Skits During Mass

[kateri05]

right, so i just started a new job as a youth minister at a LIFETEEN parish and i've come up against my first roadblock... the "no skits during Mass" arguement. after a heated debate last nite about how "no priest has ever told us no, the GIRM doesnt say you can't, we need to draw teens into LIFENITE, that's just your opinion of what the Church teaches" etc etc, my first thought was, i need phatmass.
now, please, if anything i'm saying is wrong or if this isn't a big deal, then TELL ME, because i want to submit to the Church in all things and most especially in the celebration of Divine Liturgy. my arguments consisted of, "just because the GIRM doesnt say literally, NO SKITS, they are not in the spirit of the document, Scott Hahn's idea of Mass as proposed in Revelation, a literal participation in heavenly worship, skits only detract from that; we just finished witnessing the crucifixion of Christ in the Eucharistic celebration and receiving Him into our bodies and souls, its irrevanant and detracts from the liturgy; its the ALTAR not a stage" etc etc.
needless to say, my ideas were not well received and people want proof. does anyone know what the official Church teaching onthis kind of thing would be? my fiancee, who is very supportive, suggested i email cardinal arinze, and im like, ummm, it doesnt work like that sweetie, its like emailing the president, HE isn't hte one checking the mail! but, i told him, phatmass is the next best thing!
so please, any thoughts, any documents, any papal anythings would be so wonderful. and like i said, if im wrong, if it really doesn't matter, its up to the priests discretion, then let me know. i only want to present the true Church's teaching, Her true intention of the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist, not my own opinions.
also, even those who don't know much about the subject, i ask for your prayers that God's will be done here, so that Mass may always glorify His Heavenly Name. Thanks everyone, you're all great!!

[cmotherofpirl]

The burden of proof is on THEM not you.

Have them show you a document saying it is permissable.

[kateri05]

how do i present that arugment? the "i don't have to prove anything, you do?" i ask because I'M the new guy on teh block, "this is how they've always done it, no one ever said we couldn't, etc etc." so i don't feel like that would hold water for them
although, making them do all the work, i like the way you think

[phatcatholic]

[url="http://bettnet.dyndns.org/blog/comments.php?id=3686_0_1_0_C"][b]Skits at Mass?[/b][/url]

I received an interesting email from a youth minister this morning who had read my [url="http://bettnet.dyndns.org/blog/forum/threads.php?id=3685_0_4_0_C"][b]article[/b][/url] on the liturgical changes at Life Teen to comply with the GIRM. He wanted to know if skits during the homily are indeed an abuse. Here’s my reply to him:

I would say that, yes, a skit during the homily would be an abuse. Here is what the General Instruction of the Roman Missal says about the homily:[list]
[*]“66. The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person. In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate.”
[/list]Since most skits I’ve ever seen during Mass always included people other than the priest, then I would think that it violates the above rule. But above all, it’s just not appropriate. It turns the Mass into an entertainment device, a performance, rather than the act of worship that it is. A priest should be able to effectively open up the Word of God without having to resort to gimmicks and attention-grabbing stunts like skits.


MORE...

Now someone might reply that this Vatican document from 1997—Ecclesiae de mysterio: “Interdicasterial Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of the Priest"— provides for something like a skit:[list]
[*](Art 3, par. 2) “A form of instruction designed to promote a greater understanding of the Liturgy, including personal testimonies … is lawful, [i][b]if in harmony with liturgical norms[/b][/i] … as a means of explicating the regular homily preached by the celebrant priest. Nonetheless, these testimonies or explanations may not be such so as to assume a character which could be confused with the homily.”
[/list]However, the question is whether a skit is in harmony with liturgical norms. In general, I would say not.

It’s important to note that the Directory for Masses with Children (to which Life Teen appeals for how it celebrates Masses) does not include specific permission for skits, even though some of the members of the commission who drew up the directory had wanted explicit permission. (See [url="http://www.adoremus.org/0204ChildrenLiturgy.html"][b]this article[/b][/url] for the details.) Thus I think it can be said that the Church has not made such an allowance.

But in the end, what really matters is what your bishop and your pastor say. If they don’t allow it, then it is not allowed. If they do allow it, then it is up to you as a youth minister to decide whether you want to ask for it based on your understanding of whether the Church really does allow it. I think it’s clear, but you may not.

If anyone else has more explicit information from the Vatican on the matter, I’d love to see it.

[kateri05]

phatcatholic, you're awesome BUT, its not during the homily. its part of announcements... so then what?

[phatcatholic]

from [url="http://www.adoremus.org/0204ChildrenLiturgy.html"][b]this article[/b][/url] we find the following:


[b]Dramatizing the Readings[/b]

The children's Liturgy of the Word described in the US Catholic article illustrates other common problems with these separated liturgies.

For example, the children act out the reading. The DMC does not allow for any such dramatization, though liturgists who compiled the document wanted to include it.

A provision in an early draft of the DMC that would allow dramatizations during the Liturgy of the Word was removed after Pope Paul VI and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith objected.

A provision for distributing a reading among several readers is in the document. A number of guides and commentaries on the DMC interpret this provision as allowing -- even recommending -- dramatizations. For example, Father Matthews thinks the rules should be bent to permit "more exciting" dramas:[list]
[*]More exciting than a solo reading is a group reading, like the script of a play. With different children taking the parts -- narrator, Jesus, Mary, an apostle, etc.... The Directory (§47) makes it quite clear in its reference to the Holy Week Passion reading that reading the Gospel at a children's Mass is not the priest's inalienable prerogative.

Reading a script is only one step from full drama. That step should be taken. (Celebrating Masses with Children, p. 135)
[/list]Respondents to the 2000 BCL survey listed a number of extraneous activities that are incorporated into the Liturgy of the Word for children: clown ministry, puppetry, skits, art projects and puzzles. Furthermore, the survey revealed that required elements of the Liturgy are often neglected. Few respondents list the recitation of the Creed, which is required in all Sunday Masses.

