Giant screens at Mass?

[stargazer257]

Well, my parish building was built in the early 80’s and is in a word, “untraditional.” We don’t have pews, just chairs. We stand during the portions of the mass where one would normally kneel (no kneelers).

We have three large screens with slide projectors. The projectors are located so that they are not heard (at least by my ears) and the screens are not the dominant feature of the sanctuary. The left and right screens (angled) display the hymns, The Gloria, and the Nicene Creed, and display slides following the theme of the particular mass interspersed between these points. The center screen is less active, only changing to show the Responsorial Psalm and then back to a mass theme.

And no screen of credits shown for laity serving at a particular mass…

It is NOT a multimedia extravaganza, nor is it meant to be. Our parish is not wooing the parisoners with high-tech audio/video and a feel-good rah-rah atmosphere. It is a Catholic church.

Although I long for a traditional atmosphere, this is my home parish. We are building a long overdue parish hall which will provide us with a place to have mass should the parish choose to renovate the sanctuary to a more “traditional” atmosphere. Until then, I can accept this.

Bloom where you are planted…

SG257

 

[Catholic4aReasn]

stargazer257:

Well, my parish building was built in the early 80’s and is in a word, “untraditional.” We don’t have pews, just chairs. We stand during the portions of the mass where one would normally kneel (no kneelers).

SG257

You know what I read the other day? We are supposed to be kneeling during the consecration, kneelers or no kneelers. Just kneel on the floor and do so even if you’re the only being obedient to the Church on this matter. Remember the courage that the holy Spirit gave the apostles at Pentecost? The same courage is yours at Mass to be obedient.

In Christ,
Nancy

 

[PiusXIII]

I am a little offended by the way that some in this thread have belittled using a screen.

My church building was built in the early 1970s–the church has a large white wall that is used as a projection screen for the lyrics to hymns. Occasionally, it is used for video messages from the Bishop.

Recently, I visited a parish that still uses hymnals and found I like the way that my church does it better–it does get your face out of a book. It is done very reverently. My priests are very orthodox.

Comments like “Screens in church? Do people have poor attention spans?! Let’s get a jumbotron and watch the game while we’re praying” are not said in a spirit of Christian charity and do nothing to help further anyones’ faith. Please don’t belittle my church. It is my home, Jesus Christ is there and the screen does not do anything to make it a less holy place.

 

[Prometheum_x]

PiusXIII:

Comments like “Screens in church? Do people have poor attention spans?! Let’s get a jumbotron and watch the game while we’re praying” are not said in a spirit of Christian charity and do nothing to help further anyones’ faith. Please don’t belittle my church. It is my home, Jesus Christ is there and the screen does not do anything to make it a less holy place.

They are not said in a spirit of Christian charity; rather, they are expressing the art of Christian ridicule and cynicism.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

PiusXIII:

I am a little offended by the way that some in this thread have belittled using a screen.

My church building was built in the early 1970s–the church has a large white wall that is used as a projection screen for the lyrics to hymns. Occasionally, it is used for video messages from the Bishop.

Recently, I visited a parish that still uses hymnals and found I like the way that my church does it better–it does get your face out of a book. It is done very reverently. My priests are very orthodox.

Comments like “Screens in church? Do people have poor attention spans?! Let’s get a jumbotron and watch the game while we’re praying” are not said in a spirit of Christian charity and do nothing to help further anyones’ faith. Please don’t belittle my church. It is my home, Jesus Christ is there and the screen does not do anything to make it a less holy place.

Frist, I hope you see that I tried to give an honest of my opinion on the screens. However, I’m not sure that simply asserting that a screen does nothing to detract from the holiness of the church does justice to the issue at hand. The Church has very well-developed ideas on sacred architecture and reverence. While screens cannot detract from the objective holiness of hallowed ground on which resides Christ Himself, they may still not be advisable on aesthetic or other grounds even if you do find them useful.

On an unrelated note, I was wondering if you know that there’s already an antipope named Pius XIII. Are you him, or are you the REAL Pius XIII? Couldn’t resist…Sorry.

 

[PiusXIII]

Andreas Hofer:

On an unrelated note, I was wondering if you know that there’s already an antipope named Pius XIII. Are you him, or are you the REAL Pius XIII? Couldn’t resist…Sorry.

