No Clapping, Dancing at Mass, Vatican to Warn

Reuters ^ | Tue, Sep 23, 2003 | Philip Pullella

[presidio9]

No dancing in the aisles or applause in church, please, we're Catholic. And we'd prefer altar boys to altar girls.

Those are some of the warnings contained in the draft of a document the Vatican (news - web sites) is preparing to crack down on what it considers "liturgical abuses" of the mass, the focus of Roman Catholic worship.

According to the authoritative Italian Roman Catholic monthly magazine "Jesus," a draft document urges the faithful to notify their bishop or the Vatican to report suspected abuses.

The magazine released an advance text of the article which will feature in its October edition.

If issued in its draft form, the document, known as a directive, could have wide-ranging ramifications on some worship practices that have come into common use in many developed countries, particularly the United States and in western Europe.

According to the magazine, the draft says the use of girl altar servers should be avoided "unless there is a just pastoral cause" and that "priests should never feel obliged to seek girls for this function."

The Vatican in 1994 gave individual bishops the power to decide whether to allow altar girls in their dioceses. But some conservative Catholics are against altar girls, saying their presence has eroded a traditional recruiting ground for priests.

Traditionalists have also seen altar girls as a foot in the door to a female priesthood, which the church bans.

Italian media reported that the initial reaction to the draft, circulated to the world's bishops, has been negative and the document may have to be at least partially modified.

The draft document also discourages applause during masses and "dances inside the sacred building."

Ironically, Pope John Paul (news - web sites)'s sermons during masses, even those in St Peter's Basilica, are often interrupted by applause.

Some of the pope's masses in Rome and around the world have included dancing, particularly those celebrations marking Asian, African or Latin American events.

The document, drafted by two Vatican departments which oversee doctrine and liturgy, was ordered by the pope who will eventually have to approve a final version.

The draft also warns against the use of non-Biblical language during the mass, such as readings from poets.

It discourages the practice where the faithful receive the wafer and wine at communion.

Catholics believe Christ is present in the wafer and wine but the document says it is preferable just to receive the wafer.

"Self-service" communion is also frowned upon. This appeared to be a reference to the faithful taking the consecrated host directly from the chalice instead of receiving it on their tongue from the hand of a priest.

[traditionalist]

According to the magazine, the draft says the use of girl altar servers should be avoided "unless there is a just pastoral cause"

The above illustrates perfectly the sick pattern of the post-Vatican 2 papacy. Issue all kinds of directives, but then insert loopholes so that no one has to follow them. If anyone thinks this document is going to change anything, I've got a bridge to sell.

[Aliska]

Catholic women wake up and smell the coffee.

Sad but true. Some already have. Some remain in the church because there is nowhere else to go but they see the double standard. If they are otherwise happy, they can live with it. I don't think future generations of women are going to be willing to take it any more, even if they never can be priests. Women wanting to be priests is only symbolic of the deeper issue. Regardless of what the men say, it doesn't change the reality that women are only good to be workhorses and child nurturers while the men get all the power, honor, and glory.

We really don't need altar persons of either sex when you come right down to it. It wouldn't bother me if they got back to basics and did away with it. I don't believe the eastern orthodox use children at the altar.

[Aquinasfan]

We have clapping and occassional readings (in the homilies)at our parish, both of which we can do without. Unfortunately, I can't see either practice being curtailed. Neither will our parish restrict the number of altar girls since there is a "pastoral exception" wide enough to drive a tractor trailer through.

It's overdue, although, at the moment I'd prefer a call to excommunicate nominally Catholic politicians who support abortion.

[January24th]

How far back do you want to go with "innovation"? So much has been added to the Last Supper. The early church would gather, hear a word (They didn't have holy Canon, or a priest, so who knows what they talked about? Could've been personal impressions, testimonies, or even, GASP! a poem!), sing a psalm, share a meal, and pray desperately that they wouldn't be fed to the lions. Yeah, persecution sure narrowed their focus to the important things.

You'd think the entirely justified horror exhibited by the laity and the world at the actions of Church leadership (in just talking about scandalous, concerted, complicit cover-ups and abetting of deviant behavior, not individual crimes) would help them focus on important things.

Sigh.

