Feedback.Q: The worst example I've ever seen of someone being disrespectful dis·re·spect·ful adj. Having or exhibiting a lack of respect; rude and discourteous. dis  re·spect at Mass was ...Talking across the aisle in a loud voice about health issues that are too personal to mention in U.S. CATHOLIC. Charlie Dusterhoff Silver Spring, Md. Many times a cell phone will ring, but the person won't answer it, so it just rings and rings. Josie Langston Tucker, Ga. A young couple was kissing, massaging, and caressing each other. It was disgusting. Paula Zimmerman San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , Calif. An old man dropped dead--the nerve! Jack Murphy The name Jack Murphy can refer to:
Sarasota, Fla. Someone was reading the Sunday paper Sunday paper n → (periódico) dominical m Sunday paper n → journal m du dimanche in the front pew. Tom Meenan Chicago, Ill. The priest told us whom to vote for. Name withheld Delano, Minn. All of those who kneel in a slouched position with their rumps resting on the pews. Bill Rudolph Overland Park Overland Park, city (1990 pop. 111,790), Johnson co., NE Kans., a residential suburb of Kansas City; inc. 1960. There is printing and publishing, and the manufacture of apparel, aircraft parts, cement, prepared foods, salt, chemicals, marine accessories, and signs. , Kan. A woman made loud and derogatory remarks about the choir director. Charlotte Rancillo St. Louis, Mo. A mother let her son run his noisy truck up and down the pew until someone asked her to please make him stop. Duane Roose Shelby Township, Mich. Someone refused to greet me during the sign of peace. Michele S. Stutts Collinsville, Ill. On a resort island, a woman wore a beach cover-up and had curlers in her hair. Carol Ann Allison Arlington, Va. The father of the bride answered his cell phone during the wedding. Name withheld Raleigh, N.C. The priest got impatient with the length of the youth choir's song and simply started the prayer over their singing. Kara Kara (kär`ə), river, c.140 mi (230 km) long, NE European and NW Siberian Russia. It flows N from the N Urals into the Kara Sea, forming part of the traditional border between European and Asian Russia. It is navigable in its lower course. Croker Rockville, Md. Q: I am most guilty of the following bad manners at Mass ... Gossiping with others before Mass. Carl K. Greene London, Ky. Judging those around me who display bad manners instead of praying for all of us to be more reverent rev·er·ent adj. Marked by, feeling, or expressing reverence. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin rever . Gerald Asher Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas, 18th-largest city in the United States[1], and voted one of "America’s Most Livable Communities. I am a priest, so I consider it bad manners when I sneeze sneeze, involuntary violent expiration of air through the nose and mouth. It results from stimulation of the nervous system in the nose, causing sudden contraction of the muscles of expiration. during the Eucharistic Prayer without a handkerchief. Father Milt Anderson, C.S.C. Phoenix, Ariz. Leaving before the priest walks down the aisle. I've only done it a few times but always felt guilty. Annette Fricke Dillon, Colo. Chewing gum--mea culpa! Anne Kidwell Catonsville, Md. Dozing off during a homily homily (hŏm`əlē), type of oral religious instruction delivered to a church congregation. In the patristic period through the Middle Ages the focus of the homily was on the explanation and application of texts read or sung during the read from a paper in a droning tone. Edith Merli Spring Lake, N.J. I am most joyful, and I try to share the joy and get a "Quiet, please." But I think it's important to be friendly, so I am talkative. Anthony I. Avallone Las Cruces Las Cruces (läs kr  `sĭs), city (1990 pop. 62,126), seat of Dona Ana co., SW N.Mex., on the Rio Grande, in a farm area irrigated by the Elephant Butte system; founded 1848, inc. 1907. , N.M.I sometimes dress too casually because I'm too lazy to change into something more appropriate. Nancy Kobe Boise, Idaho “Boise” redirects here. For other uses, see Boise (disambiguation). Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the county seat of Ada County and the principal city of the Boise metropolitan area. Q: The best response--from an individual or a parish--to bad manners at Mass is ... Talk about it as a general issue rather than direct it at individual offenders. Serge St. Gerard Cambria Heights, N.Y. Manners and clothing are topics that should be addressed in catechesis cat·e·che·sis n. pl. cat·e·che·ses Oral instruction given to catechumens. [Late Latin cat from an early age. Stacie West Wilmington, N.C. When you find it, I'll pay for it. Father Michael Deptulla Lake Havasu City, Ariz. A 2-year-old boy went near the altar and called out to his grandmother, who was a eucharistic minister The title Eucharistic Minister is a term that is given to the laity who have been authorized by Church Clergy to administer and distribute the 'True Presence of Jesus Christ', i.e. . Many parishioners were tsk-tsking, but the pastor said that if they were annoyed by this young voice, he felt sorry for them because Jesus loved the little ones young children. See also: Little . Karen Franz Lockport, Ill. One Sunday my two grade-school children were so fidgety fidg·et·y adj. 1. Tending to fidget. 