What is the big deal about chewing gum?

[Apryl]

Ok, I honestly freak out when I see someone chewing gum in mass. I hate it when people pop a mint in their mouth. “I had a bad taste in my mouth. I’ll take it out before I go to communion”

It annoys me that it’s now like people will not say anything to any one about gum chewing… they are waiting for me to do it. They know that I WILL say something. It is a problem. You’re supposed to fast before you receive communion. You are taking the Body and Blood of MY Lord and Savior in your mouth. He doesn’t need to be a chaser for a York Peppermint Patty!

Ok… so last Sunday, I was sitting in front of a friend and the woman behind her came into church chewing gum. I had been turned around to take off my coat and saw this motion in her chin. My friend asked me ‘what’s wrong?’… I had a horrible look on my face, I admit.

Later, I explained to her why I had been so upset: people are supposed to fast before they go to communion! Her response was that it was a matter of opinion. “NO! It is NOT! It is WRONG to have anything in your mouth before you go to communion”

She said it was a man made rule. I was in church, so I didn’t hit her! But I was livid.

How do I explain to others, who may not be as concerned as I am about protecting the sanctity of the Rite as I am?

We can say ‘there are precepts of the church, and among them is the fast before communion’, but if that is ‘OH, we don’t do that’ or ‘that was before Vatican II’… two things that tend to make my head split open and the ogres come out, how can I address this and get to a larger audience?

 

[Newbie2]

There are a very few reasons for chewing gum in Church; one that I can think of is someone that has trouble swallowing, or has a sort throat. Illness or disfunction aside, there is no reason to chew gum in church.

1. It’s disrespectful. Chomping away before receiving our Lord, whether it be on gum or other “food” takes away from the sanctity of the sacrament. Yes, there are those who are overly scrupulous about eating ("I ate 59 minutes before mass, am I going to hell? )
2. The one hour abstainence, I believe, was chosen as a convenient period of time. It could have been a half-hour…it could have been 45 minutes. It seems to me an hour was chosen as not being too terribly inconvenient, but also easy to remember.
3. Gum in church…where does it end up? Bottoms of seats, stuck to the floor, etc. Reverence for the house of the Lord? Hardly.

 

[puzzleannie]

if it were up to me (it’s not, but I can dream) I would hand offenders a card which reads “chewing gum is prohibited in this church. you are invited to join the confirmation class in their service project this Saturday, namely 4 hours of scraping dried gum off the bottom of the pews if you have a problem with this directive”.

 

[emill311]

if it were up to me (it’s not, but I can dream) I would hand offenders a card which reads “chewing gum is prohibited in this church. you are invited to join the confirmation class in their service project this Saturday, namely 4 hours of scraping dried gum off the bottom of the pews if you have a problem with this directive”.

that would be awesome

 

[Randistirion]

I “chew” gum during liturgies. A piece I pop into my mouth right after brushing my teeth some 90 minutes before liturgies. I do it because it allows me to sing while being steeped in incense smoke and in no way does it break the fasting rule.

I would surely hope no one notices. I very discreetly and silently bite down on the gum perhaps once every 30 seconds to keep the saliva flowing. Of course I discreetly remove it into a tissue (via a pseudo nose wipe) which is then placed in my pocket before I get in line for communion.

If anyone does notice they are spending too much time watching me and not what’s taking place upon the ambo or altar and that’s their problem to work out.

 

[Ruthie]

The fast used to be from midnight until after Mass. It has been “lightened up” because there are many of us that cannot fast for that long without it being dangerous. All we are allowed to have is water and medicine. Unfortunately, I don’t think gum qualifies.

Canon Law says:

Can. 919 §1 Whoever is to receive the blessed Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from all food and drink, with the sole exception of water and medicine.

That seems to rule gum out. It certainly rules out mints. To keep your mouth moist, try sucking on a button, which you can tuck in your cheek when it’s time to sing. Or a tiny piece of sturdy cloth.

Blessings,

Ruthie

 

[happymommy]

What about cough drops?

 

[notsmart]

What about cough drops?

Sounds like medicine I guess?

