Yesterday I was at Mass at a parish I don’t typically go to and it was really quite nice. The music was beautiful. In fact, the choir was so good that I found myself listening to them instead of praying. But I refocused. The sermon was strong and relevant.
But just after the penultimate moment where the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ and prayer should be at its most solemn, we took a break. A big one. At the sign of peace, the crowd just erupted in conversation. We had people crossing the aisles to speak with friends. The priest paraded down the aisle like a politician at a 4th of July parade, grabbing hands with parishioners, and laughing. Everybody was talking and laughing so loud that I felt like we were in an auditorium just waiting for someone to sing the Star Spangled Banner and say “Play ball.”
I mean, when did the sign of peace become the seventh inning stretch for Mass?
I’m sure everyone there believes in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist but we’re just not acting like it. At all.
Pope Benedict has said the sign of peace at Mass “has great value,” but he has also called for “greater restraint” to ensure that it does not distract.
According to CNS, Pope Benedict has asked, “the competent curial offices to study the possibility of moving the sign of peace to another place (in the Mass), such as before the presentation of the gifts at the altar. To do so would also serve as a significant reminder of the Lord’s insistence that we be reconciled with others before presenting our gifts to God.”
To me, the sign of peace as it was at that Mass served as a massive distraction. And moving the sign of peace might be the way to go but also, I think, instructing Catholics again on the Real Presence and the reverence which should be shown might be even more important.
September 9, 2008 at 4:18 pm
While we’re at it, can we also please get rid of the apparently necessary reading of the bulletin before the final blessing? I don’t recall that ever being a part of the Liturgy. Other places for that could be before the introductory rite or immediately after the final blessing – or here’s a novel idea, encourage parishioners to READ!
September 9, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I attend daily Mass; there are usually less than a dozen of us. One woman feels obligated to give a sing of peace to EVERYONE. She dashes about the pews and is still saying “Peace. Peace. Peace.” while the celebrant bregins the Agnus Dei.
Where is my peace? I can’t hear myself pray :/
September 9, 2008 at 4:21 pm
The GIRM allows for announcements at the conclusion of the Prayer After Communion. Personally, I could do without them. In fact, I could do without just about any form of announcements before or at the end of Mass. My experience with the TLM in the last year has been such, that except for a couple of things Father mentions before the homily, we find our places in the hymnals and pick up bulletins to read later without being micro-managed.
September 9, 2008 at 4:24 pm
“One woman feels obligated to give a sing of peace to EVERYONE.”
Have you considered simply running screaming out of church when she gets near you? It’s a bold measure, I know, but it might be what it takes for everybody to “get it.”
September 9, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Clapping during the Gloria? Aaargh.
We have announcements five minutes before Mass begins. This helps calm down the pre-Mass small talk. I am so looking forward to the time when our new foyer will be built – it will be large enough to be a gathering space, so we can keep the sanctuary quiet and reverent.
Another recent improvement…our new associate pastor strongly suggested that people stay for all of Mass rather than leaving after Communion. It’s working! At Mass this week, NO ONE left early.
September 9, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Clapping during the Gloria? Aaargh.
We have announcements five minutes before Mass begins. This helps calm down the pre-Mass small talk. I am so looking forward to the time when our new foyer will be built – it will be large enough to be a gathering space, so we can keep the sanctuary quiet and reverent.
Another recent improvement…our new associate pastor strongly suggested that people stay for all of Mass rather than leaving after Communion. It’s working! At Mass this week, NO ONE left early.
September 9, 2008 at 8:05 pm
“…or when they normally do it–1 nanosecond after the last note of the recessional hymn.”
I’d actually be thrilled if they waited until the recessional hymn was over… As soon as the priest leaves the sanctuary, half the congregation bolts for the doors, half of those left begin talking to their friends, the ushers rush up into the sanctuary to pick up the collection baskets and arrange things for the next mass. It aways annoyes me. I’m too grumpy.
And as for the SOP, I’m with Lori. We have a big enough family that we don’t need to reach around to our neighbors. I kiss my wife, and the child on each side, and then I’m done. I’ll admit that sometimes I blow my nose even if I don’t need to, just so people will leave me alone…
September 9, 2008 at 8:17 pm
“I’ll admit that sometimes I blow my nose even if I don’t need to, just so people will leave me alone…”
Hey, that is brilliant. I found that sticking my nose in my missal didn’t always spare me from the how-do-ya-do before Mass in some places.
September 9, 2008 at 10:03 pm
The Sign of Peace (SOP)is more aptly called the “Kiss of Peace” and it’s an old, venerable Church custom. Prior to Vatican II is was reserved to clergy at a Solemn High Mass, and a frequent component in liturgies at monasteries and similar institutions. The monks (clerics) offered each other a ritualized embrace, Kiss of Peace, which was initiated by the principal celebrant and passed on, one to the next, until the entire community had been included. In so doing, one ask and offered forgiveness for past sins so as to more worthily receive Christ’s precious Body in Holy Communion. Nothing wrong with all that! It was reintroduced to the new rite (Novus Ordo) after Vat.II with that same intention. The correct practice is to turn to the person or persons CLOSEST to you and, by extending a gesture of peace, ask him/her to forgive you, in the name of the rest of humanity, your sinfulness; and, of course, you were doing the same for him/her. This all takes place right before Holy Communion. It should be solemn and reverential, but it has become anything but — thanks largely to the lack of sound teaching from those who should know better. Holding hands during the “Our Father” defeats utterly the significance of the sing/kiss of peace as one does does need to seek forgiveness from someone with whom he’s been lovingly holding hands for the last couple of minutes.
September 9, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I often stand in back of the Church just to avoid all the hand holding and hugs.
September 10, 2008 at 3:36 am
Clapping during the Gloria?
At a parish I visited they were clapping during the AGNUS DEI!
That blew me out of my mind.
September 10, 2008 at 4:42 am
I have yet to meet the person that likes this enforced and uncomfortable familiarity during the most solemn part of the Mass. What Protestant dumped that bit on us during VII? People now go overboard at that point (which is optional) and end up holding hands during the Our Father (not found in the Rubrics). We avoid those Masses and believe me they are everywhere happily passing on these errors.