If the church is not on fire, you should not be talking.There's more, of course, written by Pat Archibold for National Catholic Register and I encourage you to read it. (Found it via Sr. Lisa Doty whose thoughts on the subject I also encourage you to read.
However, that pretty much says it.
I have to admit that I am guilty of a very lax attitude in this area. Coming up on my 11th birthday as a Catholic this Easter, I have generally had only that "chatty" post-Mass experience. Now I know intellectually that I shouldn't be talking then but it is very easy to forget if the other environment is all you have known.
That's why it is good for me, and doubtless for others, to be reminded. We are in the presence of the King of Heaven. A little reverence is good but I don't think we can show too much. Restraining my tongue until I get out the door is a small gesture to offer but I am going to try (again) to make this my new habit.
I was listening to Fulton Sheen yesterday, and he was talking about prayer. The first thing that is necessary, he said, is SILENCE.
ReplyDeleteMy parish becomes a gymnasium immediately after Mass, both for the daily and Sunday Masses. It bothers me no end. To me, it shows such an utter lack of respect, not just for the Blessed Sacrament or for the holy celebration we've just encountered, but for the people who are actually trying to pray after Mass.
How hard is it, really, to hold your tongue until you walk the few steps it takes to get outside?
I like the idea of keeping holy silence and generally try to be as quiet as it is possible to be when rounding up a passel of small children and helping them into their hats and coats and mittens. But what do you do when the lady behind you wants to tell you how well behaved your children were and then goes on to ask a dozen questions? And then that is repeated half a dozen times before you finally round up your brood and usher them out of the church. Seriously, what do you do?
ReplyDeleteWe're always among the last people out the door after Mass (Mainly because we refuse to start rounding up the children until the last note is played on the final hymn.) and we always have to stop and respond to pleasantries from so many people who all think our kids are so cute and so well behaved. It would be rude not to respond and yet I feel bad for being a part of the noise problem.
That is an excellent question and one that I found myself a victim of last Sunday. Well, not of having small children (ha!). But of having lots of good friends descend upon me (and to be fair, I did it to a couple of people too after that) with glad cries.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering about asking our priest about this problem, myself. I know it bugs him.
Anyone else? Anyone? Little help here ...
Of course in our parish the priest is usually one of the ones doing the accosting. He always stands in the vestibule as people leave; but once the crowd has died down he returns to the sacristy, which is right off the altar. Since we're so slow getting out, we often encounter him partway down the main aisle or he stops and chats with us as we're leaving our pew.
ReplyDelete