 

[happymommy]

Sounds like medicine I guess?

That’s what I thought too, but I have had to use them during Mass, I always make sure they are gone or I take them out before Communion, but I just wanted to make sure…

 

[Apryl]

1. The one hour abstainence, I believe, was chosen as a convenient period of time. It could have been a half-hour…it could have been 45 minutes. It seems to me an hour was chosen as not being too terribly inconvenient, but also easy to remember.
   .

When I was a kid, and my parents sent me to church, we weren’t allowed to eat from Midnight, Saturday night, until we went to mass.

Then it moved to ‘no eating on Sunday morning until you go to mass’.

I still follow that. As a matter of fact, I seldom eat anything after midnight on Saturday.

However, according to the CCC and the GIRM, fasting is one hour before receiving the Sacrament of Communion (I’m not quoting, so please forgive me if I’ve capitalized anything incorrectly)

This would be most acceptable as a way to say ‘no eating during mass’. The reception of communion, at least at Sunday masses, is usually an hour after mass has begun.

I have never heard anything about a half hour… but maybe that’s prior to the beginning of daily masses. No matter… mass ain’t that long. Why can’t you hold off on chewing for a few minutes?

 

[notsmart]

That’s what I thought too, but I have had to use them during Mass, I always make sure they are gone or I take them out before Communion, but I just wanted to make sure…

I hope you realize I don’t know but am genuinely asking as a question to you/everyone if it sounds like medicine to you all too, because I have been to Mass where some people are hacking and coughing so loudly and so frequently, you can’t hear anything, and they look like they are suffering (I would stay at home if I were that sick to not spread my cold, and ask Father for a Dispensation? To not go due to illness)
But if its not a really bad cough, and you just need a cough drop to make it through, it sure seems like a medicinal usage to me.

I would do the same you do if I had a cough or funny itchy throat.

 

[Apryl]

if it were up to me (it’s not, but I can dream) I would hand offenders a card which reads “chewing gum is prohibited in this church. you are invited to join the confirmation class in their service project this Saturday, namely 4 hours of scraping dried gum off the bottom of the pews if you have a problem with this directive”.

I always did like you, Puzzleannie. I think I may take this idea to the pastor of our church.

Oh, he won’t approve of it, but at least he’ll see where I’m headed!

 

[Apryl]

I “chew” gum during liturgies. A piece I pop into my mouth right after brushing my teeth some 90 minutes before liturgies. I do it because it allows me to sing while being steeped in incense smoke and in no way does it break the fasting rule.

I would surely hope no one notices. I very discreetly and silently bite down on the gum perhaps once every 30 seconds to keep the saliva flowing. Of course I discreetly remove it into a tissue (via a pseudo nose wipe) which is then placed in my pocket before I get in line for communion.

If anyone does notice they are spending too much time watching me and not what’s taking place upon the ambo or altar and that’s their problem to work out.

It really doesn’t matter what other people notice. I think it’s great that are you are at least discrete in your practice.

But you say that it ‘in now ay breaks the fast’. I disagree. I think you may be excused for breaking the fast if you have some medical reason… but why not wipe your mouth with glycerine prior to mass? Rather than taking something out of your mouth before going for communion.

Again, it’s hardly about what others see. I think that’s one issue I have big problems with: someone doing or not doing based on what some other person sees, rather than what is right or wrong.

 

[notsmart]

Apryl, I dont think Newbie was saying he/she could not wait that long. In fact, what he/she said would mean that one has not had anything by the time holy communion is distributed if you really think about it.
He/she was just saying the One Hour thing, was not like it had to be 60 minutes for some theological reason. It was for a reminder.

 

[Apryl]

Apryl, I dont think Newbie was saying he/she could not wait that long. In fact, what he/she said would mean that one has not had anything by the time holy communion is distributed if you really think about it.
He/she was just saying the One Hour thing, was not like it had to be 60 minutes for some theological reason. It was for a reminder.

I don’t think Newbie was saying he couldn’t wait that long either.

I was only talking about the 1/2 hour vs 1 hour difference… thinking about why the difference.

