Projector Screens at Mass - Why not?

Sponsor: www.fishersnet...
I know that for many people, whether we should use projector screens or not at a Catholic mass is a trivial thing, it’s not the kind of thing that should cause divisions and debate, but if you take at least one moment to think about the implications of this dilemma, I hope you’ll see why it’s not just some trivial complaint, but actually a symptom of a much more serious concern in the #Church today - and therefore, worth spending some time talking about.
The #Catholic mass claims to be a re-presentation of the sacrifice of #Jesus Christ for our sins where he becomes truly present - God walks onto the stage and invites us to worship him and be united to that sacrifice by consuming his body, blood, soul and divinity in the #eucharist.
That’s a pretty serious thing, so whatever we do to accessorize or “enhance” that occasion in the #liturgy isn’t something we should take lightly. And the Church, in her teachings, does not take such considerations lightly - which is why we shouldn’t either.
It has been explained to me that this will significantly improve participation at mass. So, the problem we see is that people aren’t participating at least in obvious ways - they aren’t singing along or reciting the responses and prayers like they’re supposed to.
So are theatre-sized #screens at #mass the answer?
Music written and generously provided by Paul Jernberg. Find out more about his work as a composer here: pauljernberg.com
Podcast Version: brianholdswort...

[@samburton2978]

Loved this. I'm a evangelical pastor. I hate power point. I was an executive in Corporate America, and we were slaves to power point, and it was used so poorly. I can't use it in a sermon. I want the congregation to pay attention to the message, not the screen. I don't mind it with song lyrics., But I've noticed I don't learn the lyrics and parts like I used to.

[@harleydavidson4247]

You should come home, brother. If you’re watching Brian, there’s a calling in your heart to partake in the treasures of the Catholic Church. Give Keith Nestor a listen. He was a pastor and gave it all up for Jesus and His church. We welcome you with open arms!

[@spykezspykez7001]

Audiovisual aids are fine if they help one deliver a point. But not at Mass.

[@rcocco6992]

I visited my old neighborhood church after a 2yr absence (covid) to find the confessionals removed and a giant screen that drops down (in front of the crucifix!) above the alter. It was the last time I attended. It broke my heart. Now when I go home to visit I travel to attend a TLM.

[@observingyt6159]

I'm not Catholic yet, but I hope to become Catholic. How can they remove confessionals? Isn't that required?

[@turnmeondeadman4221]

@@observingyt6159don’t believe him . They moved from booths to actual rooms so it’s easier for handicap and elderly

[@SandraVonRR]

And this is why the TLM is growing in numbers because when you go TLM you know that you know you have been to Mass! You would think that it’s the older generation coming back to the Mass as it was before V2, but actually it’s NOT that group. It’s the millennials who are having babies and bringing their families, and dads being the dads they were meant to be. Keep going to TLM-it changes your life!

[@hemsty2]

@@observingyt6159 - the priest can hear confession anywhere so there is no requirement to have confessionals

[@spykezspykez7001]

Suggest : Don’t just leave, please consider letting the parish know why. They may change, who knows.

[@monicakryska9708]

I have made a decision to start memorizing many prayers of the mass. When I pray the Creed from memory, I must pay attention to every word, and focus intently on what I am confessing. The Creed recited with true conviction has deepened my faith. To reduce distractions, I use a missellette. I also shut my eyes to avoid distractions at deeply holy moments. I focus on the crucifix rather than the priest who is trying to make eye contact with the congregants. I must name a huge effort to attend and be oriented to worship. Thank you for your message.

[@phoenixcatholic5367]

Brian, I totally agree with what you said here. But I did expect, given my own experience, a slightly different take. I was in St Patrick's Cathedral (NYC) several years ago. It seems that when JPII came to NYC they installed CC TV screens on the back of every pillar so that those who had 'bad seats' could see what was going on in the sanctuary. On the Sunday I was there, I had one of these 'bad seats'. My experience was that when I focused on the screen I was taken out of the liturgical experience. I felt more connected to the liturgy when I simply stared at the pillar in front of me rather than at the screen. I think that screens take us in to a 'virtual' space that is entirely non-conducive to actual liturgical participation.

[@frsamfrench]

This is the best, most specific, liturgical criticism Ive seen in a long time. You had me rolling with those slides!

