When a priest enters the room

[Kathgirl]

You know you’re a traditional Catholic when you require your students to stand when a priest enters the room or approaches your lunch table etc. True also when any adult enters, approaches etc… but it’s especially disheartening when kids show no respect toward a priest. I am the only teacher in my school who teaches this.

 

[JPUSC]

Aren’t most Catholic K-8 schools like that?

 

[lizaanne]

Good for you!!! Perhaps you might consider bringing it up at a staff meeting. Not pointing fingers at the other teachers, but maybe just mentioning that you have noticed that kids just don’t do this anymore so you have started making it a practice in your classroom, then be sure to mention any positive outcome of doing this.

Speaking up for what is right! Not easy - but we all have to support and promote our Faith in any way we can.

~Liza

 

[Another_Mary]

When I attended Catholic school (all those many years ago) we not only stood when a priest entered the room, the girls curtsied (not sure of spelling) and the boys bowed as we said “Good morning (or afternoon) Father”.

 

[lizaanne]

When I attended Catholic school (all those many years ago) we not only stood when a priest entered the room, the girls curtsied (not sure of spelling) and the boys bowed as we said “Good morning (or afternoon) Father”.

Like this: :curtsey: hehehe (well, sorta)

~Liza

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I don’t see this so much as an issue of being a traditional Catholic as simply being a courteous person.

When I was in school we were taught to stand for any adult who might come in – a priest, the principal, another teacher, etc.

 

[DavidPalm]

I don’t see this so much as an issue of being a traditional Catholic as simply being a courteous person.

When I was in school we were taught to stand for any adult who might come in – a priest, the principal, another teacher, etc.

I agree. But we have seen thread(s) on how to dress properly for Mass where folks insist that you’re really being pharisaical to put so much emphasis on such outward expressions. Here it wouldn’t surprise me to have someone chime in that the kids really love and respect Father and it’s what’s in their hearts that matters, so why do they have to stand to show it, it’s all cultural anyway and today they show their respect by slouching in their seats and grunting, etc.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I agree. But we have seen thread(s) on how to dress properly for Mass where folks insist that you’re really being pharisaical to put so much emphasis on such outward expressions. Here it wouldn’t surprise me to have someone chime in that the kids really love and respect Father and it’s what’s in their hearts that matters, so why do they have to stand to show it, it’s all cultural anyway and today they show their respect by slouching in their seats and grunting, etc.

Well…there’s a bit of a difference in this thread and how to dress for Mass.

The OP here is a teacher and has a responsibility for setting behavior standards for her students. It’s appropriate for her to say that students must stand when an adult enters the room even if it’s not something they would at home.

When it comes to telling someone how to dress for Mass, I certainly don’t have the authority to tell the people sitting around me that they’re dressed improperly unless I’m sitting with my children. The pastor might have the authority but I can’t dictate whether it’s a battle he should take on.

And yeah, a lot of people will say that it’s a question of what’s in their hearts and we can’t judge that. And they’re right. But it’s also true that how we act influences how we feel, and acting more respectful may lead us to feel more respectful.

 

[Appleby]

I don’t see this so much as an issue of being a traditional Catholic as simply being a courteous person.

When I was in school we were taught to stand for any adult who might come in – a priest, the principal, another teacher, etc.

My parents required us to stand when any adult entered the room and to remain standing until the adult was seated. I still do that and I am 61 years old. It’s a reflex.

P.S. In our Catholic girls’ school if you did not stand when Sister entered the room, you would stand for the entire class period. Once or twice was enough for most to get the idea.

 

[CapIV]

What about standing when women leave the table? No one does that anymore either. I often wonder what will happen to these nice traditions of politeness, now that no one seems to care about them. (mostly because they are not taught)

 

[narrowpath]

Probably. I’m in my mid teens and I keep hearing about all these “manner” which I’ve never heard about. Stand when an adult enters the room? We’d be doing something wierd if we even noticed…

 

[adstrinity]

I have never heard this specifically for a priest. I don’t doubt it, it’s just that this is the first I’m hearing about it (converted as an adult 7 years ago, though).

