Sign of Peace at mass

It was common practice to eat chewing gum off the footpath when I was young (eighties).... disgusting I know but it never made me sick. We ate crab apples and strange berries from bushes; any animal we saw was fair game for petting (be it a stray dog or a white mouse). I reckon I didn't wash my hands for days at a time when I was young and there would have been only one bath a week on a Saturday night. Most primary school years I got a Cert at the end of saying I had missed no days and I didn't take an antibiotic until I was 21 (and only then because I was in an accident, and none since). How times have changed! My nieces and nephews seem to have all sorts of ailments (eczema, asthma, etc.) I have no scientific proof of this but I think there is a lot to be said for not obsessing about hygiene.
 


Just laughing....chewing gum well walked into the road, manky berries from bushes, petting animals. Hands not washed for days on end! Exactly what we used to do! I suppose kids don't think of hygiene when 10 of them are drinking from the same bottle of coke!!

Semi derelict industrial estate behind our housing estate. Valley ice cream had a storage faciliity in the industrial estate. If their fridges went off, they would just dump boxes of half melted ice pops willy nilly around the industrial estate. Rats the size of small dogs would be running over them. Despite being told not to go in there, the lure of a semi melted JR icepop was too much and most (probably all) of the kids ate a load of them, with no ill effects.

But I am wondering, is there more bacteria around today than there was, or are peoples immune systems just weaker.

Back to the subject of sign of the peace and mass, I often used to wonder did the priest not mind putting communion directly into peoples open mouths and touching all those tongues. Yuk!
 
ClubMan said:
As an atheist the sign of peace is my favourite part of the mass. Sort of quaint and at least it's a form of engagement (however minimal) with one's fellow man which is a nice antidote to what goes on otherwise.
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As an atheist, why do you go to mass? Anyhow my grandma says that atheist's melt when they are on hallow ground. you must be a RC posing as an atheist
 
DavyJones said:
As an atheist, why do you go to mass?
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Just christenings, weddings, funerals etc. of family, friends etc. which I attend out of respect for the individuals involved if invited.
DavyJones said:
you must be a RC posing as an atheist
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I usually attend the annual ecumenical service around Rememberance Day in the CoI church in whose graveyard my father is buried. They do the sign of peace thing too as it happens.
 
A far nastier one - dont wear sandals when standing at a urinal, particularly a crowded one. Apart from your own contributions theres also spray from all directions. Yuck

As for the sign of peace - all for it. Why are we so averse to a bit of "community" ? - bring on the robes, the gospel choir and the people swaying in the rows. No wonder mass is so deadpan when people cant even bring themselves to shake hands with those around them.
 
Betsy Og said:
A far nastier one - dont wear sandals when standing at a urinal, particularly a crowded one.
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Wonder what This post will be deleted if not edited immediately would have done? Then again he could walk on water so I presume the same applied to nitrogenous waste?
As for the sign of peace - all for it. Why are we so averse to a bit of "community" ? - bring on the robes, the gospel choir and the people swaying in the rows.
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Don't stop there. How about ... cheerleaders, ice hockey/basketball style organ accompaniment (building to a crescendo at the moment of transubstantiation), Tifo style flags and fireworks etc.?
 
When we were playing in local GAA matches when I was younger - everyone used to pass around the water bottle (& twice if it was club orange).... if you had an ice cream or ice lolly then be prepared for about 5 other people to take a bite or a lick. I don't recall anyone dying from that at the time by the way!

The body needs to be exposed to everyday germs do that it can build up a level of resistance.
 
On the odd occasion that I attend a religious service it's not the germs that I worry about but the memes.
 
Nice choir etc, is lovely. Saying that even if there is no music at Mass, we only have to attend Church once a week for 3/4 hour approx. How can people find this boring?
Maybe if the people who are bored thought of the real reason they are there and got involved in the ceremony they would'nt be so bored atall.
 
There are more germs in the money at the collection than at the sign of peace... maybe the priests could think about giving up the collection??

Seriously though, I think it would be sad to do away with the sign of peace - it's the most active, community orientated part of the mass. I do have awful childhood memories of being made shake hands with a scary woman from up the road though. Ughhh.

...and eating chewing gum off the road, ah yes, the stones were the best bit!
 


Maybe that why they are bored - they are losing their faith. Maybe they are seeing all the mass rituals as pointless and wondering if the 2000 story is true etc...
 
I suppose everybody has to decide for themselves whether they believe or they don't but lets say for those that believe it should'nt be impossible to get through the Mass without boredom setting in.
 
To the OP.... if this bothers you then arrive late & stand or sit at a part of the church where no one is within 10ft of you.
 
DavyJones said:
"your religion" teaches ,love thy neighbour and all that jazz, not very christian of you to not want to shake hands with people at mass. Also if you don't want smark alec comments, save your complaints for confession and not a public forum.
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Eh, I don't think the purpose of a public forum is to make smart alec comments and put downs. However, that was discussed recently on another thread.
 
ninsaga said:
To the OP.... if this bothers you then arrive late & stand or sit at a part of the church where no one is within 10ft of you.
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If I recall correctly they'd have to be VERY late to miss the sign of peace bit! Wouldn't they also miss the most important bit for believers (sacrament of the Eucharist/transubstantiation if RC?)?
 
Ash 22 said:
There are way more bugs now than years back. Think we never heard of a 'virus' back then. Now everything is put down as a virus.
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Same bugs, only problem now is that people are less immune to them because they are forever scrubbing themselves and everything around them.
 


Here's a picture of someone else who thinks like you...

 
Ash 22 said:
I suppose everybody has to decide for themselves whether they believe or they don't but lets say for those that believe it should'nt be impossible to get through the Mass without boredom setting in.
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I suppose its down to the level of belief. Some people with have blind faith in the whole Catholic dogma. Others may have belief in a supreme being or Christian God but may not go along with Mary being a virgin, This post will be deleted if not edited immediately rising from the dead, the Holy Trinity etc....they might find a lot of the mass boring....I am beginning to sound like Dougal now.....I dont go to mass much anymore but when I did, I found the mass very repetitive and boring and the sermons were usually dire....I could sing the prayers and jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton with the best of them...

then again......
"I useta see her up the chapel when when she went to Sunday mass
And when she'd go up to receive, I'd kneel down there
And watch her pass ....The glory of her ass"

...that wasn't boring...

where are my XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ?
 
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