[@justin71069]

I started noticing the projector screens last year. One of our priests opted to phone in his homily by dimming the lights and playing an Ascension Press video. A lot of those videos are great, in the right time and place... that time is not during mass. No one was paying attention to the video and I was extremely put off by the whole thing. Likely not a coincidence that I've noticed this priest giving me odd looks when I receive communion the tongue. 🤨

[@markscannell865]

We spend hours on end from Monday to Saturday looking at screens. Can we spend just one hour on Sundays not looking at screens?

[@juliab826]

This has been one of my pet peeves for so long! I briefly attended a parish that used one of these screens, and found it intolerably distracting. There was no choir or singing, just KZbin videos playing things like "On Eagle's Wings" with tacky visuals. An elderly parishioner sat up front near the altar awkwardly transitioning between the videos and the slideshow, which would have stock images of bread, wine, etc. The music was always played at an incredibly loud volume for such a small church, probably because much of the congregation was old and hard of hearing. During our time there, my husband and I attended a parish meeting where the liturgy was being discussed. We brought up that we found it distracting and unappealling and were essentially scoffed at, being told how common it was, how they had to use it because there were no hymn books in the church, how easy it made everything, etc. There are a good number of young Catholic families that live close to this parish and every one of them now drives to churches farther away because of how bad the liturgy is, and the unwillingness of the priest and parishioners to listen to constructive criticism.

[@oggolbat7932]

My church uses TV screens to show the readings and the prayers. I find it very considerate towards potentially deaf people.

[@kevinwoplin9322]

I can attest to that turn around in 4 years since the arrival of our new parish priest .. . He restored the sanctuary and the high altar restored the rails instituted a choir director and a choral scholars program opened the confessional every day after Mass and for 3 hours on Saturday, adoration every month on a friday and the transformation has been amazing people vist the parish to see how it was turned around from double digits at Mass to triple digits. And Eucharistic ministers are only used at big attendance time like Christmas Midnight Mass

[@elizabethking5523]

That’s awesome!! Let’s pray the Lord will bless us to have this happen EVERYWHERE!!! ❤️🙏🏻

[@johncox2284]

In the Evangelical world the big screen is used for songs, hymns and announcements. They are also used to show movies during the worship service. What they don't realise is the screen plus the worship band has tirned the worship into entertainment.

[@vincenzorutigliano7239]

Worshiptainment

[@johncoffey9837]

I appreciate a nice, quiet Mass. I enjoy the reflective space. I love chant and more classical hymns. But there are a lot of "I"s there. My mom was born deaf. So was my grandma. They both have hearing aids now, but hearing is still a struggle. My home parish has progressively become less and less classical. Electric organ and piano has moved to guitars and drums. Screens have covered up stained glass (though that came along with a beautifully very classical looking renovation of the sanctuary). My mom has expressed deep happiness towards those screens from the second they went up. She can't hear too well. She can't hear the liturgy of the word too well. She can't hear the Eucharistic prayer too well. Now, finally, she feels like she can get a better grasp of what's going on, after being a lifelong Catholic. I find it really interesting. I've come to a similar conclusion about working towards peoples' affections and that even if it's a small subset of people that is deeply benefitted by something that leads them closer to God, we should do it for the sake of the Church. I've thought about this parish this way. I'm not from the wealthiest area. Very few people there are using powerpoints at work. It's blue collar: bus drivers, janitors, nurses aids, etc. My priest's sermons aren't the most intellectual. They often cite emotions or popular references. Yet, they remain orthodox. I was shocked when I went to college and for the first time really connected to the space of the Mass. The intellectual nature of that space certainly helped there. But the whole world ain't like that. The Mass is sacred, and should be treated as such. Absolutely. But different things reveal the sacred to different people: St. Thomas Aquinas found it often in reasoning, St. Francis found it often in nature, St. Hildegard found it often in song, etc. In my town where the average IQ ain't that high, where people aren't in that professional mindset (which, after living in both spaces now, I can tell you is a VERY different world), where people are so isolated from one another by suburbia and waining prosperity that anyone singing with heart about true love is going to be sacred. It's going to break the everyday flow of mindless tv, and social media. And you see those effects there. Children dance. People stay to the end to clap for the band. People stay after and commune with one another. Do you think Christ would be mad at that? I appreciated hearing your argument. Just a few thoughts from another perspective. God bless brother

[@VeronicasVeil333]

Yes. Our diocese recently set up a screen IN FRONT OF THE ALTAR BEFORE SUNDAY MASS to ask for money!! I was outraged.