2. Creating unnecessary fuss. fidg  et·i·ness n.Adj. during Mass that when we got home I made them kneel at the living room couch for five minutes without moving. Karen Brossart Cincinnati, Ohio “Cincinnati” redirects here. For other uses, see Cincinnati (disambiguation). Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. I tell the talkers that I find it hard to pray when there is talking. John Howard For other persons of the same name, see John Howard (disambiguation). John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian politician and the 25th Prime Minister of Australia. Milwaukee, Wis. Our church started playing Gregorian chant Gregorian chant: see plainsong. Gregorian chant Liturgical music of the Roman Catholic church consisting of unaccompanied melody sung in unison to Latin words. before Mass to quiet the talkers. Some just talked louder. Jennifer A. Barnes Prescott, Ariz. Sit in the front pew, and then most of the distractions will be behind you. John Klieforth Golden, Colo. Blanket statements from the pulpit about bad manners are ineffective. Marie E. Talty Fair Lawn, N.J. Check our judgmentalism at the door. Marianne Tautges Eden Prairie, Minn. Maybe there should be a "Manners at Mass" series in the bulletin. Lynn A. Murray Winchendon, Mass. Ask the people, "What would you do if our Lord were here?" Name withheld Colorado Springs, Colo. Q: The best way to show respect or reverence at Mass is ... To fully participate and recognize that we, too, are part of Mass and not just people watching something being done for us. Eleanor Willhard Bountiful, Utah To love God by loving your neighbor in the pew. Jim Merhaut Canfield, Ohio Please refer to the 1940s and '50s for proper reverence and respect. Name withheld Crown Point, Ind. To participate in the Holy Sacrifice according to each individual's role to the greatest extent that is emotionally possible. There are times when one attends Mass when upset, depressed, excited, etc. and may not be emotionally able to pay attention. Kevin Gilhooley Costa Mesa, Calif General Comments I'm just happy to see so many folks in church. There's no time to be the manners police; let's just be brothers and sisters. Vince Kobida Milwaukee, Wis. A respectful "buzz" before Mass is appropriate for a community gathering to celebrate Mass together. If everyone just prays silently it becomes a gathering of individuals instead of a community. F. Webber The Villages, Fla. This is an excellent article expressing many concerns of us old-timers. Betty Bellous Midland, Mich. Emphasizing adherence to liturgical minutiae mi·nu·ti·a n. pl. mi·nu·ti·ae A small or trivial detail: "the minutiae of experimental and mathematical procedure" Frederick Turner. to the neglect of authentic gospel living may bring an illusion of unity but will never yield authentic faith. Steve Rall Lansing, Mich. This issue is one where balance is the key. My parish's motto is "All are welcome," so how can we say: "All are welcome, but you must dress a certain way"? Yet reverence and respect are important for the worship environment. Stacey Ayers Hilton, N.Y. This article is fantastic and should be in every church's bulletin. Katherine Difolco Venice, Fla. Given the range of serious and divisive issues facing the church today, the things troubling the author seem astoundingly trivial. Joe W. Knickmeyer Newport News, Va. It doesn't seem right that in a church that takes such a firm stand against birth control, people complain about all the children attending Mass. Amy Holland Tallahassee, Fla. Parents are between a rock and a hard place. Cry rooms keep the kids happy but are often more like a playgroup playgroup Noun a regular meeting of infants for supervised creative play playgroup n → jardín m de infancia playgroup play n , and the adults seldom sing or respond aloud. Ann DiStefano Avon, Conn. I taught high school religion long enough to hear horror stories from teens about what people said or did to them in communicating their judgment of the teen's "bad manners." It leaves bitter feelings. C. Baker Baltimore, Md. I see lots of bad manners every week at church, but I would say the worst offenders are still at home in bed. Marnie Kraft Bismarck, N.D. AND THE SURVEY SAYS ... 1. I regularly witness what I consider displays of bad manners at Mass. agree 52% disagree 39% other 19% 2. The thing that bothers me most at Mass is: (May select more than one.)
50% Cell phones or
pagers going off.
50% Inappropriate dress.
35% Talking before or
during Mass.
31% People chewing
gum.
29% Children making
noise, playing, or
eating.
15% People reading the
bulletin.
4% People writing
out checks for the
collection.
9% None of the above.
3. I think some clothing people wear at Mass is inappropriate. agree 79% disagree 14% other 1% 4. I we make a big deal about clothes and manners at Mass, even fewer people will attend. agree 25% disagree 59% other 16% 5. I think most parents take great care not to let their young children disturb others at Mass. agree 80% disagree 14% other 6% 6. Society has changed and informality is the norm, so it's a lost cause to try to encourage strict manners at Mass. agree 17% disagree 58% other 25% Representative of other: "Strict" manners is too extreme. These results are based on survey responses from 175 U.S. CATHOLIC readers and website visitors. |
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