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T_More
Guest
After the final hymn of the Sunday Mass, the parish I attend will applaud the choir’s singing. Is this acceptable?
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Tantum_ergo
Guest
Technically one could say it is ‘after Mass’ (not during) when the applause falls, but even Pope Benedict is on record as saying that applause for something during Mass is NOT a good thing. No matter how good your choir is and how well-intentioned the congregation is, it still carries an undertone of them being ‘rewarded’ for their ‘performance.’
The only one who could really do anything though would be your priest, and he’d have to be willing to keep on working at it for months, and making sure to mention in the bulletin (and at the podium) things like, “We are all so grateful to our excellent choir and appreciate all the time they spend to prepare and sing at Mass, but they ask all of us to kindly REFRAIN from applause at any point, even 'after the final hymn, because they feel it puts the focus onto them when all they want to do is put the focus on God. Thank you for your understanding and please feel free to express your appreciation to our members at any time when you are OUTSIDE of the church building itself.”
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GessHrck
Guest
Absolutely not. Applause is for an auditorium, not a church.
Even after the mass–people are still praying, doing their “Thanksgiving”. Applause is distracting, and renders one’s thoughts from the beauty of the mass to, instead, the choir’s “performance”.
The choir sings for Our Lord, not the congregation. If they did a great job, tell the organist or the choir director after mass during social time.
Even after the mass–people are still praying, doing their “Thanksgiving”. Applause is distracting, and renders one’s thoughts from the beauty of the mass to, instead, the choir’s “performance”.
The choir sings for Our Lord, not the congregation. If they did a great job, tell the organist or the choir director after mass during social time.
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lizaanne
Guest
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Brendan_McCabe
Guest
I would just like to add that the purpose of been there and also the purpose of the choir is to give glory to God.
That people applaud the choir suggests they do not understand this.
We are not there to glorify each other and the choir is not singing for our entertainment or appreciation, or at least shouldn’t be, therefore applause is not suitable.
That people applaud the choir suggests they do not understand this.
We are not there to glorify each other and the choir is not singing for our entertainment or appreciation, or at least shouldn’t be, therefore applause is not suitable.
po18guy
Well-known member
The entire mass is the Church’s greatest prayer - from blessing to blessing. As well, it is the sacrifice of our Lord, in which we stand at the foot of the cross. Applause misdirects the attention of the faithful away from Christ and toward their peers, does it not? As well, applause or praise can lead to pride, which has no place at the sacrifice. Mass concentrates our focus on the vertical dimension of our faith. The horizontal dimension is intended to occur once we are sent on mission at mass’ end.
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JHow
Guest
I never liked applause in church, even when I was protestant. It is common, but I don’t do it at all. My wife says I am cranky. 
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svid2
Guest
The only time we’ve applauded was when the choir consisted of 5 or 6 young people (confirmation candidates) who really did a good job. Though I know it was their first time, I still didn’t like it. However, when a lector reads for the first time, AFTER MASS I make sure to thank/compliment them
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Joe_Kelley
Guest
I think Pope Benedict said something to the effect that something that gets applause ceases to be a part of the liturgy. [We have a couple of significant gaps in the liturgy at our parish. 
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The_Curt_Jester
Guest
I despise applause in the Church. Save it for the church hall. If it’s really necessary to thank the choir so profusely, organize a little dinner of appreciation or something. But keep the applause out of the church!
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m134e5
Guest
Absolutely not! I like being applauded and complimented on my abilities as well as any other professional singer- but after performances, not after Mass. If people want to show gratitude for my abilities when they hear me at Mass, they should thank God for the Eucharist and the Church that has given meaning to my life.
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m134e5
Guest
It is *not *necessary- and I can say this as a professional who could get plenty of applause (and some money too) by singing in secular places. It is a precept of the Church to support the Church. This doesn’t just mean giving them money- it means using your God-given talents to help bring people closer to Christ. For me, that talent is music.
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lemongrass
Guest
As a church musician, I’ve got a few things to say about this.
When I was put in charge of the ‘youth mass,’ the youth were singing all sorts of dreadful contemporary hymns and at the end of the final hymn, people had the tendency to clap. It’s truly a double edged sword- knowing that the congregation stuck around long enough for the entire hymn and that they were willing to sing through the whole thing is beautiful. Oftentimes, the only people I hear singing are the choir and when the entire congregation joins in song, it makes me feel as though they’re truly letting the Spirit into their hearts. The clapping is more than a little inappropriate and typically, the pastor has already processed out of the Sanctuary, so the mass is indeed officially over and that makes it a bit less inappropriate. It’s just exceedingly difficult to stand there and say, “Excuse me, but you’re not allowed to clap. Sorry.”
Since then, I’ve managed to “Dirge-ify” (their words, not mine) the youth mass by playing more conservative hymns and turn it into a choir showcasing the youth and that has toned down the clapping. People still stick around and sing, but there are less of them and I can’t help but feel that if the music was a little more upbeat and they were allowed to clap or cheer or whatever they feel like that the music would better serve its purpose as an aide to worship.
This is something I’ve been fighting out in my own mind for months, so I apologize if it seems like I’m talking in circles. It’s a sensitive situation just because the last thing anyone wants to do is ostracize the congregation by telling them they can’t applaud after the final hymn.
m134e5:
I work with two different choirs twice a week each to sing for mass. The choir puts in hours of hard work into what they do and I believe it’s something that people don’t seem to appreciate a lot of the time. It’s true that applause is too much for mass, but to say that it isn’t necessary to thank them? It’s harsh. And I say that as a professional musician as well.
