Clapping is not reverent at Mass

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That’s what happens when you don’t proofread and use the mic. I guess the joke is on me.
 
It should depend on the situation.

Okay after the Prayer after Communion and before the final dismissal:
  1. Congratulating a newly ordained priest, confirmands, 1st Eucharist class, newly installed catechists, etc…
  2. In appreciation to the choir for all the hard work for Christmas or Easter
  3. Congratulating newlyweds, landmark anniversaries, etc…
  4. Announcement of any debt being paid off, completion of building projects, etc…
Not okay:
  1. Applauding after the cantor finishes the Psalm (this really happened at my parish! The girl was mortified - it was an unchurched family member)
  2. Applauding after the post-Eucharistic reflection song. That was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
I’m okay with clapping along with the music if the music lends itself. I’m not one for praise and worship during Mass but I do appreciate a hearty dismissal/recessional that makes me want to go out and be the Gospel to others! I’ve been known to be seen clapping along with a peppy recessional whilst wearing my veil at Easter. I’ve also been known to release an ‘Amen’ or two during a homily.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
That is your opinion, and I’m sure many on the forum would agree as we have had this discussion before.
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What is okay - what the priest allows.

What is not okay - what the priest disallows.

Number of opinions - Number of people.

My own opinion is that the applause for human achievement is a sign that a sense of the sacred is lacking. But I don’t see this as much of an issue one way or another.
 
I agree with you. In my parish that kind of clapping never happen and the issue therefore does not arise. Yes, I admit that perhaps in other parishes and if that really happen, I am indeed flabbergasted. Anything to do with the clapping, if there’s any, will be at the announcement time, which is before the final blessing. We have followed strictly to the GIRM guideline, so there is no clapping during hymn except perhaps for the recessional hymn.
 
God is so fragile that clapping at Mass is a real danger. We can’t be sure that Jesus Christ is King of the Universe, because some people clap at Mass.
Yes, I agree that clapping at Mass is irreverent. But it’s simply not the hill my faith is going to make a stand on.
How many thousand children will die from abortion today while we are debating applause at Mass?
Perspective is good.
 
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Wendy1989 said:
I’m okay with clapping along with the music if the music lends itself. I’m not one for praise and worship during Mass but I do appreciate a hearty dismissal/recessional that makes me want to go out and be the Gospel to others! I’ve been known to be seen clapping along with a peppy recessional whilst wearing my veil at Easter
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This is more common at Spanish Masses. It seems weird at English Masses for some reason.
 
Seriously, you clap along? Like with “Christ the Lord is ris’n today”? Do you sing too - how do you hold the hymnal?🤔
 
I just want to say that i have a far bigger problem with Americans clapping in the cinema. Seriously, they can’t hear you, cut that out.
 
Clapping is not my favorite thing at Mass and I’d rather just skip it, especially when it is clapping for someone basically doing their job (for example, the musicians who play at Mass every week and are likely paid to do so) as opposed to doing something extra special (for example, a Confirmation class, a graduating class, a choir that just put on an extra-special Christmas music program etc.)

However, this morning at the regular weekday 8 am Mass, the pastor (who seems to encourage a lot of clapping anyway) at announcement time made a speech thanking the two young kids (one boy, one girl) who had come in to serve Mass in single digit weather on a day that they had off school, and he asked us to all clap for them. If applause might encourage these children to continue serving and give them a good feeling about their Catholic faith, I’ll clap a standing ovation.
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
In some parts of Africa, they clap during the consecration.
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I’m pretty sure this practice would be discouraged. Considering that the entire assembly is forbidden to engage in liturgical song and other prayers during the consecration, it would be hard to see how clapping would be condoned. The Church has obviously intended that this part of the mass be met with silent attention.
The nature of the presidential texts demands that they [Eucharistic prayers] be spoken in a loud and clear voice and that everyone present listen with attention. While the priest is speaking these texts, there should be no other prayer or liturgical song, and the organ or other instruments should not be played. (GIRM 32)
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Laity are clearly instructed to listen with attention, full stop, nothing else. In this context I can hardly see how clapping during the consecration does not amount to a “liturgical song”.
 
pnewton said:
What is okay - what the priest allows.

What is not okay - what the priest disallows.

Number of opinions - Number of people.
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That’s not really true, unless your merely talking about parish administration. When it comes to the mass there are many many priests who abuse the liturgy by adding to/subtracting from the mass as they see fit. This is not allowed and if one encounters it, they should privately and respectfully discuss it with the priest and try resolve it.
 