[@martinciglenecki526]

Brian, that PowerPoint is lit 🔥. Also, you are spot on

[@bekabell1]

Thank you for this! I never fully understood 'full and active participation' until I attended the traditional Mass. I can lose myself at my FSSP parish, but never at the local diocesan parish (which has screens) and is dying.

[@marygr8064]

Totally agree. Feel the same way about some music at Mass.

[@afterlate8866]

The big screens at Mass are UGLY! The church should be a place of sanctity, sacredness, beauty and peace. Second, they interrupt some people’s focus. Brian is absolutely right here.

[@lynnfiedler8873]

Thank you, Brian! I have shared this on social media and with our Bishop who REQUIRES screens in all new build Sanctuaries. A travesty!!!

[@fredtrevino9201]

Very well stated, Brian and Ive wrestled with this myself. One thing that helped me was to prepare a program before the mass that had the readings, the responsorial, the gloria so that I didn’t have to fiddle with a pew missal looking for them. I was ready to go. A simple printed program of the mass would be a big help for many.

[@rosiegirl2485]

Participation at Mass only requires two things... Prayer and Worship! Projectors, clowns, rock bands are all welcomed...outside of Mass! May God forgive us, as we strive to get it right! ⚘️

[@LaserFace23]

My parish has a (rather nice) set of projectors, and I'm starting to feel that it's more of a hindrance than a help as well. In my opinion, it almost seems to be in-line with the trend of so-called "active participation" which is really just busy work -- for example, having WAY too many extraordinarily ministers, or letting girls become "altar girls" because "well everybody has to participate in some way!", when traditionally altar serving is akin to a practice for the priesthood. In the case of the projectors, we have a person whose entire role is to just advance the powerpoint from one slide to the next. This is an almost patronizingly simple role that I don't think really enhances the experience in any major way; in fact, the one running the slides is being taken away from the ACTUAL way to participate in the Mass (genuine prayer), and if they DO get distracted from the slides then everyone who is apparently glued to the powerpoint (rather than the Mass, btw) will complain that they didn't know what words to sing or what prayer to pray. It just serves as another way to trivialize the re-union of heaven and earth. I dunno, I like my parish overall and genuinely feel like I'm called to do work there (it's actually a fairly large and resource-rich parish with a good amount of families), but there really are so many problems that are getting more difficult to ignore sometimes.

[@MikePasqqsaPekiM]

‘Remove art that lacks artistic worth, or is mediocre’?! Will the real “spirit of Vatican II” PLEASE stand up?! 😫

[@catherinemcdavid1533]

I totally agree. When I walk in and see screens hanging in the church.. I'm thinking, "noooooooooooooo"..Jesus is enough. I am not here to be entertained.

[@christineOfs]

Parishioners are not WORSHIPPING God from their heart, as we are supposed to, and this PowerPoint is a huge distraction to adore our Lord.

[@laura8324]

I always found it difficult to pray during NO Masses because of distraction simply caused by the extremely loud music played through speakers. Projection screens would be so much worse! Save them for the parish hall to use during classes, lectures, etc. I can concentrate on prayer during the periods of silence during TLM. Even during Sung High Masses, the actual prayers of the Mass are chanted, not Christian pop songs!

[@Kitiwake]

I agree about the Christian Pop songs.

[@tafazzi-on-discord]

That's intentional, it was a huge problem that people would pray by themselves instead of participating in what's happening.

[@laura8324]

@@tafazzi-on-discord Respectfully, I ask you, how do you know it was a great problem? Our Pre VaticanII churches were always packed on Sundays, today not so much. I “participate” by silently following along in my missal the prayers the priest prays while HE (not the faithful) “in persona Christi” offers the sacrifice to God. May God Bless You.

[@tafazzi-on-discord]

@@laura8324By "praying by themselves" I meant stuff like the rosary. It's a given that you must follow along what prayers are being offered in the liturgy. You don't even need a missal to pray along in masses in vernacular language, it's commendable you did it in latin masses but you realize that the best part of those that don't have a missal were impaired from personally praying what the prayer in the mass was about? You can always ask your parish to turn down the volume on the speakersz I've been to tens of NO churchee and that problem only occured 3-5 times

[@quoprimum9145]

Ever noticed how many restaurants have televisions plastered on every wall showing the latest sportsball and other nonsense? Every tried to get your toddler to focus on anything but the constant stimulus of those televisions? Ever sat through a meeting at work where the very same demographic of people who advocate for this garbage at Mass cannot, for whatever reason, figure out how to change slides, get the powerpoint displayed on the correct monitor, or even remember to put it in full screen mode instead opting to show their minion-ridden abomination of a slideshow in editing mode? I have very strong opinions on this particular topic. Thank you, Brian, for putting this video out.

