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tafan2
Guest
Oh we want to participate. Having a hard time seeing that as active participation.
Photos in pews during Mass, thoughts?
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blackforest
Well-known member
My parish has the photos. I’ve neither complained nor participated. (Shrug).
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Genesis315
Guest
If my priest did that, he better put my picture in “my” pew lol (just kidding).
Seriously though, if the pictures are being used as reminders of who are joining in spirit (or for whom Mass is offered, if it is being offered for the intention of the parish), then it is unobjectionable. I’m sure some will think it’s great.
However, it can be done for the wrong reason. There was an article posted here a while back about an Italian priest who did this, and it said “Since his parish is in quarantine, he found delivering mass to empty pews was difficult at the beginning.”
We should be clear that Mass is not directed to the people in the pews, but is a sacrifice offered to God. The primary purpose of those of us in the pews is to join our intentions, prayers, and sacrifices to this Sacrifice as one body, with the priest representing Christ as head. The traditional orientation of the priest makes this unity of purpose more clear and would likely make it easier for a priest to adjust to difficult circumstances like these. Even the way the priest traditionally faced for the readings have symbolic meaning in addition to simply directing the reading to the hearing of those in the pews (facing north for the Gospel, for example, is symbolic of the Church preaching the Gospel to the pagans).
Seriously though, if the pictures are being used as reminders of who are joining in spirit (or for whom Mass is offered, if it is being offered for the intention of the parish), then it is unobjectionable. I’m sure some will think it’s great.
However, it can be done for the wrong reason. There was an article posted here a while back about an Italian priest who did this, and it said “Since his parish is in quarantine, he found delivering mass to empty pews was difficult at the beginning.”
We should be clear that Mass is not directed to the people in the pews, but is a sacrifice offered to God. The primary purpose of those of us in the pews is to join our intentions, prayers, and sacrifices to this Sacrifice as one body, with the priest representing Christ as head. The traditional orientation of the priest makes this unity of purpose more clear and would likely make it easier for a priest to adjust to difficult circumstances like these. Even the way the priest traditionally faced for the readings have symbolic meaning in addition to simply directing the reading to the hearing of those in the pews (facing north for the Gospel, for example, is symbolic of the Church preaching the Gospel to the pagans).
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blackforest
Well-known member
Mine had better be on an edge seat for quick departure after dismissal.
I don’t think that necessarily translates to the priest being so narcissistic as to require an audience. Some priests genuinely miss their parishioners and may experience a sense of loneliness without them present.
It’s also just plain awkward. Like teachers and professional speakers, priests can read the faces on the audience and tailor and adjust things accordingly. Are they amused? Confused? Struggling to hear? Taking cues from parishioners is indeed helpful feedback. But then, while I respect where the trads are coming from, I’m personally not much of a stickler for which way the priest faces.
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RolandThompsonGunner
Guest
My thought as well. Little “cutesy” for my taste but I don’t see anything wrong with it per se.
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phil19034
Guest
I personally think it is corny & childish.
I think silly things like this are one of the reasons SOME people don’t take Church seriously.
NOW - that doesn’t mean it’s sinful.
I think silly things like this are one of the reasons SOME people don’t take Church seriously.
NOW - that doesn’t mean it’s sinful.
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TheLittleLady
Guest
I also cringe to think about organizing, gathering all of those photos. Someone will get missed and complain OR someone will be included and complain.
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1Lord1Faith
Guest
After a couple of weeks Fr. started chatting with the photos after Mass.
Did the photos chat back?
And when the photos start exchanging the sign of peace, shaking hands, hugging, wishing each other a nice day, and asking about Aunt Mildred’s lumbago, that’s when the priest will know that he has started…1Lord1Faith:
Did the photos chat back?
…traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!
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Glennon_P:
1Lord1Faith:
HomeschoolDad:
Glennon_P:
1Lord1Faith:
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Usige
Guest
Only if they leave up the pictures of those that haven’t returned to Mass.
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ThomasMT
Guest
I think it’s sad. I’ll leave it at that.
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tafan2
Guest
Funny, people spent decades stripping churches of religious art, can’t have those beautiful things distracting us, but then they do this.
The more I think about it, the mire absurd it seems.
The more I think about it, the mire absurd it seems.
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pat
Guest
I wonder how the photos handle the collection basket when it comes around.
My photo in a church? Let me get canonized first.
My photo in a church? Let me get canonized first.
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AngelusDomini
Guest
I’ve seen another idea where photos are placed on a display board just outside the sanctuary. Whilst I appreciate it’s a nice idea to have them on the pews it makes it seem a bit ‘exclusive’ and just adds to the “this is my seat” mentality/perception.
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Convert3
Guest
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Convert3
Guest
My parish has a vigil mass and five Sunday masses. A lot of people occupy the same seats each weekend. How do we handle that?
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