I've had it with your preaching!

Keaton

This guy is good. Take a look at this video and vote in the poll and share your experiences.

Poll results will be shown at the end. I think I set it for 15 days.

Keylem

I travel a 30 mile round trip to go to Mass on Sunday - there are 3 other churches that are nearer, but I prefer the furthest one for various reasons! I attended one of the nearer churches and the chatter from the congregation before and after Mass was deafening, very disrespectful IMHO!

Keaton

Keylem wrote: »

I travel a 30 mile round trip to go to Mass on Sunday - there are 3 other churches that are nearer, but I prefer the furthest one for various reasons! I attended one of the nearer churches and the chatter from the congregation before and after Mass was deafening, very disrespectful IMHO!

It's so bad, and what is worse, there doesn't seem to be a way to approach priests about this or about anything else that is wrong, for that matter. I watched a friend of mine try to offer some constructive criticism to a priest, and he responded by saying, ''I won't have my work criticised.'' He was quite sharp about it.

It's like the emperor has no cloths, but none of us know what way to go about telling him he has no cloths.

Onesimus

Keylem wrote: »

I travel a 30 mile round trip to go to Mass on Sunday - there are 3 other churches that are nearer, but I prefer the furthest one for various reasons! I attended one of the nearer churches and the chatter from the congregation before and after Mass was deafening, very disrespectful IMHO!

Get over yourself mate. :rolleyes:

homer911

Why make this exclusive to the Mass? I've heard plenty of awful Protestant sermons!

...too long, too many "points", too hard to take in, poor technique/style

I'm sure we all have stories to tell!

I have heard plenty of interesting ones too though..

Keaton

Onesimus wrote: »

Get over yourself mate. :rolleyes:

This is a serious issue. There is so much chatter at Mass, and it distracts people who actually want to pray.

I often think to myself, these people love to talk amongst themselves more than they love Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Keaton

homer911 wrote: »

Why make this exclusive to the Mass? I've heard plenty of awful Protestant sermons!

...too long, too many "points", too hard to take in, poor technique/style

I'm sure we all have stories to tell!

I have heard plenty of interesting ones too though..

I bet the worst of your Protestant sermons would exceed the quality of most of what is offered in the majority of Catholic parishes in Ireland.

We get zero doctrine, zero Apostolic zeal, and in their place we get pathetic, empty humanistic psychology at best, or at worse, nonsense!

I felt like walking out of Mass yesterday, as I realised that I'd heard this 'sermon' two weeks ago - the same crud, repackaged.

Newsite

Onesimus wrote: »

Get over yourself mate. :rolleyes:

You think that it's acceptable that a church is full of people chattering among themselves, kids talking loudly, babies crying etc?!

Newsite

Keaton wrote: »

I bet the worst of your Protestant sermons would exceed the quality of most of what is offered in the majority of Catholic parishes in Ireland.

We get zero doctrine, zero Apostolic zeal, and in their place we get pathetic, empty humanistic psychology at best, or at worse, nonsense!

I felt like walking out of Mass yesterday, as I realised that I'd heard this 'sermon' two weeks ago - the same crud, repackaged.

Went to mass for over 30 years and heard mostly 'self-help' sermons and the odd joke or two about the football at the weekend.

Orizio

Newsite wrote: »

You think that it's acceptable that a church is full of people chattering among themselves, kids talking loudly, babies crying etc?!

Sure why not - better that then the nonsense from the pulpit.

Keaton

How long do we put up with this nonsense? I know we must pray for the priests, but I dunno, it is so frustrating to see so little effort being put into what is very important work. I wish there were something we could do beyond praying about it.

Onesimus

Newsite wrote: »

You think that it's acceptable that a church is full of people chattering among themselves, kids talking loudly, babies crying etc?!

and what do you expect me to do with my baby who keeps chattering away through the mass? How do you think Jesus views this baby? Would Jesus who knoweth all things ask him/her to leave?

Keaton

Onesimus wrote: »

and what do you expect me to do with my baby who keeps chattering away through the mass? How do you think Jesus views this baby? Would Jesus who knoweth all things ask him/her to leave?

Nobody minds, or ought to mind, the odd whimper or even a short episode of crying from a baby. What I do mind is the parent who is happy to sit whilst their child screams their head off, distracting everybody and blotting out the words of the priest, seemingly oblivious to the racket that is being created and blind to the need for corrective action... That might not be such a bad thing, given the subject of this thread. But it is inconsiderate to spoil the peace of the church by remaining in the church when it is clear that the crying is not going to stop.

Keylem

The Church I travel to every Sunday, has the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the Rosary before Mass.

In most Churches nowadays they have a 'crying' room for children, and even provide colouring sheets and crayons! It's not the children who create the most chatter, it's the adults! :eek:

I tried to pray the Rosary before Mass in the Church nearer to me and it was almost impossible due to adults chattering and laughing - they can do that outside the church! It's not fair on those who come to meditate or pray. And it's disrespectful in the Divine Presence!

