"Commercials" during Mass

[Menschenstimme]

This one is mostly for the other RCs on this Forum:</P>


I think that my parish is becoming inappropriately indulgent of "commercials" during the announcement portion of the Mass. I admit to being ignorant of the official liturgical guidelines. But please allow me to present an example. Let's say the parish girlscout troup is selling cookies in front of the church after Mass. (This raises other legal and zoning issues - but not now.) I think it is okay for the lector to say along with the other Mass announcements: "Please support our girlscouts who are selling cookies in front of church after Mass." What I think is NOT okay is to say: "And how here is one of our parish girlscouts to take three minutes of your time to tell you about their cookie sale and all the wonderful programs that the proceeds support." I find it offensive to be forced, as a captive audience, to listen to soliciting during Mass, no matter how noble the cause. (I would make an exception for a visiting missionary who is giving the homily about his mission and asking for financial aid - once a year.)</P>


Okay: So am I being curmudgeonly or am I expressing respect and good taste regrading the Mass?</P>


Thank you!</P>


SIGH!!</P>

[pipecutter]

Re: &quot;Commercials&quot; during Mass

I can't speak to the "mass" per se, but my experience is that if you <U>have</U> to have something like that in the service, it should be before the service begins. Once a year the local boy scout troop present their Eagle scouts on Sunday morning. All of that is done <U>before</U> the prelude and call to worship. You can argue wetherthat ceremonyshould even be taking place, but my (Methodist) church is pretty good about making sure announcements and ancillary speakers and events do not occur within the service proper.

[Jay999]

Re: &quot;Commercials&quot; during Mass



It's indeed strange to me....so many Catholic congregations I have attendedare as informal as a Baptist congregation these days, encouraged by the Priests and music directors. I haven't heard an inspiring Mass (both in Homily or Music) in years!</P>


At the same time, there's never been more "high church" Episcopal congregations than there is now. The sermons are usually about the same, but the music has become delicious!</P>
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[nullogik]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass



Menschen, this is quite common - well at least in the local RC Churches around me. At my own Church, we frequently have someone from a Christian Charity or Campaign Group (like anti-abortion) who will talk for a few minutes just before the final blessing. I personally don't have any problem with this at all, or with the example given above. Though I can also see exactly where you are coming from.
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What I do have a problem with is when the collection is taken at mass. At pretty much all RC Churches (don't know much about other Christian denominations) the weekly collection is taken during the preparation of the altar (just before the eucharistic prayer) by the priest. Typically baskets are passed around at this period and there is a lot of noise due to the rattling of coins etc. I personally find it distasteful that money should be handled right before the most important part of mass. This period of time should be used to quietly reflect and prepare for what is about to happen in the mass rather than a huge undignified scramble to find change. I couldn't think of a less appropriate time to have this happen. </p>

I always thought that the weekly collection should happen after Communion is distributed and just before the final blessing i.e. around the same Menschen talks about in his post. The thought of handling money, then a few minutes later handling the Body of Christ (not talking about hygiene here) is highly inappropriate IMO.
</p>

Perhaps I'm the only one to think that this is wrong. It seems to be common place in pretty much every Church I have visited (including CofE). Anyone agree? Maybe the reason why is the Church is often at its fullest during the preparation of the altar and quite a few people tend to leave mass pretty much straightaway after receiving Communion.
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[Philip the organist]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

[quote user="nullogik"]

What I do have a problem with is when the collection is taken at mass. At pretty much all RC Churches (don't know much about other Christian denominations) the weekly collection is taken during the preparation of the altar (just before the eucharistic prayer) by the priest. Typically baskets are passed around at this period and there is a lot of noise due to the rattling of coins etc. I personally find it distasteful that money should be handled right before the most important part of mass. This period of time should be used to quietly reflect and prepare for what is about to happen in the mass rather than a huge undignified scramble to find change. I couldn't think of a less appropriate time to have this happen. </p>

I always thought that the weekly collection should happen after Communion is distributed and just before the final blessing i.e. around the same Menschen talks about in his post. The thought of handling money, then a few minutes later handling the Body of Christ (not talking about hygiene here) is highly inappropriate IMO.
</p>

Perhaps I'm the only one to think that this is wrong. It seems to be common place in pretty much every Church I have visited (including CofE). Anyone agree? Maybe the reason why is the Church is often at its fullest during the preparation of the altar and quite a few people tend to leave mass pretty much straightaway after receiving Communion.
</p>

[/quote] Very good point IMHO!!
</p>

At my current church (independent Baptist), they have a rather unusual method of collection. So as to avoid distraction during worship, people despising the poor, and people "doing their alms before men" they have placed simple wooden boxes at the two entrances of the sanctuary. So you can cast your tithe into the storehouse before or after the service, or not tithe, and no one would know. But God has provided more than enough money for us to keep the lights on and instruments (well, the piano[:P]) in good repair and even build our building debt-free 9 years ago. </p>

