Odd thing at Mass today

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At the end of Mass, before the final blessing, the priest told us that the cantor would be away for a long while. He told us to hold out our hand (palm down, arm elevated) towards her to give her a blessing. BTW, the cantor and ministers of song are staged on the altar. Well, now I’m a little confused. Does the altar include everything on the first level up from the main floor of the congregation?

Aside from the obvious problem of making the sign of the cross while holding out our hand, I felt very uncomfortable doing something that I thought should only be done by priests.

I didn’t hold out my hand, then I did midway through the blessing, returned it awkwardly for the sign of the cross, stuck my hand back out and brought it back quickly. Totally uncomfortable and I wonder if others saw my indecision.

When I got outside, I started talking to another parishoner about other things, and somehow I mentioned this. He said that he too felt strange about it.

Any thoughts on this?
 
I newer liked this kind of things (e.g. clapping), but my sense of obedience is stronger and I would have it done with some sense of discomfort. I do it only if the priest tells us to, otherwise I assume that I have a choice and I don’t (e.g. clapping)
 
They do this in various churches in our diocese also. Sometimes the priest would sing a little blessing song and then we were supposed to stretch out our arm and sing it back. Then we would have the regular blessing after that. I too, feel uncomfortable doing it. I cannot get out of mind all the WWII flicks I have seen where people are saluting Hitler in the same fashion. To me, its just weird, so unless I have been specifically asked to do it by the priest, I don’t.
 
In my church we usually clap if the Choir sings something especially lovely, but I don’t think we ever do that sort of blessing.
 
In my church we usually clap if the Choir sings something especially lovely, but I don’t think we ever do that sort of blessing.
 
It is my understanding that it is inappropriate for lay persons to “give a blessing” in any way that may resemble or be confused with the blessing of a priest or deacon.
Magnum_V8 said:
Does the altar include everything on the first level up from the main floor of the congregation?
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The altar is actually the table on which the holy sacrifice of the Mass is offered. The raised part of the floor around the altar (where the priest and altar servers sit, etc.) is the sanctuary. But somehow the word “altar” has come into incorrect common usage to refer to the sanctuary (as you did in your post). Perhaps the phrase “around the altar” got abbreviated to “on the altar”? Just a guess. Or maybe it is because in Protestant churches the whole interior gathering space of the church is called the sanctuary. Confusing?! Anyway, I prefer to use the word “altar” only for the altar itself.
 
We do this often in my parish. Father says we come together as a community and its the community who prays for each other. Palms down for the lay people, palms up for the ordained.
 
*“Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly - it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.”
  • Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pp. Benedict XVI)
 
Windmill said:
*“Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly - it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.”
  • Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pp. Benedict XVI)
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Are you serious to think that this statement is enough? I wish that people would listen but I was in a Mass where the Bishop told the people to stop clapping and they kept doing it anyway.
 
Cristiano said:
Are you serious to think that this statement is enough? I wish that people would listen but I was in a Mass where the Bishop told the people to stop clapping and they kept doing it anyway.
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That’s wonderful news… At least there is a bishop who will tell the people to stop clapping.
 
Cristiano,

settle down, my fellow Texan friend:) Of course, a mere statement is not going to automatically correct all sorts of problems that have been ingrained over years. I’m not that naive. My point was to show that the person’s discomfort with clapping is completely natural. Their gut instinct says it is wrong. Pp. BXVI’s quote is merely putting their concerns into words. If they decide to talk to the priest about it, they have some ammo, and not just their own preference.
 
At the end of the blessing recited by the priest for the cantor you drop your arm (palms down). Its done.

Then as the final blessing is received, you make the sign. 2 totally different movements - for 2 different purposes. It shouldn’t be that confusing and should definitely not be arm up, cross, arm up again - perhaps you misunderstood when one blessing ended and the other one began.

