Are these acceptable during mass?

[fish90]

Please answer if these instances are okay.

1. I read an answer as to whether Catholics can clap after mass for the choir. I have been to masses where during announcements the priest says let us thank this choir and everybody applauds. This is always on rare occasions and is not usually done. Is this okay?
2. Can we clap at mass for awards given to individuals?
3. Can children proceed up the isle for the beginning of the mass and bring up the gifts with incense?
4. One time I was at mass and there was an older woman dressed up in a robe who came up with the priest, sat next the priest and stood at the side of the altar during the consecration. Was she acting as a deacon or an adult altar girl?

Thank you for your time and effort.

 

[JReducation]

Please answer if these instances are okay.

1. I read an answer as to whether Catholics can clap after mass for the choir. I have been to masses where during announcements the priest says let us thank this choir and everybody applauds. This is always on rare occasions and is not usually done. Is this okay?

Clapping for the choir or those who helped with the liturgy is discouraged by the rules, but it is harmless if it’s done at the very end. The reason it’s discouraged is because the mass is not about the music ministry. However, I can see it done on special occasions, such as Christmas and Easter when the choir does spend long hours and many weeks preparing. Again, not the thing to do, but not a catastrophe either.

1. Can we clap at mass for awards given to individuals?

I’ve never seen awards being given to individuals at mass. So I’m not sure what to answer here. Even for graduations, the graduation mass is very solemn and the awards are not distributed at mass. Are you talking about awards such as something special for a Knight of Colombus or something like that?

1. Can children proceed up the isle for the beginning of the mass and bring up the gifts with incense?

If the child is old enough to carry the gifts without an accident, it is perfectly fine. I’ve never seen children handle incense, just for simple safety reasons. Is it not lit?

1. One time I was at mass and there was an older woman dressed up in a robe who came up with the priest, sat next the priest and stood at the side of the altar during the consecration. Was she acting as a deacon or an adult altar girl?

I can’t tell you unless you can tell us what she did while she was up there. However, even if she is up there as an altar server, the altar server does not stand next to the priest at the altar. He or she stands a step or two behind and to the side or completely to the side and kneels there when the Eucharistic Prayer begins, along with the congregation. Often, lay people don’t know these rules and if the priest does not tell them, they stand in the wrong place.

I was at a mass where a one of our brothers was making final vows. There was a chair set up in front of the altar. The priest’s chair was to the side along with the deacon’s chair and that of the servers. Our superior is not a priest. At the time to make the vows the superior walked up to the sanctuary and sat on the chair in front of the altar. The priest stood next to the superior.

During the liturgy of profession, the priest asks several questions of the person who is to make vows. Then the person who is making the vows kneels in front of the superior, who is presiding over the profession in a presidential chair in front of the altar. Once the brother kneels he places his hands in the hands of the superior and makes his vows. The superior then says his part and end by giving the newly professed brother a blessing.

At the end of the mass, several people who are not familiar with the ritual compalined that the priest stood while the lay brother sat on the presider’s chair in the center and that the lay brother gave the blessing, insted of the priest. What happened was that in the planning, no one thought of explaining the ritual to the laity of the parish. They were simply told that there was going to be a final profession of vows. Everyone was excited. But they did not know that the pastor is not the superior, but the superior of the community in that parish is a lay brother. Therefore, at a profession, the priest, whether he is pastor or not, steps aside and serves as a witness and the superior presides over that part of the liturgy. This is allowed by the Church and approved by all the proper liturgical commissions.

Often, things happen at mass that have a special reason, but if no one tells us in advance, we get lost and even upset. I know that it is the responsibility of the parish staff to inform the congregation what is going to happen at the mass. But often it does not occur to anyone or everyone assumes that the next person knows what I know. Such is not always the case, if you know what I means. This was the case in this profession. We all thought that everyone in the parish knew that the pastor is not the boss. Surprise surprise.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Thank you for your time and effort.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Remember that the symbol of the Deacon is the stole worn over the left shoulder–and ideally under the Dalmatic, though sometimes worn over it.

So obviously, if all this woman was wearing was an alb, she was not pretending to be a deacon.

 

[peary]

Please answer if these instances are okay.

1. I read an answer as to whether Catholics can clap after mass for the choir. I have been to masses where during announcements the priest says let us thank this choir and everybody applauds. This is always on rare occasions and is not usually done. Is this okay?

I see nothing wrong with it. If you have ever been in a choir, acknowledgement is a validation of your music ministry.

