Clapping in Mass?

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Clapping at the end of mass always evokes an image of Saint John and the Mary’s clapping at the end of the Crucifixion and shouting BRAVO, ENCORE. :nope:
 
We should not applaud any people (fellow sinners, all of us) at a Mass, even at the conclusion of the Mass.

Again, as in my post #2 here is the link to the thread where the Vatican’s statements may be found on applause during Mass: http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthre…hlight=applause

No one, whether a retiring priest, a newly baptized infant, a newly married couple, nor a couple married for 70 years, deserves applause during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It’s a Sacred Liturgy, for heaven’s sake! Not a free for all. During the Mass, the focus is Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice for all of us is perpetuated upon the altar. Our focus during this Sacrifice should not be upon our neighbor.

If you want to honor these folks, or congratulate them, do so outside of Mass, throw them a party, send them a card, clap even…just…not at Mass. :tsktsk:
 
I used to belong to a parish where there was clapping at the end of every Mass, presumably for the music ministry benefit (this is one of many reasons why I no longer belong to that parish).

In my current parish, several months ago the children’s choir sang at one of the Sunday Masses and after Communion, one of the young ladies sang a hymn and everyone applauded when she was done. The priest (our pastor) stood for the final prayer and he very kindly explained that our children’s choir did a beautiful job, however, a hymn is a prayer, not a recital, and therefore is not to be applauded. I am sure a number of the parents got their noses out of joint (probably the same ones who were taking pictures during Mass!) but I thought Father did a beautiful job of explaining.
 
Applause at mass offends me, as well, particularly when somebody like the pastor at our church asks the congregation to applaud at baptisms, 90th birthdays, etc. I don’t care what the occasion is; I will not applaud during mass, and I’ve taught my kids not to.

The charismatic clapping they do during the singing of the Gloria is also offended. Come to think of it, they shouldn’t be singing that prayer, either, or changing its words.

The mass is a beautiful experience, until some new-ager comes along and forces divisiveness.

I don’t like leaving mass feeling angry; these people have no right to impose themselves on a ritual that is beautiful enough as written.

When will this nonsense cease?
 
I am not comfortable with this either even though at times
there are situations where it seems like the right thing to do, the
fact remains that you are in a church and attending Mass.
 
Panis Angelicas:
We should not applaud any people (fellow sinners, all of us) at a Mass, even at the conclusion of the Mass.

Again, as in my post #2 here is the link to the thread where the Vatican’s statements may be found on applause during Mass: http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthre…hlight=applause

No one, whether a retiring priest, a newly baptized infant, a newly married couple, nor a couple married for 70 years, deserves applause during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It’s a Sacred Liturgy, for heaven’s sake! Not a free for all. During the Mass, the focus is Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice for all of us is perpetuated upon the altar. Our focus during this Sacrifice should not be upon our neighbor.

If you want to honor these folks, or congratulate them, do so outside of Mass, throw them a party, send them a card, clap even…just…not at Mass. :tsktsk:
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It’s true that , but when you clap for a newly baptised infant you are *welcoming * the child into the church! A married couple you are celebrated what God has joined together so you are applauding it.

I don’t see anything wrong with that as you are celebrating that event with Jesus. That is just my opinion:)
 
Depending on the situation, and motive of heart. Clapping of hands is no more wrong than shouting ‘Amen!’. Read Nehemiah chapters 8 and 9. The priests read the Law, explained it. The people shouted Amen! and knelt with their faces to the ground.

They responded to the revelation of God’s Word. The responded out of an overflow of the passion and conviction in their hearts.

Read what happened after the 2nd Temple was completed. Some wept, some shouted and rejoiced. None was disruptive to anyone else. The reason is becasue their hearts were focused on the LORD, not what each other was doing.

Such is the same here.
 
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eaManwe:
This evening, just before Father gave the final closing prayer, he told us that this would be the last mass he would celebrate before moving on. He also stated how this parish had touched him, et cetera. We gave him a standing ovation - as it should be.

However, I agree that clapping to any song besides the closing hymn is usually out of place. It just seems like it isn’t the place. The focus should be on quieter song and prayer and more silent worship during the mass itself. However, the very nature of the closing song is supposed to be upbeat and uplifting. I think that the closing song should be entertaining and hand-clappable, if you will.
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I don’t like the clapping after the closing hymn. The implication is that we are appreciating an entertaining performance. Yes, I like an upbeat, joyful, even toe-tapping exit hymn, but am uncomfortable with applauding the choir and musicians who are just a part of the worshipping body doing their part in praise, just like the rest of us.
 
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Podo2004:
It’s true that , but when you clap for a newly baptised infant you are *welcoming *the child into the church! A married couple you are celebrated what God has joined together so you are applauding it.

