“Whenever the people clap, there is something wrong — immediately.”
Yes! There should never be applause in church. Never! Ever! Under! Any! Circumstances!
Thanks be to God for sending us Cardinal Arinze.
It is not unusual for the congregation to give a round of applause when the pastor gives a stirring homily at my parish in Boynton Beach, FL. I refuse to take part in that. In fact it got so bad that this morning my wife and I attended the 0800 Mass at her Anglican Parish in Delray Beach. I think that if anyone applauded the priest’s homily, he/she would’ve been frozen with icy stares from the rest of the rather small congregation.
“Whenever the people clap, there is something wrong — immediately.”
When my husband and I were consulting with the priest about our Nuptial Mass, I asked him to please NOT introduce us as “Mr. and Mrs. A” when the ceremony was complete, as I didn’t want the congregation to burst into applause.
I never saw such a wide smile on the face of a priest!
BTW, I always felt that liturgical dance was neither...