My posting below, "WWJD?", garnered some strong comments about cell phones and their intrusions into Mass. I like Tara's idea about having a place to "check 'em in" before Mass but that would prove chaotic.
Sadly, people need to be reminded before Mass to turn them off. As an attorney, I am always in the habit of turning mine off when I walk into court (God help the attorney whose cell phone goes off while court is in session - yikes!) and so it is second nature for me to turn it off when I walk into Church, a movie theater, etc. That is not the same for others, however, and I think we just ahve to get used to an announcement made at the start of services - just as they do in the movies, just as the bailiff does in court - to turn it off.
And, Heaven preserve us, if it rings, cut it off - DON'T ANSWER IT!
Maybe I'll purchase for my church the following signs to be placed at the entrances:
ATTENTION!
This is a place of worship and
your cooperation is requested in preserving it as one.
Please turn off all cell phones and pagers upon entry.
6 comments:
Amen!
My problem is remembering to turn my ringer back ON after court! Unless I have a kid or spouse missing from the group, the cell phone stays in the car during church.
There used to be signs at the entrance to my parish:
"OUT OF RESPECT FOR OUR LORD IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT, YOU ARE REQUESTED TO DRESS MODESTLY. NO MINISKIRTS, LOW-CUT BLOUSES, BAGGY PANTS" yada, yada, yada.
Do you know what happened to the sign?
It was stolen.
So they put up another one.
And that was stolen too.
I was on jury duty, and the judge warned everyone that he would confiscate any cell phone which rang in his courtroom. 10 minutes later the defence attorney's phone rang and he started yacking. The judge sent the bailiff over to collect the phone RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CALL. If it hadn't been court I'm sure the gallery would have applauded.
I am so used to having my phone on silent (not even vibrate, which does make a noise) that I occasionally forget to put it back on when setting my alarm...
You forgot to print the closing line to the notice:
"All violators WILL be shot!"
[They don't need to know it's only with your camera. It ought to put the fear of somebody in them.]
And ma beck. I'm relieved the sign was merely stolen and that the offending parties in question didn't simply take off miniskirt, blouse etc and hand them to the usher. Those baggy gang banger pants don't necessarily per se fail the modesty test....unless they are hanging down with crotch at knee level. I never "got" that one.
AA I would have applauded just to get out tf jury duty. ;-D [The wink is for digi, so she doesn't kick me up the backside next time she sees me!]
*Sigh*
I tried so hard to get out of jury duty . . .
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