[@Bonnie-v5b]

We are TLMers, and we can't stand the screens when we have to go to a NO. We call them jumbotrons. Nothing shouts entertainment (football, concerts) like these ridiculous jumbotrons!! We are there to worship our God, not to be entertained. So sad.😢😢😢

[@popebenedict7615]

They do this because people have completely lost the sense of the Sacred

[@melbayarbo3606]

Oh Brian you're scratching where I've been itching for years! I have an ongoing debate with my friend who is a music minister about this. You nailed it, brother! Thanks for speaking into this subject!!

[@jmpersic]

Papyrus and Comic Sans in the same slide? You capture cheesy church slideshows so effectively, lol. Agree 1000%.

[@idecarlow]

Yes to all of this!

[@normkocol1324]

Our parish is truly blessed, small enough that screens are not required

[@navchaps3449]

Piety - what is appropriate in the worship of God - dominated the concerns of the Church Fathers. This attitude safeguards and cultivates the sense of the sacred in Mass.

[@5150show]

Incredible. Our parish Priest made this point himself yesterday in his homily

[@TheBadgerDad_TheByzantineLife]

Brilliant. I applaud you good sir. The Powerpoint slides had me lol irl.

[@irenecook6411]

I agree…when there are subtitles, I end of reading them instead of watching what’s on screen!

[@MNkno]

Thank you for being so articulate on a sore point. People don't stay with their church, or their religion, because it's entertaining or trendy - that's a reson for short term attendance + ghosting. Young people don't come to church to sit in the pews with their parents trying not to text on their phones, but hey, carrying live flames in the procession, Gospel reading, and recession can capture their attention. I sat next to a person who had a good singing voice but was silent in the service, and I asked why - "I'm going to leave the music to the professionals" was the reply, and sure enough, in a short time they were no longer coming to church. The service is for participation, not be a performance to be passively observed. We have a mother of 4 young children running our Sunday School at the moment, and she wants the entire Sunday School being the ushers, crucifers as well as acolytes, readers, intecessors, and singing 1 of the choir songs about once every 3 months. The objection that "Children don't have the knowledge or maturity for those roles" is met with a solid "So we teach them. It's Sunday SCHOOL, and taking real responsibilty is good for them." Even when it's not their turn, they pay attention and participate because it's their friends actively participating. "People won't know what to say/sing without the screens"... is why we provide print-on-paper order of service booklets, and because of technology, we can provide large-print booklets if there is a need.

[@rosenzollern]

You made a hilariously funny PowerPoint presentation 😂😂😂

[@AJKPenguin]

Your slideshow was amusing, your PowerPoint was on point! I first saw multimedia presentations done at Liturgy in 2013, at St. Joseph's in Queenstown, NZ. The Liturgy was reverent otherwise, yet it reminded me of the Church of Christ I went to for VBS and summer camp years ago. I wonder though, if these screens are leading people to break the Commandment of say the Lord's Name in vain. . .they say His name, but in empty fashion. At my church, there are screens. Thankfully they are reserved for the Creed, the Psalm, and the Archdiocesan prayer for vocations. Oh, they also are used for announcements prior and after Liturgy; but I wish they'd only play announcements when the Altar candles are blown out.

[@JohnNiehaus-iz1fd]

"Compulsive participation." You hit the nail right on the head. I went to a Mass at a church that projected everything from songs, to responsorial responses etc. Extremely distracting as the words couldn't keep up with the music and choir.

[@zeap87]

This is like when a recording tv set, the audience is shown a sign that says “applauses”… they will aplaude… but not sincerely. And the one who wanted to applaud sincerely… now will feel artificial.

[@laurieide4303]

I had never considered this before, but it definitely resonates with me.

[@jherna9960]

Wow. Brian. I thought I was alone in this. This is why I don’t like attending NO and go to TLM. I wish the NO at least get rid of these distractions. And at least sing the Lamb of God in Latin, etc I think there would be more participation because it’s literally out of this world NOT entertainment!