My old church (Plymouth Brethren) would celebrate Holy Communion each Sunday in a different service from the traditional evangelical hymns-sermon-postlude format, so in that service, after the various prayers, hymns, and words of encouragement and admonition which any of the men could give, we would receive communion. Though we believed the elements to be only symbolic, we did always take up the collection in plates after partaking and singing a hymn of praise.
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[Philip the organist]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

Might I add though that at church, occasionally, perhaps once a month, they will allow (during the announcements) a parishoner to ask for a special offering to benefit Missionary X who needs a generator for the orphanage, or for Missionary Y to the prisons who needs new Bibles. I don't take issue with this-if the missionaries are doing God's work, we should be helping.

[Mondochuck]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

Hello, My name is Mondochuck. I will only take three minutes of your time today. The cathedral organ needs $50,000 USdollars, not MXNpesos, for repairs. I hope everyonecan find it in their heart to send a check today. Thank you and God Bless. [A]

[Mondochuck]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

Hello my name is Mondochuck. I will only take three minutes of your time today. Though I'm not a missionary, I can tell you about "missionary" organizations (for profit) for those of you so moved in Christain spirit to go to Mexicoto dovolunteer work. Mexico, a far far away third world country, especially the Mexican state of Yucatan. Shhh, don't tell anyone that the Yucatan once had more millionaires than any oneplace in the world!(Yes, they have interent in Mexico,I rode my donkey all afternoon to reach the nearest cyber cafe just to post this)For about the same price you'd pay fora week at an all inclusive resort in Cancun (not that wouldI recommend that trailer park to anyone)you and your church group (mostly Baptist) can stay in a one room cinderblock dorm for a week, possibly two weeksand do the Lord's work constructing new cinder blockroofs on poor people's houses.Oh wait, there's more, when you and your Christain group aren'tbuilding new roofs,the missionarys will arrangefor you and your group to goto the zocoloto dredge for sinnersat theplaza grandeinfront of the 500 year old Catholic Cathedral!Never mind thecost of those splashy flyers trumpeting <STRIKE>your</STRIKE> God's good wordthat end up littered across the park and down my street.Oh wait,where is the poor family that lives in that house you just install a newroof ???? No se, now the organization will have to sell the house (profit) again.I won't mention that with the money you could havesaved from anall inclusive resort vacation, you could donate money to an organization that really needs your support. Have a blessed week. [A]

[Jay999]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

Mondo...I read with great interest your article about American church groups coming in and doing work on poor peoples' houses. I have quite a few client churches that participate in such efforts every summer. They travel to Mexico and South America. They come home tired, sometimes a little scuffed up, but nothing serious, and always feeling great....because they've done a good deed. Is what you have written above true?

[Mondochuck]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

<DIV>Jay. There is an organization here that does this. They recruit church groups to come to Mexico to do volunteer work and they make moneymuch like any travel agent,booking the airfares and lodging etc.Theone I mention is located in asmall beach town about an hour away from Merida and volunteers are housed ina rusticdorm.Volunteersdo construction work, usually building roofs on existing houses. There was an articleinthelocal paper last year after complaints fromthe village peoplethat the volunteer work was robbing them of much needed construction jobs and houses were being sold once the workhad been completed by the volunteers. Hopefully this isn't common, but it is happening. I see church groups in Merida often, usually in the Plaza Grande, seeking converts are whatever it is they do. I can't help but think how much better those efforts and moniescould have been spent. </DIV>

[Philip the organist]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

duplicate

[Philip the organist]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass



deleted...see John Kinkennon's comment below.</p>

What I intended as a serious innocent question will ultimately become another flamewar....so forget that.</p>

Peace, love, and cheers to all! Keep it happy,</p>

PF</p>

[:)]</p>

[John Kinkennon]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass



Let's not go down this road. This thread is turning into a "baiting game". My favorite missionary is my Uncle (in-law) Greg who worked for years as a Filipino missionary to the United States, So life is full of contridictions and differing interpretations of "the Blessed Virgin" and "the Communion of the Saints". And different interpretations of who is needy... We don't have to agree.I seriously doubtwhether the Almighty is conducting a theology quiz -- that can't possibly me the meaning of life.</P>


Let's enjoy a new thread we'll call "Does God prefer organs to guitars?" At least we can agree on that -- or not.</P>
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[Jay999]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

John....yes. Agreed! I am the world's worst for drifting off topic anyway. This is an organ forum, not a charity expose. Best wishes....

[Manum de Tabula]

Re: Money &amp; the Mass

Back to the original subject: Doesn't anyone use printed programs to announce cookie sales or whatever the subject might be? I have been involved in meetings where the same announcement is given over the pulpit four weeks in a row and then heard people say "we didn't know that was happening." Nobody ever listens.