Catholics - any 'forbidden' words during Lent?

[ExpectoPatronum]

I am a practising Catholic, and was educated in Catholic schools until I was 16. I have a grade A GCSE in RE. Both of my parents are lifelong Catholics and both possess the Catholic Teaching Certificate (although admittedly they're retired now). Many of my friends are also practising Catholics educated in Catholic schools.

But none of us have ever heard of this before. Have any of you?

My DCs (who go to the local Catholic primary school) have come home from school saying that they have been taught that the word 'Alleluia' is forbidden during Lent.

In case it was just my children getting the wrong end of the stick, I've asked other people and their children all say the same thing too.

I can make an educated guess at why they are taught this - it being a joyous 'Christ is risen' expression, during a time that is supposed to be reflective and remind us of Jesus' great endurance and suffering.

But how come nobody over the age of about 25 seems to have been taught this in school themselves?

I was at a school mass for my children last week , and the Alleluia was sung/said during it . So not forbidden here in NI .

"Alleluia" means "praise ye god". As well as an expression of joy, it is also an expression demonstrating your acceptance of god's will, so why should it be banned - ever?

Our church omits the Alleluia during Lent mass but no 'ban' as such.

yes prettycandles, I quite agree. If we believe the Easter story, then the point is that Christ rose from the dead and is now eternally at God's right hand, which is surely a happy thing? Although once again we are marking Lent, I don't see that Christ is any less risen than he was last Easter or the Easter before.

But more than anything I'm confused about how this teaching seems to have appeared from absolutely nowhere.

it's not "forbidden" a such but not used in the lent liturgies.
It's not just appeared from no-where - it's always been the case and, topsyturner, I would be surprised if it was used during mass as it is, liturgically, wrong

It doesn't matter - not a sin or anything - just not used until we celebrate the resurrection at the Easter Vigil. Then it will be sung many times and with great gusto!

My ds2 came home from school saying that they weren't allowed to say this, then went to Mass and they sang a song with it in He's only 6, but he did pick up on it and I honestly couldn't answer him when he asked if it was permitted or not.

What I meant was that if Lent is a time when you are building up to an awful event - the Crucifixion - then, even though you may not want to celebrate and be joyful, by saying Alleluya you are expressing your acceptance of whatever god sends you, whether it be joyful or awful. So to me it is a logical thing to say at any season. But then, when was religion ever logical? It isdependant upon human interpretation, and we're not entirely logical!

some bad liturgy planning going on I think!!

I have always thought it wasn't supposed to be SUNG during Lent. So you would say "alleluia" but not sing it. I never heard it wasn't allowed to say before either.

Well, we in our church don't say The Alleluia in lent. When it is said at the first Mass of Easter, it feels really special and joyful after its absence. The word itself is fine though!

Try here for example

Not Catholic but in our church in the liturgy, we don't sing the Gloria during Lent (or during Advent) but use the Kyries instead. That's fairly common in a lot of churches.

But we still sing Allelluia though - for the gospel procession and also for the Sanctus in the eucharistic prayer.

Catholics don't have the Gloria during Lent either...we still have a gospel acclamation but not Alleluia.

We're Anglican and don't have the Gloria or Alleluias in Lent. Its in the liturgy rubric if you look closely (which I have as the subject came up only recently in our church).

I came on here expecting a list of swear-words...