Announcements

[twf]

I know the Church does allow announcements to be made at the end of mass immediately before the final blessing, but does anyone else feel it would be more appropriate to conclude the liturgy proper (I.e. the priest gives the final blessing) before someone starts going on about finances, youth meets, and parish potlucks? Yes, the announcements can be important (even if they are almost always a repeat of what is already in the bulletin), but it strikes me as inappropriate to disrupt the sacred mysteries for such a mundane purpose. I’ve heard it argued that people will bolt immediately after the final blessing and thus miss the announcements. I don’t buy it. I honestly think most people would have the courtesy to remain in the pews if the priest, immediately after giving the final blessing, says “please wait for a few important announcements”.
What really bothers me are parishes that have announcements that literally run 10-15 minutes, much longer than it takes to distribute Holy Communion. Back in Canada, in my experience, the announcements don’t usually run more than a minute or two, but here in the Dominican Republic (my wife is Dominican), the 10-15 minute mark is not an exaggeration…it drives me nuts. One parish includes birthday well wishes and a lively chorus of the local “happy birthday” song every single Sunday and it just goes on and on and on…

 

[Gorgias]

From the General Instruction on the Roman Missal:

"89. To bring to completion the prayer of the People of God, and also to conclude the whole Communion Rite, the Priest pronounces the Prayer after Communion, in which he prays for the fruits of the mystery just celebrated.

1. To the Concluding Rites belong the following:

a) brief announcements, should they be necessary;

b) the Priest’s Greeting and Blessing, which on certain days and occasions is expanded and expressed by the Prayer over the People or another more solemn formula;

c) the Dismissal of the people by the Deacon or the Priest, so that each may go back to doing good works, praising and blessing God;

d) the kissing of the altar by the Priest and the Deacon, followed by a profound bow to the altar by the Priest, the Deacon, and the other ministers."

So, according to the Church, the “Mass Proper” – that is, the “prayer of the people of God” – ends with the Prayer After Communion.

 

[Starrsmother]

I find most of the announcements art the end of Mass to be a [edited] too. In most cases, if the priest just announced that everyone should read the bulletin, it would cover everything the priest announces aloud. I mean why go to the expense and time to print a bulletin if everything in it is going to be announced at the end of Mass so nobody has to bother reading it? Thank heaven that my parish at least doesn’t go in for singing happy birthday to anyone, If they started that, I’d probably leave before the final blessing–total silliness!

 

[Joan_M]

I find most of the announcements art the end of Mass to be a [edited] too. In most cases, if the priest just announced that everyone should read the bulletin, it would cover everything the priest announces aloud. I mean why go to the expense and time to print a bulletin if everything in it is going to be announced at the end of Mass so nobody has to bother reading it? Thank heaven that my parish at least doesn’t go in for singing happy birthday to anyone, If they started that, I’d probably leave before the final blessing–total silliness!

First of all, not every parish has weekly bulletins. Secondly, most of the announcements I have listened to at Mass had nothing to do with what was in the bulletin.

In any case, I am certain that less than half of the congregation would remain to listen to announcements if they were after the final blessing and dismissal. Some don’t wait for that, as it is.

 

[jaimeleglise]

I agree with you. I find the announcements distracting and annoying. People should just read the bulletin.

I also dislike the Prayers of the Faithful and the Sign of Peace.

Singing Happy Birthday at Mass is inapproriate.

 

[George_Stegmeir]

When I was a boy, some 70 years ago, the announcements were read from the pulpit just before the sermon, and it usually contained a plea for donations. This was at a Jesuit Parish Church in South Florida.

 

[Neofight]

I find most of the announcements art the end of Mass to be a PIA too. In most cases, if the priest just announced that everyone should read the bulletin, it would cover everything the priest announces aloud. I mean why go to the expense and time to print a bulletin if everything in it is going to be announced at the end of Mass so nobody has to bother reading it? Thank heaven that my parish at least doesn’t go in for singing happy birthday to anyone, If they started that, I’d probably leave before the final blessing–total silliness!

A PIA? That bad? I’m hoping thats being a little over dramatic, and the peace of the mass does not evaporate that fast for you!

 

[Gorgias]

I find the announcements distracting and annoying. People should just read the bulletin.

I also dislike the Prayers of the Faithful and the Sign of Peace.

OK, so, everyone – is there anything else we should change in the Church’s Rite for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, just to suit our personal preferences?

 

[twf]

OK, so, everyone – is there anything else we should change in the Church’s Rite for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, just to suit our personal preferences?

The poster cited optional rites, not essential elements of the mass. I think the poster’s point was that these particular rites, in many parishes, can be celebrated in a way that is less than dignified. Rome apparently agrees, at least in regards to the sign of peace, as a letter was recently issued to the bishops encouraging a more somber sign of peace in local parishes…

 

[twf]

[edited] there have been times where, unfortunately, the “announcements” have completely evaporated whatever peace of mind I had. Yes, that is still a matter of human weakness on my part…but it can be difficult to meditate on the great mystery of the Eucharist when those around me are loudly clapping, shouting, and waving their hands after a romping chorus of Happy Birthday. Part of this is cultural differences. I am a reserved Anglophone…Dominicans are simply… loud in general

 

[jaimeleglise]

Thank you very much, TWF. I truly appreciate it. May God bless you abundantly.

 

[Gorgias]

The poster cited optional rites, not essential elements of the mass. I think the poster’s point was that these particular rites, in many parishes, can be celebrated in a way that is less than dignified. Rome apparently agrees, at least in regards to the sign of peace, as a letter was recently issued to the bishops encouraging a more somber sign of peace in local parishes…

The OP? More or less, yes. The ‘pile-on’ of comments from a number of people turned into a “yeah! and I hate this and that, too!”

The GIRM clearly states that the place for announcements is following the ‘prayer after communion’. Is it required? Of course not. Is it the proper place? Yes.

As far as the sign of peace goes, the recent press release suggested not that the sign of peace be eliminated, but rather, kept in its current place and observed with proper decorum. “I don’t like the sign of peace” might mean “I don’t like it as it’s currently done”, but could also mean “I don’t like it, period.” I took the post to mean the latter, not the former.

 

[Halligator]

One of my bugaboos as well.

One of the reasons I attend my preferred parish is that there are generally no announcements made near the end of Mass. (The only announcement made this week was to remind parishioners of Friday’s Feast of the Assumption services, which was somehow not printed in the bulletin.)

Other parishes I’ve been to seem to make endless announcements (regularly 5-10 minutes, though one went on for half an hour), each of which are printed in their bulletin. The lector was reading announcements from the bulletin!

I think making many announcements ruins the spirit of the Mass. It drags my mind from heaven to earth, from the holy to the mundane. It derails the dramatic arch of the Mass. I think it’s bad policy.

I’m sure others will enlighten and correct me.

Arthur

 

[Gorgias]

I think making many announcements ruins the spirit of the Mass. It drags my mind from heaven to earth, from the holy to the mundane.

And yet, isn’t that exactly what the dismissal is all about? “Ite, missa est” – you are being dismissed to that you might leave the heavenly sacrifice and return to the world; you are being sent to proclaim what you’ve experienced to those who need to hear the Good News; you are being reminded that, through your baptism, you have been made apostles to the world.

Returning to the ‘mundane’ is exactly what the Mass is about: it’s our foretaste of heaven, not an invitation to long for heaven such that we eschew our earthly existence…