Priest walks around during homily

[ConstantineTG]

After re-reading my OP, I can see how some misunderstandings have occured. When I said that the priest walks around, and in another post I said he walks way into the back of the church, I didn’t mean that he walks about in the sanctuary area, or in the back of the sanctuary area.

He walks out into the area of the congregation, and up and down the aisles.

Well, again, as Father has said, there’s really nothing that says he cannot do that.

 

[opus101]

Well, again, as Father has said, there’s really nothing that says he cannot do that.

I didn’t say or even imply that he couldn’t do that. I was just asking if others experienced the same thing, and if it was an annoyance to them (as it is to me, as I cannot see him and sometimes can’t hear him well.)

 

[CB_Catholic]

Constantine

I hope you are joking or just being sarcastic. There is nothing wrong with what they do. And they are both wonderful homilists. And we love them both.

On Sundays though, both remain in the pulpit. Our weekday Masses are more intimate.

I think he was joking–you said the priest was standing ON the altar, which most certainly be an abuse–imagine his footprints all over the altar cloth!

It is correct to say he was standing at the altar, or in front of it, whatever, just not ON it.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Constantine

I hope you are joking or just being sarcastic. There is nothing wrong with what they do. And they are both wonderful homilists. And we love them both.

On Sundays though, both remain in the pulpit. Our weekday Masses are more intimate.

Yes, I was making a joke because you said they were on the altar, which literally means they are standing or sitting on top of the altar which I why I said its Liturgical abuse

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

I didn’t say or even imply that he couldn’t do that. I was just asking if others experienced the same thing, and if it was an annoyance to them (as it is to me, as I cannot see him and sometimes can’t hear him well.)

For the record, I know that you did not say that. Unfortunately another poster implied the priest was committing an obvious error and it was to that post(er) to which I responded…

 

[SteveGC]

"GKCT:

One always stands on the altar and the other comes down off, but he pretty much stays put.

This is Liturgical abuse!!! Report it to the bishop immediately!!!

I hope you are joking or just being sarcastic

I think he’s referring to your comment that the priest “stands on the altar”. I don’t think that’s what you meant to say.

opus101:

After re-reading my OP, I can see how some misunderstandings have occured. When I said that the priest walks around, and in another post I said he walks way into the back of the church, I didn’t mean that he walks about in the sanctuary area.

He walks out into the area of the congregation, and up and down the aisles.

Thus, one would have to seriously consider what “…in another worthy place” actually means. Doesn’t seem to me that this would include “up and down the aisles”. But I suppose it’s up for interpretation.

 

[Chaplain777]

Personally, I would prefer the priest move around only because it means that he knows his homily cold and can deliver it without it sounding read…which by the way is a little off-putting for me. I also believe the homily takes on a note of authority…not the moving around…the priest knowing his homily.

However, I can also relate to the distraction of trying to keep track of the priest, this happens to me when we have a baptism and there is a procession around the church…I sorta forget to listen to what is being said.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

It’s like anything else. Some people find it appealing and have mentioned why they like it --it makes the priest seem more ‘approachable’, to them it ‘seems’ like he knows the material and is speaking’ from the heart’. Probably the people who like this are themselves extroverted, sociable people who move around a lot and so this seems normal and comfortable.

Some people find it distracting and mention why --they cannot hear the priest so well, they cannot see him (and after all, if ‘movement’ helps convey a message, surely the eyes and the face convey it also, and certainly one usually does better if one can hear the voice clearly.) Some people feel that it turns the focus less on the message than on Father 'look at ME, listen to ME, I’m gonna get right in your face to make my point",(even if that is not what Father intends!) or that to them it has more the feel of listening to a stand up comic, not to a priest. Probably the people who don’t like this are themselves more inclined to be introverted, people who tend to ‘be still’ and to be more ‘listening’ and less reactive, and so to them, the priest ‘moving’ seems distracting and uncomfortable.

There is nothing wrong with being social, or 'still. Nothing wrong with being an introvert OR an extrovert.

But before 40 years ago, I find almost no mention or record of a priest ‘moving around’ at Mass. Again, that doesn’t mean that I’m calling it wrong. Perfectly right and decent practices exist now that did not exist 50, 100, 500 years ago. So give things some time and say a prayer for ALL our priests.

And no priest is ever going to please ALL of the people all of the time.

So, if a priest is a mover, and you’re an introvert, you can either try to make changes yourself (move closer, try to develop other ways to focus, try to take this as an opportunity to understand a different point of view), and if your priest is ‘stock still’ and you’re an extrovert, do the same (try to develop ways to focus, to understand a different point of view). . . but unless Father is having the organist do ‘rim shots’ at every joke or berating people, “Hey, I’m in charge here and you’ll do what I want when I want how I want or else”, it’s really not time to call 1-800-LITABUSE.

 

[SMHW]

It is kind of a tradition at my parish that the homily is given by the pastor while he slowly circled the altar. (We are now on our third pastor.) Some of the associates and visiting priests preferred speaking from the ambo or from the chair but by speaking from next to the altar a priest would by high enough that he could be seen and would eventually end up facing everyone in the parish.

It was kind of a parish joke a few years ago that the length of the homily was measured by revolutions of the altar rather than in minutes. (A standard length homily was about three revolutions.) I haven’t heard anyone mention that recently.

 

[SteveGC]

it’s really not time to call 1-800-LITABUSE.

Oh, if only there were such a number. npatrol:

Good post.

 

[MartyrForJesus]

Yes, I was making a joke because you said they were on the altar, which literally means they are standing or sitting on top of the altar which I why I said its Liturgical abuse

I found it really funny!

 

[MartyrForJesus]

…but unless Father is having the organist do ‘rim shots’ at every joke or berating people, “Hey, I’m in charge here and you’ll do what I want when I want how I want or else”, it’s really not time to call 1-800-LITABUSE.

 

[Luvtosew]

Please dont report him, maybe say Father why do you walk around so much first.

I think it may bother me a bit if he walks to the back of the church, hearing what he says is the most important. I like a good homily that I can hear!

Is he a new priest in your parish. There must be some reason he feels the need to walk about.

Really tho I guess if it were me I would just deal with it or go down to another church or change to another mass time.

 

[jimrob]

All of our current clergy prefer to deliver the homily from the lectern, but a priest who was with us until recently used to wander around with a hand-held microphone. It went down well with some of the congregation, but the rest were wondering when he was going to burst into “That’s Entertainment”.