 

[Rawb]

Anyone seen “The Bells of St. Mary’s”? It has a scene in it where Father O’ Malley enters the classroom and everyone stands, and the nun offers him her chair, and he takes it.

I thought the standing thing was good, but was surprised when the priest took the nun’s (woman’s) chair. In my experience it would’ve been correct for him to thank her, but decline. Any comments?

 

[Marysann]

Yes, as a child we were taught to stand when Father entered the room. Now that I am an adult I always stand to meet a priest or a sister. My husband is a foreign service officer, and I have worked in several of our embassies abroad. When the ambassador enters the room for a meeting, everyone stands. He is the representative of the President of the United States. The priest is the representative of Our Lord Himself, so naturally we stand for him.

 

[Extempore]

Probably. I’m in my mid teens and I keep hearing about all these “manner” which I’ve never heard about. Stand when an adult enters the room? We’d be doing something wierd if we even noticed…

To quote Proverbs 22:6:

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

When I was younger, I was given a book called “Manners Can Be Fun.” I still remember some of the illustrations and examples!

amazon.com/Manners-Can-Fun-Munro-Leaf/dp/0789310619

 

[The_Prodigal]

When I was in school taught mostly by Polish and Polish American nuns in the late 70’s, we would stand and say “Praised be Jesus Christ, good morning Father …”

Outside of my school days I can’t ever remember hearing this greeting except in a German language movie, where I learned that the custom was to reply “In alle Ewigkeit Amen” = “Forever and ever Amen.” (Our pastor never replied in that way). So I was pleasantly surprised recently when I called a bookstore run by an Orthodox woman, she answered the phone with “Praised be Jesus Christ…”

 

[Ghoti]

Yeah, back in tha’ day, we stood for any adult who entered the room.

I try to follow the “old” rubrics of etiquette, like doffing my hat when I’m in an elevator with a lady, addressing all men as “sir” and all ladies as “ma’am”, answering a “thank-you” with “you’re welcome” as opposed to “no problem”, etc. Some of it I have only come to lately (such as the hat thing, as before I was not a regular wearer of headgear, except for a beret, which military protocol directed one did not doff).

I find Miss Manners to be a pretty reliable source for “traditional” etiquette.

BTW, when I was in the CF, we didn’t stand for high-ranking officers entering the room: the room was called to attention, and everyone came to the position of “attention” if standing, and if sitting, sat up straight, arms at the sides, head and eyes to the front, etc., until said officer (or the sergeant-major) said “relax” or “as you were”.

And as another BTW, I am not overly surprised over the lack of manners. It has been established on other fora that they haven’t been properly catechized, either.

 

[Appleby]

My parents taught me that the social machinery runs very imperfectly even at its best, and bad manners was throwing sand into that machinery. I can remember once or twice saying Yeah to my Mama and having her reply tartly, Yes MAM?

The funny thing is that I have done that so often that I sometimes automatically and absent mindedly correct adults I do not know in elevators. Once a lady said Huh? when someone asked her to press a floor button and I said automatically, Dont say Huh, say Pardon me? Then I apologized and said that was the Mom in me. I also almost slapped a famous racing driver off his paddock bike; he came up behind a group of women at Monza and said something dirty in exasperation because we were in his way, and I turned around with my hand in slapping position, then said, Do you kiss your Mama with that mouth? instead. Its a reflex.

 

[SourGrape]

My husband and I were discussing etiquette this morning and I brought up this post. He concluded that the problem lies in the fact that many parents and teachers do not teach children proper etiquette in that regard now since our American culture is obsessed with *equality *and not making social distinctions…you know, “everyone is a regular joe” mentality.

 

[lizaanne]

My husband and I were discussing etiquette this morning and I brought up this post. He concluded that the problem lies in the fact that many parents and teachers do not teach children proper etiquette in that regard now since our American culture is obsessed with *equality *and not making social distinctions…you know, “everyone is a regular joe” mentality.

I completely agree with this. I am only 44, but I was extremely annoyed that our neighbor allowed her young children to address anyone on the block, regardless of age, by their first name - even the older folks. I think this is extremely disrespectful, and does not show the children that they should be showing respect to their elders. I don’t have to be called Mrs. Lastname, but at least call me Ms. Liza.

~Liza