Liturgical Dance-The Floor looked interesting today at the end of Mass

[river444]

Before the end of Mass the parish that I attend had young girls performing a liturgical dance. I decided that I would look at the floor rather than watch. I also refused to applaud at the end. How could I applaud for something that I know is not allowed?
I also have another question. Is changing th response after each petition allowed? Today it was something like “Jesus forgive us”

 

[Dauphin]

Why do some people insist on dancing during the Mass? I just don’t get it. It would never occur to me.

Anyway, don’t they educate priests on how to conduct the Mass? Is this deliberate defiance? You would think it’s much easier just to follow the rules…

 

[jrnami]

What is liturgical dance? I’ve never witnessed this.

 

[Caesar]

I too often find myself admiring the floor

 

[cecilia97]

I also refused to applaud at the end. How could I applaud for something that I know is not allowed?
I also have another question. Is changing th response after each petition allowed? Today it was something like “Jesus forgive us”

I REALLY dislike applause at the end of any Mass, so I’m with you on that one. Mass is not a musical theatre production!

Our responses were also something like “Merciful Jesus, we trust in you”.

 

[Sarabande]

I REALLY dislike applause at the end of any Mass, so I’m with you on that one. Mass is not a musical theatre production!
QUOTE]

Oh… I totally agree. Our organist, who is perhaps one of the most gifted, talented and artistic organists/musicians in our city, absolutely does not like any applause after he completes his postlude. As a musician myself and for many of my colleagues, we are always embarrassed and/or upset when we there is applause after a mass. We’re the kind who tend to like to run out of the “back door” or wait till everyone leaves the church.

I realize that many people are just ignorant of the fact that this music is another form of prayer and not a performance, so I cannot be angry at the people, per say. But I believe something must be said perhaps by the priests or teachers in the school regarding this phenomenon. The other thing, too, is that we work in a Cathedral. Many of the visitors are not fortunate enough to experience the “high art” sacred music from our centuries of Catholic music repertoire performed by a few highly trained musicians - many of whom are devout and are doing it for God - not for the praise.

We’ve had people come up after mass and say that they never heard Palestrina or Tallis, etc., or an incredible organ piece composed by a composer at the height of French organ repertoire, so they are kind of caught off guard and I guess don’t know how else to respond. It probably would be less if they heard it all the time and would realize that this is for prayer.

About liturgical dance - I don’t understand it either. When I was in Catholic grade school - 80s and 90s - that was really big during the special school masses and Christmas pageants. Thank goodness I was never asked to do that for our Christmas pageant. I got to play Mary.

 

[THurifer2]

Before the end of Mass the parish that I attend had young girls performing a liturgical dance. I decided that I would look at the floor rather than watch. I also refused to applaud at the end. How could I applaud for something that I know is not allowed?
I also have another question. Is changing th response after each petition allowed? Today it was something like “Jesus forgive us”

I see you are from Nebraska…Please tell me you are not In the LIncoln Diocese? If so then You know what has frozen over. I cant imagine dancing happening in our Nations #1 diocese. (no i am not from lincoln…just an admirer)

 

[Fidelia]

We had a liturgical dance last night too. It was the first time Father ever did that. Wait- not what it sounds–Father was NOT the one dancing! I meant the first time Father had someone dance. It was after the creed right before presenting the gifts. It just seemed like, ‘ok let’s pause mass and sit and watch this.’ I can’t completely condemn it, but i really don’t see a purpose for interjecting it into Mass. What’s the point?

 

[cathsem]

As to the two issues presented by the OP:

Liturgical Dance… (enough said)

Changed Petitions during the General Intercessions: This, I believe, is OK. The rubric governing these in the Missal is quite general allowing for multiple possibilities within reason. (I know that the “within reason” part is a bit of a challenge for some parishes…Though not stipulated as so in the rubrics, it would be an abuse to have a liturgical dancer intoning the intercessions while performing the macarena down the center aisle. )

 

[pumpkinbeast]

I finally put two and two together: when I was about 6 or 7, I remember going to Mass, and seeing dancers. We left that Mass early, and now I finally understand what I was seeing, and why, God bless them, my parents left. This was in Calgary, Alberta, about 11-12 years ago… sighs

I sing in my church choir, and I hate it when people applaud us. We’re leading the singing, not performing. I pray when I sing, it’s one of my most favorite forms of prayer, and I hope that my voice will lift people’s minds towards heaven, and not me. I have been told that I have an angelic voice ; I hope it makes people think about the real angels, rather than me… God is the source of all blessings, including my voice. Besides, my harmonies would sound weird if the rest of the choir wasn’t singing the melodies, so I’m not doing doing it alone. ^^

 

[lizaanne]

Before the end of Mass the parish that I attend had young girls performing a liturgical dance. I decided that I would look at the floor rather than watch. I also refused to applaud at the end. How could I applaud for something that I know is not allowed?
I also have another question. Is changing th response after each petition allowed? Today it was something like “Jesus forgive us”

Regarding the dance - write to your priest and complain. Then write to your archdiocese and complain.

This is abuse. And it should not be tolerated. We do not allow priests to abuse our children, why do we allow them to abuse the Mass?

~Liza

 

[river444]

Thank you everyone.
I am in the Omaha Archdiocese. This the only parish that I have seen a Liturgical Dance ever. I had already planned to speak with the priest this week about something totally unrelated but I will bring it up with him. Can someone point me to some resourses to share with him on the subject?