[@A.R.C.S_P.R]

i single handily convinced my parish not to add screens

[@monikamoldvay6102]

In churches of Hungary only the psalm responses and the song lyrics are projected, and prayers or responses for special occasions, nothing else. It's plain text, no design elements added.

[@liraco_mx]

That transition killed me 😂

[@pcplayer9613]

If this happened at my church I would rather just blindfold myself for the entire mass so that I could concentrate on proper worship of Christ in the Eucharist. Then afterward, if God gave me the courage (because I know I can be a coward), I would confront my pastor and tell him just what he is doing to his parish with those screens. Thanks be to God my pastor hasn't done this.

[@TheGringoSalado]

Fr. Announcing the Knights of Columbus bake sale, and inviting people to stand for a birthday blessing with cake after mass right after we receive the body of Christ!!!! For the Love of God! And yet they claim we need a Eucharist revival….. Negligence or Intentional?

[@therussianbot1237]

I went to Annunciation parish in Edmonton and it was surreal. They had 15+ tv screens and during mass everyone was looking at their closest screen, including the priest. I haven’t been back.

[@EpoRose1]

Yikes, that sounds like a sports bar.

[@samburton2978]

One more thing, I have watched your videos for at least 2.5 years, and you have made me appreciative of Roman Catholic doctrine. The things I learned in seminary were not kind. Thank you, good sir.

[@spykezspykez7001]

Lol, when I clicked on this, I thought you were going to talk about screens in Orthodox churches! 😂😂😂

[@dadaUnts]

My family and I serve at a small parish here in Edmonton and to be able to truly be a part of the Holy Mass takes a personal love and passion and personally, in my case it all starts in the family and I am fortunate to have that foundation. As I serve in the music ministry, I feel that I also have the obligation to use the sound system not just for when the hymns are sung but by speaking on the microphone during times the congregation is supposed to respond; '...and with your spirit', 'Amen', the Confiteor and the Apostles and/or Nicene Creed, the blessing of the gifts acclamation - 'Blessed be God Forever', etc. to a point that it becomes a habitual pious nudge to say the least. I am glad that we don't have a projector and I agree that it actually creates an almost synthetic and mechanical atmosphere where it fails to be a tool to revive or remedy participation but rather appeases and appeals to the marginalized disposition of an already weakened number (and quality) of parishioners.

[@gwenewing6837]

I cannot imagine going to mass with a screen with lyrics or responses. No way 😢

[@AnteZulj-x2k]

Thank our Lord for sensus fidelium

[@16Mystery61]

Wow, mad props for reading Tra Le . I’ve never heard anyone ever reference it besides one very cold priest I know

[@aptmadooms]

More people should see this so I'm leaving a comment for the algorithm

[@jameydunne3920]

I so love your dry humor throughoit this video to explore and probe your point. I'd insert a slide (here) if i new how to in a text in celebration of your point, but alas (random emoji) I'm only a novice texter with medocre skills.

[@carolynkimberly4021]

The use of screens is sacrilegious. Protestants use them so we have to too.

[@stevensonrf]

Excellent video!

[@uteme]

Brian, you're a treasure. Thank you! +JMJ+

[@carolynkimberly4021]

The people that like screens don't know how to pray and don't have a clue what the Mass is all about.

[@bluesman091]

Hey Brian, I'm from Costa Rica so the context on which it is used might be different. Before COVID we had simple flyers that had The Lectures of that Mass, usually these were sponsored discretely (this pamphlet was provided with the help of "this company"). After COVID that was gone due to the nature of how it transmits. However, I have seen the projector used for that purpose (Lectures, Psalms, Responses, specific prayers like Spiritual Communion). I believe it helps those who cannot afford (or don't know you can buy) the Missal of that cycle, and it also helps those with visual memory see the Lectures of that day. So as long as it is done with that purpose I see it Ok and not as a "lets try modernizing the church" approach.

[@stevensonrf]

The problem is that our current hierarchy does not care what Vatican II says or what the traditional Catholic Church teaches. They’re going to do what they’re going to do.😔

[@rosachu6161]

Thank you Mr. Brian for bringing this topic up and educating people. I personally HATE the huge screen in the church. aside from all your good and reasonable points you brough up. It is a ugly distraction. It is a house of God and our eyes should be on God. NOT on a screen. I can not say enough bad things about it.

