18/05/2026
Is it okay to applaud at mass?
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Is it okay to applaud at Mass?
Whether it be for the priest after a homily, for a musician, or even for the choir after the liturgy concludes, is this okay? And what about after weddings, confirmations, or baptisms?
Many have opinions, but over the years, various popes and religious leaders have expressed their thoughts on the matter.
In his book "The Spirit of the Liturgy," Pope Benedict XVI (then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) wrote:
âWherever 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liturgy because of some human achievement, it is a sure sign that the essence of liturgy has totally disappeared and been replaced by a kind of religious entertainment. Such attraction fades quickly â it cannot compete in the market of leisure pursuits, incorporating as it increasingly does various forms of religious titillation.â
Other popes have also contributed to the subject, including Pope Saint John XXIII and Pope Saint Pius X.
As the faithful waited for Pope Saint John XXIIIâs arrival at a church outside of Rome, he said,
âI am very glad to have come here. But if I must express a wish, it is that in church you not shout out, that you not clap your hands, and that you not greet even the Pope, because âtemplum Dei, templum Dei.â (âThe temple of God is the temple of Godâ)."
Pope Saint Pius X said,
âIt is not fitting that the servant should be applauded in his Masterâs house.â
Former Catholic Answers chaplain Father Vincent Serpa, O.P., also provided his opinion on an episode of Catholic Answers.
âIs it appropriate to applaud for the choir after Mass? Is this an approved practice?â the caller asks.
Father Serpa said,
âAbsolutely not. Itâs most inappropriate, and itâs the responsibility of the pastor to make sure that the congregation understands this. The choir is not singing as a matter of entertaining anybody. Theyâre singing to worship God. We donât clap for prayer. We pray.â
âAgain, that is not an option. If we were someplace else, it would be a different matter," he continues. "But liturgy is liturgy. Itâs the worship of God, and it needs to be done in an appropriate way as the Church sees fit. Itâs good that they appreciate the choir, but they can thank them outside. Applause is not appropriate at that time.â
âThere are times when thatâs called for, as in the ordination ceremony, when you are asked to give the response to the worthiness of the candidate for ordination. But this isnât that. This is something else," Father Vincent adds. "You donât clap at the end of Mass because you had a good time. Thatâs not what itâs about.â
However, while the popes, priests, and the faithful provide their input on applauding at Mass, there is no official Church teaching on the subject.
Many Church leaders, howeverâincluding Cardinal Francis Arinzeâstress that we come to Mass to adore God, not to applaud human efforts or treat the liturgy as entertainment.
Cardinal Arinze, as Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, said:
ââŠwhen we come to Mass, we donât come to clap. We donât come to watch people, to admire people. We want to adore God, to thank Him, to ask Him pardon for our sins, and to ask Him for what we need.â
Furthermore, some argue that limited exceptions can be fitting at the very conclusion of certain joyful celebrations, such as weddings or baptisms, to express gratitude for Godâs gifts and the community of faith.
In general, however, the faithful are encouraged to offer silent prayer or personal thanks afterward, preserving the sacred silence and reverence that allow the mystery of the Eucharist to resonate more deeply.
What do you think? Is it okay to applaud at Mass?
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