But Why Associate Clowns with Mass?

[p.falk]

When I was in high school we had mass, in the gymnasium, every Wednesday. I remember very little about those services. The things that do stand out were the embarrassing moments. Once my girlfriend along with 3 other girls were dressed in all black and did "body language" for the "Our Father". And the "Our Father" was sung in a very sentimental manner. Think "I gave my love a cherry" scene from Animal House. I shiver today thinking of it.

The other memorable, confusing, funny, embarrassing time was when Brother Larry came through a door at the far end of the gym slowly dragging a cross. He was dressed up, face paint and all, as a sad clown (who also looked drunk). Brother Larry, dragging the cross, would stop occasionally and pull a novelty sized handkerchief out of his pocket and pretend to wipe his eyes with it and sneeze into it. A friend of mine leaned over and said, "Wouldn't it be funny if this wasn't planned and the police rushed in and arrested Brother Larry?".

I knew nothing of Masses being associated with clowns back then. But since reverting (2014ish) I would see photos and short video clips of clowns somehow involved with the Mass. What is the reason for doing this? Did anyone ever go to Mass where that happened?

[anawim]

I think that era was influenced by Godspell, which in turn may have reflected the Jesus Movement of So. CA. I heard of Godspell before I heard of the J. M., so which came first, I'm not sure.

[Doom]

Okay, some context is needed. There is such a thing as a "Blue Mass"; this is a Mass in honor of police officers. Officers attend in uniform, in their "dress blues", the dress uniforms police officers wear for formal occasions.

There is also something called a "White Mass", which is a mass in honor of health care workers; they attend dressed in the apparel of their profession, doctors, nurses, paramedics, what have you.

There are healthcare workers, most of whom specialize in pediatrics, who do their job dressed as clowns, which helps make the children feel at ease. The pictures you see of a so-called "Clown Mass" are a White Mass in honor of health care workers being attended by physicians in the "clown ministry" who are, like everyone else, dressed in the apparel of their profession, i.e., a clown.

[peregrinator]

So why would one see priests dressed as clowns?

[p.falk]

Okay, some context is needed. There is such a thing as a "Blue Mass"; this is a Mass in honor of police officers. Officers attend in uniform, in their "dress blues", the dress uniforms police officers wear for formal occasions.

There is also something called a "White Mass", which is a mass in honor of health care workers; they attend dressed in the apparel of their profession, doctors, nurses, paramedics, what have you.

There are healthcare workers, most of whom specialize in pediatrics, who do their job dressed as clowns, which helps make the children feel at ease. The pictures you see of a so-called "Clown Mass" are a White Mass in honor of health care workers being attended by physicians in the "clown ministry" who are, like everyone else, dressed in the apparel of their profession, i.e., a clown.

Dressing as a clown makes a child feel at ease, eh?

The amount of children who actually have their fears quelled at the sight of a clown is probably equal to the amount of leprechauns in the hood. And out of all of the times I have ever been taken, as a child, to see my pediatric doc, or have taken my own children to see theirs I have never once seen anyone dressed up as a clown.

[Highlander]

The "logic" of colored masses leaves me .... uninterested. Where, then, is the Green Mass for the Irish? Following the trend a multi-colored Mass is surely on the way. No, not to celebrate Joseph's coat, but .... can you hear the train coming?,,, to celebrate a rainbow of ... well, you know.

Hey, we're not Episcopalians.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

I don't think they're novelties.

[Doom]

The "logic" of colored masses leaves me .... uninterested. Where, then, is the Green Mass for the Irish? Following the trend a multi-colored Mass is surely on the way. No, not to celebrate Joseph's coat, but .... can you hear the train coming?,,, to celebrate a rainbow of ... well, you know.

Hey, we're not Episcopalians.

Do you think that police officers and healthcare workers deserve a blessing for the important work they do? The Blue Mass not a new custom; it goes back to 1934. It is usually held on September 29, the Feast Day of St Michael, the patron saint of police officers.

There is also a Red Mass in honor of those in the legal profession, in a custom that goes back to Paris in 1245. The first Red Mass held in the United States was in 1877.

I have not been able to find the historical origin of the White Mass, but I doubt it is of recent origin either.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

From what I can tell, it dates to the 1930s (maybe 1932). I saw one site that says "late 1800s", but no one else agrees. Most sites link it to the founding of the Catholic Medical Association, formally established in 1932.

[Doom]

Probably, but it is still far too early to attribute it to liberal theology or "the Spirit of Vatican II", not that giving a special blessing to people who work in certain professions dedicated to serving others is "liberal", "modernist," or whatever.

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

I agree with ... with ... with ...

We're supposed to get a lot of snow tonight!

[peregrinator]

The White Mass isn't a novelty but the Clown Mass definitely is (or was, it seems barely to exist now), because clown ministry is itself a novelty. And I don't think the Clown Mass can be grouped together with Blue, White, or Red Masses since none of those involve the liturgical ministers dressing up as police, physicians, or lawyers respectively. For that matter the Mummers Mass doesn't involve the priest wearing mummery (although it does have a number of other embarrassing aspects) ... only the Clown Mass has this feature.