Can there be a Christmas Pageant After the Homily?

[ggunders82]

I’m pretty sure you can’t (Lectionary of the Mass with Children #52) but I don’t have a copy of the LMC and any other info would be great.

It is happening at my parish tomorrow and probably at a whole bunch of others.

 

[redrosetea]

I sort of think not…Our Christmas pageant was held in the afternoon …It was a totaly separate function

 

[benedictgal]

I’m pretty sure you can’t (Lectionary of the Mass with Children #52) but I don’t have a copy of the LMC and any other info would be great.

It is happening at my parish tomorrow and probably at a whole bunch of others.

Remember, that the LMC and the Directory for Masses with Children is applicable when children make up a significant majority of the faithful in attendance at at the Holy Sacrifice. I wager that most of the faithful in attendance tomorrow will be adults, thus, the provisions would not apply.

Chapter II. Masses With Adults in Which Children Also Participate

1. In many places parish Masses are celebrated, especially on Sundays and holy days, at which a good many children take part along with the large number of adults. On such occasions the witness of adult believers can have a great effect upon the children. Adults can in turn benefit spiritually from experiencing the part that the children have within the Christian community. The Christian spirit of the family is greatly fostered when children take part in these Masses together with their parents and other family members.

Infants who as yet are unable or unwilling to take part in the Mass may be brought in at the end of Mass to be blessed together with the rest of the community. This may be done, for example, if parish helpers have been taking care of them in separate areas.

1. Nevertheless, in Masses of this kind it is necessary to take great care that the children present do not feel neglected because of their inability to participate or to understand what happens and what is proclaimed in the celebration. Some account should be taken of their presence: for example, by speaking to them directly in the introductory comments (as at the beginning and the end of Mass) and at some point in the homily.

Sometimes, moreover, if the place itself and the nature of the community permit, it will be appropriate to celebrate the Liturgy of the Word, including a homily, with the children in a separate, but not too distant, room. Then, before the Eucharistic Liturgy begins, the children are led to the place where the adults have meanwhile celebrated their own Liturgy of the Word.

1. It may also be very helpful to give some task to the children. They may, for example, bring forward the gifts or perform one or other of the songs of the Mass.

1. If the number of children is large, it may at times be suitable to plan the Mass so that it corresponds more closely to the needs of the children. In this case the homily should be directed to them but in such a way that adults may also benefit from it. Wherever the bishop permits, in addition to the adaptations already provided in the Order of the Mass, one or other of the particular adaptations described later in the Directory may be employed in a Mass celebrated with adults in which children also participate.

Even where children make a significant majority, the DMC does not state that a play should be taking place. It is silent. Silence does not necessarily mean that we have carte blanche to do with as we please.

Here is the whole documents so that you can review it:

adoremus.org/DMC-73.html#anchor4422629

Two years ago, I managed to talk my pastor out of doing a play to commemorate Our Lady of Guadalupe. This play was to have been imbedded within the Mass. I even used Redemptionis Sacramentum to back up my arguments. Needless to say, we have not had one since.

 

[benedictgal]

The best rule of thumb is to also look at this document:

adoremus.org/PaschaleSolemnitatis.html

While this document treats Lent, Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum, your basic rule of thumb comes from Good Friday:

1. Devotions, such as the Way of the Cross, processions of the passion, and commemorations of the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary are not, for pastoral reasons, to be neglected. The texts and songs used, however, should be adapted to the spirit of the liturgy of this day. Such devotions should be assigned to a time of day that makes it quite clear that the liturgical celebration, by its very nature, far surpasses them in importance. [74]

One can certainly make a case that the same principle should apply to Christmas pagaents. You don’t imbed a passion play in the middle of the Good Friday liturgy. Here, in PS, the Church makes it very clear that the devotionals could and should happen, but, not during the official liturgy of the day.

 

[bpbasilphx]

\You don’t imbed a passion play in the middle of the Good Friday liturgy.\

**The Liturgy of Holy Friday, with the Passion read (or better, chanted) in dialogue IS a Passion Play and liturgical drama in the best sense of the word.

Where do you think they originated?**

 

[Phemie]

This year we are not having a pageant (which in recent years had been moved from after the Gospel to before Mass).

OTOH, our nativity scene will be bare until the reading of the Gospel at the first Mass (6:30) when children will bring up the figures in procession as they are named in the reading – Fr. will pause his reading to allow the figures to be brought up and set into place.

Obviously we are not celebrating the Mass for the “Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord” or things would get way too crowded.

 

[puzzleannie]

Obviously we are not celebrating the Mass for the “Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord” or things would get way too crowded.

the DRE’s dream, enough parts for every member of the class to dress up

 

[Phemie]

the DRE’s dream, enough parts for every member of the class to dress up