[@annamarialesiuk9735]

Traditional Latin Mass is a solution to all this... Hopefully God gives us more and more priests able to celebrate this Mass, so everyone who seeks it has a parish near to them where they could attend it.

[@Sathrandur]

And, if one has a beautiful church, why would one wish to obscure, yea, mar a beautiful aesthetic with a big white plastic screen or two. If one can read from a screen, one can also read the same from a book.

[@popebenedict7615]

Soooo glad you did this!!! Thank you sooo much!

[@henrymccarty5059]

Yes.

[@shannonmaria22]

Excellent points!

[@fishman6660]

I was just watching another KZbin video, that had subtitles... yep, watching them rather than listening to the presenter. Oops! so true!

[@matthiasdinkelbach1661]

Thanks for bringing this guidance from the Church to my attention! This is an interesting principle that goes beyond just screens and projectors. I wonder what the writers of SC would say about whether it is better to have mediocre art in a parish or none at all.

[@markgriffiths5289]

Amen 🙏✝️

[@albertfuertes2794]

Screens, guitars, “ helpers”, people poorly dressed, out… please. And bring back kneelers and communion patens.

[@lukeknott2779]

I dig. Definitely earned the like and subscribe. Cheers mate!

[@goaliecoachmike]

Christ’s Body and Blood are truly present in Holy Communion. But we do not re-sacrifice Christ each time we gather for worship in the Sacrament.

[@dragunisus]

The only thing I think is ok when it relates to big screen is a projection for the lyrics of the song. I have some good reasons, more personals, for it. 1) Not all the songs are in the prayer booklet you can grab at the entry. (I in Quebec, so it may different in the rest of Canada and in the States) 2) Since I don't know them all and want to sing along it helps. Without it, like when I first had a church experience, I was saying gibberish. 3) Members of my famillly don't have the same mother tongue. So that helps too. But there are no images or bright color.

[@andonedave]

For most of my 51 years, the Church has been making the same mistake over and over. They try to make Mass more appealing by making it more like the world. So they change the music. Maybe bring in a guitarist or drums. Or Fathers homilies start and end with a joke so as to lighten the mood and make people feel at ease. Each decade since the 70s has had its failed attempts at making Mass more attractive. Most recently there’s been a push to be “a welcoming parish.” Ok. That’s fine. But now we’re clapping for visitors at the start of Mass. We’re so focused on being welcoming and making people feel comfortable that waking into Saint typical’s Church is to walk into a very relaxed casual environment. People chatting away/ cutting up in the pews before mass. People show up in shorts and flip flops (I’m in Florida). If we really believe in the spiritual realities that occur at Mass, I’d think the experience would be a bit uncomfortable. To come in contact with the Divine as a sinner, we do ourselves no favor by overemphasizing comfort. All this stuff sucks the sense of the sacred right out of the Church and Mass. Today, I just had enough when the communion song was a Hillsong tune. Just piano and a vocalist but it was perforrmative. It felt like being at a concert. Had I not left out of frustration right after communion, , I would have sat through the inevitable applause for the music. Just stop.

[@admiralbob77]

Here's the problem: in the current rubrics, people are supposed to sing. They're also supposed to be chanting the propers each week. The hymnals don't have these - so if it is to happen, how does this happen without a screen? One of the reasons chant got thrown out for hymns is because there's a book in the pews with hymns. There isn't one for the chants of the Roman Graduale. So which is it we do?

[@carolynkimberly4021]

Our Traditional parish uses the St. Edmund Champion hymnal that has all the tones and propers. Men sing Gregorian Chant

[@willdansbury8479]

Enjoyed the message (and the humour) in this one, Brian!

[@johnmorkunas6707]

We don't allow prerecorded music at mass, so why should we allow this other stuff?

[@Bedrock_200]

One of the reason why some Parish uses PowerPoint during Mass is because of new people attending Mass To guide them especially with Hymns since some Parishes doesn't use the Hymnal Books now Now the Projector guides the People what part are they on the Mass

[@nathanvangoor4979]

VA2 explicitly endorsed ceasing to build new "high altars". To be more precise it was stated to be preferred that altars were build for versus populum and that tabernacles shouldn't block the view.

[@nathanvangoor4979]

The usage of Gregorian chant was meant to be reduced to a minimum; only being mandated for certain churches once in a while.

