Why the clapping?

  • Thread starter Thread starter GladTidings
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
What good reason could there be to clap at Mass?

We go to Mass to worship God, and give him glory and thanks.

If you participate in the Mass in order to get clapped at, you’re there for the wrong reason.

Do you ever clap for God?

Clapping misses the point of Mass.
 
Last edited:
We can clap to God in worship.

We can clap those who become baptised and Catholic,
We can clap a major milestone in a life

We can clap beautiful music

If you don’t like clapping , then don’t.

If my Priest or Bishop says let’s clap for so and so, then I will clap.

Show me where in the rubrics and GIRM and whatever else , clapping is forbidden.
 
Roseeurekacross said:
We can clap to God in worship.
Click to expand...
Clapping for God to show our “appreciation” - OK. But since he gave us so many other better ways to thank him, I don’t think he needs it.
Roseeurekacross said:
We can clap those who become baptised and Catholic,
Click to expand...
Why? To show our approval? What difference does OUR approval make?
Roseeurekacross said:
We can clap a major milestone in a life
Click to expand...
Yeah…we see that all the time. Happy birthday for example. But since everyone has a birthday every year…do you have a clap-a-thon every day since everyday is someone’ birthday? And remember, at the time of our judgement, you you want to hear Jesus say “You have already received your reward.”
Roseeurekacross said:
We can clap beautiful music
Click to expand...
If you are clapping for God giving the composer and choir such wonderful gifts, then see my first response above. If you are clapping in order to give the composer or choir or musicians glory, then you should give God the glory instead. If the composer, choir or musicians are in that business for the purpose of glory fishing, then I think they are there for the wrong reason, and clapping just encourages it.
Roseeurekacross said:
If you don’t like clapping , then don’t.
Click to expand...
How about if I like clapping during the consecration, is that OK just because I like clapping?
Roseeurekacross said:
Show me where in the rubrics and GIRM and whatever else , clapping is forbidden.
Click to expand...
Show me where it is approved.

Just because something is not forbidden doesn’t make it appropriate.
 
Last edited:
In ‘The Spirit of the Liturgy’ Cardinal Ratzinger wrote

*Wherever applause breaks out in the liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly – it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation”
 
Psalm 47

47:1 [For the choirmaster Of the sons of Korah Psalm] Clap your hands, all peoples, acclaim God with shouts of joy.
47:2 For Yahweh, the Most High, is glorious, the great king over all the earth.
47:3 He brings peoples under our yoke and nations under our feet.
47:4 He chooses for us our birthright, the pride of Jacob whom he loves.Pause
47:5 God goes up to shouts of acclaim, Yahweh to a fanfare on the ram’s horn.
47:6 Let the music sound for our God, let it sound, let the music sound for our king, let it sound.
47:7 For he is king of the whole world; learn the music, let it sound for God!
47:8 God reigns over the nations, seated on his holy throne.
47:9 The leaders of the nations rally to the people of the God of Abraham. The shields of the earth belong to God, who is exalted on high.
 
Psalms 98
98:1 [Psalm] Sing a new song to Yahweh, for he has performed wonders, his saving power is in his right hand and his holy arm.
98:2 Yahweh has made known his saving power, revealed his saving justice for the nations to see,
98:3 mindful of his faithful love and his constancy to the House of Israel. The whole wide world has seen the saving power of our God.
98:4 Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth, burst into shouts of joy!
98:5 Play to Yahweh on the harp, to the sound of instruments;
98:6 to the sound of trumpet and horn, acclaim the presence of the King.
98:7 Let the sea thunder, and all that it holds, the world and all who live in it.
98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands, and the mountains shout for joy together,
98:9 at Yahweh’s approach, for he is coming to judge the earth; he will judge the world with saving justice and the nations with fairness.
 
When I was a 12-13 something altar boy, I recall one time when I was in the priests’ sacristy as the recessional hymn ended and everyone clapped. The priest there (not the celebrant) just happened to be the oldest, most crotchety one that I always heard the adults talk about. He said crossly: “Why are they all clapping?” I responded with a smile and an off-the-cuff answer: “Aw, they’re just happy.” The answer actually seemed to make sense to him and satisfy whatever was in his mind. I highly doubt the answer came from me, rather I believe that it came through me from the Holy Spirit.

The reason for sharing this anecdote is because if Fr. ___ (forum rules, no names) could be mollified by the answer, anyone can! God Bless you, and Merry Christmas!
 
Last edited:
I agree. It was after Mass, but still, I felt these people were trying to add to something missed during Mass.
 
I can see your point. The thing is, it was not under the direction of Father. Mass had ended and these people were clapping as if something was lacking.
 
I also love this answer! I like how you say the holy Spirit was leading you. I also like to think these people were deeply blessed and were expressing their heartfelt appreciation.
 
At the end of mass, depending on the parish, people start clapping like mass was some big performance. At mass at my college there is always clapping for the choir either during announcements after Communion or after mass.

I usually pray the St. Michael the Archangel prayer after mass when I remember, it’s a tradition I’ve done since a kid
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
In some countries, they clap at the elevations during the Eucharistic Prayer where we normally expect bells.
Click to expand...
I wonder where you got this idea. I can’t say I’ve attended Mass in every country in the world, but I sure have covered quite a few, and never was there any clapping during the Eucharistic Prayer, or any part of the liturgy. I would’ve been shocked if there had been, actually.

Hand-clapping is originally a very Western phenomenon anyway. In various other cultures hand-clapping was until recently an expression of grief. Of course people the world over understand by now that hand-clapping has become a sign of appreciation, but in many places it is still considered relatively irreverential and its use therefore limited to concerts, shows, and such. (And maybe airplane landings.)
 
ricmat said:
Did you read the post by 0331?
Click to expand...
I did. It’s a rather tired old quote on these forums that’s often trotted out at irrelevant moments. In this case, I’ll concede that there’s partial relevance — clapping for musicians, etc. — doesn’t change the cultural aspect though, where it seems perfectly acceptable to clap along with music or at certain points if that’s the custom of the local community.
 
Interesting, but it continues to surprise me. I have attended Oriental Orthodox masses with congregations consisting of 99% East-Africans, and there was never any clapping. But then, Africa is pretty big and diverse, so who knows, I can’t say for sure that what the EWTN article claims isn’t true.
 
The story has been shared with me by many who’ve been in attendance at these African Masses. This includes some pretty strictly orthodox clergy. I have no reason to doubt them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top