It isn’t a big deal in my life, since I don’t eat before I go to communion. That’s what’s happening in my seat on my pew. However, I started this thread, and wanted to hear other comments about the gum, and Newbie pointed out the time stuff.

It’s all good!

 

[notsmart]

Sorry Apryl,

I saw this:

"Why can’t you hold off on chewing for a few minutes? "

and I thought you were addressing Newbie specifically.

 

[Randistirion]

It really doesn’t matter what other people notice. I think it’s great that are you are at least discrete in your practice.

But you say that it 'in now ay breaks the fast’. I disagree. I think you may be excused for breaking the fast if you have some medical reason… but why not wipe your mouth with glycerine prior to mass? Rather than taking something out of your mouth before going for communion.

Again, it’s hardly about what others see. I think that’s one issue I have big problems with: someone doing or not doing based on what some other person sees, rather than what is right or wrong.

The gum is inert 30 minutes after I begin chewing it. All the sugar (or Splenda) and other flavorings have long since dissipated. I’m doing nothing more than chewing on a small hunk of paraffin. It’s not changing in mass (not Mass) – I am consuming nothing.

 

[notsmart]

The gum is inert 30 minutes after I begin chewing it. All the sugar (or Splenda) and other falvorings have long since dissipated. I’m doing nothing more than chewing on a small hunk of paraffin. It’s not changing in mass (not Mass) – I am consuming nothing.

I just wouldn’t personally do it anyway. Its like splitting hairs.
The whole focus ought to be your mind body and soul attuned to the Mass. I can see cough drops in neccessity, but any distractions to singing, praying or plain being a witness to those you sit next to, ect…
Its God’s House for heaven sake! I can’t see Jesus chewing gum in my home as a guest, I sure won’t in his as his guest.
Now, some will tell me he would. He would chew gum all over the place if they had it then. I say, that’s up to you and him then.
He could have been depicted as chewing on tobacco or some other odd thing back then. Oh, I know- not all is written…ect.
Some may say I suffer from denying his humanity by saying he would not do something humans would do. All I can say, is when he comes again and we see each other face to face, I don’t think I am going to be talking to him with gum in my mouth.
Thats how I go to Mass, as if he is there.
And he is, if we believe in the Real Presence.

 

[Kielbasi]

Chewing gum in church is pretty gauche whether or not one is receiving communion or not.

I suppose there may be an exception to the rule, but 99% plus of the people can abstain during the brief hour or so that they are in church.

People shouldn’t have to see, hear or smell people chewing gum while in a sacred space, much less possibly see or smell people’s discarded gum.

 

[Randistirion]

I just wouldn’t personally do it anyway. Its like splitting hairs.
The whole focus ought to be your mind body and soul attuned to the Mass. I can see cough drops in neccessity, but any distractions to singing, praying or plain being a witness to those you sit next to, ect…
Its God’s House for heaven sake! I can’t see Jesus chewing gum in my home as a guest, I sure won’t in his as his guest.
Now, some will tell me he would. He would chew gum all over the place if they had it then. I say, that’s up to you and him then.
He could have been depicted as chewing on tobacco or some other odd thing back then. Oh, I know- not all is written…ect.
Some may say I suffer from denying his humanity by saying he would not do something humans would do. All I can say, is when he comes again and we see each other face to face, I don’t think I am going to be talking to him with gum in my mouth.
Thats how I go to Mass, as if he is there.
And he is, if we believe in the Real Presence.

There is nothing at all wrong with “chewing” gum in the manner that I do at Liturgy. Absolutely nothing. In fact it helps me keep the fast while allowing me to sing because I’m not consuming the sugar and everything else that comes with cough drops. It’s also in no way a distraction.

[No, cough drops would not be considered “medicine” in my case (I’m not ill) so they would not be allowed and thus would be a violation of the fast.]

Somewhere along the way some have been taught to believe that discreetly chewing gum is always wrong while sucking on candy (cough drops) is OK. That makes me chuckle more than anything else.

The rest of your comments are personal emotions and tangents that have absolutely nothing to do with what I have posted.