At my parish they have renamed the narthex of the church as the “fellowship hall”. This novus nomenclature is intended to encourage parishioners, when leaving after mass, to engage each other on a personal level (e.g., smiling, hugging, and conversing) in some place other than the nave of the church. I think this is a very good idea as we all know how important fellowship is to the Christian experience.
I go out the side door.
The parish I grew up in was a keep-your-head-facing-forward and mind-your-own-business kind of place and that suited me just fine. We shared the same faith and for one hour on Sundays, we shared the same air; that was enough. These days, however, I am surrounded by people who want to talk to me, touch me, and engage me on a personal level. This is not the Catholicism I signed up for.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but I miss the swine flu. Of course …
February 16, 2010 at 4:49 pm
When I became Catholic, I was going to Mass at the Benedictine Abbey close to home (Gregorian chant, traditional Catholic hymns, meaty homilies, and a Mass always celebrated with reverence and solemnity–I was hooked). Any socializing after Mass took place outside near the front doors.
The parish close to home was more liberal-leaning, but many of our relatives went there because of the "coffee and" in the fellowship hall after Mass. While, for years, I preferred to make a quick, clean get-away after Mass, I did appreciate that people were socializing in the fellowship hall rather than in the church itself–which made it much easier for those staying behind after Mass to pray before the Blessed Sacrament (and some stayed for a while).
So, while I'm more likely now to visit for a bit with friends I see after Mass–outside or in the church basement–than I used to be, I do appreciate that we're encouraged to leave the church quietly (out of reverence for Christ and respect for those remaining there to pray) and do our socializing somewhere else–whether it's a "fellowship space" or a fellowship hall or the front steps. Here at our parish, we get the meaty homilies, the traditional Catholic hymns, and a Mass that is always offered with reverence and solemnity. As long as people do their socializing in the proper places, I don't have a problem with it. There are some people I see only on Sundays, so if we catch each other after Mass, we'll usually talk outside.
February 16, 2010 at 4:56 pm
SarahL
Did you read the whole post?
February 16, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Just to clarify my previous question. I hope that the whole post makes clear that I am not criticizing fellowship in any way but rather poking fun at my own anti-social tendencies.
February 16, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Oh, I thought you were complaining about howdy-doody time in the middle of Mass. Maybe it will be moved to the offertory with the revisions, I hope.
February 16, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Oops. I just finished reading your post, and I apologize for jumping to conclusions. That'll teach me to rattle off a comment before reading the whole article. Sorry. 🙂
I can relate to some of the anti-social sentiments, though. We've been sitting in the back of the church for a long time, since our youngest gets "restless," and the extra space between our seats and the main grouping of the pews gives us an automatic excuse for not shaking everyone's hands (front, back and side) during the "sign of peace" moment (which I've always considered an unnecessary distraction during Mass–and soon after the Consecration, for pity's sake!). Thanks for the article.
February 16, 2010 at 7:29 pm
Patrick,
I'm glad I read the comments after reading the post. I guess I'm more dense than your average CMR reader, as I didn't get you were poking fun at your own anti-social tendencies.
I grew up Protestant, so maybe that explains why I like donut Sunday and talking outside the church after Mass. My hubby would rather go out the side door with you.
February 16, 2010 at 7:57 pm
You might be happy to know that the sign of peace is purely optional on the part of the priest — it is not a mandated part of the Mass at all. Our parish omitted it during the flu season, and no one has been clamoring for its return. In fact, I think many would be happy if we "forgot" to ever re-include it again. (And it's not part of the Latin Mass at all, which is another plus for that beautiful rite.)
February 16, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Maurisa,
This was just the first two paragraphs of an over 600 word post at the Register. I think the whole post makes it clear.
February 16, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Oh, good grief. I totally missed that it was an article for the Register. I really am dense today. I'm on my way over there now to read the whole thing.
February 16, 2010 at 9:06 pm
My husband and I are just like you!
If there is no-one at mass that we know, it's out the side door we go. Sometimes, we stay to chat with our friends, but we usually high tail it for home.
LOL
Loved this, Patrick!
We anti-social types have to stick together.
😛
February 16, 2010 at 9:36 pm
I must confess that sometimes I try to grab and hold my (almost) one-year old right as the Sign of Peace is about to start so that I have an excuse not to shake hands.
So I can relate to Patrick.
February 16, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Opposite end of the spectrum here. Completely down with the Sign of Peace and singing extra loud to make up for the mumble-to-themselves Catholics.
But you can bow or wave or even sit down, pray, and ignore the Sign of Peace all together and it won't make a difference to me, as long as you don't leave Church early (right after Eucharist). Anti-social I have no problem with, it's anti-respect that bugs me.
February 17, 2010 at 9:10 am
Thanks for that. It made for an amusing start to the day. You and I should meet sometime so that we can wave at each other across the pews!