Expert: Griff Ruby - 2/27/2005

Question
Hello.

I was wondering if you knew if taking photograghs during Mass was OK.
I just noticed that a local newspaper here printed a photograph of a local pastor sometime during Mass.
A red flag went up immediately in my head. Please advise.
Thx & God bless!

In Jesus through Mother Mary,
Judith Smedley


Answer
Pictures have been taken at Masses for a good many years, especially at nuptial Masses, but at times at other Masses.  There are several Mass tapes that have been recorded back in the good old days, and obviously it had to be allowable.
I would think that there would have to be several conditions first in order to allow such a thing.  Permission (at least from the priest, and perhaps even from his bishop) would first and foremost be required, and obviously whatever camera activity is done must be done unobstrusively, and of course no cameraman may enter the sanctuary (portion of the Church beyond the altar rail where the altar is and the priest does his Mass) but must do what he does from other parts of the church.
Flash photography would be rather obstrusive and as such would be far less likely to be permitted than non-flash photography, and silent (clickless) cameras would also help keep the interruptions to a minimum.
Keep in mind that not everyone does what the congregation does.  Take the choir as an example.  They may do much that others do not do, and not do some things the congregation might do, for example the choir could stand to sing while the congregation kneels, and so forth.  And the organist would be sitting while the choir stands to sing and the congregation kneels.  Likewise, a photographer present might also have his own specific actions he must do that differ from what the congregation at large is doing.
I hope that helps explain it.  And yes, while I have often wished I could take pictures at the Mass, I have never felt right about actually doing it, but that is just my own feelings about it.