Clapping After Homily

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1353884729' post='2516461']
I am surprised this has not been posted yet. But glad that I get to do it.

[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RofyIEoc2xA/TBbB65WedcI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/DX7ew6mfLbg/s1600/Applause+quote+-+Benedict+XVI.jpg[/img]
[/quote]
Bu-bu-bu-t I was gonna post this!

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Thank you guys very much.

I think I should email that image to the priest/deacon. That way they can be mad at Papa Bene, instead of a silly visiting college kid who wants to take us back to the stone ages.

[Selah]

That is so sad. When we worship God, it should never be like a performance. It's not about us, or entertainment. It's about God.

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1353884729' post='2516461']
I am surprised this has not been posted yet. But glad that I get to do it.

[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RofyIEoc2xA/TBbB65WedcI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/DX7ew6mfLbg/s1600/Applause+quote+-+Benedict+XVI.jpg[/img]
[/quote]


True that. I am curious, though, about the situation where applause breaks out in the liturgy because of a divine achievement? A Baptism is one case that seems very appropriate to me, not because of anything the baptized person has done, but out of joy for what God has done to them.

[Maggyie]

I don't know, spontaneous applause at Mass is probably not the hill to die on. We had a couple celebrating 70 years together at Mass last Sunday and honestly it didn't bother me when people applauded, although I never do clap in church. If someone wanted to make a big stink about it, it would just come off like they were a joyless liturgy shrew going around looking for violations so they can have the pleasure of writing a ticket.

ToJesusMyHeart, do you happen to be a recent convert or revert? When I was a baby Catholic I was much more intolerant of human weakness in celebrating the liturgy. And yes, all the small mistakes and inaccuracies made me angry and to be honest I took pleasure in my anger, as it made me feel very superior. As I matured in faith I grew to understand that the liturgy on earth was given to men, not angels and therefore it will never be celebrated as perfectly as the heavenly liturgy. Yes you are correct about these details but don't allow these small things to actually disturb your peace. This can become a real spiritual problem if you let it.

Remember that the people in this parish are like little children in God's eyes. Small ones are often eager to express joy and love but often they don't do it quite the proper way, I remember one time around my birthday I came home and one of my little cousins had made me a surprise party - there were streamers everywhere, glitter everywhere, the kids weren't tall enough to hang the banners up high so they were taped at about stomach height on me... it was a big mess but they had good intentions! They needed to be taught the BEST way to celebrate but in the meantime if I expressed disdain I would have been very hurtful, and there's no point getting angry about it either. You just clean up the mess and show them the tidy way to do it in the future So yes write to the priest but don't do it in a finger-shaking way. And work on that anger, bring it to confession and/or spiritual direction if need be.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

[quote name='Maggie' timestamp='1353981095' post='2517342']
ToJesusMyHeart, do you happen to be a recent convert or revert?
[/quote]

I reverted 4 years ago. Is that considered recent?

[quote name='Maggie' timestamp='1353981095' post='2517342']
Remember that the people in this parish are like little children in God's eyes. Small ones are often eager to express joy and love but often they don't do it quite the proper way, I remember one time around my birthday I came home and one of my little cousins had made me a surprise party - there were streamers everywhere, glitter everywhere, the kids weren't tall enough to hang the banners up high so they were taped at about stomach height on me... it was a big mess but they had good intentions! They needed to be taught the BEST way to celebrate but in the meantime if I expressed disdain I would have been very hurtful, and there's no point getting angry about it either. You just clean up the mess and show them the tidy way to do it in the future So yes write to the priest but don't do it in a finger-shaking way. And work on that anger, bring it to confession and/or spiritual direction if need be.
[/quote]

That was a really helpful analogy. Thank you. And I have told my spiritual director about this; she basically said what you said, but without the cool analogy. I have come to understand that these people usually don't know that what they are doing is problematic, and I recognize their dignity as children of God, but I'm still upset when the sanctity of the liturgy is disturbed and disrupted by unnecessary clapping for human achievements. Sigh.

[Winchester]

[quote name='Maggie' timestamp='1353981095' post='2517342']
I don't know, spontaneous applause at Mass is probably not the hill to die on.
[/quote]
I will not die on the hill. I will stand at the top of the hill, drenched in blood, surrounded by corpses.

