tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post640548581877999087..comments2023-06-15T09:13:45.467-04:00Comments on Liberty's Torch: Our Regular Places: A Sunday RuminationFrancis W. Porrettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05862584203772592282noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-25802203961872086112017-01-10T15:08:44.457-05:002017-01-10T15:08:44.457-05:00I sit front and center always. I don't like be...I sit front and center always. I don't like being distracted at Mass, threrefore, front and center.<br />I usually arrive between a half hour to 45 minutes ahead of Mass.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-13837682724472639392017-01-09T18:52:49.682-05:002017-01-09T18:52:49.682-05:00What you're describing is one of those city-vs...What you're describing is one of those city-vs-country phenomena, one the several reasons my wife (our 52 Anniv today, 9th)and I moved out here in North Central Kansas ...I could as well say "back home again" since this is where we came from in '70 when we went to the City to make our fortune. We only can attend church when our anatomy "tells" us it's okay to sit for hour and a half, but it doesn't matter where we sit, when we take someone else's place, they just move right next to us, and tell us how glad they are we came to sing praises with them. It was different back in KC... exactly as you described. <br />I didn't know you were a physics type person... I'm happy to know that.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07795222563523474963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-66401930190232035752017-01-09T10:02:07.475-05:002017-01-09T10:02:07.475-05:00My involvement with KofC has me in different paris...My involvement with KofC has me in different parishes on a frequent basis, as do my travels. I've yet to draw more than a normal curious look unless I have selected someone's long established "reserved pew". I would guess that it was your change of long held habit that threw people off as much as anything else.<br /><br />John ParkerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-67362140749495730372017-01-09T00:16:23.192-05:002017-01-09T00:16:23.192-05:00Luke 14:10?Luke 14:10?doubletroublehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04378163493817522427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-75293724031173464422017-01-08T20:03:45.313-05:002017-01-08T20:03:45.313-05:00I don't know why, but I thought you lived on S...I don't know why, but I thought you lived on Staten Island. Anyway, I grew up in Valley Stream. Small world is an understatement.<br />The church I've been going to would be considered odd to most. It's non-denominational. No snake handling or anything like that. I play in the church group, and it's a lot closer to the rock music I played for 20 plus years than any of the church music I'd ever heard. It's a small congregation-about 500 best guess, but I felt welcomed from the first day. And I sat up front before getting involved musically, without any odd looks. brinsternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-75619223404412110692017-01-08T17:58:29.839-05:002017-01-08T17:58:29.839-05:00I would suspect a large amount of selection bias.
...I would suspect a large amount of selection bias.<br /><br />I was also the sort that would show up in a torrential rain, during Super Bowl Sunday, etc, when 2/3 of the church was out. The 'fair weather' gabby types -- who usually keep up the social scene -- are mostly all gone, and a slice of the mousey introverts are all that's left.<br /><br />They/we are not very good at social things, and don't usually take up the slack well. I'm certainly no good about it at all. And who knows? Maybe they felt duty-bound as well to sit up front, despite also having a habit of hanging around the fringes, and were even more uncomfortable up there than you were...<br /><br />(That is not to say, though, that nothing has 'gone wrong'. But maybe it's not quite that bad...)Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12915297057336831151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-73708726491836892742017-01-08T17:55:06.558-05:002017-01-08T17:55:06.558-05:00If it was an early mass, they tend to be older, an...If it was an early mass, they tend to be older, and have their favorite spots. You may have accidentally sat where someone had long established their beachhead. I used to sit in different seats in college one semester, in a Psych class.<br /><br />Freaked them OUT! People are NOT used to someone not following established seating protocols. Yes, it appears to be some sort of 'rule'.<br /><br />I would say that 95-97% of people sit in the same place each week. Don't know why.Linda Foxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15024201252345608291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-56735391470747298642017-01-08T17:51:49.826-05:002017-01-08T17:51:49.826-05:00Hi Fran, I have lived my entire life in Texas, and...Hi Fran, I have lived my entire life in Texas, and attended many different Catholic churches. I have never experienced anything like you did. I have also occasionally attended churches of other denominations - Methodist, Baptist, etc., and never felt in any way unwelcomed or out-of-place. And I habitually try to get a seat in a pew at or near the front. Maybe the stereotypes of friendly Texans is more true than not?Microhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17680833486976737379noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-17109758475040366872017-01-08T16:05:52.566-05:002017-01-08T16:05:52.566-05:00Perchance it might have something to do with other...Perchance it might have something to do with other events in churches lately, both here in the US as well as in Europe. Or did those giving you those looks know you personally but do so anyway?Mark Matisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-38844284554215330862017-01-08T13:16:15.988-05:002017-01-08T13:16:15.988-05:00Hey Fran...Don't know that it is necessarily a...Hey Fran...Don't know that it is necessarily a new thing. The wife and I had moved to Phoenix 25 years ago and were visiting churches in our part of town. We walked into a smallish Christian church (100-120) and it was "Children of the Corn" time. Whispered comments, corner of the eye looks, not so subtle shift to the other end of the pew...had me checking my fly and looking for breakfast dribbles. Capper was deacon? coming to us, shaking hands and intoning "Why are you here?" Obviously didn't go back.bobbookwormnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-52160399985735608722017-01-08T11:22:56.960-05:002017-01-08T11:22:56.960-05:00Nope. Not at my church. Anyway, I was in the third...Nope. Not at my church. Anyway, I was in the <i>third</i> row!Francis W. Porrettohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05862584203772592282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6557458849091969678.post-1355352838835408702017-01-08T11:19:29.023-05:002017-01-08T11:19:29.023-05:00Hey Fran! At our church, not Catholic, but Methodi...Hey Fran! At our church, not Catholic, but Methodist, our front two sets of pews are usually, informally ( there isn't some written rule ), reserved for special guests, honorees of one sort or another, and the infirm and disabled. Maybe that's why you received the stink-eye.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com