I don’t see anything wrong with that as you are celebrating that event with Jesus. That is just my opinion:)
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When you are in church you are in the presence of Jesus, splendor of the Father, Jesus, brightness of eteranl light, Jesus, King of glory, Jesus, Sun of justice - (this is part of the Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus). Somewhere along the line this Jesus has been replaced with “Jesus, my buddy” - Although I personally believe that Jesus is the most perfect “friend”. We have to start putting the reverence back into the Church. Clapping is just plain NOT reverent. Celebrating comes after Mass not in the presence of God. Jesus is not just love there is also an extreme amount of homage due to Him.

God Bless!
 
One way to eliminate clapping at Baptisms is to take it out of the Mass as it once was. A separate ceremony and the Baptismal font was not a part of the main Church. The ceremony was more or less private and for the family. When and how did this change (documentation please), I somehow have not come across this or don’t remember.
 
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deogratias:
One way to eliminate clapping at Baptisms is to take it out of the Mass as it once was. A separate ceremony and the Baptismal font was not a part of the main Church. The ceremony was more or less private and for the family. When and how did this change (documentation please), I somehow have not come across this or don’t remember.
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Can. 837 §1. Liturgical actions are not private actions but celebrations of the Church itself which is the sacrament of unity, that is, a holy people gathered and ordered under the bishops. Liturgical actions therefore belong to the whole body of the Church and manifest and affect it; they touch its individual members in different ways, however, according to the diversity of orders, functions, and actual participation.

§2. Inasmuch as liturgical actions by their nature entail a common celebration, they are to be celebrated with the presence and active participation of the Christian faithful where possible.

I requested the Anointing of the Sick after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper last Holy Thursday. After we processed the Sacrament to the Altar of Repose, the priest gathered the choir and a few others who were nearby so that we could have a congregation for the rite. It added much to have a congregation praying for me in addition to the anointing.

I think that I have seen a requirement, though I can’t find it at the moment, that all sacraments, except Confession, be celebrated in mass if possible. However, I am not sure how it is worded.
 
I guess that would rule out private funerals too.

I tried to find something specific earlier on the Baptism requirements and it did say at a minimum family members and friends should be present. I also did find how and when it was to be done during Mass.

I think in the Eastern Rite, it is still done in a separate liturgy or at least in the Greek Orthodox (I attended one recently). The child is baptized, confirmed and receives first Holy Communion all at the same ceremony.
 
Joe Kelley:
Do note that there are occasions when applause [acclamation] is proper - chiefly when candidates for sacraments are presented to the congregation for their approval. This occurs in some RCIA Rites and, I think, in Confirmation and Ordination.
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The people in my parish will clap when candidates for sacraments are presented…babies are always welcomed this way. I have never had a problem with this…It has seemed like the natural thing to do.
 
John W.:
Last Sunday we clapped after an infant baptism to show our welcome and support for the new member. I’m not sure the baby understood the gesture though. :confused:
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This mass I went to did the same thing, and the pastor who was the one celebrating the Mass(the Baptisn was in the Mass) then told everyone at there to “raise thier hand because we are now going to baptize the baby, okay everyone, we baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Is this allowed? I found the fact that everyone was invited to lift their hands etc, awkward.
 
I would just as soon we never clap, but we occassionally do (recognizing unique events or people) an almost always at the conclusion of Mass. I do not ever like applause for any song or choir.

But clapping never *offends *me.
 
Oh I hate that “lifting the hands” group blessing thing. It looks like we are all doing the heil hitler salute. They do it for any number of reasons in my parish. To bless couples getting married, or have been married, or to bless the catechumens before they are dismissed and even one parish I went to would ask everyone having a birthday to stand and then they would do the blessing with hands raised and then applaud.

The Mass is to worship God, not each other and that is why I object to all this praise to people during Mass.
 
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deogratias:
I guess that would rule out private funerals too.
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It is important to note that, except for rare and unusual circumstances, every mass is a public event and all are welcome to attend.
 
I feel that after the Mass is over its OK for us to give someone an ovation for something (Priest leaving/50 or so many years a priest, wedding anneversary, etc.) Please not right after communion though! (I have seen it done.) owever clapping to the rhythm of songs during Mass, well, to me doing that is a way of having fun and enjoying yourself. Clapping to songs has nothing wrong in itself, its just that such behavior to me as I see it goes directly against what the Mass is. So I think that it should not be done, and feel it is disrespectful, cause it does not go with what the Mass is; instead the Mass becomes a big party.
 
My parish does it on rare occasions. For instance, this past Sunday was the Priest’s birthday. We have a social hall/cafeteria, would have been more fitting there IMO. I mean he’s a good guy, but I think the emphasis in the sanctuary should be Christ. Though the weidest thing before the happy birthday singing and clapping was that after communion, a guy got up on the pulpit, read out the names of people elected to the ethnic church club’s various positions, and from there they one by one met near the alter (actually to the left side and not on the steps of the alter) and were sworn into their positions.
 
What is it about clapping that is irreverent? I am not saying that I think it is nor that it isn’t. I am trying to discover what it means to be reverent and why it is that clapping and being reverent are mutually exclusive.
 
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