Announcements

[rondirect]

Realizing that there has been conversation pertaining to announcements for mass a few years ago, I would like to see how some of you feel about it today. I do understand that the GIRM states that necessary announcements should be said after the Prayer after Communion, but to me some churches follow that rule and some prefer to place the announcements outside of mass; e.g. before mass begins. As for me, I prefer only the bare minimum of announcements that pertain to church ministry or events to be said along with the commentator’s welcoming words of what mass this is, the presider, who the mass is being said for, etc. before the Opening Song. Otherwise, I feel that announcements after the Prayer after Communion just ruins the prayerful Communion Rite we just finished. Who really wants to hear about the fund raising pizza party after receiving the Body and Blood of Christ? This is the way we do it (before mass). How do you handle announcements?

 

[Reuben_J]

Realizing that there has been conversation pertaining to announcements for mass a few years ago, I would like to see how some of you feel about it today. I do understand that the GIRM states that necessary announcements should be said after the Prayer after Communion, but to me some churches follow that rule and some prefer to place the announcements outside of mass; e.g. before mass begins. As for me, I prefer only the bare minimum of announcements that pertain to church ministry or events to be said along with the commentator’s welcoming words of what mass this is, the presider, who the mass is being said for, etc. before the Opening Song. Otherwise, I feel that announcements after the Prayer after Communion just ruins the prayerful Communion Rite we just finished. Who really wants to hear about the fund raising pizza party after receiving the Body and Blood of Christ? This is the way we do it (before mass). How do you handle announcements?

Unfortunately announcement is a necessity for the parish. Yes, we limit the number of announcement to the ones that involve everybody and not activities by any particular movements/groups which they can announce to their own members privately.

In some parishes it is done during the collection while others just before the final blessing.

 

[Gorgias]

I feel that announcements after the Prayer after Communion just ruins the prayerful Communion Rite we just finished.

As I understand it, the Mass is essentially over after the Prayer after Communion. All that remains at that point is the dismissal. So, effectively, you’ve already finished the celebration of the Mass.

Do you feel ‘ruined’ by the dismissal? By the recessional hymn? By the conversations you have with fellow parishioners upon exiting the church?

The whole point of the Mass is that you take what you’ve received and ‘go forth’ into the world and share it there. In a way, that’s exactly what the announcements are doing – pointing out things that we, as Catholic Christians, ‘go forth’ and do as disciples of Christ…!

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

At the Mass I go to, the announcements are made before Mass begins. If the announcer forgot something, then the priest will mention it before he starts his homily. This is the Traditional Latin Mass, though, so I don’t know how the GIRM applies to it. It’d be very out of place if the priest made the announcements after the Postcommunion prayer. I personally prefer the announcements to be made before Mass.

 

[Neofight]

Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?

 

[rondirect]

As I understand it, the Mass is essentially over after the Prayer after Communion. All that remains at that point is the dismissal. So, effectively, you’ve already finished the celebration of the Mass.
According to the USCCB on the Order of Mass, just like we have the Introductory Rites, we have the Concluding Rites. The Concluding Rites consist of: announcements, Blessing and Dismissal. Therefore the Mass begins with the IR and ends with the Dismissal, not “essentially” after the Prayer after Communion.

Do you feel ‘ruined’ by the dismissal? By the recessional hymn? By the conversations you have with fellow parishioners upon exiting the church?
What? Nothing to do with my question as to where your church places the announcements!

The whole point of the Mass is that you take what you’ve received and ‘go forth’ into the world and share it there. In a way, that’s exactly what the announcements are doing – pointing out things that we, as Catholic Christians, ‘go forth’ and do as disciples of Christ…!
Agree with the first point. Is the announcement of tonight’s pizza party really telling us to go forth and be disciples? Some announcements might.

Now, back to my original question…

 

[tawny]

We have the announcements right after the Intercessionary Prayers with the start of the collection.

 

[Gorgias]

According to the USCCB on the Order of Mass, just like we have the Introductory Rites, we have the Concluding Rites. The Concluding Rites consist of: announcements, Blessing and Dismissal. Therefore the Mass begins with the IR and ends with the Dismissal, not “essentially” after the Prayer after Communion.

So, you admit that the announcements are part of the Mass? Good. So… why are you complaining that they distract from the Mass?

Can’t have it both ways, Ron. Either they’re not part of the Mass – and they distract – or they are part of the Mass, and you have no beef. So… which one is it, then?

What? Nothing to do with my question as to where your church places the announcements!

Why, following the Prayer after Communion… right where they should be!

