Silence in church is vital. There is the Great Silent One in the Tabernacle who cannot be heard if we talk in church.
After complaints from people about levels of noise in the church, instead of the recessional hymn I asked everybody after the 11am Mass to kneel for some moments in silent recollection and thanksgiving. After priest and servers had observed their silence on their knees, the people were invited to depart in silence and, if they wanted to socialise/visit with others, to do so either in the narthex or in the room where coffee was provided. The atmosphere was transformed.
Bishop Gilbert's letter will be a very helpful text for my homily next Sunday!
See Prayer - Divine Silence and homesickness for the tabernacle and altar...
I am old enough to remember when we laughed at Anglicans for thier chatter in church and their chosing which church to attend because they "liked the service". Now we Romans do both.
ReplyDelete