What to do about rude parishioners? v. my parrot

  • Thread starter Thread starter Binary
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

Binary

Guest
Because he’s young and liable to get into any kind of trouble at home, I have to bring my parrot, Ted, to mass with me. He sometimes gets bored and rambunctious during the service, so I bring snacks and toys for him to play with. Unfortunately, sometimes he drops his toys loudly, or makes a mess with his food, or caws loudly and repeatedly. What do you expect? He’s a parrot! Still, his behavior often earns me disapproving stares from the people around me, and I’ve even had a few people approach me after mass telling me how rude it is to have him there. I just tell them that Ted is my “little saint” and his outbursts are opportunities for all of us to practice the virtue of patience.

And besides, in terms of his effect on other parishioners, Ted is no different than the thousands of toddlers who disrupt mass every week. So why should I be singled out as the bad guy? Anyway, here I am, asking for your advice on what I can tell these people to explain that it’s perfectly acceptable to interrupt their homilies, hymns and prayers with screaching and crashing. Parents’ advice is especially sought.

Thanks and regards,
Binary
 
Binary said:
Because he’s young and liable to get into any kind of trouble at home, I have to bring my parrot, Ted, to mass with me. He sometimes gets bored and rambunctious during the service, so I bring snacks and toys for him to play with. Unfortunately, sometimes he drops his toys loudly, or makes a mess with his food, or caws loudly and repeatedly. What do you expect? He’s a parrot! Still, his behavior often earns me disapproving stares from the people around me, and I’ve even had a few people approach me after mass telling me how rude it is to have him there. I just tell them that Ted is my “little saint” and his outbursts are opportunities for all of us to practice the virtue of patience.

And besides, in terms of his effect on other parishioners, Ted is no different than the thousands of toddlers who disrupt mass every week. So why should I be singled out as the bad guy? Anyway, here I am, asking for your advice on what I can tell these people to explain that it’s perfectly acceptable to interrupt their homilies, hymns and prayers with screaching and crashing. Parents’ advice is especially sought.

Thanks and regards,
Binary
Click to expand...
If you left Ted home alone, would you be liable to be investigated by Child Services? If Ted died because of your inattentiveness, would you be prosecuted for negligent homicide?

I think that’s all that has to be said to this ridiculous post.
 
I’m going to try to be as serious as possible here. It’s going to be difficult.

Is there a cry room? Can you sit there? Do you really HAVE to bring your parrot to Mass? Really?

If the parrot’s behavior is so horrible, why can’t you put Ted in his cage? Lock the door and go to Mass.

Regarding rude comments, I can’t help there. I would probably be the same way. I would try really hard not to be because being rude isn’t the answer. I will definitely, in the politest way possible, ask that you leave the parrot at home.
 
Jesus said ‘suffer the little children to come unto me and do not forbid them’, not ‘suffer the little parrots’ 😃
 
Binary said:
Because he’s young and liable to get into any kind of trouble at home, I have to bring my parrot, Ted, to mass with me. He sometimes gets bored and rambunctious during the service, so I bring snacks and toys for him to play with. Unfortunately, sometimes he drops his toys loudly, or makes a mess with his food, or caws loudly and repeatedly. What do you expect? He’s a parrot! Still, his behavior often earns me disapproving stares from the people around me, and I’ve even had a few people approach me after mass telling me how rude it is to have him there. I just tell them that Ted is my “little saint” and his outbursts are opportunities for all of us to practice the virtue of patience.

And besides, in terms of his effect on other parishioners, Ted is no different than the thousands of toddlers who disrupt mass every week. So why should I be singled out as the bad guy? Anyway, here I am, asking for your advice on what I can tell these people to explain that it’s perfectly acceptable to interrupt their homilies, hymns and prayers with screaching and crashing. Parents’ advice is especially sought.
Click to expand...
The toodlers who disrupt Mass are baptized children of God. They have a right to be in church. A parrot is an animal.

I am assuming you forgot the admonition of our Lord in Matthew 19:14:

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
 
Pets never belong at Mass! Loud children are okay because they too are redeemed by Christ, and they are learning the faith. Parrots are incapable of participating in the Mass.

