talking during worship services in church

• why is there so little respect for God and worshipers in our churches? 
• why do some adults carry on frivolous conversations with other adults before, after and during worship services? 
• why is the behavior of some in church no different than if they were in a public park, a shopping mall or a fast-food restaurant?
• why has disrespect for God and worshipers become an epidemic in our places of worship?

sadly, this problem is not new. the following prayer came from Fatima, Portugal in 1916:

"Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore You profoundly, and I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He, Himself is offended. And I draw upon the infinite merits of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that You might convert poor sinners."

Circumstances and Dialogue of the 1916 Apparitions 

the only conversations that should occur in church before, after or during worship services are... 

image by evan courtney

Prayer. Conversations with God | Graphic for our January 200… | Flickr

I was baptized in the catholic church 72+ years ago. I graduated from catholic grade school, high school and college. 

in school I heard that we must defend ourselves against attacks on our faith--communists, etc. I believed that attacks on our faith would come from those outside the church.

today, I believe differently. the scandal of clergy sexually abusing children and higher-ups covering it up. the disrespect that is occurring in the sanctuaries of churches when people talk out loud about friends, golf, shopping, etc. before, during and after mass.

there isn't much that we can do as lay persons about the scandal of clergy sexually abusing children and higher-ups covering it up--other than praying and speaking out individually. many are, but the problem persists.

I am resolved that when people in front or behind me are talking out loud during mass in the future that I'm going to turn to them and say: "do you know where you are?" (answer: in the sanctuary of a church.) do you know Who is here? (answer: I am Who am.) please be quiet."