Thought For The Day
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (before he was Pope Benedict XVI) – “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liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment.
Apparently, Pope Benedict XVI went to my Church for 11:00 Sunday Mass. Because some misguided soul(s) always applauds for the worst possible “sacred” music ever.
Ever since the priest turned toward the people, Mass has become a community affair. When the priest faced God and God alone did the Real Presence matter.
I’ve only applauded once at Mass, and that was several years ago at my home parish. The pastor had just concluded an absolute barnburner of a homily on the evil of abortion— some folks in the pews looked furious, some gasped at his bluntness, but the great majority of us burst into applause as Father left the pulpit.
To his credit, Father did nothing to acknowledge the applause, merely proceeding with Mass as though nothing unusual had just happened.
Myself and several other parishioners decided to write letters to Father, thanking him for being so forthright. He deserved the praise (and he deserved to have evidence of how his parish appreciated his words, in case some folks with guilty consciences attempted to get him in hot water with the bishop).
I have no regrets for that breach in decorum, but I don’t plan on repeating it.
Unfortunately, clapping is common place at the end of Mass at my Parish, for the choir. I wish it wasn’t. What gets me is the chatting inside the Church afterwards whilst some ppl are praying.
My husband and I used to attend a Parish St Michael near his area before we were married. The Parish Priest, Fr Slattery, (now retired) was very serious about reverence at Mass, and he would stop a Homily if there was someone interrupting it with a cough, throat-clearing, a child being noisy (there was no crying/parents room) or any noise. And he would stare in the direction until the disruption stopped. If you were the culprit it was very embarrassing. His homilies were excellent- always sharp and sometimes a brutal exercise in the examination of ones conscience. He didn’t mince his words. The Mass was always full. Parishioners pouring out the door. I miss those Masses.
Doesn’t happen at the TLM