Is clapping to the music at Mass appropriate?

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Cor_ad_Cor said:
This doesn’t address the question at all. This is about applause; the question is about clapping along with the music. Two different things.
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You are right! The question was not in regard to applause but clapping to music. Also, I noticed above the poll itself says " relative to Western culture". That being said, I certainly prefer the Sacred Music that we have in our parish over songs like “All you peoples clap your hands…” etc. But I just don’t know if it would be wise for me to vote “no-never”. I’d rather leave that up to the Liturgical experts.
 
There was a time when Mike Anderson’s Gloria was popular in a Diocese I was in (I am thinking mid-late 2000s). This had “Gloria (clap clap) Gloria (clap clap)…” so on and so forth.

Let’s just say that made me feel very uncomfortable hearing that version. I haven’t actually heard it used since 2009 when the new translations came out, though looks like some still use it.
 
zab said:
You are right! The question was not in regard to applause but clapping to music. Also, I noticed above the poll itself says " relative to Western culture". That being said, I certainly prefer the Sacred Music that we have in our parish over songs like “All you peoples clap your hands…” etc. But I just don’t know if it would be wise for me to vote “no-never”. I’d rather leave that up to the Liturgical experts.
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I hope I didn’t come across snarky. It’s an important distinction to me. I grew up in a quasi-southern Bapti-costal church where clapping and raising/waving your hands is a form of worship and praise (converted 20 years ago, but some things just don’t fade!)

I understand the sacrificial nature of the Mass quite well, but I also understand the other aspects and don’t see clapping to the music as anything inappropriate - I suppose I could even argue that it is my “culture”. On the other hand, applause is most certainly calling attention to an individual or subset of the congregation, and I’m not always comfortable with that, especially during Mass.

I’m thankful that our Church has room for both the somber, solemn (which I like, as you seem to also) AND the more ‘charismatic’ (which I also like).
 
zab said:
You are right! The question was not in regard to applause but clapping to music. Also, I noticed above the poll itself says " relative to Western culture". That being said, I certainly prefer the Sacred Music that we have in our parish over songs like “All you peoples clap your hands…” etc. But I just don’t know if it would be wise for me to vote “no-never”. I’d rather leave that up to the Liturgical experts.
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Ha! Well there’s certainly hundreds of those on CAF.
 
Can’t vote because there’s no “maybe” option. As other posters have said, clapping along with hymns might be normal in African and other cultures. In the US it’s something that it seems people do as a creative addition.
 
pianistclare said:
That’s pretty harsh. There IS such a thing as joy.
And it’s all over Scripture. We should indeed express it at Mass where are given the most sublime gift.
I’m not in favor of clapping, but I don’t think an honest expression of fervor should be condemned either.
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I agree that Joy exists, however, it is not to be garnered from the social hysteria found in some of the modern “concert” churches so popular in a sadly slow to thought culture. Expressions of fervor are, as many wise posts have stated, cultural in nature and thus clapping may well be a valued component of worship in Africa or Hispanic culture for example. I am just old fashioned enough to find the happy clappers distasteful. Horses for courses, I guess.
 
Clapping at Mass? In today’s modernist church nothing would surprise me any more. I mean, nowadays we have drums, electric guitars, and a “whatever floats your boat” mentality. Someday I half expect to see someone report on here that Jimmy Page showed up at Mass and did his guitar solo from “Heartbreaker”…but I digress.

Peace, Mark
 
Petaro said:
I agree that Joy exists, however, it is not to be garnered from the social hysteria found in some of the modern “concert” churches so popular in a sadly slow to thought culture. Expressions of fervor are, as many wise posts have stated, cultural in nature and thus clapping may well be a valued component of worship in Africa or Hispanic culture for example. I am just old fashioned enough to find the happy clappers distasteful. Horses for courses, I guess.
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Social hysteria? Where do you go to church?
That’s funny. I’ve never been to a Mass where there was anything of the sort.

OP: Here’s the bottom line.
In our culture, people don’t show emotion. Period. Seldom. Certainly not at Mass unless it’s to glare at some woman with a crying baby. :rolleyes:
If your congregation bursts into clapping to the music at the Recessional, and the priest happily does too, it’s fine.
If he looks like’s about to blow a gasket, I’d say “no, it’s not ok”.
Read the cues from your pastor. I’ve never known a priest who was slow to voice an opinion on this. I say this because inasmuch as people on CAF believe that they can make all the liturgy decisions in the parish without the benefit of being asked to view said opinions, the bottom line is that it is the pastor’s call. If it bugs you, go ask him what he thinks about it. If he’s upset, he might be glad to know that some in the parish feel as he does and he might be moved to say something. Or, he could tell you that it’s not liturgical abuse to clap to a lively hymn of praise.
Either way, you get a genuine answer from someone who can make the call.
peace.
 
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