A happy 'no-clap' story!

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Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to share what happened at my daughter’s First Holy Communion a week ago last Sunday. She made it individually, as my husband was going to be out of town. I talked to the Priest beforehand, and told him that I didn’t want any clapping after the Mass (when she was given her certificate). He rolled his eyes, because they seem to love to clap at our parish, and said that he didn’t know if he could stop them.

It worked out beautifully! After Mass, Father asked everyone to sit down before the final blessing. He announced that we would be doing things ‘differently’ today - that my duaghter was about to receive her certificate but that she had specifically requested **no clapping **(he even shook his finger in a ‘no no’ gesture to emphasize this) … instead, she had requested that everyone pray together a Hail Mary for her intention. He called her up, gave her the certificate, and then asked everyone to stand as he lead us in prayer. There was a moment of reverent silence, and then he lead us in prayer. It was SO beautiful!!

After Mass, he came to the house for the party (he is a beloved friend). Immediately he pulled me aside to tell me that he was impressed with the expressions on everyone’s face. He said he never saw the faces so full of awe and reverence as he processed out - in fact, he said that one middle-aged man was standing there with tears just streaming down his face. He received many very positive comments on this as people left the church. He said “Maybe we’ve started something here!” and gave me the thumbs-up sign.👍 I pray that he is right … even the longest of journeys begins with a first small step …

Thanks for letting me share!
In Christ and Mary,
Cricket
 
Perhaps the beauty of this prayer impressed itself onto your pastor, who made a genuinely good pastoral decision.
 
Awesome. Maybe this can be done at all First Communion Masses! What a fitting end to a First Communion.

Brenda V.
 
Wouldn’t it be nice if clapping was completely eliminated during Mass? 👍
 
Michael_Welter said:
Wouldn’t it be nice if clapping was completely eliminated during Mass? 👍
Click to expand...
I would be so happy if that would happen. I once read a paper from the Holy Father when he was still Cardinal Ratzinger and he said that we should NOT clap at mass. I agree.👍
 
This really shows what good a pastor’s humility and openness to his parishioners’ wishes may do. He “let go” - and what a gift to the whole parish! A beautiful story, I’m sure your daughter’s first Communion was somehow a first Communion to the whole parish. :heaven:
 
*“Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly - it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.”
  • Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
 
Not to highjack this thread, but a simliar story along the same vein:

Our local parish priest was getting transferred to teach at the seminary. I had known this priest in college, he had married my wife and I, and he was a dear friend. For many months, he had asked me to be his altar server at Benediction on the first Fridays of the month. Since he was leaving, this was to be the last time I’d kneel alongside such a dear Father of mine and incense the Monstrance he held aloft.

As we were vesting, he said, “Now all we have to do is choose songs.” And he thumbed through the Misalette. In the past, he would intone such hymns as “Holy God We Praise Thy Name”, and the people would generally follow along very well.

However, this time Fr. asked me what I wanted to sing. Not being one to pass up an opportunity, I said, “How about Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris Hostia?” I could see him grin. “I’m not sure if the people would know that one. Plus, it’s in Latin.” Not to be easily shrugged off, I responded, “Father, if anyone would know these songs, it’d be those who would sacrifice a Friday evening to come to Adoration and Benediction.” He asked me to hum a few bars to make sure he had the right version, and then we processed in.

As the time came to intone the hymn, I could see him collect himself, hoping the crazy server next to him was right, and he beautifully intoned O Salutaris, there was a slight pause, and then the WHOLE CONGREGTATION followed along in their Misalettes at full volume. The notes weren’t even on the page - they knew them by heart.

The server was beaming that night because he didn’t have to say a word.
 
Michael_Welter said:
Wouldn’t it be nice if clapping was completely eliminated during Mass? 👍
Click to expand...
Maybe. The first time I ever heard clapping in Mass was when Cardinal Cushing entered Holy Cross Cathedral for the installation of his successor, Archbishop (later Cardinal) Medeiros. It struck me then, as a teenager, as unusual but not totally out of place - as it was so unusual and clearly an expression of love.

The “coin of the realm” of clapping as an “extraordinary” expression of love has been completely devalued by its frequent routine application. I would be OK with clapping at truly extraordinay events every 15-20 years in a lifetime - say a papal visit or retirement of a venerable and beloved pastor. A “total” ban on clapping would probably be the best guaranty of such frequency in that only spontaneous outbursts of such rarity would be tolerated. Any wiggle room in the ban would lead inexorably back to what we have today.

