A friend who claims catholic but has very protestant beliefs has posted this video of a priest slapping kids who are in line to receive it. Can anyone explain?
Hopefully the link works
I saw that on facebook. Some of his parishioners are supporting him saying it is just a joke. He does this during the peace of Christ and some of the kids get back in line again. I don’t care if it is all in good humor or not, and I don’t care what cultural background he is from. Such innovations are not appropriate for the Liturgy of the Mass.
What’s odd is my wife who is from the Philippines had mentioned before what she calls “compeel” (not sure the spelling)which I think is supposed to be confirmation, where supposedly the priest smacks you. But I thought she must just be mistaken.
When I was confirmed in 2005, the bishop lightly tapped our cheek with his hand. The “slap” in the case of Confirmation was to remind us of what to be prepared for as a disciple of Christ.
What’s shown in the video seems inappropriate and sends up red flags for me. Doesn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen.
Bishop does it at confirmation.
Someone else started a thread on this in the Popular Media forum:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=996863
There’s a link to the video on Youtube in that thread if the OP’s link doesn’t work.
There is zero context given for the video, so it is difficult to comment on. I can see how perhaps a local custom might develop whereby the priest and children think this is a fun and/or funny thing for the priest to do. The kids are all going up (seemingly) voluntarily, and even a parent was bringing up a child. It doesn’t seem to be any sort of secret act behind closed doors.
That said, it doesn’t seem super prudent to me, though, even if done in good fun by willing participants. There’s the potential for neck injuries for one. There is scandal should such a video make it to the internet (which it did).
Could it be staged? It seems quite bizarre.
Whatever it is, definitely worth investigating.
How bizarre 
Maybe it’s just me, but it doesn’t seem as if it is being done in a mean way. It even seems as if it is in a jovial manner.
I could understand if maybe someone had an issue with such “playing around” during the mass but for somebody to try and link that to physical abuse (which is what I think the OP’s friend is trying to do)… that is just outrageous.
very strange
Wider shots don’t look like its in the US, probably a locale custom…no one looks upset. Maybe slappin’ satan outa yo head? I try not to judge other cultures by my American attitudes…
I agree. Children of various ages were lined up, one a small child being lead by her mother. So this was not confirmation. He seemed to be shaking their heads, not slapping them. And the kicking was joking, I don’t believe he even made contact with the child.
However, it is hard to know what this was about. Yes, by American standards, this seems inappropriate for a priest to be doing this during mass.
It’s “kumpil”, just the Filipino word for Confirmation.
I’m almost positive it wasn’t being done in a mean way. It still doesn’t seem like a good idea to me. :shrug:
The YouTube video indicates that this took place in Brazil. It could be some type of cultural thing. It doesn’t jive with U.S. sensibilities, for sure.
Ah ok. Does kumpil also involve this level of slapping?
I find the pulling hair part too much
It’s more of a symbolic thing during the Confirmation rite and is not just done in the Philippines. St. Robert Bellarmine explains the meaning beautifully here:
(I couldn’t play the video in the OP, but it sounds like it is not this)
I would think that in today’s climate, clergy, teachers, others who work with children, are taught to have very little physical contact with those children. The video is disturbing to me. It may well be a cultural tradition in some part of the Church, but, well, I think it would not be appropriate in North America. Not at all.