Applause after recessional hymn

[phil19034]

Hello! Thank you for this comment.

This differs from church to church, of course- and your comment is understandable.
But please allow me to provide some context to Korea’s 100-year-long persecution of the Catholic faith.

My great-grandmother’s generation was not free to practice the Catholic faith. People were tortured and killed. When the Joseon Dynasty government approved this faith, then the Japanese Occupation era saw the persecution of thousands of Catholics for practicing the faith because their faith was considered “going against the Imperial regime”. Then, the Korean War broke out and people weren’t able to celebrate Mass. We had a long history of silence, persecution, executions. We have about 8,000 martyrs who refused to give up their faith.

In this time and age when Catholics in South Korea are free to celebrate Mass and more Catholics are coming back to our holy Church again, it’s nothing but joy for us. I didn’t realize how precious the Catholic faith is to my grandmother, who is a survivor of the Korean War and a convert after my grandfather’s death.

In our church in the Diocese of Suwon, we have times when we celebrate the hard work done by our parish volunteers- such as catechism teachers, EMHC, etc. Their hard work does not go silent. Sometimes it is done when the priest comes to the catechism office and personally praise them. Sometimes, it is done in children’s Mass, when all catechism teachers are present. Sometimes, it is done after our 11am Mass on Sunday.

However, I understand when you said that applause cannot be acceptable for just the organists when others are not celebrated for their work. We do have moments (after Mass, of course) when we celebrate the hard work of our volunteers. We announce this beforehand, so people don’t leave by accident. The applause is done only after Mass is finished.

I hope this answers your question.

Pax Christi!

Yes, I think this is very different and acceptable. Personally, I would rather see it happen in the parish hall (if you have one), but this is different and totally understandable - and good.

 

[Brendan]

But a recessional - just like a Corpus Christi procession through town, the Liturgy of the Hours, a Public Recitation of the Rosary, public Recitation of Divine Mercy Chaplet, Public Stations of the Cross, etc) are all liturgy.

I disagree, a Liturgy is an official public act of worship of the Church. All of the other Liturgies you mentioned ( Stations of the Cross, public recitation of the Rosary) all have a component of worship.

What act of worship is present in the Recessional?

Anytime a priest is in vestments or choir dress, he’s doing something liturgical. The recessional is just as much liturgy as the Stations of the Cross

The very fact that the priest is in vestments is not indicative of the act being a liturgy. It is common for a priest to greet parishioners as they exit the Church after Mass and they commonly do so before they devest. Based your definition, that too would be a Liturgical act. Is that what you are trying to claim?.

 

[phil19034]

I disagree, a Liturgy is an official public act of worship of the Church. All of the other Liturgies you mentioned ( Stations of the Cross, public recitation of the Rosary) all have a component of worship.

What act of worship is present in the Recessional?

A capital L “Liturgy” is surely what you describe, but all forms of public prayer are liturgical (lower case L).

The recessional is an act of “worship & praise.” Typically, the recessional is the “praise” part because we are singing hymns. However, sometimes recessionals are worship when they include an Eucharistic recession (for example the Eucharistic Recession after the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday).

As far as priests greeting parishioners after mass in his vestments, that’s because many recessionals now recess to the exit instead of to the sacristy. For example, when I attend mass at our local FSSP parish, the recession is straight to the sacristy. Father removes his vestments and then heads to the narthex to greet people who are not going downstairs to the weekly pot-luck. Then, he goes downstairs to greet everyone down there. But he’s not in his vestments.

When I go to our Cathedral, SOMETIMES, the same thing happens.

Honestly, I think the reason why priests started greet parish members in their vestments is because most Catholics don’t stay in their pew to pray an Act of Thanksgiving anymore. If most did, then Father would have time to remove his vestments before greeting everyone.

 

[Phemie]

In my parish it’s usually at the end of the Easter Vigil or Christmas Mass when the priest thanks everyone who has helped make the liturgy happen. It’s before the final blessing so, yes, still during the Mass. It annoys me and I don’t applaud anyone for doing the job they signed up for.

I find it odd that we do it then because there is really no one involved in those two particular liturgies who is not involved in the regular Sunday Mass when the choir is present. Same singers/guitar players, same readers, same altar servers.

 

[Phemie]

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[Phemie]

Tis_Bearself:

It happens sporadically all over the place for decades. Usually it is not “discouraged” because

1. it’s after the Mass has ended;
2. by the time the recessional hymn ends, about 1/3 of the church has already emptied out and another 1/3 of the church is busy talking with their friends in the aisles; and
3. when applause happens it’s often for a youth music group, another ensemble group, the choir, etc, and throwing cold water on the efforts of a group of volunteers by saying “No clapping” is declasse, especially in view of 1) and 2).

Don’t look for it to be “discouraged” any time soon unless you are attending a very strict trad parish.

#2 is why I participate in the practice. I have no idea why others do it, but I applaud those who stay to finish the prayer of the Mass.

Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with people who have to get going because of one thing or another, we live busy lives, I get it. But I feel many leave just because they feel they’ve done their duty & don’t need to bother.

Yes, after reading my reply I realize I have issues I need to sort out.

At the Archdiocesan Cathedral I occasionally go to they recess with hymnal in hand, singing the recessional hymn, then put the hymnal on a shelf by the last pew. I don’t know, it’s a recessional, shouldn’t we be recessing?

In my own parish most stay until the hymn is over.