Etiquette of the Church: how should one behave to be a good Christian?
GALATEO IN CHURCH
Premise
Beautiful manners - no longer fashionable - in the Church are an expression of the faith we have
and the respect we have for the Lord. We allow ourselves to "review" some indications.
The day of the Lord
Sunday is the day when the faithful, summoned by the Lord, gather in a specific place,
the church, to listen to his word, to thank him for his benefits and to celebrate the Eucharist.
Sunday is par excellence the day of the liturgical assembly, the day when the faithful gather "so that, listening to the Word of God and participating in the Eucharist, they will remember the Passion, Resurrection and glory of the Lord Jesus, and give thanks to God who regenerated them for a living hope through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead "(Vatican Council II).
The church
The church is "house of God", symbol of the Christian community that lives in a given territory. It is first of all a place of prayer, where the Eucharist is celebrated and Christ is truly present in the Eucharistic Species, placed in the tabernacle. The faithful gather there to pray, to praise the Lord and to express, through the liturgy, their faith in Christ.
«You cannot pray at home as in church, where the people of God are gathered, where the cry is raised to God with one heart. There is something more, the unison of spirits, the agreement of souls, the bond of charity, the prayers of priests "
(John Chrysostom).
Before entering the church
Get organized so that you get to church a few minutes early,
avoiding delays that disturb the assembly.
Check that our way of dressing, and that of our children,
be suitable and respectful of the sacred place.
As I climb the church staircase I try to leave the noises behind me
and platitudes that often distract mind and heart.
Make sure our cell phone is turned off.
Eucharistic fast
To make Holy Communion you must be fasting for at least an hour.
Entering the church
«Both when we arrive and when we leave, both when we put on sandals and when we are in the bathroom or on the table, both when we light our candles and when we rest or sit down, whatever work we undertake, we mark ourselves with the sign of the Cross» ( Tertullian).
Figure 1. How to genuflect.
We place ourselves in an atmosphere of silence.
As soon as you enter, you approach the stoup, dip your fingertips in the water and make the sign of the cross, with which faith in God-Trinity is expressed. It is a gesture that reminds us of our Baptism and "washes" our heart from everyday sins. In some regions it is customary to pass holy water to the acquaintance or neighbor who is at that moment entering the church.
When this is the case, the mass sheet and the book of songs are withdrawn from the appropriate exhibitors.
We move slowly to take a seat.
If you want to light a candle, this is the time to do it and not during the celebration. If you do not have the time, it is better to wait until the end of the Mass, so as not to disturb the assembly.
Before entering the bench or standing in front of the chair, the genuflection is made towards the Tabernacle where the Eucharist is kept (Figure 1). If you are unable to genuflect, make a (deep) bow while standing (Figure 2).
Figure 2. How to (deep) bow.
If you want and you are in time, you can stop in prayer before the image of the Madonna or the patron saint of the church itself.
If possible they occupy the places closest to the altar, avoiding stopping at the back of the church.
After taking a seat on the bench, it is good to kneel to place yourself in the presence of the Lord; then, if the celebration has not yet begun, you can sit down. On the other hand, if you stand in front of the chair, before sitting down, you stop for a moment to put yourself in the presence of the Lord.
Only if really necessary can some words be exchanged with acquaintances or friends, and always in a low voice so as not to disturb the recollection of others.
If you arrive late, you will avoid going around the church.
The Tabernacle, normally flanked by a lit lamp, was initially intended to preserve the Eucharist in a worthy way so that it could be taken to the sick and absent, outside of Mass. By deepening faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the Church became aware of the meaning of the silent adoration of the Lord present under the Eucharistic species.
During the celebration
When the singing begins, or the priest and altar boys go to the altar,
you stand up and take part in the singing.
The dialogues with the celebrant are answered.
You participate in the songs, following them on the appropriate book, trying to standardize your voice with that of others.
During the celebration you are standing, sitting, kneeling according to the liturgical moments.
The readings and the homily are listened carefully, avoiding disturbing.
«The Word of the Lord is compared to the seed that is sown in a field: those who listen to it with faith and belong to the small flock of Christ have accepted the Kingdom of God itself; then the seed by its own virtue sprouts and grows until harvest time "
(Vatican Council II).
Young children are a blessing and a commitment: parents should be able to keep them with them during mass; but this is not always possible; in case of need it is good to take them to a separate place so as not to disturb the assembly of the faithful.
We will try not to make noise in turning the pages of the Mass Sheet.
It would be good to prepare the donation for begging first, avoiding embarrassing searches while the person in charge waits for the offer.
At the moment of the recitation of our Father, hands are raised in a sign of supplication; better this gesture than holding hands as a sign of communion.
At the time of Communion
When the celebrant begins to distribute Holy Communion, those who intend to approach are placed in line towards the ministers in charge.
If there were elderly or disabled, they will gladly move on.
Whoever intends to receive the Host in the mouth, approaches the celebrant who says "The Body of Christ", the faithful replies "Amen", then opens his mouth to receive the consecrated Host and returns to the place.
Whoever intends to receive the Host on his hand, approaches the celebrant with his right hand under his left
Figure 3. How the consecrated Host is taken.
(Figure 3), to the words "The Body of Christ" replies "Amen", raises his hands a little towards the celebrant, receives the Host on his hand, moves one step to the side, carries the Host in his mouth with the right hand and then return to the place.
In both cases there should be no cross marks or genuflections.
«Approaching to receive the Body of Christ do not proceed with the palms of the open hands, nor with the fingers apart, but with the right make a throne to the left, because you receive the King. With the cable of the hand you receive the Body of Christ and of "Amen" »(Cyril of Jerusalem).
Out of the church
If there was a song at the exit, we will wait for it to end and then we will walk towards the door calmly.
It would be a good thing to leave your place only after the priest has entered the sacristy.
At the end of the mass, avoid "making a living room" in the church, so as not to disturb those who wish to stop and pray. Once out of the church we will have all the ease of entertaining ourselves with friends and acquaintances.
Remember that Mass must bear fruit in the daily life of the whole week.
«As the wheat grains that have germinated scattered on the hills, gathered and melted together, have made one bread, so, O Lord, make of your whole Church, which is scattered all over the earth, one thing; and as this wine results from the grapes that were many and were widespread for the cultivated vineyards of this land and have made only one product, so, Lord, make your Church feel united and nourished in your blood the same food "(from Didachè).
Texts by the editorial staff of Ancora Editrice, revision by Msgr. Claudio Magnoli and Msgr. Giancarlo Boretti; the drawings accompanying the text are by Sara Pedroni.