MERGED: Applauding after Mass Poll / Why?

[JRRTFAN]

I am sorry, but this just an opinion. What you need isto go to another mass or another parish. Our pastor starts every homily with a joke. We laugh, clap and rejoice and the RCIA classes are full to the brim every year. The youth program is booming along. We are definitely drifting towards being Charismatic, and I am thrilled!

You just cannot make a blanket statement about clapping being wrong, because it is not. It may be unusual in some cases, but very common in others. I am sure God understands
and he probably chuckles at these exchanges between those who love him.

Don’t we have more to worry about? By the way, Hurray and clap clap clap for the two new Church heroes!

It is an opinion that the reason we didn’t have any candidates or catechumens this year is due to such factors, but it is not opinion that there were none.

 

[ChevalierdeJohn]

This entire conversation is very odd and is, I think, marred by obfuscation of linguistic meaning, or perhaps some misunderstandings regarding what the Mass is.

I have seen others make this same observation less pointedly, but I will restate it again.

Anyone who answered the poll by saying that it is inappropriate to applaud AFTER THE MASS HAS ENDED needs to ask themselves when it becomes appropriate to applaud again. If I leave the Mass, after it has ended, and go afterward to a pageant or other presentation by the children’s group which lasts 15 minutes, am I allowed to applaud the children? Let’s say I leave the Mass, go home to eat something, and then return to attend a musical performance hosted by the parish. Am I allowed to applaud yet? What is the supposed rule here, are we never supposed to applaud in the presence of our Lord?

Obviously this is foolishness. When the Mass has ended the Mass has ended. Liturgical constraints present during the Mass no longer apply when the Mass has ended.

Now, if people are applauding DURING the Mass that’s another story. I have heard people applaud a particularly stirring or thought-provoking homily, and I appreciate the sentiment, but there are other means of showing appreciation, such as going up to the priest after Mass has ended and saying, “Nice homily, Father.”

However, as stated the question was about applauding AFTER Mass. Anyone who wants to make up arbitrary rules about when to applaud outside of Mass is free to do so, but these are not liturgical.

 

[Irish_Steve]

This entire conversation is very odd and is, I think, marred by obfuscation of linguistic meaning, or perhaps some misunderstandings regarding what the Mass is.

I have seen others make this same observation less pointedly, but I will restate it again.

Anyone who answered the poll by saying that it is inappropriate to applaud AFTER THE MASS HAS ENDED needs to ask themselves when it becomes appropriate to applaud again. If I leave the Mass, after it has ended, and go afterward to a pageant or other presentation by the children’s group which lasts 15 minutes, am I allowed to applaud the children? Let’s say I leave the Mass, go home to eat something, and then return to attend a musical performance hosted by the parish. Am I allowed to applaud yet? What is the supposed rule here, are we never supposed to applaud in the presence of our Lord?

Obviously this is foolishness. When the Mass has ended the Mass has ended. Liturgical constraints present during the Mass no longer apply when the Mass has ended.

Now, if people are applauding DURING the Mass that’s another story. I have heard people applaud a particularly stirring or thought-provoking homily, and I appreciate the sentiment, but there are other means of showing appreciation, such as going up to the priest after Mass has ended and saying, “Nice homily, Father.”

However, as stated the question was about applauding AFTER Mass. Anyone who wants to make up arbitrary rules about when to applaud outside of Mass is free to do so, but these are not liturgical.

Well said John! That last paragraph nailed it.

Clap when appropriate and don’t sledge others for doing so !

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

This entire conversation is very odd and is, I think, marred by obfuscation of linguistic meaning, or perhaps some misunderstandings regarding what the Mass is.

I have seen others make this same observation less pointedly, but I will restate it again.

Anyone who answered the poll by saying that it is inappropriate to applaud AFTER THE MASS HAS ENDED needs to ask themselves when it becomes appropriate to applaud again. If I leave the Mass, after it has ended, and go afterward to a pageant or other presentation by the children’s group which lasts 15 minutes, am I allowed to applaud the children? Let’s say I leave the Mass, go home to eat something, and then return to attend a musical performance hosted by the parish. Am I allowed to applaud yet? What is the supposed rule here, are we never supposed to applaud in the presence of our Lord?

Obviously this is foolishness. When the Mass has ended the Mass has ended. Liturgical constraints present during the Mass no longer apply when the Mass has ended.

Now, if people are applauding DURING the Mass that’s another story. I have heard people applaud a particularly stirring or thought-provoking homily, and I appreciate the sentiment, but there are other means of showing appreciation, such as going up to the priest after Mass has ended and saying, “Nice homily, Father.”

However, as stated the question was about applauding AFTER Mass. Anyone who wants to make up arbitrary rules about when to applaud outside of Mass is free to do so, but these are not liturgical.

Are you saying the Church has not asked for certain things before or after Mass? By your logic the Church has no right to address silence BEFORE Mass. Which it has. So how much BEFORE Mass. A week before?

 

[confusedgirl]

I have seen a few different views on applause. The mass is supposed to be a solemn prayer given to God as a blog I used to read put it to applaud would be to cheer for those who helped put it together ie. choirs which is taking away from God. On the opposing argument I have heard that people are thanking them for sharing their gift that they gave to God so basically they are thanking God? At least that’s what it sounded like to me. I am not too sure myself but I know that I haven’t really been to any churches that applaud after mass…

 

[Brigid34]

At our church people spontaneously applaud after the recessional hymn. From what I can understand it is for the choir, however Fr has lead applause for them earlier.