[Protagoras]

Not that you would know that, just as you don't understand a "joyful noise" doesn't have to be a Hootenanny.

Which also doesn't mean it can't be.

[Skooz]

I never cared for Southern Baptists Holier Than Thou attitude. And their seeming need to control the lives of all in the communities in which they live.

I have lived around Southern Baptists most of my life and have not once seen any such attitudes. Care to share an example from real life?

[all4one]

"Now that the pope is frail the "powers behind the throne" see their big chance to "take over"

Everytime I see how frail the pope has become I think this as well. I also wonder who is putting out the statements that "the pope will not step down". The only people who stand to benefit from the pope not stepping down, are the powers behind the throne. They could not procure their agenda if another pope were to be chosen.

[smith288]

I fully understand that congregation is not meant to entertain. But in my interpretation, God wants us all to have joy in our hearts in our lives and to celebrate him. Naturally, human nature takes to trying to make that song pleasing to him by our own standards of what sounds good, hence the entertainment portion. Dont know if its right, for all we know God likes cricket sounds... But im not so sure Crickets are happy nor directing it towards God.

[sinkspur]

I am particularly heartened by the suggestion that the Vatican is retreating from its advocacy of communion in the hand.

Since there's nothing but speculation in this article (indeed, the entire "draft" seems to be a trial balloon floated to the bishops to see what will fly and what will not), I seriously doubt there will be any discouragement of communion in the hand. It is too wide a practice, and there is no indication that it has been abused.

Nor is there a problem with communion under both kinds.

Some of these "sources" are likely the same ones who floated the notion that the Vatican would mandate a weekly Latin Mass in every parish.

[Aquinasfan]

As more people in the underdeveloped world moved to the cities, however, there were more opportunites and their outlook on life changed.

That was not the situation in this country up until the mid-1960s, when vocations and religious orders flourished.

[smith288]

I never cared for Southern Baptists Holier Than Thou attitude. And their seeming need to control the lives of all in the communities in which they live.

Sorry....didnt know I was controlling you. Like I said, I will now stop my persecution of whatever you are... So that I may not control you. Or something to that effect.

(try not listening to the stereotypes on the Simpsons of what a Southern Baptist is like... It may suprise you.)

[irish_links]

"...They'd rather save 2 minutes on the Holy Eucharist while singing the Gloria repeatedly for five minutes...."

Isn't that the truth. Are the folks who write the liturgical music competing among themselves to see who can draft the worst sung version of the Gloria? One version sung at my parish timed out at three minutes, most of which is devoted to organ flourishes and repeated choruses of no spiritual or musical value.

[Petronski]

Hopefully Catholic policies on the differing roles of men and women in the Church will drive away the womyn who come to the Church to get some "power, honor and glory."

[Robert Drobot]

"Mass isn't about entertaining the congregation, it's about being [reverent] towards God."

A product of Vatican II - The Rosemary's Baby of the Church.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Holy Mass isn't the time for a Hootenanny. "All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven." (Eccles. 3.1)

[wardaddy]

Your welcome. The "clapping and dancing" in the title brought it to mind.

Assemblies of God definitely clap and "sway" during the 40 minute musical opening. To them, it's supposed to invite the Holy Spirit in to the gathering.

Quite different from the Southern Baptist I was raised with.

My wife attends a PCA congregation which has a rather modern music opening as well.

I forgot to mention that this service's invocation must have drawn at least 50 weeping souls....incredible.

[Aquinasfan]

What the directive is referring to is applause which distracts from worship and praise of God. God is worshipped and praised in song throughout the Mass. However, in recent times, priests have allowed the congregation to applaud for the choir, the success of the bake sale, etc.

[presidio9]

women are only good to be workhorses and child nurturers while the men get all the power, honor, and glory.

You might as well stop going to Church. The entire purpose of religion seems to have been wasted on you.

[HungarianGypsy]

does this mean an end to the brass bands too? I remember when I was Catholic 15 years ago they kept adding rock-style music to attract the teens. Being one of those teens, I did not feel at all spiritual. I was a bit of a traditionalist.

[Ann Archy]

Amen to what you said. Bring back the traditions...I wouldn't mind veils either.

Does your diocese STAND during Communion? I hate it...some stand...some kneel....it's not "catholic" anymore.