I didn’t think it was entirely appropriate to applaud either, but the entire congregation (from what I could tell) did it so my mother and I did it as well. As for examining my conscience, I felt uncomfortable because I tend to go more to the left than right in political issues, and I didn’t think it was appropriate to talk about political matters in church. At today’s Mass, however, the homily was presided by a visiting Monsignor and was much more beautiful, if I say so myself.
I haven’t heard of that before; how surprising that churches would do such a thing.