Announcements and Clapping at Mass

[Lormar]

At our church the people are very noisy and boisterous. Given that most are senior citizens, it is kind of annoying when you go in for Mass and everyone is talking.

Then you have little groups of people in the middle of the aisles, blocking off others who are trying to get through. There is no peace. Same thing after Mass, but it seems worse. The people, who have been forced to keep quiet during Mass, are now ready to let off some steam. They clap, laugh, whatever. One priest mentioned that he came across someone who brought his lunch to church. Another person brought his little dog. The usher kindly told this person that he could not bring his pet to church, but if he had a service dog, he could bring it.

I enjoy sketching original cartoons and these things really give me fodder for my cannon.

Sounds like my former parish. You couldn’t even stay after Mass and make a thanksgiving. Even though the church would be mostly empty, it never failed that whoever chose to stay behind and chat out loud did so either along side of our pew or directly behind us.

 

[ellam25]

Sounds like my former parish. You couldn’t even stay after Mass and make a thanksgiving. Even though the church would be mostly empty, it never failed that whoever chose to stay behind and chat out loud did so either along side of our pew or directly behind us.

Ugh! Right now we can’t really either. We have young daughter and yesterday I moved out of the pew so my husband could put her in her carseat, I couldn’t even genuflect I felt like i had entered a mosh pit as a bunch of people were practically pushing me out.and then as my husband strapped in my daughter the two women in my pew stared at us impatiently. It just is so odd everyone was in such a huge hurry to leave

 

[pianistclare]

We should try to see the good in all situations, however giving a talk right after the homily is a bit unusual. At least in my experience.

I think such talks and all announcements should be done at the end of mass. And no clapping unless it is for something special.

Folks who are upset should take it up with their priest maybe, instead of venting at strangers on the internet, is all I’m saying. There’s a good possibility he had no choice in the matter.

Our Archbishop encourages speakers for Catholic Schools week.
I can see where a priest might not want this type of thing post communion.
It’s up to them to decide where it is least disruptive.

 

[zab]

Who of us is perfect? There was a time when our pastor and former pastors also allowed someone to speak after the homily in similar situations. But I know that we have been fortunate to have pastors that have always tried to correct any liturgical abuses and do things the proper way. Our pastor has since moved such little talks to before Mass (used to be after Mass). If we have an otherwise holy priest whom we admire , there is no reason to pick on every little thing we read about that seems to constitute an abuse of liturgy. I think the best thing to do would be to mention our concerns about liturgical abuses or our perceived abuses, maybe call something to our pastor’s attention that he may not have knowledge of, and then let our holy pastor continue to run his parish as he sees fit.

 

[pianistclare]

Who of us is perfect? There was a time when our pastor and former pastors also allowed someone to speak after the homily in similar situations. But I know that we have been fortunate to have pastors that have always tried to correct any liturgical abuses and do things the proper way. Our pastor has since moved such little talks to before Mass (used to be after Mass). If we have an otherwise holy priest whom we admire , there is no reason to pick on every little thing we read about that seems to constitute an abuse of liturgy. I think the best thing to do would be to mention our concerns about liturgical abuses or our perceived abuses, maybe call something to our pastor’s attention that he may not have knowledge of, and then let our holy pastor continue to run his parish as he sees fit.

EXACTLY.

 

[PBP]

^ One of my key Ratzinger quotes.

 

[zab]

“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…"

-Pope Benedict XVI

This quote is incorrectly attributed to Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was not pope at the time he wrote this in The Spirit of the Liturgy. What was the context in which Ratzinger wrote this? Was he condemning all applause when he criticized applause at some human achievement ?

 

[SMHW]

Hi,
At Mass last night a layperson spoke after the homily touting Catholic Schools Week. In the GIRM can anyone point to the section regarding when we can make announcements during Mass. To add fuel, the assembly applauded her ‘speech’ which I find problematic. Clapping for people, the choir - though we do find Jesus in people- during the Mass seems very wrong.
Thanks for your help.

I find those things problematic too but I have come to accept that these “traditions” have been around for so long (often prior to Vatican II) that even many bishops think there is nothing to get excited about. Does that excuse such happenings? No. But it does lend a bit of of understanding.

I also know that it is a lot more common than many people would suspect for those who provide the greatest financial support to the parish and/or its school to be the ones who leave prior to or immediately after Communion. Those people don’t hear announcements just before the final blessing and they probably don’t read the bulletin.

 

[zab]

I find those things problematic too but I have come to accept that these “traditions” have been around for so long (often prior to Vatican II) that even many bishops think there is nothing to get excited about. Does that excuse such happenings? No. But it does lend a bit of of understanding.

**I also know that it is a lot more common than many people would suspect for those who provide the greatest financial support to the parish and/or its school to be the ones who leave prior to or immediately after Communion. **Those people don’t hear announcements just before the final blessing and they probably don’t read the bulletin.

You know this for a fact? I think this is an unfair comment to make about the greatest financial supporters to the parish and school.

 

[SMHW]

You know this for a fact? I think this is an unfair comment to make about the greatest financial supporters to the parish and school.

I said this happens more often than you’d think, not that it happens at every parish.

Public figures such as corporate executives, politicians, sports figures, entertainers, etc. sometimes arrive “late”, quietly slip into a back pew, and then leave “early” to avoid becoming a distraction to others.

 

[zab]

I said this happens more often than you’d think, not that it happens at every parish.

Public figures such as corporate executives, politicians, sports figures, entertainers, etc. sometimes arrive “late”, quietly slip into a back pew, and then leave “early” to avoid becoming a distraction to others.

lol, yeah, and I can say that it happens more often than you think that those who do the most complaining are the ones who contribute the least if at all to the support of their parish. But what good does comments like this do?

 

[SMHW]

lol, yeah, and I can say that it happens more often than you think that those who do the most complaining are the ones who contribute the least if at all to the support of their parish. But what good does comments like this do?

What good? I don’t know. I’m just trying to offer an explanation for what some parishes do. I don’t imagine it will keep many people at CAF from complaining (and if they believe what I am saying, some of them might complain even more) and it certainly won’t change the behavior at the parishes.

 

[PJM]

Hi,
At Mass last night a layperson spoke after the homily touting Catholic Schools Week. In the GIRM can anyone point to the section regarding when we can make announcements during Mass. To add fuel, the assembly applauded her ‘speech’ which I find problematic. Clapping for people, the choir - though we do find Jesus in people- during the Mass seems very wrong.
Thanks for your help.

At the END of Mass OK

Before that NO!