Using a Crucifix as a Prop

[primrose5891]

We’re planning on doing a skit at my school in which we imitate a teacher who wears a somewhat large and prominent crucifix around his neck every day. So, we were planning on making a large (12" or so) crucifix into a necklace for the person who is playing the teacher in the skit. My question is, is it sacrilegious to do this? Or disrespectful?

 

[jeannetherese]

As you describe it, it sounds as though using the cross as a prop could have the potential of being hurtful to your friend the teacher. Some people carry/wear blessed crosses as sacramentals. An article discussing sacramentals is available here
ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/WHATARE.htm
Your concern for ensuring that no disrespect might be perceived is most kind. I hope that the article proves helpful.
May God bless you!

 

[livingwordunity]

We’re planning on doing a skit at my school in which we imitate a teacher who wears a somewhat large and prominent crucifix around his neck every day. So, we were planning on making a large (12" or so) crucifix into a necklace for the person who is playing the teacher in the skit. My question is, is it sacrilegious to do this? Or disrespectful?

Jesus said that those who are hated because of him are blessed. It takes a lot of courage to wear a crucifix (especially a big one) in a society that hates Jesus. Your teacher deserves a lot of respect for not being ashamed of his love for Jesus even in the face of a satanic culture of death.

 

[Corpus_Cristi]

My question is: what is actually being done to harm/deface the crucifix? Simply wearing it as a prop can’t hardly equate to that. As an opera singer who has only sung one role in a fully staged production, a crucifix was used as a part of a little prayer niche that wad in a room. There are plenty of operas/plays in which a crucifix may be used as a prop.

All this being said, even though defacing, disrespecting a sacramental is never something that one should do, for purposes of drama (ex. A faithful Catholic decides to make a movie concerning a historical event that involves the defacing of a crucifix/other sacramental/sacred object), the object contains only sentimental value unless it’s blessed. If it is blessed, it carries a different value and should be used only for the purpose for which it was blessed. Think of using a communion host to show an example or for a skit/play. It isn’t Jesus, although it may contain sentimental value as it normally would be consecrated. If you don’t intend to bless the crucifix before using it, I think it should be fine.

 

[livingwordunity]

My question is: what is actually being done to harm/deface the crucifix? Simply wearing it as a prop can’t hardly equate to that. As an opera singer who has only sung one role in a fully staged production, a crucifix was used as a part of a little prayer niche that wad in a room. There are plenty of operas/plays in which a crucifix may be used as a prop.

All this being said, even though defacing, disrespecting a sacramental is never something that one should do, for purposes of drama (ex. A faithful Catholic decides to make a movie concerning a historical event that involves the defacing of a crucifix/other sacramental/sacred object), the object contains only sentimental value unless it’s blessed. If it is blessed, it carries a different value and should be used only for the purpose for which it was blessed. Think of using a communion host to show an example or for a skit/play. It isn’t Jesus, although it may contain sentimental value as it normally would be consecrated. If you don’t intend to bless the crucifix before using it, I think it should be fine.

What’s wrong is the plan to use a crucifix to mock, ridicule and laugh at a teacher because he wears a crucifix every day.

 

[Corpus_Cristi]

What’s wrong is the plan to use a crucifix to mock, ridicule and laugh at a teacher because he wears a crucifix every day.

That’s a slightly different matter that doesn’t even necessarily involve the crucifix. If the area of contention was merely making fun of Christians/Catholics, the script of the skit could do that by itself without the help of props. The script itself would have to speak to whether or not the Christian being depicted is merely an innocent caricature or an object of uncharitable actions.

That’s not what the OPer wanted to know, though. What the OPer wanted to know is if he would he disrespecting the crucifix. So long as the crucifix isn’t being defaced in any way, I think it’s fine. If the crucifix in question were blessed, I would say don’t even use it. Since they’re making it, I hardly imagine anyone will take it to be blessed, unless this is being done as a religious skit and there is a prayer prayed over the crucifix so that its use in the skit can be of spiritual and catechetical benefit to those who see it. This is presumably being presented in a Catholic or religious school of some kind since the character in the skit is, as I gather from the OP, a real person. I don’t imagine religious imagery of the nature of a crucifix flying in a public institution these days, whether it was meant to be disrespectful or not. In any case, I don’t think what the OPer intends to do is wrong.