[@danielfedele]

I am all for reverence in the Mass. Honest question. How about after Mass during the announcements? Would it be acceptable to use the projector screens then? For example: To share a video for a Catholic event that's going on in the diocese or to further encourage people to live the Faith to the fullest and to actively live out their relationship with Jesus. I asked this because I want to be respectful to our Lord and also I have a heart for evangelizing and encouraging people in the faith. Thank you in advance for your kind reply. And God bless you and your family ✝️ ⛪

[@joolz5747]

Once in a blue moon during a homily we have a quick slide show. At the bishops Lent appeal sometimes they show the happenings in the diocese. THIS NEVER INTERFERES WITH THE MASS. IT IS RARE! Maybe 1x a year.

[@sam.mead__]

I certainly agree that screens can be distracting when not done well, but at my parish we have a screen to the side of the sanctuary, we only display the words for songs and the Creed, we use Arial with a black background (occasionally changing the background to match the feast) and we don't actually use PPT - we use a database-based program (called OpenLP) and you can easily skip over verses that you don't sing and you can adapt on the spot. I think that this works in my parish because our churches (unfortunately) are not particularly beautiful, so a simple screen fits in with the design. Our cathedral, for example, doesn't have a screen, which is great because a screen would be at odds with the more-beautifully-designed cathedral.

[@awreckingball]

Weird that you don't think these arguments apply equally to hand missals, devotional books, or rosaries. At the old Mass, half the congregation is eyes down frenetically reading a translation or busy with some private devotion or other. But this is all somehow fine and in no way a distraction unlike the evil wall projector.

[@butlerlado]

Thank you for this thoughtful presentation. I had not considered your take on PowerPoint as a worship aid. After listening to you, I agree that not only are PowerPoints cheap, but they cheapen the experience of Mass. Thankfully, our parish does not use big screens, but I have attended Mass at other churches that do. What continues to bother me at Mass at my parish is the effort made to produce an "experience" for the congregation. Mass has become a show, a kind of entertainment. Much is done to uplift our Mass experience. The main attraction shifts between liturgical dancing to a choir and musicians located adjacent to the altar. The overly interpreted and emotional cantoring and accompanying drums and trumpets upstage the priest. I often feel I am more at a concert than a Mass. I appreciate the great effort being made for us, but feel it is misplaced. I take issue with your words: "badly performed liturgy." The liturgy must be a co-celebration. It is why the frequently heard comment, "I don't get anything out of Mass," is essentially coming from the wrong angle. Mass is not entertainment but an opportunity to jointly pray and celebrate the miracle of the Eucharist. WE must put ourselves into the Mass and make an effort. Once we do, we will have a "well-celebrated liturgy." It may not be flashy and glamorous, but much deeper and more spiritual for us all in the congregation. I believe we can make this happen not with big screens and knock-em-dead performances, but with simple, gentle guidance and leadership where each of our spiritualities is valued and respected.

[@cherylschalk9106]

I left my parish because of this issue. It is on before Mass, during Mass and afterwards along with too much singing, there is no time to pray to Christ. Broadcasting the prayers is ridiculous because we know the prayers. One time the priest didn’t start the Creed because the slide wasn’t up! We see the top of the priests head during the Consecration. Lectors are on the big screen also, which is why I quit that ministry. And now people don’t use Missals. They are not reading texts. During the Creed the slide has a (please don’t bow)! message. What can I do other than leave? Looking at a screen takes our eyes away from the Cross and sacrifice. I like the new Parish has a priest who knows what the rubrics are. I have not noticed that it increase participation at my old church.

[@alan-muscat]

Whaaa! 😮 I never knew this was a thing! Heaven forfend that this should come to my church.

[@francisb2278]

Yeah, tough topic and maybe not trivial as Brian suggests. I see valid arguments on both sides. What Brian's position does seem to lead to is for everything to be as non-"profane" as possible including vestments, music, scents, .. everything. I would need to find a "Brian certified" Mass to attend to understand what he means better, though.

