Breastfeeding and Covering and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

[Vetus Ordo]

Im not "throwing all this innuendo"...I cracked a joke. Sorry. Forgot you dont have a sense of humor.

Don't worry, I have a sense of humour and also what some people call "thick skin" when it comes to confrontations.

However, I can easily tell when the other person resorts to the type of tactics you have resorted to. Sometimes I call them out on it, most of the time I don't. Because I respect you as a Christian lady, I called you out on it: not because I lack sense of humour but because humour was not the real motive behind it but rather a subtle attempt to derail the argument with innuendo. I think you can admit to that.

I truly do not understand what the deal is, if a woman is being discreet. I agree, if you cant nurse your baby without completely exposing yourself (as many new moms do have this problem) you should go to the baby room, or the basement. But if you can do it discreetly, under a cover, how is that any different than having your boob coverd by your clothes? A covered boob is a covered boob.

The issue is not so much the other people around you - although that can be a problem -  but the house of God and the Holy Mass.

[Walty]

Michaelangelo

I'm sorry.  I just think this is weird as hell.  I can't see how this is appropriate or spiritually edifying in any way.

[Bakuryokuso]

breastfeeding a baby seems pretty holy to me. baby hasn't had first communion yet anyways so not eating in church doesn't apply to him... and he's got to eat. like I said, my son breastfed for nine months, I can't imagine having a woman miss parts of the mass regularly for a year or more because of something that really can be done discreetly and imperceptibly.

[CanadianCatholic]

Vetus, I had not thought that much into it, I assure you. i was merely cracking a joke. i have a pretty sarcastic sense of humor, and tend not to think before i talk (and type). Chill out.
Jesus nursed from His Blessed Mother. He created breasts for a reason and a purpose. Seriously, if people paid more attention in mass to whats happennng, and not what everyone else is doing, the church would probably be in a lot better state as a whole.

[Walty]

FWIW, Vetus, I completely agree with you.  And I think that it's a bad argument to say that you can't speak about this just because you're a single man.  That's the same argument that people make when they say that straight people can't talk about homosexuality or only military officials can have opinions on military decisions.

[Vivace]

I can't imagine having a woman miss parts of the mass regularly for a year or more because of something that really can be done discreetly and imperceptibly.

How long are women excused from attending Mass after childbirth? On the Fisheater's page about the Churching of Women, it says six weeks, but I have heard people say that it is up to 7 years...   

[Bakuryokuso]

FWIW, Vetus, I completely agree with you.  And I think that it's a bad argument to say that you can't speak about this just because you're a single man.  That's the same argument that people make when they say that straight people can't talk about homosexuality or only military officials can have opinions on military decisions.

Everyone has a right to their opinion. I think the point was: it can be surprising for someone not in a certain state of life to have such strong opinions about certain things.  You mentioned the military. You can't expect a civilian to be a four-star general and lead troops into battle - that doesn't make sense... even if civilians do have a huge role in setting military policies and priorities.

There is a significant change in many attitudes for many people after they have kids. For myself I can say that I used to be very legalistic about certain things, and your outlook and attitude changes for certain issues. Some things are not as important anymore as well.

I can't imagine having a woman miss parts of the mass regularly for a year or more because of something that really can be done discreetly and imperceptibly.

How long are women excused from attending Mass after childbirth? On the Fisheater's page about the Churching of Women, it says six weeks, but I have heard people say that it is up to 7 years...  

I'd love to see a source for whatever it should be... what the standard is...

[CollegeCatholic]

breastfeeding a baby seems pretty holy to me. baby hasn't had first communion yet anyways so not eating in church doesn't apply to him... and he's got to eat. like I said, my son breastfed for nine months, I can't imagine having a woman miss parts of the mass regularly for a year or more because of something that really can be done discreetly and imperceptibly.

Why?  There are days when I've not received, but have snacked before Mass.  The fast is for reception, as far as I know, not assisting at Mass.

[Vetus Ordo]

FWIW, Vetus, I completely agree with you.  And I think that it's a bad argument to say that you can't speak about this just because you're a single man.  That's the same argument that people make when they say that straight people can't talk about homosexuality or only military officials can have opinions on military decisions.

Sure, that's a common pattern. And, a priori, I understand that line of reasoning since experience is an important factor in building up one's own opinions.

Actually, I don't feel strongly about this issue but since we're talking about it, I gave my opinion.

[StrictCatholicGirl]

Mothers with small children - infants and toddlers - are exempt from Mass. We don't know that women of the past actually breastfed their babies at Mass. This was not an issue in the past when families were large and extended, when families were city dwellers and the cathedral was in walking distance, and when there were several Masses, up to five on any given Sunday, and other family members, usually older siblings, could keep the babies at home while others went to Mass. There were also wet nurses or other women in the family with milk in their breasts who could nurse the baby while mom went to Mass. We can't compare today's times and situations to yesterday's.