Announcments at Mass?

[Pope_Noah_I]

Every Sunday when I go to Church before, and before the final hymn and benediction, there are announcements. Usually about dinners, breakfasts, and clubs, and once about a Catholic Sex clinic. But then I wondered to myself if thse were really supposed to be in the Mass. Can anyone help me on this? Are they an abuse?

 

[Newbie2]

When else would they be?

 

[Belle10]

It seems to me (I’m no expert) that it’s OK, as long as they’re at the end. In our church, the announcements are made immediately before the final blessing.

On a side note, in my MIL’s church (Methodist) they do the announcements first thing, which I found very disturbing.

Have a great day!

 

[tee_eff_em]

GIRM #90 (with

emphasis

)

1. The concluding rites consist of
   • 
     *]

1. 
   

   Brief announcements, if they are necessary;

   *]The priest’s greeting and blessing, which on certain days and occasions is enriched and expressed in the prayer over the People or another more solemn formula;
   *]The dismissal of the people by the deacon or the priest, so that each may go out to do good works, praising and blessing God;
   *]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.

   tee

 

[JKirkLVNV]

I would MUCH prefer that they be done at the beginning. The parishoners could be trained that announcements would be made five minutes before Mass would begin. After announcements were quietly made, silence could be resumed until the start of Mass. Then Mass would be seamless and uninterrupted.

 

[Genesis315]

At TLM’s I have seen them done before the Sermon. I have also seen them done before Mass.

At other Masses I go to, it’s usually done a few minutes before Mass even begins. I’ve never seen it done in the concluding rites

 

[CatholicCajun]

Ours are done after Communion right before the final blessing. Now I may be wrong about this, but I thought that that was what the bulletin was for?

 

[Conciliar]

At my parish the announcements are made just prior to the presentation of the gifts, which in my mind is well in keeping with the typical contemporary liturgical mindset - stress the community at all costs at the very moment when we should be uniting ourselves individually and personally to Christ.

 

[chicago]

I agree that they are often nothing more than distracting at the typical postcommunion point. It just seems So out of place. Before Mass might be much more fitting. Though, the reasoning will be, “Well this is the time where 'We’ve got ‘em’ and we have to take advantage of that, or they’ll NEVER hear this stuff which is important to the parish.”

 

[DebChris]

In my parish, announcements not in the bulletin, are made before the beginning of Mass. Announcements also inculde the Mass intentions and the name of any visiting priest. “The opening hymn may be found on page…” signifies the beginning of the Mass procession.
Occasionally, the celebrant will make an additional announcement at the end of Mass before final blessing; perhaps a general thank you for the various ministries. He may have a special representative (ie. Knights of Columbus) come forward with any announcements. It might include an invitation to an event in the parish hall immediately after Mass.
A different parish that I attended would use this time to have individuals in th congregation make any special announcements or say where they may be from if visiting.
Since Catholics generally do not bring pencil and paper to Mass, I have often wondered how we are supposed to remember telephone numbers given during announcements.

 

[Cran]

I have never visited a parish where the announcements where made at a different point than in the closing (well, maybe in Italy, but I didn’t understand a word of THAT mass). I agree that they can be a little inapprobiate if drawn out to long - I mean, what’s the point of announcing that there’ll be an concert next friday when there is a large poster hanging at the entrance where everybody HAS to see it because it is the only entrance? And so on and so on. Personally, if pressed, I’d prefer that just those things should be announced that have changed in comparison to our weekly leaflat - but, really, this is the last thing I complain or wonder about

 

[tee_eff_em]

At my parish the announcements are made just prior to the presentation of the gifts, which in my mind is well in keeping with the typical contemporary liturgical mindset - stress the community at all costs at the very moment when we should be uniting ourselves individually and personally to Christ.

It is the same in my parish, and I hate the reasoning behind it: “So many people leave after communion, they would miss the announcements if they were part of the concluding rite”

Grrr – Why does my parish insist on catering to the early exits!?

I’d never considered announcements prior to Mass – Maybe I shall suggest it to the parish council.

tee