When I was put in charge of the ‘youth mass,’ the youth were singing all sorts of dreadful contemporary hymns and at the end of the final hymn, people had the tendency to clap. It’s truly a double edged sword- knowing that the congregation stuck around long enough for the entire hymn and that they were willing to sing through the whole thing is beautiful. Oftentimes, the only people I hear singing are the choir and when the entire congregation joins in song, it makes me feel as though they’re truly letting the Spirit into their hearts. The clapping is more than a little inappropriate and typically, the pastor has already processed out of the Sanctuary, so the mass is indeed officially over and that makes it a bit less inappropriate. It’s just exceedingly difficult to stand there and say, “Excuse me, but you’re not allowed to clap. Sorry.”
Since then, I’ve managed to “Dirge-ify” (their words, not mine) the youth mass by playing more conservative hymns and turn it into a choir showcasing the youth and that has toned down the clapping. People still stick around and sing, but there are less of them and I can’t help but feel that if the music was a little more upbeat and they were allowed to clap or cheer or whatever they feel like that the music would better serve its purpose as an aide to worship.
This is something I’ve been fighting out in my own mind for months, so I apologize if it seems like I’m talking in circles. It’s a sensitive situation just because the last thing anyone wants to do is ostracize the congregation by telling them they can’t applaud after the final hymn.
In regards to thanking the choir :
I work with two different choirs twice a week each to sing for mass. The choir puts in hours of hard work into what they do and I believe it’s something that people don’t seem to appreciate a lot of the time. It’s true that applause is too much for mass, but to say that it isn’t necessary to thank them? It’s harsh. And I say that as a professional musician as well.
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TrueLight
Guest
I’d have to disagree there. I’d say the choir sings primarily for God but it also helps the congregation.
Beautiful music lifts the soul from the mundane world to a world that is more spiritual and by that, the congregation is able to more tune its mind to the mind of Christ and therefore present a more worthy sacrifice.
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TrueLight
Guest
I sing in a choir at a reformed church and before that I have sung at many sorts of congregations.
Some churches show appreciation by saying loud amens, some clap and some stand up and sing along.
It felt very strange to me when I first started singing at the reformed church that there was complete silence after a song. The general policy of the church is to not clap. However when we sing something upbeat, there is clapping. We shown appreciation for the gifts that God gives us, but we also know it is for the glory of God.
Now, having attended mass, I have to admit that I do like the fact that the choir is out of sight and that everyone’s attention is focused on the altar. I do not see any place during or right after mass for there to be applause.
I’d say the best way for people to show appreciation is to attend a concert performed by the choir. Do y’all have church concerts? LOL.
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laszlo
Guest
Who is applauded?
If the performance of the priest, cantor, choir or even of the community, then it is deadly wrong. We worship God, not humans or their success. That is not wrong, but modus in rebus, it does not belongs to of after the Mass.
Jesus Christ was very careful to give as the Mass as the memory and also redoing of His sacrifice and death: broken body and shed blood: that can be hardly applauded.
If the applauding is for Him as he ultimately won over the death, that it could be appropriate, but it is outside the dynamics of the Mass: gathering, learning, offering, Sacrifice, meal, mission.
If the performance of the priest, cantor, choir or even of the community, then it is deadly wrong. We worship God, not humans or their success. That is not wrong, but modus in rebus, it does not belongs to of after the Mass.
Jesus Christ was very careful to give as the Mass as the memory and also redoing of His sacrifice and death: broken body and shed blood: that can be hardly applauded.
If the applauding is for Him as he ultimately won over the death, that it could be appropriate, but it is outside the dynamics of the Mass: gathering, learning, offering, Sacrifice, meal, mission.
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laszlo
Guest
What is the reason of your music: to fill up the congregation with God, or to fill them with your and your choir’s performance?
The end determines the essence and through that the details.
The applauding on or after the Mass may not have any other reason that to turn away the minds from God to the earthly. The Mass ends with our mission to take God to all over the Earth. For this we need to be filled with God, think about Him, not about human performances.
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Tsuwano
Guest
It’s kind of like licking the plate after a particularly delicious meal. There’s nothing intrinsically wrong or sinful about it, but it just isn’t done. It’s bad taste and not appropriate for liturgy.
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ProVobis
Guest
You bring up an interesting point. There does seem to be a tendency to respond with a loud noise (loud clap or a loud cheer or shout) when we ourselves hear something loud (fireworks, loud political rhetoric, heavy orchestra, loud organ). It’s almost done subconsciously. Maybe the solution is to keep all noise inside the church at more reasonable levels. After all, God can hear silence.
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Oremoose
Guest
I’m Sorry but I am thoroughly Confused. Applause is harmless so what’s the big deal?
I might not be to bothered by it because Parish only really Applaud for the choir that only sings on major occasions. But even then it is a sign of appreciation and it does not last forever so if someone is unsettled by it they only need to wait a few minutes and then it’s done.
Also I don’t believe the Pope has said “There should be no Applause.” as a teaching of the faith. So all we can really say is our own preferences as mine was above.
I might not be to bothered by it because Parish only really Applaud for the choir that only sings on major occasions. But even then it is a sign of appreciation and it does not last forever so if someone is unsettled by it they only need to wait a few minutes and then it’s done.Also I don’t believe the Pope has said “There should be no Applause.” as a teaching of the faith. So all we can really say is our own preferences as mine was above.
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