Church Etiquette It has been suggested by lay faithful and priests, that it is a good time to review our behavior in church. The sacred reality of worship and our relationship with God requires a distinct reverence and respect that is especially appropriate in church. Church is not merely a social enterprise but a sanctuary, sacred space set aside to worship God. In this quiet place of prayer where we encounter the mystery of God’s love, we hope also to discover the presence of God within us. The following are meant to be helpful reminders of how we want to behave when in church. Please turn off or silence cell phone and pagers; please refrain from reading the bulletin, e-mails, or text messages during Mass; no electronic devices during church. Please keep a respectful quiet in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist before and after Mass Please remember appropriate clothing — especially during the summer. Dress should be honorable, modest, and respectful. Please refrain from shorts, low cut tops, short skirts. Please do not bring food or drink into church unless you have medical reasons. Except in case of true need, bottles of water are not needed...we probably won’t dehydrate in an hour. Please remember chewing gum is not acceptable at any time in church, and especially during Mass. Reason? 1.) Respect, 2.) The one-hour fast prior to Communion. Please lower and raise the kneelers gently and quietly and leave the pews in good order. Please arrive on time (if arriving late enter quietly so as not to be a distraction to others), use the restroom before the liturgy to avoid coming and going during Mass, do not leave before the Liturgy is concluded and never cut through the Holy Communion line to exit early. Please when receiving Holy Communion say AMEN and receive and consume the Sacred Host before walking away. Reverently receive the Host in the presence of the priest or extraordinary minister and be willing to assist others who may seem confused about this. (Recently the Host - the Body of Christ, was found thrown on the floor next to the Confessional.) Please participate in the Mass; Body, Mind and Spirit, singing, speaking, praying, attending within the heart and in the body. The question may be asked, “Why?” Or it might be said; you should be grateful anyone is coming at all. The answer is, reverence, respect and participation, with respect to God’s Commandment to keep holy the Sabbath Day. Our obligation is not mere bodily presence in the church, but participation in mind, heart and body in the Liturgy, in which the saving mysteries of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ are celebrated. It is a sacred gift in which Jesus Christ comes to us in the Eucharist. It is no mere symbol we receive in Holy Communion, it is the very person of God in Jesus Christ; Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. It is a living mystery of Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection. Such love of God deserves our highest honor, our deepest reverence, and fervent love. When we worship at Mass we share through the Holy Spirit in the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, raised up in His perfect prayer to God the Father —nothing less than the communion of heaven and earth. God the Father listens to our prayers with loving and unfailing attention; we should be together as a community, in His Presence in exactly the same way. Please don’t take offense, one of our goals together must be the restoration and maintenance of reverence and participation in the Liturgy—our whole and undivided hearts we must give to God. I would be remiss not to remind us all of our duty and our privilege. Father Donohoe
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 02:19:39 +0000
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