[TheresaThoma]

I dislike applause* during mass. The one time I think it is somewhat ok is during the Rite of Welcoming and Reception. At the end of the Rite Father will invite the congregation to welcome the new candidates and catechumens with applause. Which I think is a good way of showing the new candidates and catechumens support.

Applause after a homily...though, not cool.

*note I said applause not clapping.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

[quote name='TheresaThoma' timestamp='1353989330' post='2517433']
*note I said applause not clapping.
[/quote]

Please explain the difference with regards to appropriateness during Mass.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' timestamp='1353977905' post='2517296']


True that. I am curious, though, about the situation where applause breaks out in the liturgy because of a divine achievement? A Baptism is one case that seems very appropriate to me, not because of anything the baptized person has done, but out of joy for what God has done to them.
[/quote]

IMO, it could be worse, but it is not ideal. I think we as a Church have better ways of praising God, for instance some of our most beautiful chanted hymns.

[Selah]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1353994946' post='2517519']
IMO, it could be worse, but it is not ideal. I think we as a Church have better ways of praising God, for instance some of our most beautiful chanted hymns.
[/quote]


Yesh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS_6RAEtdXI

[DiscerningCatholic]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1353876457' post='2516386']
No clapping in Mass. Ever. I've seen the idiots applaud the choir. It's not a performance, you jackasses. I don't like applause for the Veterans, or the married couples who have withered into prunes together, either. No applause. You want applause, go to one of those stupid auditorium non-denominational churches.
[/quote]

Herp derp. This happened on Sunday. Our choir did a fantastic version of the Latin Gloria (for Christ the King) and some old dude decided to try and get everyone to clap. One other person joined in and the rest of the congregation just stood there awkwardly. They clap after the Communion song about 50% of the time. The choir just stands there, not sure exactly how to respond. It's super awkward though, because our church is super traditional and we use Latin and our priest faces the tabernacle for the majority of the Mass and we have a huge pipe organ and our Communion songs are usually songs like "Adoramus Te" or "Panis Angelicus" or "Adoro Te" and other songs of that nature. It's just wrong to have these old f.arts clapping after the Communion song. The Mass isn't some kind of choral exhibition where you show up just to hear the a.wesome choir (our choir really is a.wesome).

ETA: I don't think I've ever seen applause after the homily. Also, this is my first post in this board!

Edited November 27, 2012 by DiscerningCatholic

[elizabeth09]

At my parish, at the noon time mass, it seems that every one claps. My family and I never clap. We never been to a mass that people clap for a while.

[jumpfrog]

Maybe they did it cause the deacon was talking to the little girl...likely they just wanted to applaud her for doing a good job talking to him or whatever.

 

 I thought Maggie really answered this spot on...anyway, as a visitor, maybe just give them the benefit of the doubt that applause is not a regular occurrence.

[Maggyie]

Herp derp. This happened on Sunday. Our choir did a fantastic version of the Latin Gloria (for Christ the King) and some old dude decided to try and get everyone to clap. One other person joined in and the rest of the congregation just stood there awkwardly. They clap after the Communion song about 50% of the time. The choir just stands there, not sure exactly how to respond. It's super awkward though, because our church is super traditional and we use Latin and our priest faces the tabernacle for the majority of the Mass and we have a huge pipe organ and our Communion songs are usually songs like "Adoramus Te" or "Panis Angelicus" or "Adoro Te" and other songs of that nature. It's just wrong to have these old f.arts clapping after the Communion song. The Mass isn't some kind of choral exhibition where you show up just to hear the a.wesome choir (our choir really is a.wesome).

ETA: I don't think I've ever seen applause after the homily. Also, this is my first post in this board! :w00t:

 

Now, do you think Jesus is more displeased by applause for the choir that sings His praise, or by you referring to these elderly people who have kept the faith for so many years as "these old f.arts." The external things about your parish are lovely but you must understand that pipe organs, Latin and other things like that are empty and meaningless if they are only externals! With age comes rigidity, stubbornness and often senility... and perhaps no one has ever explained to the two, why applause is frowned upon.

 

It could be that the senior man is advanced in the spiritual life, and draws close to the heart of Jesus, although he is liturgically illiterate. Be gentle as Jesus is gentle :)