Video screens being used during the Mass?!

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StandUp4Truth

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Hey all, while I was on summer vacation this year, I attended a very “modern” Catholic Church. EDIT. There were no statues, no stations of the cross, and no crucifixes anywhere in sight. At first glance it looked very similar to my hometown college’s Catholic Church, until I noticed that there were multimedia projection screens on the walls.

I was interested to find these because I’ve only seen them once before in a Catholic Church, and they were rolled up during the Mass(used only for Sunday school and CCD). However, this church used them during the Mass to display the words to responsorial psalms and songs! There were even flashy backgrounds with nature scenes and generic religious images behind the words, and I found the whole thing rather distracting.

However, the worst was yet to come, because during the parish announcements the priest introduced the new spiritual director, who used the screens to play a home made music video advertising a youth group dancing competition fundraiser! :eek:

The video featured clips from television shows like “So You Think You Can Dance”, and a mix of Christian pop and secular music. Many of the locals were looking around nervously during the video, so I could tell that I wasn’t the only one who was uncomfortable with the whole thing.

I think that the use of these multimedia devices detracts from the beauty of the Mass and cheapens the whole experience. Why must people be entertained when they come to church?! It’s the one place where God asks you to put down the remote control and pay attention to His Word, yet humans still find a way to squeeze a television in there!

I know that other non-Catholic Churches have multimedia presentations, but they also have rock and roll music and pews as soft as sofas! I always prided myself in the knowledge that Catholics didn’t need gimmicks like these to fill the pews.

Am I wrong? What does everyone here think of using these devices in church?
 
If used properly and soberly, I’ve no problem with them. (Neither did ABp. Hurley, as his cathedral often used an overhead.)

What you described is neither sober nor proper.
 
I don’t think there is any place for that in the Catholic Mass. Where did we get this idea that Mass was not about the sacrafice but to entertain us?
 
StandUp4Truth said:
Hey all, while I was on summer vacation this year, I attended a very “modern” Catholic Church… There were no statues, no stations of the cross, and no crucifixes anywhere in sight. At first glance it looked very similar to my hometown college’s Catholic Church, until I noticed that there were multimedia projection screens on the walls.

I was interested to find these because I’ve only seen them once before in a Catholic Church, and they were rolled up during the Mass(used only for Sunday school and CCD). However, this church used them during the Mass to display the words to responsorial psalms and songs! There were even flashy backgrounds with nature scenes and generic religious images behind the words, and I found the whole thing rather distracting.

However, the worst was yet to come, because during the parish announcements the priest introduced the new spiritual director, who used the screens to play a home made music video advertising a youth group dancing competition fundraiser! :eek:

The video featured clips from television shows like “So You Think You Can Dance”, and a mix of Christian pop and secular music. Many of the locals were looking around nervously during the video, so I could tell that I wasn’t the only one who was uncomfortable with the whole thing.

I think that the use of these multimedia devices detracts from the beauty of the Mass and cheapens the whole experience. Why must people be entertained when they come to church?! It’s the one place where God asks you to put down the remote control and pay attention to His Word, yet humans still find a way to squeeze a television in there!

I know that other non-Catholic Churches have multimedia presentations, but they also have rock and roll music and pews as soft as sofas! I always prided myself in the knowledge that Catholics didn’t need gimmicks like these to fill the pews.

Am I wrong? What does everyone here think of using these devices in church?
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So, you were attending a Protestant church. How nice.
 
Sounds like a Mega Bible Church … Next you will see drumsets on the “stage” and a nice light show. It is a shame to see the focus move from the vertical to the horizontal. Our church has moved the cantors from the behind the people to behind the Ambo… nice robes and one of the cantors is directing the people … having grown up in the Baptist community, I had flashbacks to the “music minister” directing the people. I pray that it is only temporary. sad sad sad.
 
Wolseley said:
So, you were attending a Protestant church. How nice.
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LOL! I know! I felt out of place the entire time, from the moment I came in when no one genuflected or kneeled, on through to the strange music video ending! I genuflected, kneeled and pulled out my rosary and began praying(I was very early). People looked at me as though I was from another planet! 😊

So much for the whole “Universal Church” concept! :rolleyes:
 
Yikes!!!

There is no place for this sort of thing during Mass.

What would you bet the people responsible for this also thought it was necessary to strip away all the traditional beauty of a Catholic church (statues, the Crucifix, stained glass windows depicting the life of Jesus, architectural ornamentation) because they find it all “too distracting?”

Pray for the people of that parish.
 
I understand the desire to attract people, especially the younger people to the mass. I understand that if only the “bored” parish members started attending church, we’re of course increase attendance… but if that also makes others leave that church, I would hate to attract a fair seasoned friend and loose the long time parish member. If you’re attracted to screens like that, I personally think you’re more prone to leave a Catholic church for an even more entertaining protestant one.

This was a big topic for my now exgirlfriend & myself. Her church was full of almost they yelling kind of signing, paired with an incredible choir whose lungs pumped out praise, along side the guitar, piano, drums etc etc etc…it was an evangelical mega church, also lacking a cross let along a crucifix, lacking any artwork…it was just a stage. I was offended, my exgirlfriend loved it, and of course was bored out of her mind at a Catholic Mass. I think theres a big difference between “my experience” and the reason I am there- or at least that’s what i’ve come to believe.