 

[lizaanne]

Thank you everyone.
I am in the Omaha Archdiocese. This the only parish that I have seen a Liturgical Dance ever. I had already planned to speak with the priest this week about something totally unrelated but I will bring it up with him. Can someone point me to some resourses to share with him on the subject?

Try this: adoremus.org/Dance.html

~Liza

 

[Dirk_Skene]

Before the end of Mass the parish that I attend had young girls performing a liturgical dance. …

And the cancer spreds We have 1 parish here in my neck of the woods that does that disrespectful comedy show. I have never had to witness the fiasco in person. I do not know exactly what I would do if I did. I have been known to “snap.”

 

[Jabronie]

Thank you everyone.
I am in the Omaha Archdiocese. This the only parish that I have seen a Liturgical Dance ever. I had already planned to speak with the priest this week about something totally unrelated but I will bring it up with him. Can someone point me to some resourses to share with him on the subject?

I live in Lincoln and will be moving to Omaha after I get married this September. Could you post or PM me with some good churches in the area? Also, which ones should I avoid?

 

[anthony022071]

A good resource is A New Song For The Lord – by our Pope.
Especially chapters 6,7,and 8. I doubt,however, that a priest who has little sense of the sanctity of the church service,the altar,and Eucharist will be converted even by the Pope.

At St. Peter’s in downtown Chicago the Easter Sunday service
at 6 PM included a jazz ensemble of college kids (singer,keyboardist,bassist,drummer) performing lounge
music arrangements of Christian hymns at the side of the altar. One of the monks filled in on electric keyboard during Communion.The congregation didn’t know how to respond and they didn’t really sing along.They just put up with it. People are afraid to complain about these things because they don’t want to
be spoilers of other people’s misguided or naive ideas of worship and because they too have little sense of sanctity.

 

[Iowa_Mike]

Try this: adoremus.org/Dance.html

~Liza

Excellent article thanks. From a practical standpoint I believe that any activity done during the liturgy, whether it is dance, singing, music instrumentals etc. that detract from the mass or distract the congregation should not be allowed.

Mass is not a place for people to perform, it is a time to celebrate Christ’s mass.

Iowa Mike

 

[JimR-OCDS]

A friend of mine just told me that at his parish at the Easter Vigil, when they dressed the altar, they had young girls doing a liturgical dance down the center isle, as they brought up the altar cloth. Another young girls stood in front of the altar playing on the violin the Quaker tune, Lord of the Dance.

I was shocked because I go to confession to the pastor of that parish, and he is a good confessor.

Also, the new pastor at my parish shocked us all on Holy Thursday. Instead of washing of the feet, he had washing of the hands. Everyone had their hands washed.

I wonder if the Bishops letting these things slide isn’t because of the shortage of priest, and the fear they have in reprimanding the few priest they have serving?

Jim

 

[Iowa_Mike]

A friend of mine just told me that at his parish at the Easter Vigil, when they dressed the altar, they had young girls doing a liturgical dance down the center isle, as they brought up the altar cloth. Another young girls stood in front of the altar playing on the violin the Quaker tune, Lord of the Dance.

I was shocked because I go to confession to the pastor of that parish, and he is a good confessor.

Also, the new pastor at my parish shocked us all on Holy Thursday. Instead of washing of the feet, he had washing of the hands. Everyone had their hands washed.

I wonder if the Bishops letting these things slide isn’t because of the shortage of priest, and the fear they have in reprimanding the few priest they have serving?

Jim

Jim,

These are abuses…I urge you to write him a letter and explain your disappointment at his behavior and ask him to stop it. If he doesn’t, I’d report him to the Bishop.

Iowa Mike

 

[Eschato]

cecilia97;2108863:

I REALLY dislike applause at the end of any Mass, so I’m with you on that one. Mass is not a musical theatre production!
QUOTE]

Oh… I totally agree. Our organist, who is perhaps one of the most gifted, talented and artistic organists/musicians in our city, absolutely does not like any applause after he completes his postlude. As a musician myself and for many of my colleagues, we are always embarrassed and/or upset when we there is applause after a mass. We’re the kind who tend to like to run out of the “back door” or wait till everyone leaves the church.

I realize that many people are just ignorant of the fact that this music is another form of prayer and not a performance, so I cannot be angry at the people, per say. But I believe something must be said perhaps by the priests or teachers in the school regarding this phenomenon. The other thing, too, is that we work in a Cathedral. Many of the visitors are not fortunate enough to experience the “high art” sacred music from our centuries of Catholic music repertoire performed by a few highly trained musicians - many of whom are devout and are doing it for God - not for the praise.

We’ve had people come up after mass and say that they never heard Palestrina or Tallis, etc., or an incredible organ piece composed by a composer at the height of French organ repertoire, so they are kind of caught off guard and I guess don’t know how else to respond. It probably would be less if they heard it all the time and would realize that this is for prayer.

About liturgical dance - I don’t understand it either. When I was in Catholic grade school - 80s and 90s - that was really big during the special school masses and Christmas pageants. Thank goodness I was never asked to do that for our Christmas pageant. I got to play Mary.

I won’t clap before, during, or after mass either. If you are going to clap while sitting in front of an altar, you should be clapping for God. Problem is, God doesn’t need applause. That is what the Mass is for.

So, I can agree with you on not wanting to be clapped for at Mass on the basis that your musical performance is a form of prayer. However, I disagree with you on people walking up to you afterward and talking to you about what you were playing, and their appreciation of it. After all, the highest prayer is that of the priest on the altar as he says the Mass, and I have yet to attend a Mass where the parishioners didn’t shake Father’s hands and tell him how they appreciated his work. It’s only fitting that they should do the same for you.