Volunteer planners of children's Liturgies may be well-intentioned, but frequently are unfamiliar with key liturgical documents. Instead, they depend on various planning guides and workshops for such training as they acquire. Many of these are unreliable sources of information, and may recommend illicit practices, even though their authors or editors are experts in this field.

The introduction to Father Matthews's book, for example, stresses his connection with the writing of the DMC. A description elsewhere in the book insists:[list]
[*]This is not just innovation and experimentation -- the recommendations this book makes are based on the Directory for Masses with Children, which has the full authority of the Church behind it.
[/list]The recommendations may be "based on" the DMC, but they are not in full accord with it.

[kateri05]

<QUOTE>But in the end, what really matters is what your bishop and your pastor say. If they don’t allow it, then it is not allowed. If they do allow it, then it is up to you as a youth minister to decide whether you want to ask for it based on your understanding of whether the Church really does allow it. I think it’s clear, but you may not. <QUOTE>

ok i definitely don't want it. but like i said, i really feel like its not about what i want, its about what is taught... and because everyone is so used to it, and im new so what do i know kind of attitude is present, if it boils down to, its just my opinion that i dont know what to do. im not trying to sound like im a pacificst at all costs, but in a spirit of charity, if its not forbidden, then i beg the question is it really worth making a huge stink over (ie. pick your battles)

also, phat, you references are supergreat, but i'm not sure how to apply them because (i think i didn;t make this clear), not only are the skits at issue perfomed as an announcement at the end of mass, but they aren't related to the readings at all. they are an advertisement for LIFENITE (youth group) which is right after mass. in my opinion, sincei ts not even trying to dramative the scripture, it has even less of a place, based on the article excerpts you just posted but .... like i said. i'm still in the dark!

[Theoketos]

Suggest that they do it before or after mass, but not on the alter.

You could go into the whole bit about the alter being sacred, and thus reserved from any thing, that should not be part of the Mass.

Also call Bishop Gerber in phoenix, or write him a letter, he is the one incharge of the whole thing.

[kateri05]

[quote]You could go into the whole bit about the alter being sacred, and thus reserved from any thing, that should not be part of the Mass.[/quote]

check and check. tried that no dice... they dont think its irreverant.
a letter to the bishop... thats kinda scary :ph34r: (note the secret face :-p) what do i say? hi, im so and so, ym at such and such parish, i know you're busy, but are skits allowed or not? lol is it really that simple?!

[phatcatholic]

i haven't been able to find much more about it. i posted this question at two yahoo groups that focus on apologetics and the liturgy, so we'll see what they have to say. p0lar_bear and apotheoun seem to be our resident experts on the liturgy, so i hope they see this post.

kateri, you may want to PM them both and see what they have to say

[kateri05]

thanks phat, i will and, if those postboards come up with anything, pass it right along this way!

and again, anyone else with comments, feel free to keep posting, i need all the help i can get!

[Apotheoun]

I would hold that it is imprudent to allow "skits" to be done during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, even if it is only done prior to the dismissal; instead, such things should be done outside of the Divine Liturgy.

The fact that in the Roman Rite the GIRM does not forbid such a thing explicitly during the Mass is related to the nature of the GIRM itself, because GIRM is basically a prescriptive and not a proscriptive document.

As the CDW Instruction [u]Redemptionis Sacramentum[/u] states:

[quote name='Redemptionis Sacramentum']
[74.] If the need arises for the gathered faithful to be given instruction or testimony by a layperson in a Church concerning the Christian life, it is altogether preferable that this be done outside Mass. Nevertheless, for serious reasons it is permissible that this type of instruction or testimony be given after the Priest has proclaimed the Prayer after Communion. This should not become a regular practice, however. Furthermore, these instructions and testimony should not be of such a nature that they could be confused with the homily, nor is it permissible to dispense with the homily on their account.

[. . .]

[78.] It is not permissible to link the celebration of Mass to political or secular events, nor to situations that are not fully consistent with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, it is altogether to be avoided that the celebration of Mass should be carried out merely out of a desire for show, or in the manner of other ceremonies including profane ones, lest the Eucharist should be emptied of its authentic meaning.

[79.] Finally, it is strictly to be considered an abuse to introduce into the celebration of Holy Mass elements that are contrary to the prescriptions of the liturgical books and taken from the rites of other religions.[/quote]
Any type of "skits" would, in my estimation, be inappropriate, because they would trivialize the Church's most sacred act of worship. Thus, as I indicated above, such activities should be done outside the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

God bless,
Todd

[kateri05]

thanks Todd, as usual, you rock of course, your answer seems like common sense to me but hopefully, if i throw around the definition of what the GIRM is supposed to be along with Redemptionis Sacramentum, maybe people will listen. and, no more peon discussion, i'm going to the pastor! :ph34r:

although, hes still on vacation... so pray for our parish the next 2 weeks, because skits might be there :-/

[Mary's Knight, La]

okay i'm not so helpful as to provide links but if you go to [url="http://www.zenit.org"]Zenit.org[/url] and check their articles on liturgy questions i think there's some stuff there that can help if nothing else they tell you who to e-mail to ask your question

[kateri05]

[quote name='Mary's Knight, La' date='Sep 17 2004, 05:11 PM'] okay i'm not so helpful as to provide links but if you go to [url="http://www.zenit.org"]Zenit.org[/url] and check their articles on liturgy questions i think there's some stuff there that can help if nothing else they tell you who to e-mail to ask your question [/quote]
a friend of mine just told me about that and i did... i'll letcha know what ZENIT says! thanks again everyone!