Wake Up, Catholics: The Mass Is Not a Social Hour

Let’s get one thing straight: when you step into a church, you are not just entering a building—you are entering into the presence of Christ Himself, truly present in the Eucharist, right there in the Tabernacle. But you wouldn’t know it from the way people behave at Mass these days. I’m fed up, and I know I’m not alone.

Where’s the reverence? People stroll into church dressed like they’re headed to a barbecue, not the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Genuflecting? Forget about it. Instead of a moment of quiet prayer and reflection before Mass begins, the pews are buzzing with chatter. What on earth are you thinking? This isn’t a social hour! This is the most sacred act on earth, and you’re treating it like a casual get-together.

And don’t get me started on the Offertory. Last weekend, I had the displeasure of witnessing ushers—yes, ushers—loudly talking about sports during the Offertory. Unbelievable. It’s as if the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is just another item on their to-do list, something to get through before they can get back to their “real lives.” Wake up! Jesus is there, right in front of you, offering His grace, His love, His very self—and you’re too busy with your idle gossip to even notice.

This isn’t just frustrating—it’s offensive to our Lord. And don’t think for a second that there aren’t consequences. The irreverence, the indifference—it’s a slap in the face to Christ. Is it any wonder we’re plagued with bad shepherds? This is a chastisement, pure and simple. We’ve been complacent, lazy, and now we’re reaping what we’ve sown. Our churches are filled with priests who are too cowardly to stand up for the truth, too afraid to call out the nonsense that’s turning our sacred spaces into glorified cafeterias. They’ve allowed the sheep to go astray, and it’s high time they started doing their job.

Not every priest is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but far too many are spineless, more concerned with keeping the peace than with guiding their flock toward holiness. They need to stop coddling and start correcting. If you’re a priest and you see irreverence in your church, call it out. Remind your congregation why they’re there, who they’re there to see, and what’s at stake. Silence in the face of this kind of behavior isn’t just a failure of leadership—it’s a betrayal of your calling.

You know where I don’t have to put up with this nonsense? The Traditional Latin Mass. That’s right. When I need to find true silence, true reverence, true peace—I go to the TLM. There, Catholics still know how to behave in the presence of God. No one’s chatting about their weekend plans or sporting events. No one’s sauntering in dressed for a day at the beach. It’s all about Christ, as it should be. Every gesture, every prayer, every moment is steeped in the reverence that the Mass demands. If only the rest of the Church could wake up and remember what we’re here for.

At the TLM, the silence is sacred, the reverence palpable. This is how it should be. It’s not just refreshing—it’s a lifeline. And it’s high time the rest of us took note. We’re not at Mass to be entertained, to catch up with friends, or to check off a box on our Sunday to-do list. We’re there to worship, to adore, to enter into the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice. Anything less is unacceptable.

So here’s the deal: shape up. Dress like you’re going to meet the King of Kings, because you are. Genuflect like you mean it. Keep your mouth shut and your heart open. And if you see someone disrespecting the sacredness of the Mass, say something. We’re not here to be comfortable; we’re here to be holy.

And to our priests—enough with the hand-holding. We need leaders, not babysitters. Start calling out the irreverence. Start leading us back to Christ. The time for complacency is over. The Church is in crisis, and it’s going to take every one of us doing our part to restore the sacredness of our worship. It’s time to act like the Catholics we’re called to be, with all the reverence, devotion, and seriousness that entails.