Priests tell jokes in homilies, incite laughter, clapping, vs. reverence

[smndtupidisaftr]

You are right and I used to think about that. The bulletin are distributed at the entrance of the church and more often than not the content of the announcement are from the church bulletin. And to make matter glaringly abvious/redundant the announcer would say, ‘for the rest of the announcement please read the church bulletin’. We are more selective now and would not announce everything. Mainly those would be new announcement that have not found their ways to the bulletin.

So do you agree with the missal about the timing of the announcement?

It’s the rubrics, but I personally don’t like it there. I’d rather it at the start of the homily.

 

[Reuben_J]

It’s the rubrics, but I personally don’t like it there. I’d rather it at the start of the homily.

Fair enough.

God bless.

 

[Saints_Alive]

No.
Applauding simply acknowledges thier effort. Are you implying that God does not reward those who use thier gifts for His Glory? A simple act, only taking a moment in time to show appreciation for thier work? You would begrudge that?
God is not a legalistic God who must have every “T” crossed, and every “i” dotted.
That turns humans into robots with no relationship to the Almighty at all.
The very thing fundamentalist Christians accuse Catholics of.

Ah, but what is the pope implying ?

Again…

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liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment.
Benedict XVI

If a Catholic can’t accept that statement as coming from one who truly has the authority to make such a statement, then what is sacred to that Catholic ?

This is the Mass, the highest prayer of the Church. Laity don’t determine what’s ok and what isn’t. When we start crossing that line, it’s over. The Hierarchy means nothing, the GIRM means nothing, canon law means nothing. Each parish can become it’s own little denomination. The word Catholic itself loses it’s meaning.

Hence the “cafeteria” reference.

 

[Saints_Alive]

Time and a place for everything.

As you should know well, we should act like Christians when we are outside the church walls as well. That’s a great time to socialize, greet people, and have all the “friendly interactions” you want.

When you’re in church, that is the time to put 100% of your focus on your creator.

Exactly, and anyone who doesn’t get that walked into the church for the wrong reason.

An hour or so a week that’s not about us, but about what is due our Father in Heaven. Considering what Christ endured for us, it should be quite an easy sacrifice.

 

[JustaServant]

I am going to treat people the way I would like to be treated.

Hmmmm…that’s a good way to live the Christian life isn’t it Floresco?
Treat people the way YOU would like to be treated.
Just like Priests…and Religious…we want especially, to treat them that way because God has chosen them.
So we don’t want to make ***rash judgments ***before we hear an entire matter…

He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

Proverbs 18:13.
Lord Bless.

 

[JustaServant]

Absolutely!

But just for the sake of discussion, do you consider this to be irreverent, or reverent behavior:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7oPWttWr9Q/TeR9RxBeTzI/AAAAAAAAC5s/wElkw4beUkw/s1600/0000abuses.jpg

Note the clown theme.

I have always heard about “clown Masses”, but I’ve never actually seen one. Growing up in Pittsburgh in the 1970s we had “hippie Mases”, and “Polka Mases” (there was large Slovak population in the 'burg in those days), but never a “clown Mass”. Maybe its a Southern California thing.
I do prefer reverant worship. But like I said before, what can you live with? Applauding for the choir or a funny thing said in a Homily?
I wouldn’t get too bent out of shape about that.

 

[PRmerger]

I have always heard about “clown Masses”, but I’ve never actually seen one. Growing up in Pittsburgh in the 1970s we had “hippie Mases”, and “Polka Mases” (there was large Slovak population in the 'burg in those days), but never a “clown Mass”. Maybe its a Southern California thing.
I do prefer reverant worship. But like I said before, what can you live with? Applauding for the choir or a funny thing said in a Homily?
I wouldn’t get too bent out of shape about that.

I don’t either.

I was actually addressing the tributary discussion which had segued into: you can’t really tell if something is irreverent or not because God doesn’t judge the way we do.

That’s just plain silly.

 

[NeedImprovement]

I’ll probably get in trouble for raining on everybody’s -]parade/-],er. . . dance ,but to draw things back into the practical realm:

Part of what is being discussed is a difference of opinion between God and Michal as to whether a particular dance was pleasing to God.

In the liturgy of the Mass , the Church (- who speaks with God and for God to us) is clear that liturgical dance and its accompanying applause has no place.

The link was given backon page 2 of this thread and it contains the quote given by Elizium23 back in post # 3.

