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mommyof4
Guest
Yes, same here, and since I’m going through menopause I often convey both messages several times during the same Mass.
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chewchoo
Guest
ditto on the laughter, good oneYes, same here, and since I’m going through menopause I often convey both messages several times during the same Mass.
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PatienceAndLove
Guest
That hilarious that you brought that up!
On another board I am a part of, we made that into a drinking son, with the “At least I’ve always found it so./Benedicamus Domino” as the chorus!
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Leopard
Guest
Oh no, please don’t go there!First case: host would go and adjust the thermostat. Second case: someone would get the building maintenance person to turn up the heat.
In the first place, turning the heat up in the winter (or turning the AC up in the summer) can add thousands of dollars to the monthly gas or electric bill for a big old church, but in the second place, for every person who is made happy by the heat being turned up, there are a dozen who are displeased because now they are too hot! It can lead to the point where sweaty parishioners start opening up the windows while the radiators are steaming full blast, subjecting other shivvering parishioners to icy drafts.
We have found it so much better to remind our parishioners that it is a big church and some areas are warmer than others, so those who want to be warmer should sit closer to the radiators or keep their coats on, and those who want to be cooler should sit closer to the doors or take their coats off. And anyone who touches either the thermostat or the windows may be subject to a beating with the long-handled ushers baskets.
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CarolAnnSFO
Guest
Don’t get too upset; I was just joking! Personally, I belong to the keep-your-coat-on-if-you’re-cold-and-take-it-off-if-you’re-hot school.
(I like that bit about being beaten with the long-handled collection baskets, though.
)
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Brenda_V
Guest
Petergee you might be but a simple bloke so that must make me a simple gal as I agree with you.
This is just great
.So, you see Cat I think we just are going to have to agree to disagree here. In my Parish if we had coat racks, yes, the time in getting the coats off the racks and everyone into their cars and out of the three exits from the parking lot onto one of the busy thoroughfares of our city is a concern - even adding that minute or so to getting the coats can be a problem. This is why fellowship time is allotted to non-Sundays at my Parish and trust me, there are plenty of times given for that.
Brenda V.
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wifeandmomoftwo
Guest
:yup:
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Leopard
Guest
Nah, I don’t get upset about this except on Sundays when I usher and it’s my turn to administer the beatings (see, I can joke too!)Don’t get too upset; I was just joking! Personally, I belong to the keep-your-coat-on-if-you’re-cold-and-take-it-off-if-you’re-hot school.
(I like that bit about being beaten with the long-handled collection baskets, though.
But I am serious about cold parishioners taking it upon themselves to turn up the heat (and naturally not remembering to turn it down again after Mass, so the radiators stay on full blast all day and night until the next morning Mass), and then other parishioners opening up all the windows in winter (and also forgetting to close them later). I’ve seen it happen. And then these same people complain because the parish has to take up a special collection to try to pay the gas bill. That’s why we put a locking cover over the thermostat.
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Sarabande
Guest
Actually, at many places where I’ve worked, they keep a lock over the thermostat. Different parts of the office is colder than others and the ones who are in the colder parts or are just cold-blooded in general, keep a coat there to keep them warm.
At my music and opera rehearsals, we many times keep our coats on when not the ones rehearsing on stage or whatever. The theaters or buildings are too big to keep warm and cost too much money. When we’re doing the actual rehearsals it gets hot so we take our coats and other layers off, then put them back on afterwards. I do this at my lessons as well. We’re there for hours. No one is going anywhere, nor does anyone have that impression.
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PatienceAndLove
Guest
Nice touch! touche!
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chewchoo
Guest
yep, there have been times when i have been at work with my mittens and scarf on…
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Greg72
Guest
I didn’t mean to give the impression that they don’t (I’ve seen many daily communicants who leave their jackets on, afterall).
I’m just adding my voice to support Cat since so many cradle Catholics don’t seem to appreciate what a shock it can be for a convert to see people with jackets on in church (and men shouldn’t wear hats in church no matter how cold it is - where do we draw the line?).
