that feeling of community.
It’s like a single charcoal may be able to burn for a while, but a whole bunch of charcoal feeds a flame that grows and spreads and touches others and lights a flame in them as well. That’s what we need to be to others…a charcoal flame that spreads to others so that we can take as many others as we can to heaven.
It all begins with community and greeters invite that feeling of community.
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tweetymom
Guest
So true stbruno. We need to show ourselves friendly to each other and the rest of the world and if I am the only:tiphat:
one so be it
one so be it
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Beachcomber
Guest
It used to be that ushers were greeters; at least, that’s the way I remember it. They helped you get a seat if you were late or if it was crowded; gave you a bulletin, smiled, said welcome, or some such thing. That was kind of nice.
One parish I attended, the priest was the greeter. He hung around the door before Mass, in his alb, and then when it was time for Mass, he’d slip on the chasibul (sp.?) and get things going. He was very welcoming and I truly enjoyed his friendliness and warmth.
Then, I was away from the Church for a number of years and visited a lot of non-Catholic churches. They were big on greeters and not in a good way. I don’t much care for the over-enthusiastic, pushy kind and will go in a side door to avoid them. When I returned to the Church, I was dismayed to see that greeters got their own ministry.
Maybe I’m a curmudgeon, but greeters aren’t high on my list. I know they’re nice people doing their thing, but I do avoid them. Just like I avoid Wal-Mart and their greeters.
One parish I attended, the priest was the greeter. He hung around the door before Mass, in his alb, and then when it was time for Mass, he’d slip on the chasibul (sp.?) and get things going. He was very welcoming and I truly enjoyed his friendliness and warmth.
Then, I was away from the Church for a number of years and visited a lot of non-Catholic churches. They were big on greeters and not in a good way. I don’t much care for the over-enthusiastic, pushy kind and will go in a side door to avoid them. When I returned to the Church, I was dismayed to see that greeters got their own ministry.
Maybe I’m a curmudgeon, but greeters aren’t high on my list. I know they’re nice people doing their thing, but I do avoid them. Just like I avoid Wal-Mart and their greeters.
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zab
Guest
For the most part, greeters seem phoney. But the natural greeters, the ones who always have a smiling face and always seems happy to see you, they give a genuine feeling of welcome.
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MusicMan
Guest
I love the Protestantized Catholic Church in America. Perhaps once we get really organized, we could have our Patriarch borrow Katherine Jefferts-Schori’s flashy colored vestments too.
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tweetymom
Guest
And once we get organized maybe we can get rid of narrow mind
ed people
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zab
Guest
No thanksSorry if they seem phony at your Church. Maybe you need to volunteer and show them how a greeter is supposed to be:wave:
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ishii
Guest
Lot’s of interesting, thoughtful posts. Thank you. I was surprised to hear that some “traditional” parishes also have greeters, and that some non-Catholics were encouraged by the hospitality of greeters to continue going to a Catholic mass. My parish has always had ushers, so when I heard that we were going to have “greeters” as distinct from ushers, I began to think about my own impression of greeters I have met in the past. I tend to associate official greeters with more liberal parishes whose masses seem to often lack a sense of reverence - no kneelers, lots of chattering and laughing, extended kiss of peace with lots of handshaking, handholding, talking while going up for communion, etc. One parish in particular I went to confession at was very noisy with all kinds of people talking and laughing with no regard for those waiting in the confession line. (in this church, confessions are heard in a room in the lobby of the church, not in the knave). Attempts to quiet them down were met with looks of surprise followed by quiet talking and then loud talking again. These were people in their sixties and seventies! So I would have to agree with an earlier poster who said that even though the greeting takes place outside the entrance to the church, it contributes to an atmosphere of talk and chatter and takes away from a sense of reverence that should be present while in the church and at mass. Perhaps the church hall is a better place for this kind of socializing and “fellowship”. My own experience with greeters is that they can be a little on the pushy side, much like the lady standing next to you who grabs your hand to hold during the Our Father. No thanks! I think that the question that needs to be asked is, are greeters necessary? I would say that at best, they aren’t necessary, at worst they are distracting and contribute to casualness and chatter during mass.
Ishii
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tweetymom
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Sorry you feel that way.Oh by the way I am 70 and don’t act the way you have offered. Even when we get older we know how to have manners:tiphat:
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whatevergirl
Guest
*When they actually greet, then yes. lol We attended a few parishes before joining the one we’re in now, and they all had greeters, and they would be busy chatting with the other greeters, holding the doors, that’s about it. The new parish we’re in, we have greeters, and they are really great…make you feel welcome. It’s a nice touch. Not necessary, but a nice touch, I think. *
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kimbo_71
Guest
I had a bad experience with a usher/greeter(?) at church yesterday. My son and I went yesterday to 9:30 mass being a part of RCIA and it was only our second time to attend there. We weren’t late arriving but parking was crazy and we had to park on the side of the road about a block away from the parking lot and church building, so by the time we walked in things were just starting. My son and I started to enter the nave through the wrong door apparently, it was closed and I didn’t see the other small and still open door just to the left. The usher turned around quickly with a surprised and irritated expression on his face and told me that I would have to go in through the other door. Then my son and I stood in the back of the church because we were unable to find a seat that we could reach without going over a bunch of people. The usher certainly didn’t bother to help us with that either. We stood there until the candidates and catechumens were dismissed. It made for a rather uncomfortable and embarrassing experience. I just hope that we can begin to feel more comfortable and fit it better as time goes on.
It would have been nice to have someone friendly to help us as neither of us really new what to do. So I can definitely see where competent greeters would be a benefit to have.
It would have been nice to have someone friendly to help us as neither of us really new what to do. So I can definitely see where competent greeters would be a benefit to have.
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tweetymom
Guest
As a greeter I am not an usher. Perhaps you should speak to someone in charge? And yes sometimes ushers, greeters can be rude and that is too bad.
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basenji
Guest
I feel this is a manufactured “ministry” in an attempt to create a sense of greater involvement. And, unfortunately, as with many “ministries” it becomes all about the “minister”.
Yes, it makes people feel good about themselves. But that’s not what Mass is for or is the reason why we should be attending, eh? I like to take those moments approaching the church to quietly and prayerfully begin to empty myself out. It’s odd that I should have to stop praying in order to return an artificial smile that keeps growing more insistent the more I attempt to not be distracted by it.
Hopefully I am not stomping on an tender toes and egos. Peace.
:: putting on my flame-retardant underoos for the introspectively attired ::
Yes, it makes people feel good about themselves. But that’s not what Mass is for or is the reason why we should be attending, eh? I like to take those moments approaching the church to quietly and prayerfully begin to empty myself out. It’s odd that I should have to stop praying in order to return an artificial smile that keeps growing more insistent the more I attempt to not be distracted by it.
Hopefully I am not stomping on an tender toes and egos. Peace.
:: putting on my flame-retardant underoos for the introspectively attired ::
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tweetymom
Guest
You do not have to worry about my toes or my ego. Neither of which I have tender that is. t is not all about the Minister it is all about being friendly ans if you care not to be then don’t smile. I have never had this happen but if it did so what. As for myself I ready myself for Mass at home. I attend Mass to worship God and that makes me feel greay. Of course I do that at home too. God Bless
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