Santa Claus during the homily

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We are talking about infecting even the Christmas Mass with the American obsession with materialism.

There are, after all, Catholics who don’t tell their children stories about a guy who hangs out at the mall for photo-ops until he makes a mad dash on Christmas Eve in order to fulfill their material desires, as if that were the main point of the holy day.
 
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With all due respect, it is one Mass out of the year, “Santa” was played by a deacon, talked about Jesus with the priest, and prayed before the creche.
Doesn’t sound like some big materialistic WalMart party to me.
 
I cannot as it was over 10 years ago.
The Bishop is a personal friend of mine.
What I wrote here was a paraphrase. He was not one to engage with anyone who had a legalistic mindset. It drove him crazy when he would have to waste his time with petty “problems” created by the liturgical police, and he spoke of his issues with it often.
 
Thing is, the Church has rubrics and rules because they are good for us. These rubrics help us get to Heaven.
 
I think the issue here for me is the mixing of the real and miraculous elements of the Mass, with the imaginary magic of Santa. I personally don’t care to interweave the real with the imaginary, in the Mass. The miracle of the Eucharist is real but abstract and difficult for some to accept. In my opinion, the Mass needs no fake magic.
 
Yes. He called him St. Nicolas at first, but also mentioned Mrs. Claus, and how he was thankful he came on such a busy night when he had to visit some many families, etc.
 
@BrownEyes123 I wouldn’t have been happy either. I was slightly disappointed that incense was not used at Midnight Mass as it adds a sense of solemnity and mystery to the Mass.
 
Very good point.

Sewing Mass and Santa together in the mind of a child, when he learns that Santa is not real it may also fracture his belief in the Mass.
 
TheHolyTrinity said:
@BrownEyes123 I wouldn’t have been happy either. I was slightly disappointed that incense was not used at Midnight Mass as it adds a sense of solemnity and mystery to the Mass.
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Whereas we had both incense and Santa/St. Nicholas 🙂
 
FiveLinden said:
Clergy and servers are required to wear costumes all year.
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No, a “costume” is when someone dresses to represent a person or role they do not hold in non-theatrical life. It is a deliberate representation for the purpose of supporting the part being played.

Vestments worn at the altar and during Mass reflect the actual roles and identities of those who wear them.
 
ktmeyer said:
He absolutely is St. Nicholas. Same person. Now, some may choose to ignore that, but that is who Santa is. It’s just a nickname, not a different person.
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Perhaps in the beginning it was that way, but now there has been too far a divergence from the traditional identity. Saint Nicholas would never even recognize his modern representation! Santa Claus has taken on too much of a secular identity. For that matter, our entire culture has. Do you notice how difficult it is to find any traditional Christmas Cards and paper? How Christmas has become so centered around merchandize?

Another sad reflection is how everything is taken down on Dec. 26. There is no “Christmas Season” in the culture anymore. And there is an outcry for wishing others a Merry Christmas instead of “happy holidays”. This separation from the spiritual roots of the “holy day” is not just confined to Christmas but is rampant.
 
Those who feel that Santa is appropriate at Mass, would you be okay with the Easter Bunny at Easter Vigil? He can reverently walk down the aisle during the presentation of the gifts with the Ciborium in the basket, genuflect kneel before a mock up of the open tomb, maybe come in earlier and give the homily.
 
guanophore said:
No, a “costume” is when someone dresses to represent a person or role they do not hold in non-theatrical life. It is a deliberate representation for the purpose of supporting the part being played.

Vestments worn at the altar and during Mass reflect the actual roles and identities of those who wear them.
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How do you explain ‘national costume’, then?
 
It was a distraction where the focus was Christ. I was also glad they were there, but would they wear the Santa hats to meet Jesus? I guess they would. As a new Catholic, I’m trying to understand all of the practices. Just odd to see women with veils then the Santa hats. It seemed for show.
 
That’s really peculiar. If there’s an Easter bunny during Lent, I would walk out.
 
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I can’t help but wonder how the world would change if all those so concerned about the purity of the liturgy put that energy into stopping human trafficking or helping the poor.
 
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