It isn’t a case of Michal’s vs God’s opinion. The wording is strong enough for us to conclude that it concerns *the Church vs error *, (highlights mine):

**Liturgical Dancing **

Dancing is not a form of expression for the Christian liturgy. In about the third century, there was an attempt in certain Gnostic-Docetic circles to introduce it into the liturgy. For these people, the Crucifixion was only an appearance. Before the Passion, Christ had abandoned the body that in any case he had never really assumed. Dancing could take the place of the liturgy of the Cross, because, after all, the Cross was only an appearance. The cultic dances of the different religions have different purposes — incantation, imitative magic, mystical ecstasy — none of which is compatible with the essential purpose of the liturgy of the “reasonable sacrifice”.

**It is totally absurd to try to make the liturgy “attractive” by introducing dancing pantomimes (wherever possible performed by professional dance troupes), which frequently (and rightly, from the professionals’ point of view) end with applause. 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 attractiveness fades quickly — it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation. I myself have experienced the replacing of the penitential rite by a dance performance, which, needless to say, received a round of applause. Could there be anything farther removed from true penitence? Liturgy can only attract people when it looks, not at itself, but at God, ** when it allows him to enter and act. Then something truly unique happens, beyond competition, and people have a sense that more has taken place than a recreational activity. None of the Christian rites includes dancing. (The Spirit of the Liturgy, pp 198-9)

 

[peace2u2]

My mind wanders easily, and losing 5 minutes to announcements that mostly don’t apply to me tend to put me in the wrong state of mind for the final blessing.

Half the time, I can’t really understand what the person is saying anyway because of distracting noise while they are talking or they are not speaking clearly…so I pray like Hannah. Guess I’m a chip off the old block.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

And that would be during the Mass.

It’s the rubrics, but I personally don’t like it there. I’d rather it at the start of the homily.

I am confused?

You want the announcements, to be read after the reading of the Word, but before the priest starts his homliy?

And you think that is better than just before the final blessing?

I am sorry, I really do not understand this logic at all.

 

[pnewton]

Ah, but what is the pope implying ?

Again…

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.
Benedict XVI

If a Catholic can’t accept that statement as coming from one who truly has the authority to make such a statement, then what is sacred to that Catholic ?

Let us not credit a false authority to this statement. It was not made when he was Pope, but when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. While he is as Cardinal, a learned man, and while I think this book is one of the best I have read, Cardinal Ratzinger was not over liturgy and liturgy was not his area of expertise

Still, this statemen has a good point. It speaks of applause breaking out, not something asked for as part of the ending announcements. It does not refer to laughter.

There is a place in the liturgy for the Scriptures to be taught by the priest (or deacon). Each person has the right to teach or preach in the manner best suited to them. For many, this involves humor. Humor surely has a way of sticking in our minds that straight discourse does not. One can even use visual aids, as this too is a boost to learning. Likewise, there is a place for announcements. What is important and critical to the parish is the discretion of the priest. He may deem it important to recognize someone or something. When these things occur in the proper context it should do nothing to detract from the reverence of the Mass.

 

[Reuben_J]

Let us not credit a false authority to this statement. It was not made when he was Pope, but when he was Cardinal Ratzinger. While he is as Cardinal, a learned man, and while I think this book is one of the best I have read, Cardinal Ratzinger was not over liturgy and liturgy was not his area of expertise

Still, this statemen has a good point. It speaks of applause breaking out, not something asked for as part of the ending announcements. It does not refer to laughter.

There is a place in the liturgy for the Scriptures to be taught by the priest (or deacon). Each person has the right to teach or preach in the manner best suited to them. For many, this involves humor. Humor surely has a way of sticking in our minds that straight discourse does not. One can even use visual aids, as this too is a boost to learning. Likewise, there is a place for announcements. What is important and critical to the parish is the discretion of the priest. He may deem it important to recognize someone or something. When these things occur in the proper context it should do nothing to detract from the reverence of the Mass.

At last a breathe of fresh air that brings sanity to our otherwise dangerously one track mind. In a time when openess seems to be so elusive which clouds our own pet belief that may unable us to properly reasoning thing out, this post is long overdue here.

 

[JustaServant]

I don’t either.

I was actually addressing the tributary discussion which had segued into: you can’t really tell if something is irreverent or not because God doesn’t judge the way we do.

That’s just plain silly.

Exactly. I would add God doesn’t do ANTHING the way we do because what we do is tainted with sin.
Like our Brother JrEducation has said numerous times on this forum, our judgments must be tempered with humility.
So, we don’t make knee-jerk reactions to things until we fully understand the matter.