Sacrilegious?

[pcg2]

I’m a student in college very involved at the University Catholic Center. This upcoming spring I am going to be a retreat leader along with a few of my fellow UCC students. In order to “advertise,” we are planning on doing announcements after mass this weekend. However, I am not in charge of these announcements, but it seems like the person who is in charge intends to perform a short “skit” after mass, right there in the chapel, with the retreat leaders as the actors. I won’t explain in detail, but in the skit, one person will run into the chapel dressed as a burglar, rolling on the floor and screaming, right there next to the altar. The problem I have with this is that this particular skit doesn’t seem very appropriate as an announcement after mass. To me, the chapel should be used for liturgical activities, not a loud and rambunctious skit. My question is this: would this be sacrilegious? Or am I just overreacting? Honest and blunt answers are appreciated

Thank you!

 

[Trishie]

Would they still do it if they actually could see Jesus standing there?
He is there,
the Real Presence.
It’s not just a room but a consecrated room.
Is there not somewhere else nearby where they can move to for the skits?

Book 4: Canon Law

Canon 1229 Blessing.
Oratories and private chapels should be blessed and reserved for divine worship.

Canon 1220 Maintenance.
§1 Ensure cleanliness and ornamentation of the church. Discordant elements should be excluded. §2 Security should be employed to safeguard sacred and precious goods.

Canon 1210 Non Profane Acts
The sacred place is only for worship, piety and religion, or things in harmony with the holiness of the place. Ordinary can permit in individual cases - theoretically each time. What about receptions after mass? Originally the rule was for commercial or political activities.

 

[kage_ar]

Has the Priest approved these “skits”?

 

[pcg2]

Would they still do it if they actually could see Jesus standing there?
He is there,
the Real Presence.
It’s not just a room but a consecrated room.
Is there not somewhere else nearby where they can move to for the skits?

Unfortunately, no. Usually these “skits” are usually just a humorous dialogue between a few people up at the lectern, but not a full blown out play.

Has the Priest approved these “skits”?

Unfortunately, yes. One of the priests himself is actually one of the retreat leaders. I’ve noticed that the UCC here is not very orthodox all the time. I figure if the priest is going to allow things like this, then there’s nothing I can do.

 

[Ferds_Guiang]

Hi!

I was a priest for almost 12 years but got my dispensation last year and am now a lay person. Nevertheless I think that it would not really be appropriate to perform a skit with “profane” scenes. I still would allow skits that can enhance the liturgy but since this skit is just an advertisement then I really feel uncomfortable with it. The canon abovementioned tells us that due respect and honor should be given to the holy presence of God and this must be shown with our acts. I hope there could be a way to minimize the external display of scenes that do not really have anything to do with the sacred. It may not be sacrilegious since the skit does not intentionally malign our Lord but lets give reverence where reverence is due.

 

[puzzleannie]

anything more tasteless or more likely to make me run screaming in the opposite direction (right across the street to the Baptist Campus minsistry) is hard to imagine, but then I have not been involved in campus ministry for a while, thanks to God’s mercy.