Zombrex

I'm an atheist but I fully support any notions of getting the screaming children out of the church (the play room is a great idea), or heaven forbid parents actually bothering to take the time to teach their children how to sit still for more than 5 minutes.

The last 3 weddings and 2 funerals I was at the place was full of children bored out of their minds screaming and messing with the parents blissfully ignorant to the disruption their kids where making. A church is designed to funnel noise, as loud as little Timmy is beside you mum that is as loud as he is to the person in the back row. It was funny the first time little Becky starting singing over the priest, but the 10th time it was just embarrassing.

One of the best things my parents ever taught me was how to sit still and quiet in something like a church, how to amuse yourself without requiring constant stimulation from someone or something else. And by golly can you really see the kids right up to young adults who never learnt that lesson, the ones who view being bored for more than 5 minutes as some sort of assault on their basic human rights.

Sit there quietly and play with your thumbs.
Sit there quietly and hum (quietly).
Sit there quietly and stare at all the people.
Sit there quietly and replay Star Wars in your head.
But sit there and be quiet.

Sorry, rant over.

Keaton

That's so true Zombrex. I've seen it in my own family. My nephews (although they are improved somewhat as they get a little older) find it hard to sit still at Mass. The youngest one is 6, and he was not taken to Mass yesterday as it is so much hassle for my sister. Modern children are over-stimulated and they are not taught how to sit still, how to be still, to appreciate silence and stillness. Many adults are little different, finding it unpleasant to sit in a room without a radio or TV on, so that, God forbid, they might have to face themselves, or even God, in the silence.

I would suggest children are provided with a set prayer time at home, a time to sit still, be silent, and pray. But how many kids are given that opportunity? How many parents say they have no time? There is time, you just don't want to give it to the faith development of yourself and your kids.

CiaranMT

You're fighting one hell of an uphill battle there, Keaton. Kids and sitting still don't go together!

The Quadratic Equation

Our homily is the same every week. The Priest mentions todays big sports match, then the weather, then tells a little folksy story, which, at best, might have an extremely tenious link with that Sunday's readings (I think he gets them from a book called 1001 folksy little stories for every occasion), and then finishes with a slight variation of the exact same message which is. . . . ."and so . . . .God loves each one of us all very much". Week in, week out.

Now thats nice to hear, but I wouldn't mind being reminded of the more challenging stuff as well. There is never any explaination of Catholic beliefs, teaching etc., no encouragement regarding the rosary, adoration, real presence, stations etc., no focus on the holy sacrifice of the Mass, nothing challenging our nice comfy nicey nicey Sunday routine.

Lab_Mouse

Newsite wrote: »

You think that it's acceptable that a church is full of people chattering among themselves, kids talking loudly, babies crying etc?!

well seeing as keylem said it was before and after mass I dont see the issues.

also babies cry.sweet f all you can do about

lmaopml

I have to admit that yes, I travel to hear Mass. I'm not saying I want to always be given a fire and brimstone homily..lol...but the odd one has a way of balancing....both the love and the perfect judgement of God - which is the reality of Catholicism and Christianity in general, it's the Gospel message.



I think it's striking the balance between what the Scripural readings actually and very definitey preach from both the first and second readings and of course the Gospel...The Homily for me is great when the Priest explains them, or uses them as the basis - why they are read that particular week, what they mean to us in relation to our Christian living, relationship with God, with Church, with eachother etc. A little bit of a bite to the homily, even if it's necessary to read it off a page or whatever....

In fairness, some of them do this and are gifted orators, others not so much, but with some patience they still have a lot to say.....American preachers in general seem to have 'zeal', not always brilliant either - Irish people used to, I don't know whatever happened to us over the years - where the got up and go went to....

Maybe it got up and left..lol...

I think it will take time, but the Pope himself is trying to peel back some of the false impressions that were taken from Vatican II and emphasise the Liturgy, evangelism and the true spirit of Vatican II...

We'll see, we need to be patient I guess.

homer911

I caught something (briefly) on RTE Radio 1 this morning about a survey of good preachers. I'm afraid I had to go out and didnt get to listen to it, but they had one Catholic Priest, one Penetecostal minster and one (female) CoI minister - did anyone hear it?

Keaton

homer911 wrote: »

I caught something (briefly) on RTE Radio 1 this morning about a survey of good preachers. I'm afraid I had to go out and didnt get to listen to it, but they had one Catholic Priest, one Penetecostal minster and one (female) CoI minister - did anyone hear it?

I didn't, but perhaps you can listen again on the RTE Player?

Keylem

Vatican tells Roman Catholic priests to spice up their sermons with scandal!

Roman Catholic priests have been told to inject 'scandal' into their sermons by a senior official from the Vatican.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said priests needed to liven up their often 'dull' sermons with the scandalous parts from the Bible.

more.....

homer911

It was the John Murray show on the 15th - Fr John Kearns, Rev. Maria Jansson and Pastor Noel Kenny. I cant get it to play at the moment - perhaps its to do with my current connection.

There were also exerpts in previous shows about the nominations