Priest walks around during homily

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opus101

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The priest at out parish walks around during the homily, and it’s hard to follow him because of this. I’m short, and I lose sight of him during most of it. It’s very hard to concentrate on what he’s saying, as I’m always trying to track him down. All I can see is everyone else (front or back). He just can’t stand still.

If he would speak from the lectern, then everyone would be able to see him.

Does anyone else experience this?
 
opus101 said:
The priest at out parish walks around during the homily, and it’s hard to follow him because of this. I’m short, and I lose sight of him during most of it. It’s very hard to concentrate on what he’s saying, as I’m always trying to track him down. All I can see is everyone else (front or back). He just can’t stand still.

If he would speak from the lectern, then everyone would be able to see him.

Does anyone else experience this?
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On occasion our priest will come down to the front and talk and move about slightly but not a whole lot. I don’t like it thought because I, too, am short and then I can’t see him and I listen better when I can see the person talking.

Maybe you could speak to him or move closer I guess?🙂
 
Sure, ours likes to walk a bit too. I just sit still, and concentrate in his words and soon I am listening to our Lord speaking.
I don’t worry about “seeing” the priest, I just listen 👍
 
I take notes during the homily, it helps me really focus. So I don’t worry about seeing him, I’m busy focusing on his words and writing down the bits that really stick to my head and my heart.
 
The priest is not supposed to walk around during the homily. One of the reasons is it makes it hard for seeing and or understanding the homily. Using the lectern set aside specifically for the Gospel reading and homily sets this part of the Mass apart from the rest of the Mass. In the old churches, this was always a raised platform or special podium/lectern. The purpose is not to talk to parishioners as friends or an informal classroom; the priest is reading the Gospel and (hopefully) speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
 
We also have a couple of priests who leave the pulpit, but it is only during the weekday Mass. One always stands on the altar and the other comes down off, but he pretty much stays put.

I don’t always look at the priest, but rather listen to his words.

Like the other poster said-perhaps sit closer.
 
Luvtosew said:
Sit in the front seat. I would not say anything to him.
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Sitting in the front would make it even harder, as he would almost always be behind me. He really moves around…walks way back in the church (which is designed in a half-circle). He uses a mike, and resembles a talk show host. To be honest, the whole thing lseems like a show.
 
Becicat said:
The priest is not supposed to walk around during the homily. One of the reasons is it makes it hard for seeing and or understanding the homily. Using the lectern set aside specifically for the Gospel reading and homily sets this part of the Mass apart from the rest of the Mass. In the old churches, this was always a raised platform or special podium/lectern. The purpose is not to talk to parishioners as friends or an informal classroom; the priest is reading the Gospel and (hopefully) speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
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Please understand that I’m not trying to be argumentative, but is that found somewhere in the rubrics? If so, is it for the EF only, or does that include the OF?

The reason I’m asking is because as much as we’d like to believe our priests are adept at everything, not all are completely comfortable with various aspects of speaking in public…even to their own beloved parishioners. Perhaps walking around a bit aides him in giving the homily without being nervous or distracted and maybe that’s the only way he can effectively give a homily in front of a crowded church.
 
Oh I hate when a priest does that! I dont mind it one its a childrens liturgy but at a regular Mass its just so frustrating.
Maybe hes ADD? :o
 
A retired Protestant minister I know refers to this phenomenon as “prancing.”
 
One of ours walks around using a wireless microphone. It’s never bothered me. He is more engaging and seems to capture the congregation’s attention better.
Maybe hes ADD?
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Yep, ours does. And he’s a great priest.
 
Becicat said:
The priest is not supposed to walk around during the homily.
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That’s not absolute. The GIRM merely states: “136. The Priest, standing at the chair or at the ambo itself or, if appropriate, in another worthy place, gives the Homily.” (emphasis mine)

While the GIRM expresses a strong preference for the priest to be either at his chair or the ambo, it does not necessarily forbid him to preach from elsewhere in the church.
 
I like it when they walk around. It seems to put them at ease, and they speak from the heart more than a piece of paper (not that there is anything wrong with sticking to something that was written down!).

It’s fine for a priest to do this, it’s personal preference. If you can’t see consistently, sit up closer I’d say. I don’t think it’s like “talking to a bunch of friends” but rather “instructing a crowd.” Up at the podium its kind of like “giving a speech.” But, to each his own!

A good homily is in the words, not the speakers location. My wife, growing up in the Philippines, had to sit outside the church because there was never any room inside. Imagine that…can’t see anything at all then, throughout the whole mass, and have to strain to hear!
 
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.
 
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.
 
Due to sound systems issues, when he walks away from the ambo the sound quality immediately degrades, and then when he turns away and speaks to the other side I can hardly hear.

I would rather him stay put.
 
NewEnglandPries said:
That’s not absolute. The GIRM merely states: “136. The Priest, standing at the chair or at the ambo itself or, if appropriate, in another worthy place, gives the Homily.” (emphasis mine)

While the GIRM expresses a strong preference for the priest to be either at his chair or the ambo, it does not necessarily forbid him to preach from elsewhere in the church.
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I’m pretty sure Father that the priest is forbidden from being on the altar 😃
 
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