Dear Father,
My pastor does not allow projection screens in our church. He says that the bishops are against them. But I’ve seen them in other churches. What’s the correct answer? Are they allowed or not?
-Neo
Dear Neo,
Your pastor is correct: The bishops are trying to get us away from using projection screens in church. The USCCB has this to say: “The current policy of the Committee on Divine Worship [of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops] is that permission is not granted to project readings and liturgical texts on screens during the liturgy. The bishops have the perspective that since so many people spend much of their time looking at screens, the Sacred Liturgy ought to be a prayerful break from that experience. The bishops also believe that screens are a distraction from what is actually taking place in the liturgy.”
The Bishops show their cultural understanding in the acknowledgement that “so many people spend much of their time looking at screens.” Many people these days are trying to get away from their screens, especially during vacations or at home. People are opting for “dumbphones” to get away from excessive screen time. A recent study published by the National Library of Medicine noted that “three weeks of screen time reduction showed small to medium effect sizes on depressive symptoms, stress, sleep quality, and well-being.”
Many people are trying to limit their smartphone use, as they recognize an unhealthy dependence on them for various reasons. Some are struggling with a quasi-addiction to websites with lewd content. Other people are dominated by social media websites. Still others can’t stop watching the news or reading their email.
Parents are limiting the amount of time they permit their children to use screens, particularly young ones, according to the Pew Research Center. As reasons for restricting screen time, parents cite the desire to have quality time with their children without the distractions that screens create. Many schools are moving toward less screen time for their students and more time with actual print material.
One might think that at least in church he or she can escape screen usage, only to find yet another bright screen in front of them.
How many times have we been in a restaurant with multiple digital screens? It’s almost impossible to focus on the person you’re dining with when the screens keep flickering to get your attention. It’s the same in church, too. We should look at the tabernacle or the crucifix when we are praying and reflecting before Mass. We need to focus on the unfolding mystery of the Holy Eucharist as we join our prayers with the priest’s, not on the music or words on a screen. Parents want their children to view the Mass and pray rather than viewing a screen in the sanctuary.
Another issue with digital screens in church is copyright infringement. However, even with a license to project readings and music, the screens are distracting; they also block the beauty of the sanctuary and its liturgical appointments.
Listening is also crucial. When the Word of God is proclaimed, we should hear it not only with our ears but with our souls. God wants to communicate with us, and this means we need to pause from reading, whether it’s something on the screen or even our prayer books. Monthly liturgical prayer books are very helpful, whether we review the readings before Mass or re-read them afterward. Learning to hear God’s voice at Mass helps us to attune our hearts to his voice at other times of the day.
We should put our books down during the readings (apart from foreign language difficulties). That’s why we have lectors and clergy who proclaim the readings. If we’re all going to read together, what would be the point of a verbal proclamation? Mass is not a time for teaching catechism; it’s a time for sacred, sacrificial worship.
Perhaps you are familiar with the “Kill your television” movement. For Catholic churches, this means replacing digital screens with beautiful architecture, installing attractive stained-glass windows, and setting up statues and images of Christ, our Blessed Mother, and the saints. Stunning works of art can inspire devotion and support our prayers.
Let’s keep screens out of our churches where they don’t belong. Let our churches be safe havens for intimacy with God.