What is with people bringing bottles of water into Mass?

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Well living in Australia we experience some VERY hot Sundays (over 35 degrees) and many of our churches are NOT airconditioned. I go to the Cathedral which gets very hot especially when filled with people. Not to mention the fact that I have fainted in church on more than one occasion! Also, when I’m singing in the choir on one of these days it is essential to have a bottle of water - under those choir robes you certainly get very hot! Not to mention a dry mouth and throat.

There are worse things that could happen than drinking some water I am sure and quite frankly I would hate to see more airconditioned churches!
 
I really can understand a water bottle, as there are many health reasons that could require it…but, 2 weeks ago at Sunday mass when one came in with a fresh cup of coffee in a paper cup and proceeded to sip throughout Mass…will donuts be next?
 
If I am lector I will sometimes bring a small bottle with a bit of water in it, to ensure my voice is in a good condition.
 
Joseph Bilodeau:
As a matter of fact, some people can’t or shouldn’t, especially if the weather is especially warm. I’m sure they’d appreciate your consideration in this matter.
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Funny how they did up until 5-10 years ago.
 
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usqueadmortem:
Hmm, good question. I would think so.
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Well, just bringing the coffee into Mass wouldn’t be breaking the fast, but drinking it before receiving would. 😉

I do music ministry, and sometimes if I have the responsibility of leading various sung parts of the liturgy, I like to have a bottle of water because I am incredibly prone to an itchy throat. Allergies, I suppose. Air conditioning, in fact, makes my throat worse, I think.

Bringing coffee and other drinks into Mass is just ridiculous, but I think it’s pretty judgemental to complain about people bringing water with them. It has been pretty well established on this thread that there are a variety of good reasons to bring water, and most of the time you don’t really know why someone is doing it. Drinking water at Mass is not breaking the fast, nor is it breaking any other rules. It’s probably a good idea to lay off and give the person a benefit of the doubt.
 
Detroit Sue:
I don’t buy it. Most of these people I see are not infirm, and these churches are plenty air conditioned. If you must have a drink, discreetly leave. Mass is not some movie matinee.
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Ouch.

Well, if I were to find it necessary to have some drinking water with me in church (and I’m not saying I do, not saying I don’t); and if some stranger were to presume to judge whether I should be allowed to have water based on that stranger’s evaluation of whether I was infirm enough to meet her standards; or that in that stranger’s opinion the current climate in the church was such that I should not need any water regardless of other considerations not known by that stranger; and that if I still needed water after this, this stranger would prefer that I leave the Church (which might be considerably more inconvenient for me if I was infirm even to a lesser degree than this stranger deems acceptable), well, I think I just might not feel very welcome there.

What was the second Corporal Work of Mercy again?
 
Detroit Sue:
Can’t they go 45-60 minutes without a drink? It doesn’t happen at my home parish, but at a lot of the more “progressive” ones in the area.
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Many people are slobs driven by popular culture and their own comfort – and little else.
 
Pariah Pirana:
Many people are slobs driven by popular culture and their own comfort – and little else.
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Many people are…but can you tell which one is which just by looking at them?

Scout :tiphat:
 
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FrmrTrad:
If I am lector I will sometimes bring a small bottle with a bit of water in it, to ensure my voice is in a good condition.
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You’re not a “lector.” A reader perhaps, but not a lector.
 
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sconea:
I really can understand a water bottle, as there are many health reasons that could require it…but, 2 weeks ago at Sunday mass when one came in with a fresh cup of coffee in a paper cup and proceeded to sip throughout Mass…will donuts be next?
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If I was an usher on that day, the coffee would have left the church – with or without the parishioner…
 
Pariah Pirana:
Joseph Bilodeau:
As a matter of fact, some people can’t or shouldn’t, especially if the weather is especially warm. I’m sure they’d appreciate your consideration in this matter.
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Funny how they did up until 5-10 years ago.
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Oh, I assure you, they still appreciate your consideration to this very day.
 
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Cadence:
Well living in Australia we experience some VERY hot Sundays (over 35 degrees) and many of our churches are NOT airconditioned. I go to the Cathedral which gets very hot especially when filled with people. Not to mention the fact that I have fainted in church on more than one occasion! Also, when I’m singing in the choir on one of these days it is essential to have a bottle of water - under those choir robes you certainly get very hot! Not to mention a dry mouth and throat.

There are worse things that could happen than drinking some water I am sure and quite frankly I would hate to see more airconditioned churches!
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Yet somehow I would bet it was not “essential” for your chorus breathern of 20 years ago. I still wonder how they coped on this, and many other items.
 
Joseph Bilodeau:
Oh, I assure you, they still appreciate your consideration to this very day.
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You know, I remember people passing out or dying right there in my non-Air conditioned church in the 70’s. Happened every week. We’d just look around and pray for his eternal soul. One time, Sister Petronia mistook some kid for sleeping and bopped him in the head with a metal ruler. He was dead he didn’t mind.
It’s such a good thing that we now know to bring water bottles to our Holy Mass.;);)😉
 
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Shinobu:
Doesn’t that go against the one hour fast?
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No. You may still have water and/or needed medications and still observe the Eucharistic fast:) .
 
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Giannawannabe:
No. You may still have water and/or needed medications and still observe the Eucharistic fast:) .
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I think Shinobu was referring to coffee, specifically. But then again, coffee is something like 99.95% water by volume…

I am sure there are legitimate reasons for needing water during Holy Mass. In my opinion, it is preferable to bring your own bottle and discretely sip than to get up constantly or cough incessantly. If it were me, I would not broadcast the fact that I had it, lest somebody with no legitimate reason should think it was a good idea for next Sunday.
 
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msproule:
I think Shinobu was referring to coffee, specifically. But then again, coffee is something like 99.95% water by volume…
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Sorry:o You’re right. Here I thought I had such a profound answer and everything—methinks it’s time for some shut eye----Good Night everyone:wave:
 
Wow, I’ve only seen people with water bottles during adoration or “charasmatic prayer services” but never during Masstime.
 
I"ve never seen water bottle, coffee, etc. in church. I am amazed at how many actually stay until the mass “has ended, go in peace…”.
we wait until the final hymn is song, as do many in our parish. In the past there were many more that left right after communion. Maybe a gentle reminder that it is not over until the last song is sung would be a great.

Love and peace
 
I went on a harsh hike before Sunday Mass a few weeks ago and I became dehydrated even though I was hydrating on the hike.

While showering and on my drive to Mass I consumed a GREAT deal of liquid – 1.5L of water and a quart of Gatorade. I made it fine without sucking on a waterbottle, even though I felt a bit waterlogged when I entered the Church.

Maybe those who can’t go 50-60 minutes without a sip should drink a cup, pint or quart of water BEFORE the entering the church?
 
netmil(name removed by moderator):
You know, I remember people passing out or dying right there in my non-Air conditioned church in the 70’s. Happened every week. We’d just look around and pray for his eternal soul. One time, Sister Petronia mistook some kid for sleeping and bopped him in the head with a metal ruler. He was dead he didn’t mind.
It’s such a good thing that we now know to bring water bottles to our Holy Mass.;);)😉
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I know what you mean. We used to lose two or three dozen each summer. Ever since the water bottle craze took hold (1989-1990?) we haven’t lost a single individual per Msgr. Zwebxyz

If all goes well we’ll be hanging I-V “bananna bags” on those who request them this summer.
 
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