Note to People: Stop Talking Throughout the Mass

One of the things I find most annoying when I go to mass is people talking. I'm not referring to people who have a couple of words to say or a few sentences here and there because that's human nature. So that's not so bad. What I'm referring to is people who are talking on the way into the church, they talk all the way as they enter into their seat, and then they continue talking throughout the entirety of the mass. They do not hesitate even for a couple of minutes.

There have been times when I've sat at mass and there might be a couple of people, usually women I hate to say it, who will just have a long unending conversation throughout the entire Mass. Because it's sometimes impossible not to overhear them, you can catch some of the things that they're saying and I can tell you that they are not important or earth-shattering things that must be said immediately. For example they often talk about what they are going to cook for dinner what they will be doing for Christmas, or what TV shows they like, etc.

My question is "Why do you even bother coming to Mass?" Seriously. Obviously you have no idea why you are there or why the Mass has any value or importance whatsoever. You are just there to gab the entire mass and get absolutely nothing out of it. Plus, you are distracting everyone else who is there to be spiritually fed.

I would even ask a deeper, spiritual question. Does it fulfill your Sunday Obligation to attend Mass every Sunday, if, while you are there, you talk the entire time and pay absolutely no attention. If you have no interest in what is happening during the Mass and are not interested in connecting to God spiritually whatsoever. Can it really be said that you "attended the Mass" given all of this?

I think somewhere along the way people were told they had to attend Mass every Sunday, which is true. But even though they technically enter in through the church doors, they are in no real way "attending" the Mass. It's no different than staying outside in your car while the Mass is happening inside and listening to the radio and then later claiming you actually attended the Mass. It's ridiculous and inaccurate.

The priest should always, at the beginning of Mass, inform the people there that there should be absolutely no talking whatsoever unless there is an extreme emergency. The only things people should say are the responses to the prayers that are designated to the people.

By the way, it's also worth noting that this includes the rosary. Sometimes people will go to Mass and just recite the rosary the entire time that they are there. They again don't have any interest in the Mass. They are only there to say the rosary. Now, individually the rosary and the Mass are good. Combined, not so much. It's inappropriate to recite the Rosary throughout the Mass. You are not participating int hat case.

And in some cases, when someone does recite the rosary, they do so very loudly. Not literally talking out loud, but whispering very loudly. Some older people have a tendency to make a very high pitched S sound every time they read a word with that letter. It's very distracting.

The point is, if you go to Mass, then GO TO MASS. Don't go there to discuss your grocery list. Don't go there to say the rosary. Go there to participate in the holy sacrifice of the Mass.