I’m no 100% opposed of having access to video screens, I think for educational/presentation reasons they are good – but I 100% don’t want them used at my mass. I don’t mind if a city had multiple traditional parishes, and if one parish wants a multimedia center… then so be it. Again, I would never want to loose a long time parishioner to gain someone who couldn’t find why the mass actually is exciting. – I agree with you, I don’t like them. I’m 25 years old, never liked the teen masses either – I never liked a talking down version of a homily… give me the real mass, the real presence, the real Jesus …and let me live the fullest Christian life - A Catholic Faith!
 
I know I should stop diving in and saying, well on the other hand…but, here goes…

We use screens at our church. We display musical lyrics. I personally feel that the words shown are not distracting, any more than flipping through a book to find the right page for the lyrics would be distracting. I think it can just be a case of whatever you are used to.

We have also on occasion used the screens to show either a video or a scrolling announcement. Ours is a very active parish, and there are many requests for time to speak to the congregation from different ministries. As an example, if the Children’s Program is registering for the upcoming sessions starting in September, we might see a video clip of what happens in the Children’s Program and a mesage about regisration. Consider a short, well prepared video clip, versus Miss Teacher coming to the ambo and giving a little speech about what they do and that they need volunteers, etc., plus she then has to make this same announcement at 4 different masses. She may be wonderful with children but not such a great public speaker…I hope you get the picture. Members of the congregation get burned out on a never ending stream of announcements or speakers (finance committee, building committee, Christmas Hamper committee,…) and people do complain. An efficient and well produced clip (editing out the umms, the repetitions, etc.) seems to be better received in our community.

Anyway, just thought I’d offer a different perspective…fwiw…

In Christ…

Edited to add…
Thus our screens are not used for entertainment but to minimize disruption to the mass…

and…we have not done away with statues or anything else “distracting”…😉
 
Hello everyone. This is my first time here and funny I should come across this post because our Priest is putting in this type of system in the parish we just joined, we were told that is would not be used at Mass, just before Mass with the scenes from the Gospel and the readings of the day. To be honest, I do not feel that the Mass or the church is the place for this, but I will try and keep and open mind and pray that it is not abused, and then I am wondering about the next Priest that comes along, will he abuse it? The Church is trying too much to be like the Protestants and it really should be the other way around. Have a blessed day.
 
I have seen them used during the homily period for the Diocesan Appeal video.

I have also seen them used during this past Easter Vigil just outside Madison, WI to go through the Liturgy of the Word in that service. (Two screens, one on each side of just white hangings which stayed there after the projectors were removed before the Liturgy of the Eucharist)

I thought both applications were well done and tastefully done. They did not detract from everything else happening.
 
CatholicCajun said:
Hello everyone. This is my first time here and funny I should come across this post because our Priest is putting in this type of system in the parish we just joined, we were told that is would not be used at Mass, just before Mass with the scenes from the Gospel and the readings of the day. To be honest, I do not feel that the Mass or the church is the place for this, but I will try and keep and open mind and pray that it is not abused, and then I am wondering about the next Priest that comes along, will he abuse it? The Church is trying too much to be like the Protestants and it really should be the other way around. Have a blessed day.
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I see no valid point for entertaining video screens at Mass.

Amen to Catholic cajun-- with all our Ecumenical Efforts, the Catholic Church is becoming more protestant, INSTEAD of the other way around! We are supposed to be One Church - the Catholic Church.
God Help Us!
 
There is nothing wrong with being entertained during mass. However, care should be taken not to distract people during mass.

Personally I shudder at the idea of video screens during mass. However, never having seen them used, I can’t rule out that there may be a tasteful way to do it.
 
My church has a projection screen- used for song lyrics, the St. Joseph prayer, the Gloria and the Creed.
White backgroup, black letters. Turned off when not in use.

But others have mentioned black screens in between slides.
 
I was sad to see this used in the parish I grew up in when my
niece made her first Communion. I felt the same as others here
have expressed, it felt like a Protestant church. 😦
 
Hijikata said:
Where did we get this idea that Mass was not about the sacrafice but to entertain us?
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The clapping/non-clapping thread perhaps? 😃

A parish local to me also uses projectors. This parish also has no statues, artwork, or even kneelers (seems like a pattern).

For the 15 minutes before Mass, they run “commercials” advertising different activities in the parish, kind of like advertisements in the movie theaters.

What really grates me, though, is that the Nicene Creed is altered when it is displayed. They drop the word “men” in the phrase “and for us men and for our salvation…” 😦
 
thomasf said:
I think that if my parish did that I’d leave it.
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I can tell you for a fact that I would. It is an utter perversion of the Mass.

Many of those who favor it or have an open mind toward it are most likely, and I mean this sincerely, victims of the age of liturgical reform who mean well.

So much has been destroyed and deformed in the liturgy that the offensiveness of power points and video screems is lost on some. Example - we have grown so used to hearing announcements during the Mass, that a more proficient way of disseminating the information seems reasonable, provided it is tastefully done. The truth is, some don’t realize that making announcements during the Mass should never have been done in the first place. It’s the slippery slope in plain view.

We, as a people, have become so uninformed as to what the Mass is, that liturgical creativity fears no bounds, and many are not well formed enough to know any better. Just the way, I might add, the contemporary liturgist crowd prefer it.
 
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