[@AdithiaKusno]

As a Byzantine Catholic I agree with your concerns and please don't hesitate to ask for clarification as this is not a criticism of your view. In what way the use of organ or music instruments different than using slides with proper calligraphy fitting for Mass? In Byzantine Liturgy we don't use musical instruments and most parishioners memorized the laity responses after so many years. I ask because it seems to me the issue isn't technology but more to the presentation. There are many good calligraphy that can be used in the slides for responses just as the West adopted instrumental music. In regards to prompting wouldn't religion by definition a prompting? It would be proper for one to do good because of love of God but as you may agree many people do good to earn token from God to avoid punishment in hell or to receive rewards in heaven. Imagine there's no punishment in hell and reward in heaven would someone believe it's worthy to be burned alive for faith or eaten alive by lion just because they're defending abstract truth like 1+1=2? Please don't see this as a criticism but I find it interesting on how you see technology to have no place in Mass. I agree it's better without distractions. But just as the West adopt instrument to assist then it's possible to use technology as long as how it's presented is fitting for holy liturgy.

[@darlenew3579]

A good portion of the churches in Florida have the big screens. 😢

[@philiphumphrey1548]

As a church musician I would occasionally find screens useful for hymns that are not in the hymnbooks. Also almost all modern hymnbooks have been "woke-ified" with dreadful modern "inclusive" language disfiguring many old favourite hymns, it would be nice to project the old words. But overall I agree, screens are a big distraction during mass. If they are used they should be blank most of the time so that the focus is on the altar.

[@JohnFDonovan-by1nt]

This new abuse should be a no brainer to avoid, but we know the state of the church.The key to this is that modern liturgists and their familiars mistake vocal noise and lowest common denominator hymns for participation. According to these liturgists a Hindu who has gone to Mass and says everything out loud probably is participating where as a devout Catholic who is blind, deaf and mute is probably not participating Active participation means one raising one's mind and one's heart to God. Furthermore as a retired foreign language teacher I could get my classes to repeat things. They could parrot. This was certainly not the same thing as learning or internalizing what were doing. However in the context of Mass being a community identity celebration, power point screens, cheesy music and the talk show priests fit well within the present entertainment ecclesiastical culture. The greatest temptation of the present liturgical culture is it feeds the needs of attention seeking clergy to satisfy their psychological wants via the "Mass" with a captive congregation. This is true of both some of the orthodox and heterodox amongst them. I once took my lawyer son to a TLM Corpus Christi celebration with a procession. It lasted two hours. Going out he turned to me and said, "dad that was brutal, all I could do was pray." I tried not to laugh.

[@marcello1099]

I prefer Gregorian chant and reverence to the communion than the PowerPoint. However, I do see the benefit for newcomers, but same can probably be achieved with simply a paper or booklet without distracting others.

[@wendyfield7708]

I don’t even like microphones for readings, as they distort the sound. People should only read if the learn how to project their voice! Where did Vatican II say screens are not acceptable? Which document? Much is blamed on Vatican II which was never said.

[@Servant_of_Gregory]

I always feel for a priest who comes into a new parish and needs to try to welcome himself to the congregation, not put down what people think they've been doing correctly for the last 20 years but also wants to say ... yeah, we're not doing any of this anymore. Could take years of good faith dialogue and appeasement with his congregants to get this right.

[@angrypotato_fz]

In my country, Poland, fortunately the screens are only used to show the texts of songs and sometimes the Credo or special prayers after the mass, like the prayer to St. Michael. (of course there are some negative, 'progressive' exceptions, mainly in big cities, but I rarely encounter them) To be honest, I think the projectors are very helpful (also during TLM, which I often attend), and even seem more accessible for old people than books, according to these elders (small text, hard to turn pages with stiff fingers, especially when it's cold, old books are falling apart, some new ones can't stay open). The screens are very simple, no presentation, plain font, black and white - and this is how they should stay IMO, not to attract attention. 20-30 years ago we had slide projectors, using typewriter font and making loud clicking noises and fan buzzing when they overheated - a modern screen is a great improvement, but indeed there is a temptation to use it for something else. In some parishes we have dot-matrix screens, and while these don't bring the temptation to use for something else, they remind us of train station and are more intrusive visually and less legible.

[@minasoliman]

I’m very curious as to what the purpose of the projector screen is in a Latin mass that lasts 30 to 60 min? In my Coptic parish, we use screens for the congregation to read the hymns and words of the liturgy especially those who are not versed in a 3 hour liturgy, and it has been helpful for evangelical purposes to assist in adoration. I’m wondering what the purpose is for screens in your parishes. Maybe what you need is projectors to teach the congregation the traditional liturgy by following along rather than change the liturgy as you rightly condemn

[@vonMohl]

How much time are you devoting to your prayer life and how much to prepare your videos ? What absorbs you more ?