As I’ve explained about 20,000 times on these boards already (and have offered up my frustration with having to do that so many times to the poor souls in Purgatory) I chose the name at the time of the conclave, hoping that the new pope would choose to honor the unjustly maligned Pius XII. I didn’t know about the anti-pope by the name until later.

My point is–the church is where Jesus Christ is. So my particular parish does not look like a medeival cathedral—it is no less church–it is no less a spiritual home to those there—my priests are no less orthodox than anyone else’s.

On the day that JPII died, my parish displayed images of his life on the screen before Mass began. It was a beautiful thing to see as we all sat there before Mass praying for him. Those are the kind of things a screen can do to point our attention in the right direction–in much the same way having a statue of a saint in the sanctuary can do the same thing.

It’s really disheartening the way some people try to out-Catholic each other with “Oh yeah–my church is more traditional than yours!” Jesus should be in our hearts–regardless of whether our church looks like St. Patrick’s cathedral or whether it has a white screen above the altar.

 

[Prometheum_x]

Andreas Hofer:

The Church has very well-developed ideas on sacred architecture and reverence. While screens cannot detract from the objective holiness of hallowed ground on which resides Christ Himself, they may still not be advisable on aesthetic or other grounds even if you do find them useful.

Where are these ideas put forth? I am interested in doing some reading on the subject, as this is something I have thought about. I am an assistant music director at my parish (I work mainly with the youth) and we have an LCD projector and screen in our possession. I myself refuse to consider using the screen at Mass for practical reasons, but we use it for some extra-liturgical events. My objection to it is based not on aesthetics but on my perception that at the present time it would not be very well integrated with the present architecture and would prove to be a distraction to many who were unaccustomed to it.

My personal conjecture is that as electronic display technology becomes more integrated in society, many of those problems will disappear, simply because people will be more accustomed to the technology, just as we are now thoroughly accustomed to the presence of books, though we have not always had books, at least not in any widely available form.

 

[stargazer257]

Catholic4aReasn:

You know what I read the other day? We are supposed to be kneeling during the consecration, kneelers or no kneelers. Just kneel on the floor and do so even if you’re the only being obedient to the Church on this matter. Remember the courage that the holy Spirit gave the apostles at Pentecost? The same courage is yours at Mass to be obedient.

In Christ,
Nancy

Nancy,

Here is an exerpt from the GIRM, the second half of paragraph 43:

In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the *Sanctus *until after the *Amen *of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after the consecration. The faithful kneel after the *Agnus Dei *unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise.

With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.

Based on this (albeit, my interpretation, so if someone has an official clarification of this paragraph, let us know), the GIRM gives an allowance for the lack of kneelers (in fact they are loose, stackable chairs). This isn’t a cop-out, it’s an acceptable alternative due to my parish’s configuration. The standing observant DO make a profound bow “when the priest genuflects after the consecration,” following the GIRM. Now if we get to do a renovation of our sanctuary soon, I believe that the traditional swing of our parish will bring the pew into our parish for the first time. I will relish that day.

Now, I have been to at least one parish that is fortunate enough to have kneelers but yet they don’t use them during the Eucharistic prayer. While attending there, I choose to kneel as I cannot find any “good reason” (in reference to the GIRM) not to. And I was fortunate to not be alone in kneeling.

Peace be with you,
SG257

 

[Jennifer_J]

I have 2 things to add:

My parish has a large projection screen–not a tv screen, it’s for projection only. It matches the paint of the sanctuary and is high up above so no one can walk into it and it swings out of the way if not needed. It’s not always used, but occasionally. It’s not my favorite thing, but has it’s purposes. Lately, they’ve been printing the songs in a “worship aid”, don’t know why, like we can’t find the song number in the hymnal? LOL got me…

Second, at my inlaws church the priest decided to remove the kneelers in the back half of church so people would sit up front. So, during Masses with lots of people (it happens, you know, Christmas and Easter) half of the congregation has no kneelers. We ended up in the back when we visited last time with no kneelers, we kneeled anyway–there was plenty of room just no kneelers. sigh It doesn’t make me want to sit up front, it makes me not want to go there again…
Jennifer

 

[harinkj]

Anna's Mom:

It just doesn’t seem right. People should want to go to mass because they feel it in their hearts. whats next popcorn and pajamas??

