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Slava Isusu Hristu!

I lived in Romania for a year. Smoking is not frowned on culturally there. However, smoking around church grounds was not respectful. As a profane (secular) activity, it would not give proper respect to the sacred purpose and place.

God bless,
Christopher
Armenian Catholic

I once read in an Anglican devotional that it was considered sacriligious to eat OR smoke before receiving Holy Communion on Sunday. I must agree. Bringing toxic smoke and carcinagins (sp?) into your mouth before receiving the King of Glory is a much greater sign of disrespect than smoking on church property (this also being disrespectful). St Paul says that our bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit. If it is disrespectful to smoke on church-temple grounds, maybe we should consider the disrespect of smoking with regard to our bodily Temples.

Unless you're smoking frankincense, I assume that not smoking tobacco is part of the Eucharistic fast.

love in Christ,
Marshall

Dear Friends,

As an aside, my in-laws have their summer cottage near Collingwood, Ontario where the Petuns or the "Tobacco Indians" lived.

Sts. Charles Garnier SJ and Noel Chabanel SJ met their martyric deaths in that area.

Smoking in that culture was considered something of a religious exercise, as was sitting in a "sweat hut" for hours on end.

The Jesuits are developing a "Native Rite" and instead of the Kiss of Peace, the Peace-Pipe is passed around!

Alex