From what others have said, this is more likely an age-of-the-church issue rather than a Catholic/ protestant one. Since many protestant churches are fairly modern (even if they are in a beautiful traditional style) they are more likely to have proper heating and coat racks.
I would say that Catholics are an aging lot. If I left my jacket on when some of us do, I’d be breaking a sweat.
It’s an interesting topic though. I’ve never been in an unheated church, but it would definitely save a tonne of money (in building, maintenance and fuel).
Amen to that. I’m praying for the 300,000 traditional Anglicans to come home (though I don’t know that they would complain about the lack of heating
. What a day that will be!The Irish Catholics certainly have suffered for their Faith. Ireland is still one of the only sane countries outside of the Vatican. I’m half-Irish and proud of it.
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CarolAnnSFO
Guest
We don’t have the same problem, as our (old) church building has no temperature control devices anywhere the parishioners can get at them. Father, alone, decides when to turn on (or up) the heat!
We do have small, open-able windows beneath the bottoms of the stained glass windows, but in this climate, one would have to be a madman to open them in winterr – brrrrrr!
Aside: my office building has a thermostat with no cover on it, but there is a little post-it note attached saying “Please keep this set at 72 degees.” Pointedly, there are several thermometers hanging from the outsides of nearby cube walls.
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coeyannie
Guest
Ask me if I care. With all of the other problems that exist, I can’t believe this question was even posted. 
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ElizabethPH
Guest
Not enough room in the church for one; or in the pews to lay one down it takes up someone’s space. I take mine off if it’s warm enough and fold it up and lay it under the pew in front of me; it’s either this or lay it in my lap and that’s uncomfortable for me. Maybe some folks just don’t want to take the trouble so they just leave them on? Sorry you feel like there is something wrong with it.
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childofmary1143
Guest
A 12 page thread on why no coat racks in a Church. I think some people have WAY too much time on their hands.
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ElizabethPH
Guest
I agree with the last two posters. I wrote a post on what I thought and upon reading it after I posted it; I realized how ridiculous, so I deleted it. 
In fact I can’t believe I read this thread 
In fact I can’t believe I read this thread
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Cat
Guest
I’m so sorry I wasted your time.I agree with the last two posters. I wrote a post on what I thought and upon reading it after I posted it; I realized how ridiculous, so I deleted it.
I guess it’s a Protestant thing. If this thread were cut and pasted onto a Protestant online forum, or if I discussed it with Protestant friends and relatives, they would shake their heads and say, “Weird. Catholics sure don’t have a clue, do they?”
I honestly hope that all of you will consider at least visiting a nice, warm Protestant church and see how good it feels to not have to tote around your heavy coat, and how good everyone looks dressed up in dressed, suits, slacks, and sweaters instead of parkas and fleeces. It’s not as evil as you all think it is. And it really does create an atmosphere of loving family which is very pleasant. Go see for yourself, if you can get past your disdain for Christians who don’t have Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
BTW, in all my years as a Protestant, I have never, ever seen a Protestant church with coat hooks around the sanctuary. I would really be interested in knowing which church has such an ugly thing. Are you certain that it wasn’t a church that is meeting temporarily in a school gymnasium? I assure all of you that most Protestants are NOT the Phillistines that some of you seem to think they are when it comes to decorating, art, and beauty. Catholics don’t have a lock on class. At the moment, I regret to say that I am wondering if Catholics have class. The very idea of keeping a cold church and being proud of it and dissing those who keep a church warm is baffling to me.
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wifeandmomoftwo
Guest
What baffles me is why not having a coat rack in a church is upsetting to you. Or why seeing people sitting in their coats makes you feel that a church is not friendly or why not cranking up the heat to 80 degrees is upsetting:shrug:
I mean the next thing people will complain about is that some churches dont have padded kneelers or that the pews are too uncomfortable why not cushion them:shrug:
I dont go to mass to be physically comfortable but to be spiritually comforted…but that is just me and my 2cents.
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