Agree with the first point. Is the announcement of tonight’s pizza party really telling us to go forth and be disciples?

Yup! Even disciples have to eat! And some evangelize over pizza…

Now, back to my original question…

OK – “better than you do, apparently”, then…

 

[rondirect]

So, you admit that the announcements are part of the Mass? Good. So… why are you complaining that they distract from the Mass?

Can’t have it both ways, Ron. Either they’re not part of the Mass – and they distract – or they are part of the Mass, and you have no beef. So… which one is it, then?

Why, following the Prayer after Communion… right where they should be!

Yup! Even disciples have to eat! And some evangelize over pizza…

OK – “better than you do, apparently”, then…

LOL! Read your “respect” quote from St. Thomas Aquinas. It was a simple question: when does your church make the announcements? Didn’t need your sermon or needless use of emojis.

 

[rondirect]

At the Mass I go to, the announcements are made before Mass begins. If the announcer forgot something, then the priest will mention it before he starts his homily. This is the Traditional Latin Mass, though, so I don’t know how the GIRM applies to it. It’d be very out of place if the priest made the announcements after the Postcommunion prayer. I personally prefer the announcements to be made before Mass.

Thank you. That seems to be the general consensus from here and other sources: before mass. If something needs to be added or emphasized, the priest here will say something during the concluding rite, but it is rare. It does seem out of place, I agree.

 

[Irishmom2]

Announcements are made right before the final blessing at our church.

 

[Generic_Name]

After the Gospel is read in English, but before the sermon.

Announcements don’t happen every week, as the bulletin tends to contain most of the necessary information.

 

[Gorgias]

LOL! Read your “respect” quote from St. Thomas Aquinas. It was a simple question: when does your church make the announcements? Didn’t need your sermon or needless use of emojis.

Oh, I respect you well enough. Sorry you didn’t like the fact that I challenged your opinion with some logic, though, and disappointed you don’t have a reply, other than the emoji comment.

 

[Phemie]

Before the Prayer After Communion. Don’t ask me why but every priest we’ve had for the last 19 years has done it that way. The only time they weren’t done then is when we had an archbishop emeritus with us for a month. He stopped the person heading to make announcements in her tracks until after the Prayer.

He’s also the only priest who had those bringing up the gifts bring them directly to the altar and present them at the appropriate time. Normally the priest accepts them at the foot of the altar and hands them to the altar servers who then place them on the altar.

 

[Rosebud77]

As I understand it, the Mass is essentially over after the Prayer after Communion. All that remains at that point is the dismissal. So, effectively, you’ve already finished the celebration of the Mass.

Do you feel ‘ruined’ by the dismissal? By the recessional hymn? By the conversations you have with fellow parishioners upon exiting the church?

The whole point of the Mass is that you take what you’ve received and ‘go forth’ into the world and share it there. In a way, that’s exactly what the announcements are doing – pointing out things that we, as Catholic Christians, ‘go forth’ and do as disciples of Christ…!

Many stay in church after Mass as the echoes and graces linger there. A time of intense silence and peace and to disturb this is …

Why not eg even before the readings? Away then from the consecration also

 

[Rosebud77]

We have the announcements right after the Intercessionary Prayers with the start of the collection.

Perfect!

 

[Rosebud77]

So, you admit that the announcements are part of the Mass? Good. So… why are you complaining that they distract from the Mass?

Can’t have it both ways, Ron. Either they’re not part of the Mass – and they distract – or they are part of the Mass, and you have no beef. So… which one is it, then?

Why, following the Prayer after Communion… right where they should be!

Yup! Even disciples have to eat! And some evangelize over pizza…

OK – “better than you do, apparently”, then…

If you cannot tell the difference between announcing sporting events which happens here and a sacred hymn… and cannot feel the graces …or respect others needs…

 

[rondirect]

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut thus far. It was a simple question out of curiosity rather than one to be challenged. We used to have announcements read as part of the Concluding Rites, but most priests left no time for reflection and as the tabernacle doors closed, we sat for a second or two and stood for the Prayer and then sat again to immediately hear about pizza parties, fair tickets, etc. After receiving communion, I don’t personally like the interruption of announcements; don’t know why the GIRM suggests them to be read there! I see that some of your churches have a different place for them and if that works for you, that’s OK. We moved them to be part of the the commentator’s welcoming, e.g. “Good morning, today we celebrate…, our presider is…, this mass is being offered for…, (brief announcements), as we celebrate today, let us pray that…please stand…” (opening song). It works nicely for us IMO and I like the fact that it is outside the mass setting. When we made the change, people did recognize the change and preferred it.

Thanks again folks…