I am not splitting hairs. You suggested people “re-read” the OP’s post and then proceeded to wrongly suggest it was before the priest had proceeded. I was merely pointing out that it wasn’t me who misread the original post and that it was, indeed, after the procession.
My parish is ginormous and we have three special (not regular Sunday) Masses for FHC. I do not think there is room on the apse for even one Mass-ful of communicants.Sing a song as a group, great. Sing a song IN FRONT of the altar, no thanks, in my opinion, very inappropriate.
thank-you, Children singing a song about receiving Jesus in the Eucharist should be seen as a beautiful opportunity and expression of faith and it is sad that it is compared to a “performance” or “broadway show”. Without having seen a video clip of what was sung and the gestures that went with it (sign language?) there is no way anyone can fairly judge what happen based on one person’s view.
That’s not what this was.thanks for clarifying!The sign language sounds lovely.
Because my parish doesn’t do this I just thought it was a little odd. It didn’t ‘feel’ abusive. Everyone SEEMED to be trying to be respectful… it was just, as I said, a bit odd.
I was also unclear on whether it was before Mass had begun or after. I always understood that Mass begins during the procession.
I am not overly obsessed with doing things to the letter but I wonder sometimes when people treat the apse and the altar almost as an after thought. For me if they had been on the floor of the nave it wouldn’t have even registered as odd but lining up on the apse before the altar was a little odd.
Again, I’m not looking for abuse but it makes me wonder if we haven’t lost our respect for holy things (the altar, and the ground which it stands on).
That’s an interesting point of view. I rather like it though. More quiet time to focus on Christ instead of all the extra stress of ‘performing’, as it were.
As an adult, there is no way for you to judge what may or may not help a child focus or concentrate. Sitting still doesn’t always cut it for some children. Doing songs even with gestures can have the added benefit of helping children focus because it allow them to release nervous energy. Trust me, those children are nervous and full of energy at about what is to happen. I also know that some parishes won’t allow (mostly girls) to have or carry purses or rosaries so they won’t be distracted and fiddling with such items. I am always amazed at the number of posts on CAF from Catholics that seem to become so obsessed with focussing in Mass and the idea that to really focus, one needs to sit there as if in a straight jacket with total absolute silence and if you dare even move a finger, you’re not focussing in Mass. Doing songs may help children remember what this is all about, Doing songs even with gestures or sign language and the practice of that will hopefully stay with them for life and that should be the real focus of it all.
Did I misunderstand? Or did you say the thing that should stay with them the rest of their life is how much fun they had doing their songs and dances?
Course, it drove them crazy but that’s what you get when you make a child sit quietly in on adult bible studies week after week.Maybe “as an adult” I don’t know, but as a father I have a pretty good idea of when my own children are distracted or not. Typically, when they are seated and paying attention they are less distracted than when they are doing something else. That’s just my kids though. I can’t claim to know all children.