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Tommy999
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Sounds very nice, Mommyk.
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Tommy999
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Hopefully it is not too hot or humid where you live, Adam. If so, I hope there is air-conditioning and/or ceiling fans to help cool people off while they are worshipping.
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Tommy999
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Thanks for sharing how it at your local church, Isca. That’s interesting about the full lighting coming on just as Mass begins.
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Tommy999
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Sounds like a very beautiful basilica, RPRPsych. The waves of tourists with cameras definitely sounds distracting. I’m surprised they are allowed to walk around during Mass.Generally quiet and reverential.
The only exception to that is that since it’s a basilica (pics here) we do get occasional waves of tourists armed with their cameras. Even they aren’t really noisy, but the movement can be distracting at times.
Interestingly, even though the Masses are all in the Ordinary Form (), the altar and altar rails are still perfectly suited for the celebration of an Extraordinary Form as well (
if I was a tourist, I would not feel comfortable doing that. It would make me feel like I was trespassing and I don’t think I could do that in good conscience.
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Tommy999
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Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I really appreciated your (name removed by moderator)ut.
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Stilldreamn
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Sounds very familiar - this is much the same at our church. After the service folks tend to congregate in the fellowship hall and that can get fairly loud with all the different conversations going on at once. This is often the only time the early service and late service folks have a chance for togetherness and it sounds like a big family gathering before a holiday dinner!
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Tommy999
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Yes, having a fellowship hall would be an ideal way of handling the sort of situation that I described and it sounds like your church is doing that.
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PraiseChrist
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I prefer the Traditional Latin Mass, as long as the priest celebrating is loyal to Rome.
This mass is pretty quiet, and VERY reverent. People look at you if you start talking, even whispering, no joke. It’s to maintain respect for the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament
This mass is pretty quiet, and VERY reverent. People look at you if you start talking, even whispering, no joke. It’s to maintain respect for the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament
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Crusaderbear
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Pretty typical, 21% Oxygen, 78% Nitrogen…it’s very friendly, people look you in the eye and are genuinely happy to see you, the Monsignor says hello to everyone as he crosses the church to the sacristy. We have no kneelers, so prayer is usually seated before mass. Mass isn’t an obligatio, its something we look forward to…
Succinctly, it’s all good.
Succinctly, it’s all good.
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exnihilo
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Before converting the Protestant church I grew up in and the one I joined as an adult were both pretty much the same. They were not ornate but had a classic simplicity. There were traditional stained glass windows. There was an organ. In the church I grew up in people definitely talked before the service. But they tended to be more towards a whisper. The church I joined was quiet a bit louder. I had a strong dislike for the amount of talking, as did the ministers. I found it hard to prepare myself for worship.
Since converting I’ve found most Catholic churches to be pretty reverent, meaning quiet, before Mass. My parish is typically very quiet before Mass. After Mass is a different story. People tend to talk, sometimes loudly.
I don’t think you are being an old fuddy duddy at all. I know I longed for my silence even when I was younger. There is enough noise and distraction in our world. If you go to a restaurant or even now my dentist you can’t escape television with its quickly flashing images and noise. With all the assaults on our sense lots of things are being fed to our mind. Most of it not all that good if not bad. Any decent religion places a high value on contemplation for good reason. It is a very good thing that can bring us closer to God.
Since converting I’ve found most Catholic churches to be pretty reverent, meaning quiet, before Mass. My parish is typically very quiet before Mass. After Mass is a different story. People tend to talk, sometimes loudly.
I don’t think you are being an old fuddy duddy at all. I know I longed for my silence even when I was younger. There is enough noise and distraction in our world. If you go to a restaurant or even now my dentist you can’t escape television with its quickly flashing images and noise. With all the assaults on our sense lots of things are being fed to our mind. Most of it not all that good if not bad. Any decent religion places a high value on contemplation for good reason. It is a very good thing that can bring us closer to God.
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Confiteor_Deo
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At my parish, everyone is very quiet prior to Mass. The only sound you might hear is the organ or the choir as they do final practices before Mass. The only time you’ll have someone greet you is at the door when you first walk in, after that you’re on your own. The Mass is also reverent and not focused on socializing. I go to the Traditional Latin Mass, but the Novus Ordo Masses have relatively the same atmosphere. Even during the sign of peace, people bow to you instead of shake your hand.
You’re not an old fuddy duddy for preferring more reverent & quiet churches. This is the way it’s supposed to be in a church. I even learned that it’s a sin to talk in the church. Of course, different religions are going to have different practices. For Catholics, it varies based upon the parish. Some parishes are like the evangelical churches you went to while other parishes are like your Presbyterian church (most often, these parishes are traditional). Personally, I strongly prefer the silence & reverence in the church.
