I have no words! I went to confession this afternoon in another town, although there were long lines many were consumed by their cell phones. It followed when I got into the confessional the priest asked if I had a cellphone on me so I could tell him the time as his own phone's battery just died.
I suppose in ten years we won't find it shocking anymore, but for now it is! Yesterday at Mass a very devout man I see all the time there was looking at his cell phone a lot. After peeking closer I realized he was using it to follow the readings instead of the missal. I guess we cannot always assume that it is being used socially. When I take my hour at adoration, I usually bring my Kindle because I have prayers and spiritual books downloaded that sometimes I like to use or ask the Lord about in something I am studying in theology. I think it's just a convenient gadget that has replaced watches, clocks, books, calculators, flashlights, and every other thing we used to stuff our purses with....
Some really good apps for examination of conscience. I just turn the phone completely off before entering.
While waiting for mass to begin on Sunday there was a woman sitting in the pew behind me having a full blown conversation at top volume on her mobile phone. I looked back a couple of times to see if I could embarrass her into putting it away but she was oblivious.
I don’t bring my phone into Mass, I leave it in my car. Almost every Sunday, someone’s phone starts ringing at Mass. I’ve heard it during the Consecration as well and the Priest literally stopped and waited until it stopped ringing.
I use the app Univesalis to follow the 1960's Mass and readings, it is very very good. I made a one off payment for it and it does forever. It can be tailored for your local Church no matter what part of the World you live in, so for instance in Ireland I can get local Irish Feast Days. I use the Imissa App to follow on the old Mass. It is superb, I would be lost without it. Better than any Missal. ..and I use the Verbum app to read a Chapter of the bible after mass every day. It too is superb: It has different versions of the bible I use Dhuoay Rheims
Also I used to have a fun little app for praying the Angelus, I loved it because it sounded off bells as I was praying and was fun to listen too out in the woods as I prayed. I lost this app when I lost my phone I must look and see if I can find it again.
I have a habit of kneeling and saying a prayer to Jesus at 3pm each afternoon and years ago set my phone alarm to go off at that time. I have pretty church bells for the alarm. As far as at Mass, I just turn my phone to silent when I go in.
What a wonderful prayer. You expired, O Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls and an ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You. Amen.
What a beautiful 'habit' Carmel. As for my phone in Mass, I'm just afraid I will forget to switch it to silent. I forgot once and it started ringing in Church , so ever since then, I usually leave it in my car.
