Hi Kathy, Thanks. I understand where you're coming from and appreciate the suggestion, but I'm not sure how I feel about needing to do that from week to week. Based on what I've seen at this church, I have a feeling that they're the type to steamroll over any modulation with applause.

That's odd. But I do think you should try Kathy's suggestion for a few weeks to break the habit. In the end though, you might have to just accept this "custom."

Is a buletin notice with reference to both a pertinent quote from Ratzinger and a personal quote from the actual musicians demurring be out of the question?
Of course there are always party guests who ignore the "no presents, please" on invitations.

I suspect a recent newcomer to the parish hasbrought his or her practice to the parish and others felt it would seem actively dissaproving if they did not join in the show of approval when it began.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)

Psalm 47.

Thanks for the responses so far. However, I'd prefer if the strictly-sarcastic or joking ones were left out, with all due respect. Thanks.

I have a problem on occasion with applause after the final hymn. I'm intending to include a notice in the bulletin, "Out of respect for the listening enjoyment of your neighbors and for the integrity of the liturgy, please refrain from applause during the liturgy until the postlude has ended."

To be honest, I think the applause after the last hymn is a prompting of the Holy Spirit (or good taste, or custom) to do an organ (or piano or guitar or what have you) voluntary.

There are people on here whom I respect a great deal who do not do a closing hymn at the OF Mass; however, if I were going to cut a hymn, it would always be the entrance and never the closing. The closing is the one spot that a hymn which has words that may not be from the canon of Scripture or from Tradition is truly appropriate: it can be a reflection of the community on what they have experienced that day (without detracting from the vertical element of worship).

It works much better in a place where they (the people AND clergy) stay for all (or at least all but the last) verse(s). That's something my predecessor got the clergy to do here and "it is wonderful in our eyes". NO ONE leaves. Very prayerful.

Frankly, I don't care what they do after/during the postlude, whether it's a small improvisation or a showpiece. I try to make sure I use good taste in selecting said voluntary, according to the general Mass of the day.

I share a similar situation as the original poster which, frankly, I have come to realize that I have failed to address for so long that even some members of the congregation appear to be wondering whether there's something amiss (E.g, they seem, based on the qualities of their clapping, to be asking themselves, interiorly, "Should we clap after Parce Domine programmed during Passiontide as a recessional, or not?").

In my defense, I wince every time they decide in the affirmative.

Or, secretly, do I derive gratification from their validation, especially in light of the "reform of the reform" agenda I have attempted to implement?

Not a problem, I hope, for those exclusively within the EF, unless our Blessed Savior Himself were to appear again in form triumphant before the Church assembled.

For the rest of us, though, I endorse any of the musical suggestions above, most important being avoidance of the big "Hollywood/Broadway" end, with apologies to readers outside the U.S.A. for reference to what may seem to be no more than neighborhoods/streets.

And, adding my own, sing so many of the verses of the recessional hymn, that those who might be inclined to clap, finally just give up and leave.

Cf. this, with the advice of the recent post on the theme of "what is the sound of a post-lude falling within an empty church when there is no one to listen."

BruceL, personally, I agree with you that here and at the prelude -- if anywhere -- is the place to rock out.

they seem, based on the qualities of their clapping, to be asking themselves, interiorly, "Should we clap after Parce Domine programmed during Passiontide as a recessional, or not?"

Actually, this suggests a way forward for the original poster. Program for the recessional the music you'd LIKE to be doing, ie chant. Then start to program it for Introit, Communion, etc. When people complain, respond, "oh, but everyone claps when we do it!"

I would prefer clapping to thrown beer cans and rocks, to be sure. Clapping is not really an issue in my parish, so I don't have to deal with it.

I don't think it takes away from God at all to say to someone "Thank you so much for your hard work in making these liturgies so powerful and prayerful!"

Would it be equally okay to applaud if the priest delivered a homily in which he put in a lot of hard work and that was powerful and prayerful?

Serious question. Where do we draw the line?

From the original post, it sounds as though at a certain point of time, the usual custom of not-clapping changed, and now there's a new custom of clapping.

I would guess that one or two people, probably from out of town or something, start the clapping, and the other people just go along with it. So it's becoming established as a custom.

There's no really good reason for it. There are a lot of reasons against it. And now is the time to stop it before it becomes an established thing that the whole congregation always feels is expected.

Would it be equally okay to applaud if the priest delivered a homily in which he put in a lot of hard work and that was powerful and prayerful?

It's not as if this doesn't happen at many places.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)

From the original post, it sounds as though at a certain point of time, the usual custom of not-clapping changed, and now there's a new custom of clapping.

I would guess that one or two people, probably from out of town or something, start the clapping, and the other people just go along with it. So it's becoming established as a custom.

There's no really good reason for it. There are a lot of reasons against it. And now is the time to stop it before it becomes an established thing that the whole congregation always feels is expected.

I agree with your point; and I think that if he can try your earlier suggestion it might work.

But I don't think we should try to militantly police people's personal actions during/after mass. If it is becoming a custom there, we can subtly try to dissuade them from it. But I wouldn't do more than that. Otherwise you end up looking like the crazy liturgical Nazi.

I've been there, done that. At a previous parish it REALLY FRIED ME when people would applaud the children's choir. I would turn all shades of red and try to do things to stop it, like rushing the kids out before the last note even faded, etc.

Then a couple of people (my wife one of them) gently and diplomatically told me that I was just looking like a crazy person and that other people in the parish were wondering "what my problem was." I finally realized that they were going to clap and it wasn't worth losing sleep over.

We'd tried something different today and believe we will continue (at least until our regular priest returns in 5 weeks and puts the kibosh on it, though I'm hoping he won't). Right after the closing hymn ended (a one second break), we (my two teens and I who serve as cantors with my son at the organ) sang the "Salve Regina". My son the organist left the the organ as loud as he had it for the closing hymn and we all sang strongly. A couple of people (one was my husband) remained to listen, but otherwise was the usual free-for-all with the loud yakking--and they really had to shout to be heard over the music. I will be interested to see if there is any lessening in the noise over the next weeks as we continue this practice. My daughter thought the sanctuary emptied faster than usual today, so maybe we accomplished something.

If there is any applause after the postlude, it would be by those people who stayed to hear the music and express gratitude for the organ playing. This would seem somehow separated from the rest of the mass.

Following the mass, on special occasions, the pastor often thanks the choir, as well as others; and this is usually followed by applause. If this happens to you frequently, perhaps the pastor and congregation really appreciate your efforts. I would be more concerned regarding the opposite response.

At a previous assignment, when we ran into this issue, the organist and I did something similar to teachermom's idea. It was based on what I experienced in France- the choir and congregation robustly singing the Salve Regina. They owned it- no accomp needed.

Here was the formula:
1) Final hymn (not loud, just usual and varied by verse accomp)
2) Acapella Salve Regina, intoned by cantors immediately after the hymn, announced ahead of time and sung by many if not most congregants. Our organist used this time to get everything set for a postlude.
3) Organ postlude immediately after chant

That way no one was pushed out of the church, so several people could stay and say their thanksgivings, and there was no pause in the music in which to offer applause.

Practical, formative, and fruitful, so it seemed.

And I agree about not losing too much sleep about it. Go slow, be patient, prayerful and crafty about phasing out applause. Especially if it's not your problem to solve.

I do sympathize- I personally cringe and duck behind the nearest pillar or choir loft rail when applause is directed at me. When I'm on stage, I appreciate it, and have different bows, etc. But in church it's miserably awkward.

Noel also has a point- if the pastor wants the applause to end, he needs to address it and has his choice in any number of ways.