Is this a joke?
Binary said:
Because he’s young and liable to get into any kind of trouble at home, I have to bring my parrot, Ted, to mass with me. He sometimes gets bored and rambunctious during the service, so I bring snacks and toys for him to play with. Unfortunately, sometimes he drops his toys loudly, or makes a mess with his food, or caws loudly and repeatedly. What do you expect? He’s a parrot! Still, his behavior often earns me disapproving stares from the people around me, and I’ve even had a few people approach me after mass telling me how rude it is to have him there. I just tell them that Ted is my “little saint” and his outbursts are opportunities for all of us to practice the virtue of patience.

And besides, in terms of his effect on other parishioners, Ted is no different than the thousands of toddlers who disrupt mass every week. So why should I be singled out as the bad guy? Anyway, here I am, asking for your advice on what I can tell these people to explain that it’s perfectly acceptable to interrupt their homilies, hymns and prayers with screaching and crashing. Parents’ advice is especially sought.

Thanks and regards,
Binary
Click to expand...
 
Witohut being rude, a parrot to Mass? I’m even thinking that you may be some troll!

As the others aid, children, even though they may misbehave, ahve a right to be at Church. They have souls, they are baptized, etc… even protestants, Muslims, Jews and Hindus have a bigger right to attend Mass and enter Church because that way, they may convert. A parrot can’t convert, he doesn’t even have a soul. Also, whats wrong with locking him in cage and leaving him for an hour or so? Give him food and water and you can attend Mass in peace without disrupting anybody at all.

Also, think about what God and Mary will think of you actually bringing a parrot at Their house, a parrot who is always distracting everybody. Why don’t we bring our dogs to Church, no, why not our cats and hamsters. Wait, lets bring their hamster balls so that thye can run around.

Use your common sense. If you really cared for your Faith and for God and Mary you wouldn’t bring your parrot in Church or do any crazy tings there.
 
He sometimes gets bored and rambunctious during the service, so I bring snacks and toys for him to play with. Unfortunately, sometimes he drops his toys loudly, or makes a mess with his food, or caws loudly and repeatedly.
Click to expand...
I have a cat for your bird. Which Mass do you attend?

Cracks me up when parents bring a picnic lunch for their children for a one hour Mass.

Kids are such constant eating machines that it requires bringing a Tuperware container (with a lid that doesn’t open) full of Cheerios?
 
Alright, so it seems like there’s a consensus here that while my imaginary parrot shouldn’t be at mass, a child who is similar to a parrot in all aspects except plumage and baptism has every right to be there, screaming away.

Without exaggeration, I heard ~3 sentences of the homily last week because of children. What’s the psalm response? It sounded like “WAAAAAAH.” Trying to quietly contemplate the Eucharistic miracle? Hard to do when there’s, you know, screaming kids.

But hey, the problem is ME, right? The screaming kids are obviously getting a religious education from this. I’m sure they’ll remember it. You remember the lessons you learned in church when you were 2, right?

So right, the kids have a right to be there. And I have an obligation to worship. Rather than expecting parents to go to a cry room that may or may not exist, would it be acceptable for me to step outside and prayerfully follow along with the mass in my head? In anticipation of toddlers doing this for the entire mass, would it be acceptable for me to stay outside for the whole of the mass, coming in only for communion? Actually, I could just make a spiritual communion, right? Heck, I could do that from home.
 
Barbkw said:
I have a cat for your bird. Which Mass do you attend?

Cracks me up when parents bring a picnic lunch for their children for a one hour Mass.

Kids are such constant eating machines that it requires bringing a Tuperware container (with a lid that doesn’t open) full of Cheerios?
Click to expand...
That’s funny. When I first read the post, I thought, “Hey, I can bring Jackson (cat) to Mass!” He’s a tuxedo. He’d be the best dressed dude there! No worries if he meows or runs up to the altar, right?
 
Wow, I can’t believe how much hate there is in these forums for toddlers in Mass. Why do people insist that kids be excluded from Mass? Didn’t Jesus say that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as them?
 
Barbkw said:
Cracks me up when parents bring a picnic lunch for their children for a one hour Mass.

Kids are such constant eating machines that it requires bringing a Tuperware container (with a lid that doesn’t open) full of Cheerios?
Click to expand...
Speaking from experience, there’s really no other way to get them to shut up.
 