This may happen if the cantor is in need of prayer and blessings for illness, journey, or other instance.
 
love4mary said:
We do this often in my parish. Father says we come together as a community and its the community who prays for each other. Palms down for the lay people, palms up for the ordained.
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You have got to be kidding on this. Palms up and palms down? Sounds like your pastor is making things up as he goes along my friend.
 
I cannot clap in church. I agree that if something is done that generates applause it seems too much like entertainment. Many people in our parish do clap & I have seen it in other parishes as well, but I cannot. If someone is being thanked, I of course wish them thanks the same as anyone else, but no clapping.

Similarly, I don’t think the Homily is for your entertainment & I have heard about members complaining to the clergy that their homilies were not entertaining. I submit that if you are in church to be entertained that you need help.

As for a congregational blessing, our parish raises one hand (although I believe they do not specify which hand) and we have never had direction that I remember about which way the palm faces. And yes they hold the hand out and elevate it. Which, if done with the right hand which most people do, seems WAY TOO LIKE “Heil Hitler” to me, and makes me extremely uncomfortable. In my son’s parish, they raise both hands. That’s what I do, wherever I am called upon to participate in this way.

I don’t know that any of it signifies anything more than the congregation is sending their prayers of support or thanks for whoever/whatever the priest is presenting them at the time.
 
Howsabout we just fold our hands in prayer and say, “Lord, please bless so-and-so”?

Of course, if we wanted to make ourselves look even loopier, we could put our hands in the Jewish sign of blessing in which the hands spell out the name of God – popularized by Leonard Nimoy (who peeked at the rabbi) as the Vulcan “Live long and prosper” sign. You’d have to use both hands to do the blessing right, mind you, and you’d be presumptuously trampling on the traditions of Judaism as well as looking like a terminal Trekkie, but at least it won’t look like you’ve signed on with the SS.

Personally, I swore a mighty oath in 1982 never to make weird hand gestures in church ever again. I am not a butterfly, and if I were, I would not flap my hands in order to fly.
 
Windmill said:
*“Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly - it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.”
  • Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pp. Benedict XVI)
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Thank you for this quote. I refuse to clap for anyone during Mass.
 
tmw said:
Thank you for this quote. I refuse to clap for anyone during Mass.
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I will ask my Pastor to review this. Of course, I agree with it, but I welcome the support of the Holy Father.
 
I have always felt uncomfortable clapping in Church, it’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who feels that discomfort. There’s something a wee bit disrespectful about it I think, it causes me the same discomfort that I feel when I hear a guitar in the Church or liturgical dancers.:nope: But nevertheless I join the congregation when we are required to clap, as I don’t want to seem insulting or ungrateful to the cause of the applause. I have never heard of that blessing mentioned by the first poster.:confused:
 
Windmill said:
*“Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly - it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.”
  • Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pp. Benedict XVI)
Click to expand...
The more I learn about our new Pope, the better I like him.
 
Magnum_V8 said:
At the end of Mass, before the final blessing, the priest told us that the cantor would be away for a long while. He told us to hold out our hand (palm down, arm elevated) towards her to give her a blessing. BTW, the cantor and ministers of song are staged on the altar. Well, now I’m a little confused. Does the altar include everything on the first level up from the main floor of the congregation?

Aside from the obvious problem of making the sign of the cross while holding out our hand, I felt very uncomfortable doing something that I thought should only be done by priests.

I didn’t hold out my hand, then I did midway through the blessing, returned it awkwardly for the sign of the cross, stuck my hand back out and brought it back quickly. Totally uncomfortable and I wonder if others saw my indecision.

When I got outside, I started talking to another parishoner about other things, and somehow I mentioned this. He said that he too felt strange about it.

Any thoughts on this?
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What a nice thing for our pastor to do for this person, who served your parish, but now for some reason, is leaving. There is no problem with people praying for each other, and offering their blessing.

I’m surprised that a Christian would have a problem with this. 🤷

Jim
 
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