Don’t laugh, but when I was in the 6th and 7th grades, the high school girls, who had gone out on a date the night before, would do their hair, put on their high heel shoes, and put a long coat over their pajamas for Sunday Mass. And this was before Vatican II. So pajamas have a long tradition.:clapping:

• Kathie :bowdown:

 

[Donna_Mc]

The parish I grew up in did some renovations. They took out
the confessionals that we had and now have confession
in the chapel. That’s fine, but at the same time I feel that that the lack of
visibility of the confessionals in the church in a way sends the
message that it’s not that important.

When my two nieces made their First Communion they had two
big screens where they showed the kids going up to receive. I’m
sure the intentions were good, but somehow it made me uncomfortable. They took out the altar rails too. I feel now
it almost look like a protestant chuch. I spoke to a priest
who went back to visit after the renovations, and he thought
the same thing.

 

[Prometheum_x]

Jennifer J:

I have 2 things to add:

My parish has a large projection screen–not a tv screen, it’s for projection only. It matches the paint of the sanctuary and is high up above so no one can walk into it and it swings out of the way if not needed. It’s not always used, but occasionally. It’s not my favorite thing, but has it’s purposes. Lately, they’ve been printing the songs in a “worship aid”, don’t know why, like we can’t find the song number in the hymnal? LOL got me…

Second, at my inlaws church the priest decided to remove the kneelers in the back half of church so people would sit up front. So, during Masses with lots of people (it happens, you know, Christmas and Easter) half of the congregation has no kneelers. We ended up in the back when we visited last time with no kneelers, we kneeled anyway–there was plenty of room just no kneelers. sigh It doesn’t make me want to sit up front, it makes me not want to go there again…
Jennifer

You should suggest to the parish (next time you visit) that they use a suitable rope to cordon off those sections until they are needed. Then all the pews can have kneelers and it will be much more effective in getting people to sit up front.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Prometheum_x:

Where are these ideas put forth? I am interested in doing some reading on the subject, as this is something I have thought about. I am an assistant music director at my parish (I work mainly with the youth) and we have an LCD projector and screen in our possession. I myself refuse to consider using the screen at Mass for practical reasons, but we use it for some extra-liturgical events. My objection to it is based not on aesthetics but on my perception that at the present time it would not be very well integrated with the present architecture and would prove to be a distraction to many who were unaccustomed to it.

My personal conjecture is that as electronic display technology becomes more integrated in society, many of those problems will disappear, simply because people will be more accustomed to the technology, just as we are now thoroughly accustomed to the presence of books, though we have not always had books, at least not in any widely available form.

I would suggest just starting by googling, as I can’t think of any titles offhand. If you’re willing to sort out some of the irrelevant stuff, the web has lots of good info.

 

[stargazer257]

Prometheum_x:

You should suggest to the parish (next time you visit) that they use a suitable rope to cordon off those sections until they are needed. Then all the pews can have kneelers and it will be much more effective in getting people to sit up front.

That’s a great idea. My parish does that based on its physical design. The back portion of our sanctuary also serves as classroom areas via movable walls. As the front starts to fill up, we just quietly open up a room. Voila! Expandable sanctuary. Still w/o kneelers, but well…:banghead:

SG257

ps…didn’t mean to hijack the thread, but Prometheum had a great idea.

 

[Catholic4aReasn]

stargazer257:

Nancy,

Here is an exerpt from the GIRM, the second half of paragraph 43:
Based on this (albeit, my interpretation, so if someone has an official clarification of this paragraph, let us know), the GIRM gives an allowance for the lack of kneelers (in fact they are loose, stackable chairs). This isn’t a cop-out, it’s an acceptable alternative due to my parish’s configuration. The standing observant DO make a profound bow “when the priest genuflects after the consecration,” following the GIRM. Now if we get to do a renovation of our sanctuary soon, I believe that the traditional swing of our parish will bring the pew into our parish for the first time. I will relish that day.

Now, I have been to at least one parish that is fortunate enough to have kneelers but yet they don’t use them during the Eucharistic prayer. While attending there, I choose to kneel as I cannot find any “good reason” (in reference to the GIRM) not to. And I was fortunate to not be alone in kneeling.

Peace be with you,
SG257

It doesn’t say anything about lack of kneelers, only lack of space. It there’s space there for you to kneel then kneel.

Just my :twocents: .

In Christ,
Nancy

 

[stargazer257]

Catholic4aReasn:

It doesn’t say anything about lack of kneelers, only lack of space. It there’s space there for you to kneel then kneel.

Just my :twocents: .

In Christ,
Nancy

Just so this thead can stay on subject, I will PM you on this…SG257

Carry on!