1. Can we clap at mass for awards given to individuals?

I don’t believe that awards should be given out during Mass. I find this a bit sacraligious.

1. Can children proceed up the isle for the beginning of the mass and bring up the gifts with incense?

Why wold they come up the aisle at the beginning of Mass to bring up the gifts along with incense? That is quite strange.

1. One time I was at mass and there was an older woman dressed up in a robe who came up with the priest, sat next the priest and stood at the side of the altar during the consecration. Was she acting as a deacon or an adult altar girl?

There are no female deacons. Maybe she was the cantor, or liturgist.

Thank you for your time and effort.

 

[fish90]

Thank you for all of your responses. They were of great help to me.

Brother, the awards were given to students for leadership and academics if I remember correctly.

 

[benedictgal]

Please answer if these instances are okay.

1. I read an answer as to whether Catholics can clap after mass for the choir. I have been to masses where during announcements the priest says let us thank this choir and everybody applauds. This is always on rare occasions and is not usually done. Is this okay?
2. Can we clap at mass for awards given to individuals?
3. Can children proceed up the isle for the beginning of the mass and bring up the gifts with incense?
4. One time I was at mass and there was an older woman dressed up in a robe who came up with the priest, sat next the priest and stood at the side of the altar during the consecration. Was she acting as a deacon or an adult altar girl?

Thank you for your time and effort.

Clapping is never really a good idea because it means that we are making the Mass about ourselves rather than about God. The only time that clapping would be acceptable is when a man is being ordained to the diaconate, priesthood or the episcopacy because clapping means that the faithful ascent to this ordination. Clapping also happens when the papal bull decreeing the erection of a new diocese is read and the faithful ascent to this action.

The awards should not be distributed within the context of the Mass. Again, this would mean that some sort of human activity is recognized rather than centering the Holy Sacrifice towards God. If these awards are to be handed out, they should occur just before the final blessing or after Mass.

Children can bring up the gifts so long as they are old enough to handle them. However, the incense should already be at the altar and prepared for the offertory. Incense is generally not a part of the offertory procession; however, an altar server could precede the procession carrying the processional cross. The altar servers should be the ones handling the incense.

If the woman is serving as an EMHC (and not an altar server) she should not even be in the sanctuary until after the priest consumes the Sacred Host and drinks from the Chalice. Only after this, can she approach the altar. If she is assisting the priest, she has no business being near him (in a manner similar to the deacon). She needs to keep a reasonablel distance. This would cause confusion among the faithful.

 

[Frosty]

Clapping is never really a good idea because it means that we are making the Mass about ourselves rather than about God. The only time that clapping would be acceptable is when a man is being ordained to the diaconate, priesthood or the episcopacy because clapping means that the faithful ascent to this ordination. Clapping also happens when the papal bull decreeing the erection of a new diocese is read and the faithful ascent to this action.

.

While I agree that clapping during the announcements is not a good idea, I do not think that it neccessarily means that it is all about us. For example: For the past year and a half, during the Prayers of the Faithful, we had been praying for two young members of our parish who were stationed with the Canadian troops in Kandahar. Both of these young men came from large families who are active in the parish and well respected. A few weeks before Christmas, one of them was killed in a car bombing. We continued to pray for the young man who was still over there. One Sunday shortly after Easter his name was not mentioned during the prayers and one could feel the mood of the congregation become decidedly downcast. At the end of Mass, our pastor reminded us how we had been praying for this young man for so many months and we all collectively held our breath fearing the worst. Father quickly said that our prayers had been answered and that young man had returned home, safe and sound just the evening before and he was in the church with his parents. ( apparently they had come in after the processional and sat in the back behind a pillar so as not to cause any disturbance during Mass). Everyone burst into applause. It wasn’t an applause celebrating ourselves at all, rather an applause of thanksgiving.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Someone, I think it was Pope Benedict while he was a cardinal, stated that if they clap it is no longer the liturgy.

On the other hand we had a couple of instances recently, when our former pastor said goodbye, and when our new pastor introduced himself, when we clapped and it seemed quite appropriate.

 

[JReducation]

Someone, I think it was Pope Benedict while he was a cardinal, stated that if they clap it is no longer the liturgy.

On the other hand we had a couple of instances recently, when our former pastor said goodbye, and when our new pastor introduced himself, when we clapped and it seemed quite appropriate.