You’re not an old fuddy duddy for preferring more reverent & quiet churches. This is the way it’s supposed to be in a church. I even learned that it’s a sin to talk in the church. Of course, different religions are going to have different practices. For Catholics, it varies based upon the parish. Some parishes are like the evangelical churches you went to while other parishes are like your Presbyterian church (most often, these parishes are traditional). Personally, I strongly prefer the silence & reverence in the church.
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whatsmyname
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I attend a very old, large and beautiful church. The atmosphere is different depending on where you sit.
People in the front 1/3 of the pews tend to follow the expectations the priests have told us they have for worship. They’re dressed modestly, arrive early or on time, genuflect before entering the pew, kneel to pray or sit silently until mass begins, sing or speak when appropriate. The back part of the church tends to be a bit more rowdy and casual, and any singing/mass responses are either done silently or not at all.
We do have some guidelines that were recently implemented. I think some people have begun to follow them; I would guess that most people did not know they were supposed to do these things.
People in the front 1/3 of the pews tend to follow the expectations the priests have told us they have for worship. They’re dressed modestly, arrive early or on time, genuflect before entering the pew, kneel to pray or sit silently until mass begins, sing or speak when appropriate. The back part of the church tends to be a bit more rowdy and casual, and any singing/mass responses are either done silently or not at all.
We do have some guidelines that were recently implemented. I think some people have begun to follow them; I would guess that most people did not know they were supposed to do these things.
- Arrive early for mass, dressed modestly, sign yourself with holy water and pray. Genuflect before the tabernacle when entering. No unnecessary conversation. Take screaming children to the back.
- No food, beverages (except water) or chewing gum. No cell phones unless you’re reading the mass on them.
- Fast at least one hour before taking the Eucharist. Make a prayer of thanksgiving afterward.
- Don’t read the bulletin at mass. Participate in singing and responses.
- Wait until you leave the church after mass to engage in conversation.
- Respect others’ boundaries regarding hand holding
- Men should remove their hats. They should offer their seats to any ladies, elderly or disabled who are standing.
- Don’t leave early. Pray after mass.
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steido01
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There’s plenty of socializing in the great room and narthex prior, during and after the Divine Service. But the sanctuary is for worship. People are praying beforehand, and it is quiet and reserved, exception being immediately following service when folks are visiting on their way out and shaking hands with the pastor. It generally quiets fairly quickly.
Even if the sanctuary weren’t supposed to be a quiet place, it likely would be. Lutherans aren’t much for talking.
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Tommy999
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Wow, I am very impressed, Neofight. I wish I could do that more. I think I will start preparing myself more during the time before I leave for church, as much as I can. Sorry I overlooked your post earlier. It was unintentional.
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Tommy999
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Thanks, Confiteor Deo. Sounds like it varies, although from the responses, I sense that most Catholic and Lutheran churches tend to be more on the quiet and reverent side whereas most evangelical churches tend to lean toward being more social before church starts.
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Tommy999
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They sound like reasonable guidelines, whatsmyname. Just my two cents.
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Tommy999
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except for out in the fellowship hall if I have understood the other Lutherans who commented earlier, right? I get your point, though. Lutherans tend to be more reverent inside the sanctuary.
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Tommy999
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Thanks, exnihilo. I completely agree with your assessment.
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Tommy999
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Thanks again to everyone who responded and for letting me see what’s it like (figuratively) to walk inside your house of worship and the atmosphere that exists there prior to the start of worship.
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Entwhistler
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I’m sorry but thinking about a man selling fried chicken from Popeyes at the enterance to a Mosque is hilarious.When you enter a mosque, you’ll first notice shoe racks; everyone must take off their shoes and put them on a rack. We typically greet each other with the Islamic greeting, “Asalam alaykum”, which means “peace be upon you”. When you walk into the main prayer hall, you pray two units of Salah out of respect for Allah and His house. Men and women are segregated in mosques, so I sit next to other men.
The atmosphere is like a library inasmuch as you are allowed to chat with people, but try to speak in a low tone, so that you don’t distract other people. We tend to read to pass the time until the prayer starts. We sit on the floor, except for those who need to sit in a chair (for someone who’s old or injured). After the prayer is finished, you can do as you please. You can feel free to talk to people, perform optional devotional practices, donate money, read or meditate.
On Fridays, my mosque always has a man outside of the men’s prayer hall that’s selling fried chicken from Popeyes. It’s hard to focus on prayer when the sweet smell of fried chicken is permeating the whole room.
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