Except in this country, we use bells. So I’m not sure you can tell an entire culture that claps where we chime bells - in the presence of some very ‘liturgically conservative’ bishops - that they’re wrong.
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
Except in this country, we use bells. So I’m not sure you can tell an entire culture that claps where we chime bells - in the presence of some very ‘liturgically conservative’ bishops - that they’re wrong
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Nonsense. Ringing the bell in order to declare that Transsubstantiation has taken place is specifically allowed by the Roman Missal. Hand clapping is not.
“A little before the Consecration, if appropriate, a minister rings a small bell as a signal to the faithful. The minister also rings the small bell at each elevation by the priest, according to local custom. #150”
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omgriley said:
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Cor_ad_Cor:
Except in this country, we use bells. So I’m not sure you can tell an entire culture that claps where we chime bells - in the presence of some very ‘liturgically conservative’ bishops - that they’re wrong
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Nonsense. Ringing the bell in order to declare that Transsubstantiation has taken place is specifically allowed by the Roman Missal. Hand clapping is not.
“A little before the Consecration, if appropriate, a minister rings a small bell as a signal to the faithful. The minister also rings the small bell at each elevation by the priest, according to local custom. #150”
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It is entirely possible that there is an adaptation in place for some countries or cultures.
 
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The quote provided was from the General Instructions for the Roman Missal, not some bishops conference.

The “according to local customs” means the bell can rung or not. It does not mean that one may substitute the bell for something else depending on one’s cultural preference.

Clapping is not allowed during the consecration.
 
Exactly. Clapping after the recessional, along with having entire casual conversations within the Nave instead of out in the Narthex, show a complete lack of reverence for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. It still bothers me, even after 23 years of being Catholic. How can one walk past a person who is obviously kneeling and praying, and blurt out in your most normal of decibels, “Mornin’, Joe! How are you? Etc…” ?? It’s so RUDE to be a distraction for other people who are praying.
 
omgriley said:
The quote provided was from the General Instructions for the Roman Missal, not some bishops conference.

The “according to local customs” means the bell can rung or not. It does not mean that one may substitute the bell for something else depending on one’s cultural preference.

Clapping is not allowed during the consecration.
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I was not referring to “some Bishop’s Conference” making a change on its own. I was referring to a Bishop’s Conference following proper procedures and adapting the GIRM to the situation and culture of their own country, as provided for in the GIRM.

I’m not familiar with the custom of clapping during the consecration. That was mentioned by another poster. I’m simply pointing out that the GIRM might have been adapted to allow for this. (I’m not thinking of applause here. I picture more of a rhythmic clapping.)
  1. Finally, if the participation of the faithful and their spiritual welfare require variations and profounder adaptations in order for the sacred celebration to correspond with the culture and traditions of the different nations, then Conferences of Bishops may propose these to the Apostolic See in accordance with article 40 of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy for introduction with the Apostolic See’s consent, especially in the case of nations to whom the Gospel has been more recently proclaimed.[Cf. Sacrosanctum Concilium 37-40] The special norms handed down by means of the Instruction on the Roman Liturgy and Inculturation[Cf. Varietates Legitimae 54, 62-69] should be attentively observed.As regards the procedures in this matter, these should be observed:
Firstly, a detailed preliminary proposal should be set before the Apostolic See, so that, after the necessary faculty has been granted, the detailed working out of the individual points of adaptation may proceed.

Once these proposals have been duly approved by the Apostolic See, experiments should be carried out for specified periods and at specified places. When the period of experimentation is concluded, the Conference of Bishops shall decide, if the case requires, upon pursuing the adaptations and shall submit a mature formulation of the matter to the judgment of the Apostolic See.[Cf. Varietates Legitimae 66-68]
  1. However, before proceeding to new adaptations, especially profounder ones, great care shall be taken to promote due instruction of the clergy and the faithful in a wise and orderly manner, so as to take advantage of the faculties already foreseen and to apply fully the pastoral norms in keeping with the spirit of the celebration.
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omgriley said:
That’s not really true, unless your merely talking about parish administration. When it comes to the mass there are many many priests who abuse the liturgy by adding to/subtracting from the mass as they see fit.
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I was just referring to clapping, which is not really a liturgical abuse. It is simply inappropriate a lot of times.
 
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