I doubt Cardinal Ratzinger would have said that. Pope John Paul II used to get many an applause after he preached, especially at the Vatican. I saw it with my own eyes. Benedict has gotten his fair share too, usually a the end, but sometimes during the mass.

I don’t think that Cardinal Ratzinger would make a statement that would place the Pontiff in a compromising position. If anything can be said about Cardinal Ratzinger was that he was very respectful of John Paul and there was a great deal of trust and affection between them. He trusted John Paul’s judgment, even though their styles are very different.

Someone else may have said that. And it’s wrong. We often clap at weddings and religious professions.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[bpbasilphx]

I personally don’t think applause is ever appropriate in any service. Even when I was a Baptist, this was considered gauche.

I think that the rules for the various Scouting religious awards require them to be given during some service, but I may well be mistaken. If awards are given in connection with a Mass, this should be done either just before the dismissal, or better, after it, but before the Recessional.

Frequently I’ve seen in Western liturgies incence borne before the gifts in the Offertory Procession. It doesn’t seem inappropriate to me. This is required by rubric in the Byzantine Liturgy.

 

[teachccd]

Did people clap at the Last Supper? Or at the foot of the Cross? I just completed my morning prayers (Liturgy of the Hours). Do I hear an applause since it took the time I could have been doing something else?

Clapping at Mass is disrespectful at most and ridiculous at least.To the poster who cited that the choir deserves special recognition since they practiced alot for the Easter or Christmas Mass I ask; did Mother Teresa get applauded for her many hours ministering to the sick and dying? Do you think that she would have wanted to be applauded?

Everything that we do at Mass is prayer. Prayer is giving back to God for what He has infinitely given to us. Why would we clap for “a prayer well done”? It just seems so out of place and exhibits a lack of understanding the Mass… teachccd

 

[fish90]

I doubt Cardinal Ratzinger would have said that. Pope John Paul II used to get many an applause after he preached, especially at the Vatican. I saw it with my own eyes. Benedict has gotten his fair share too, usually a the end, but sometimes during the mass.

I don’t think that Cardinal Ratzinger would make a statement that would place the Pontiff in a compromising position. If anything can be said about Cardinal Ratzinger was that he was very respectful of John Paul and there was a great deal of trust and affection between them. He trusted John Paul’s judgment, even though their styles are very different.

Someone else may have said that. And it’s wrong. We often clap at weddings and religious professions.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Just to make a clarifying remark; the clapping for the choir is only done rarely for special masses like Christmas and Easter masses and just recently for when a missionary talked to our congregation. The clapping is always done at the end of mass when announcements are announced. The priest NEVER says to clap for them but only to recognize their hard work and the gift they bring to the congregation as a part of the announcements. It seems that the congregation erupts into applause on their own accord. I only asked this question since I read the “Quick Answer” on the home page and I remembered that my church applauds. Thank you for all of your responses on this matter.

I do have one more question to add:
If there is a mass where only a small amount of people kneel when the priest consecrates the Eucharist, what would you do?

 

[Wilhelm_Stoever]

I doubt Cardinal Ratzinger would have said that. Pope John Paul II used to get many an applause after he preached, especially at the Vatican. I saw it with my own eyes. Benedict has gotten his fair share too, usually a the end, but sometimes during the mass.

I don’t think that Cardinal Ratzinger would make a statement that would place the Pontiff in a compromising position. If anything can be said about Cardinal Ratzinger was that he was very respectful of John Paul and there was a great deal of trust and affection between them. He trusted John Paul’s judgment, even though their styles are very different.

Someone else may have said that. And it’s wrong. We often clap at weddings and religious professions.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Sorry to correct you, Brother, but you are mistaken.

“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. " (Cardinal Ratzinger, Spirit of the Liturgy p. 198)”

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Did people clap at the Last Supper? Or at the foot of the Cross? . .

Whenever, I hear applause at mass I get an image of Jesus breathing His last, and John and Mary applauding and shouting ENCORE! Then Jesus makes a little speech thanking all the* little people* without whose help the performance couldn’t have gone on.

 

[teachccd]

Whenever, I hear applause at mass I get an image of Jesus breathing His last, and John and Mary applauding and shouting ENCORE! Then Jesus makes a little speech thanking all the* little people* without whose help the performance couldn’t have gone on.

You too??

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I do have one more question to add:
If there is a mass where only a small amount of people kneel when the priest consecrates the Eucharist, what would you do?

If it was a Latin rite church in the U.S. I would kneel if my knees were up to it that day.