Talking at Mass & Other Pet Peeves

I know I've talked about this in other posts, I just think it bears repeating. All too often people are doing things which are inappropriate at church and in particular at Mass. It signifies a deeper problem in my opinion. Let's talk about that.

One of my biggest pet peeves is the Chatty Cathys at Mass. It's simply inappropriate. The minute you walk into a church, you should be silent. In the cathedral where I normally attend the Holy Sacrifice, it is pretty open. People will often stand around the perimeter and be chatting to others. Sometimes they will speak more quietly, other times they will not. They may just speak at a normal volume.

I have been guilty of this myself, especially during Covid times. What normally happens is that I walk in and there is a person at the table taking down names and phone numbers. The person starts talking to me. I feel like I am just in an ordinary situation. However, I soon realize I am in a church and that I should be quiet. Many people, however, do not have this reaction.

Even worse than the chit-chatters are those who actually talk DURING Mass itself. Perhaps it is during a time when no one else is talking. Fr. Ripperger has talked about this. Basically we have gotten so used to all prayers and worship being done out loud that when there is any silence, people have no idea what to do, so they instinctively start talking.

I agree with this assessment. People act as if they are watching some kind of performance on stage, and so if there is a break between "scenes", it seems natural to just start talking to the person next to you. The problem is it is very distracting to people who wish to pray or at least be in a reverent state of silence.

I have heard people even talking WHILE the priest is speaking. I wonder if these people have any idea what is even going on. We are present at the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Jesus, present to us in an unbloody manner so that we may partake of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord. You're not at a bingo hall or shopping centre. Now is not the time to discuss what you need to get at the grocery store once Mass is over.

People may think I am being overly negative. What if people have something important they are talking about? That's possible of course. However, most "important" things which would merit in-Mass speaking could be discussed in a short period of time. Plus, the frequency of such things ought to be extremely rare. I don't even mind if every now and then someone says a word or two to the person next to them, fine. But I have been in the presence of a couple of people who talk, full volume, for minutes on end. Occasionally I have been unfortunate enough to sit near a couple of people who continuously talk throughout the entirety of the liturgy. Completely unbelievable and unacceptable.

Along with talking while at Mass, another pet peeve of mine is disruptive people who are not in unison with everyone else. I have started to attend daily rosary at my church. There is a lady there who recites her prayers must more quickly than everyone else. Everyone seems to have a general speed, while she bolts through prayers like she is in some kind of competition.

Not only that, one day the usual person who leads the rosary was not present so she took over. She was saying the Apostle's Creed so quickly she fumbled over her words and said it wrong. What is the point of this? What is she trying to prove?

I believe both talking in Mass and speeding through prayers without thinking about them indicate something bigger. To me, it seems the people doing things like this are not giving their time at church the proper attention. They seem to be operating on the surface without attempting to go to a deeper spiritual level. They do not really seem mindful of other people and they are acting as a distraction.

Having said all of this, I guess I have to look at it from a positive perspective, and quite honestly this is the hardest part. Maybe I must use these people and their annoying behaviors as ways of increasing in patience. There was a saint I heard about recently who said that very thing. One person said they would be holy only for the actions and behaviors of others. The saint responded that rather than these distractions and annoyances preventing one from becoming holy, they were the means by which the person could become holy.

However hard it might be, I must find out how to do this and think this way. Perhaps it is something for which I must pray.

Thanks to everyone who is reading this for letting me rant. Have a great day.