Clapping for the choir after mass

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Grace283

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Recently, I attended a mass with my brother in which the priest announced to the people that he prefers that after dismissal and the choir has finished singing that the people should not clap. His reasoning was that we sing to give praise to God. We do not sing or have a choir for our benefit. Into which this announment has been easily dismissed by the people. What are your thoughts on this? What happens in your church?

On a side note, after thinking about this… I agree with the priest. I understand his reasoning. I like solemn masses.

Thanks in advance!
 
Our church does it but its after Mass and just to show appreciation…our priest probably doesn’t care…I don’t do it…but some do:shrug:
 
I am not against clapping, but I can understand why people might be against it. However, this debate is not unique to Catholics. I was attending a protestant church at one point in my life, and one person would usually sing a solo. Afterwards, people would applaud. One day the pastor said that people shouldn’t do that, and by golly, after that, everyone stopped.
 
We have a choir which consists of about a dozen young ladies.
They sing the most beautiful masses you could ever wish to hear,…I’m talking “recording studio” beautiful,…but I’d be willing to bet that not a single person in our parish would even consider clapping, we wait till we’re out on the front steps of the church to thank and compliment them.

🙂 They sound like “angels”,…I wish you could all hear them.
 
Good action on the part of the priest. The Mass is the Sacrifice of Calvary - it is not a performance. All Masses should be solemn and clapping should never be part of the Mass. 😉
 
AFTER the Mass–not during, right? Once the Mass is over, it is not correct to say, “The Mass should be solemn” because Mass is OVER.

Clapping is a way for a crowd of people to collectively say, “Thank you.”

I see nothing wrong with being polite and saying “Thank you.”
 
I disagree with those who condone or seek applause for the choir’s efforts. If the choir themselves want applause, they are there for self glorification and human recognition, whether they realize it or not. Most choirs do not seek applause, though.

At the Father Corapi retreat in Seattle this February, there was an amazing acapello choir who sounded like angels praising God. The priest stated at every Mass that we were not to clap for them. He said the choir is in need of your prayers, not your applause. Please pray for them instead of applauding. This is what grateful people should be doing instead of applauding. You can always thank the choir members personally after Mass is over and preferably, outside the Church.
 
Grace283 said:
Recently, I attended a mass with my brother in which the priest announced to the people that he prefers that after dismissal and the choir has finished singing that the people should not clap. His reasoning was that we sing to give praise to God. We do not sing or have a choir for our benefit. Into which this announment has been easily dismissed by the people. What are your thoughts on this? What happens in your church?

On a side note, after thinking about this… I agree with the priest. I understand his reasoning. I like solemn masses.

Thanks in advance!
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During the Tridentine Mass in Latin last Sunday the priest who was taking confessions during mass came up to the podium in a black suit and gave us the church announcements. I have to admit that it broke up the solemn climate that was created by the Gregorian Chants. Whether or not that church wants the laypeople to leave in a solemn mood, that is the question?

I am located over in Oakland. Just wondering where you found a Tridentine Mass over there on your side of the Bay?
 
I am reminded of Cardinal Ratzinger’s quote,

“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.”
 
I’m in a choir and I hate it when the congregation applauds. I am not there to perform. I bet it wouldn’t happen if we were in the choir loft.
 
Hegesippus said:
I am reminded of Cardinal Ratzinger’s quote,

“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.”
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For a good flyer on applause in the liturgy, go here.
 
Even though it is after the Mass has ended, I think this priest is absolutely right; there are far more appropraite ways to express appreciation than clapping. The physical place is still “sacred space;” the Blessed Sacrament is in reservation, some people are probably preparing to offer their prayers of thanksgiving… and this is afterall, the place of the one Sacrifice that makes our peace with God possible. We should all be somewhat awestruck there, especially right after Mass.

Clapping after Mass, to me, isn’t a whole lot worse than the way so many people break out in loud conversation and laughter as though they are suddenly at a picnic. Same with the chatter before Mass. Recognition of the sacredness of the space alone should demand quietness and reservation.

As much as I hate to say it, my parish doesn’t find clapping even during Mass a problem. We did it just today right before the Creed to welcome new parishioners.
 
Conciliar said:
As much as I hate to say it, my parish doesn’t find clapping even during Mass a problem. We did it just today right before the Creed to welcome new parishioners.
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That’s a little different. In our culture, applause can be used as a sign of welcome and affirmation.

That’s a far cry from “clapping over some human achievement”.
 
paramedicgirl said:
For a good flyer on applause in the liturgy, go here.
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Thank you for these beautiful quotes. Since applause is so widespread (I’ve been to masses where everyone from the reader, to DRE, to the choir, to the people that set up flowers were applauded), it demonstrates how so many people are misinformed about the purpose of the Liturgy.
 
This practice annoys me to no end…and another one, equally annoying, is when the priest tells everyone in the congregation, “Please extend your right hands in blessing”, such as you get at a baptism:



I realize it’s another one of those “Spirit of Vatican II ‘involve the community’” gimmicks, but for starters, the congregation is not administering the sacrament, the priest is; for another, standing in a church full of people with their right arms extended, for me, is just a little too close to this:

http://www.openfire.us/blog/archives/images/2006/NaziSalute.jpg
 
PaixGioiaAmor said:
That’s a little different. In our culture, applause can be used as a sign of welcome and affirmation.

That’s a far cry from “clapping over some human achievement”.
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OK… Presumably from your post you do agree that applause in recognition of human achievement is out of place during the Mass. Is it the purpose of the applause that you find objectionable, or the time and place, i.e. the sacredness of both the liturgy and the surroundings?

I think we would both agree that signs of appreciation and congratulation for achievement, as well as gestures of welcome and affirmation, are not only acceptable practices, but commendable ones.

Can you explain then why one is in keeping with the sacredness of the Mass and the other is not?
 
Conciliar said:
Even though it is after the Mass has ended, I think this priest is absolutely right; there are far more appropraite ways to express appreciation than clapping. The physical place is still “sacred space;” the Blessed Sacrament is in reservation, some people are probably preparing to offer their prayers of thanksgiving… and this is afterall, the place of the one Sacrifice that makes our peace with God possible. We should all be somewhat awestruck there, especially right after Mass.

Clapping after Mass, to me, isn’t a whole lot worse than the way so many people break out in loud conversation and laughter as though they are suddenly at a picnic. Same with the chatter before Mass. Recognition of the sacredness of the space alone should demand quietness and reservation.

As much as I hate to say it, my parish doesn’t find clapping even during Mass a problem. We did it just today right before the Creed to welcome new parishioners.
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You’ve been to my church!
 
PaixGioiaAmor said:
That’s a little different. In our culture, applause can be used as a sign of welcome and affirmation.

That’s a far cry from “clapping over some human achievement”.
Click to expand...
Ummm…clapping for anything other than ordinations, confirmations and baptisms, is taking the focus of the the Mass and the workings of God. Let the newbies be applauded to their heart’s content in the parish hall over coffee and treats.
 
Conciliar said:
OK… Presumably from your post you do agree that applause in recognition of human achievement is out of place during the Mass. Is it the purpose of the applause that you find objectionable, or the time and place, i.e. the sacredness of both the liturgy and the surroundings?

I think we would both agree that signs of appreciation and congratulation for achievement, as well as gestures of welcome and affirmation, are not only acceptable practices, but commendable ones.

Can you explain then why one is in keeping with the sacredness of the Mass and the other is not?
Click to expand...
I think we should just all stand around the foot of the cross and clap and applaud.
 
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