James Akin wrote “Mass Confusion”. I think it should be read regarding dancing. Unless the Pope allowed it for any group or the whole Church, dancing in Church is not allowed. I wish clapping were included in that book as “not preferable” or, better yet, “prohibited” (he doesn’t mention clapping in that edition though he did say on EWTN radio that holding hands should not be called for by the priest). That includes clapping to music and clapping when an anniversary or an altarserver’s first mass serving is announced (I don’t know which one Fr. Groeschel talks against).
In these silent masses, the altarserver (sometimes an adult man serves) I think, represents us–and isn’t that what heaven has a lot of (representing and hierarchy). The altar server, I believe, is supposed to be represented as pure and we know the pure of heart is a better representative for us than ourselves when offering up anything to God. I do like all the prayers of the priest interceding for us (I think we need more of those now more than ever), the prayers he says hoping he will be a good offerer for our sakes, the beautiful descriptive words for Jesus like “venerable hands” in the consecration prayer, the beautiful Catholic sacred music, etc. in the Latin mass. I believe kneeling to receive manna or something is actually in the Old Testament. I did not grow up with it but feel I need for my soul what is done in the Tridentine mass. But, like I said, there is a lot of singing and responding in Latin high masses, at least since Ecclesia Dei, and the readings are repeated in English and the homily is given the first time in English (as well as the prayers after the low mass, a rosary before a mass, and sometimes a song after mass. I cannot speak for the SSPX masses). I have only been to one or two of them.