Binary said:
Alright, so it seems like there’s a consensus here that while my imaginary parrot shouldn’t be at mass, a child who is similar to a parrot in all aspects except plumage and baptism has every right to be there, screaming away.

Without exaggeration, I heard ~3 sentences of the homily last week because of children. What’s the psalm response? It sounded like “WAAAAAAH.” Trying to quietly contemplate the Eucharistic miracle? Hard to do when there’s, you know, screaming kids.

But hey, the problem is ME, right? The screaming kids are obviously getting a religious education from this. I’m sure they’ll remember it. You remember the lessons you learned in church when you were 2, right?

So right, the kids have a right to be there. And I have an obligation to worship. Rather than expecting parents to go to a cry room that may or may not exist, would it be acceptable for me to step outside and prayerfully follow along with the mass in my head? In anticipation of toddlers doing this for the entire mass, would it be acceptable for me to stay outside for the whole of the mass, coming in only for communion? Actually, I could just make a spiritual communion, right? Heck, I could do that from home.
Click to expand...
The parents have an obligation to control their children. All you can control is you. I have never had a screaming child disrupt Mass the way it seems to disrupt you.

There was one time that a parents child (infant) cried for a long time. The parents should have left the church until the child was calmed down. They didn’t. So, during the homily our pastor asked that the screaming child be removed from church. While I was glad he said that at the time, I’ve sense found out those people no longer even come to church. I’d rather listen to a few kids cry for a little bit than the parents and/or the children not be there.

I simply don’t understand why some people cannot handle the slightest bit of noise during Mass.
 
MarkThompson said:
If you left Ted home alone, would you be liable to be investigated by Child Services? If Ted died because of your inattentiveness, would you be prosecuted for negligent homicide?

I think that’s all that has to be said to this ridiculous post.
Click to expand...
Good point Mark. Unless the threadstarter is willing to start a daycare during Mass, one shouldn’t complain.
 
Are there certain cultures that enjoy parrot stew? You may find him tasty. 😃
Any parrot sitters available?

I am guessing you are irritated at screeching babies in church and the parents’ futile attempts to keep them quiet. I only wish there were more of them, they have been contracepted and aborted.

We have a few that holler and we just think of them as part of the choir. If there happens to be one close enough to where we sit, I have a couple little toys in my purse. They are kept in a baggie and cleaned off when I get home. No problem. Just being a good neighbor.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Wow, I can’t believe how much hate there is in these forums for toddlers in Mass. Why do people insist that kids be excluded from Mass? Didn’t Jesus say that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as them?
Click to expand...
I really think there are a vocal few that don’t like having toddlers at Mass. Personally, the more children the better! I don’t have any living children. It makes me happy to see them. If they are occasionally disruptive, it won’t bother me in the least.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Wow, I can’t believe how much hate there is in these forums for toddlers in Mass. Why do people insist that kids be excluded from Mass? Didn’t Jesus say that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as them?
Click to expand...
Let me tell you, seriously, my plan for my own children I hope to have someday. I’ll get them baptized and, until they are old enough to I don’t know, speak full sentences, leave them in the care of a babysitter for ~2 hours on sunday. I hope to use the mass during those years as a quiet time to spend worshipping with my wife. Maybe we could do something wild like have brunch and a normal conversation together afterwards. When they are old enough, if they start misbehaving and refuse to listen, I will snatch them up and walk out until they calm down. I plan to sit in the very back to facilitate this process, which seems like a minimally considerate thing any parent of young children should do. I know I won’t be able to eliminate disruptions or bad behavior, but I have an obligation to minimize any negative effects my child has on other people.
 
My 92 year old Dad made a comment once about how loud kids are at Mass. I said, “Most people won’t have kids and others are aborting theirs.”

Growing up, my parents ALWAYS sat us up front in the second pew. That pew sucks because there’s no screwing around - it’s too rude to geek back at people and so everything is face forward.

I told him we could move to a new location and sit there - away from the people with young children. Usually parents with small children sit all the way to the back so they can make several quick exits during Mass.

My Dad’s in a wheelchair and he sits back there as well.

I went ahead and I moved more to the middle of the church seating. Every once in a while I glance back and find him holding out his arms to gather in a “run away” toddler.

🙂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top