Pastor’s Corner — April 28th, 2024
“No Phone” Challenge at Holy Mass
Your phone goes off during Mass; it happens to the best of us. Just as when a baby cries we at St Pat’s are to give copious amounts of grace to the mother or father struggling with their child, we should also extend grace to the person who has their phone go off. Why? Because it’s really embarrassing to the person who forgot to turn their ringer off. But remembering to do that is tough. Depending on how it’s done, incessant pulpit announcements at Mass about silencing phones are probably as annoying as they are ineffective in solving the problem.
So I was thinking this week: maybe those of us who don’t use their phones at Mass (such as emergency responders and those who use them to follow along with the readings) can simply leave them in our cars? Other than these rare circumstances, it’s not clear to me why we need them at Mass at all. Sometimes I walk around the Church before Mass and I see people using their phones in non-prayerful ways, when they could be praying.
Mass is a timeless time of prayer, a time to worship God and rest in his love. A time to hear him speak to us and for us to speak to him. A time of communion with him and our neighbor. I’m not saying our phones are evil at all, I’m just saying that for the vast majority of people they’re simply not necessary for worship…and they can seriously distract everyone during intimate moments of prayer.
So here’s my challenge: unless you really need them at Mass (for an emergency or you are seriously using it for prayer), let’s not bring our phones into the Church for Mass. (If you absolutely need your phone on you in case of a family emergency, you could put the ringers on vibrate) If this challenge is too difficult, then that is the problem to address first. Phone addiction is a serious issue and I’ve at times wondered if I’m too attached to mine. Either way, I hope that this little challenge might be a refreshing reminder even for one hour of what life was like when we had longer attention spans free from having to give into the demands of the notification monster in our pocket.
I don’t think this will completely solve the phone going off in the Mass problem. Not everyone, including guests, will read this and some will forget and phones will still go off. But for those who accept the challenge, we’ll be one step closer to more deeply praying the Mass as a parish. And that’s worth all the inconvenience of being apart from our phones for an hour.
Away in Denver This Week
This next week (Monday through Friday) I’ll be away from the parish presenting to the priests of the Archdiocese of Denver. I’ll be presenting on the role of the Holy Spirit to bring healing in the Church. Please say a prayer for our team. I’ll be back for First Communion this weekend.
First Communion Next Weekend
On Saturday this week (May 4th) ninety-five children of our parish and school will be receiving their First Holy Communion. Please say a special prayer for them and their families. The Celebration of First Communion is always a powerful reminder of what a privilege it is for us to receive Holy Communion. To receive him who made us into our selves, so we can be one with him! That’s the humble and loving God we so love and serve. May we never take going to Mass or receiving Holy Communion for granted.
Your servant in the Lord,
Fr. Mathias