OK, I’ve talked myself into agreeing with you. 😛
 
When I get accepted into the Church I think I will make the same request, it was truely beutiful to read. :crying:
 
cricker said:
Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to share what happened at my daughter’s First Holy Communion a week ago last Sunday. She made it individually, as my husband was going to be out of town. I talked to the Priest beforehand, and told him that I didn’t want any clapping after the Mass (when she was given her certificate). He rolled his eyes, because they seem to love to clap at our parish, and said that he didn’t know if he could stop them.

It worked out beautifully! After Mass, Father asked everyone to sit down before the final blessing. He announced that we would be doing things ‘differently’ today - that my duaghter was about to receive her certificate but that she had specifically requested **no clapping **(he even shook his finger in a ‘no no’ gesture to emphasize this) … instead, she had requested that everyone pray together a Hail Mary for her intention. He called her up, gave her the certificate, and then asked everyone to stand as he lead us in prayer. There was a moment of reverent silence, and then he lead us in prayer. It was SO beautiful!!

After Mass, he came to the house for the party (he is a beloved friend). Immediately he pulled me aside to tell me that he was impressed with the expressions on everyone’s face. He said he never saw the faces so full of awe and reverence as he processed out - in fact, he said that one middle-aged man was standing there with tears just streaming down his face. He received many very positive comments on this as people left the church. He said “Maybe we’ve started something here!” and gave me the thumbs-up sign.👍 I pray that he is right … even the longest of journeys begins with a first small step …

Thanks for letting me share!
In Christ and Mary,
Cricket
Click to expand...
Awesome!

Just wondering, though, was your daughter’s request for the Hail Mary “spur of the moment” or planned ahead of time? And did she or you plan it? I only ask because your daughter sounds wonderfully in tune with the faith, and that’s just not something I see with today’s Catholic youth, at least in my area. You’re obviously raising her very well.

God bless her.
 
Magnum_V8 said:
Awesome!

Just wondering, though, was your daughter’s request for the Hail Mary “spur of the moment” or planned ahead of time? And did she or you plan it? I only ask because your daughter sounds wonderfully in tune with the faith, and that’s just not something I see with today’s Catholic youth, at least in my area. You’re obviously raising her very well.

God bless her.
Click to expand...
I have raised my children to show respect and reverence to Our Lord in church, despite what happens around us. They get obviously distressed when clapping breaks out around them. When I told her to expect clapping when she received her certificate, her mouth hung open and she said “oh, Mommy - NO!”. So I told her I would speak to Father and see if we could come up with a substitute, and she immediately suggested the Hail Mary.

Thank you for the compliment … it means more than you can know. My husband is NOT Catholic, nor Christian, and has actually become quite aggresively opposed to the Church the more active my children and I have become in it (although, thanks to intercessory prayers from many Saints and my beloved Priest friend, this has abated significantly during the last few months, Praise be to God!)

My children have been challeneged on their faith from the moment they could speak, and have grown with a tremendously stong faith and conviction (as a result). It has been a heartbreaking experience that has turned into a joyous one. How our God allows bad things to happen in order to bring a greater good simply astounds me. My son, who is 11, desperately wants to be confirmed, as his father has forbidden him to serve at Mass. He spoke to our priest/friend to ease his soul about not being able to serve, and gave a moving appeal for early confirmation. My priest, the next day, stopped me and told me with tears in his eyes that he has NEVER heard a child so passionately and eloquently plead for this sacrament - let alone an adult. Unfortunately, he is not the Pastor, and convincing my Pastor to allow my son to attend classes a few years early is going to be VERY difficult. Please pray for us. I am waiting for a prompting from the Holy Spirit in order to know when the best time to approach our Pastor will be (right now he is much too busy).

Deep in my heart, I believe my son has a vocation … I gave him to my beloved mother Mary when he was still in my womb with no revervations. I didn’t know what it would mean, but I was ready for anything, and put all my trust in Her. I believe that it is in my son’s best interest to be confirmed and thus strengthened as early as possible. Again, if anyone is so inclined, I ask for your prayers. (And sorry to hijack my own thread! :o )

Blessings to you all!
-Cricket
 
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