Holding Hands At The Our Father

[dells_of_bittersweet]

Is this a great way to show inclusiveness and community, or a rubric-breaking infiltration of feel good Protostantism? Thoughts?

[Nihil Obstat]

It should be strongly discouraged.

[PhuturePriest]

Tim Staples (A former Baptist who was all about holding hands and giving each other hugs in the name of fellowship) strongly believes holding hands should be discouraged.

[dells_of_bittersweet]

Why should it be discouraged? As far as I can tell it is not against any rules, and seems to be a legitimate local form of inculturation.

[jeffboom]

I don't really like touching people during mass. The most annoying part is when everyone puts their hands higher for the part of Our Father after the priest talks. 

 

I dont really like Baptists either. 

Edited May 10, 2013 by jeffboom

[CatholicsAreKewl]

I love baptists. Their churches have the BEST cookies.

[jeffboom]

I love baptists. Their churches have the BEST cookies.

 

Ok. Ill give them that. They do have mighty fine cookies. 

[CrossCuT]

I grew up in a church where we didnt do it at all so as a result I dont really feel comfortable doing it in other parishes. Usually if Im far away enough from people they dont hold my hand, but occasionally Ill be standing next to someone super enthusiastic who grabs my hand anyways.

 

I dont know the specifics about if its ok or not, but I was told by my apologetics teacher in high school that it was something adopted from Protostantism.

However I dont think its anything terrible...peeps be holdin hands yo.

[Papist]

The prolonged holding of hands is of itself a sign of communion rather than of peace. Further, it is a liturgical gesture introduced spontaneously but on personal initiative; it is not in the rubrics. Nor is there any clear explanation of why the sign of peace at the invitation: "Let us offer each other the sign of peace" should be supplanted in order to bring a different gesture with less meaning into another part of the Mass: the sign of peace is filled with meaning, graciousness, and Christian inspiration. Any substitution for it must be repudiated: Notitiae 11 (1975) 226.  [Notitiae is the journal of the Congregation in which its official interpretations of the rubrics are published.]

 

While this addresses the holding of hands at the Sign of Peace the reasons given apply also elsewhere in the Mass, including at the Our Father.

 

It is an inappropriate "sign," since Communion is the sign of intimacy. Thus, a gesture of intimacy is introduced both before the sign of reconciliation (the Sign of Peace), but more importantly, before Holy Communion, the sacramental sign of communion/intimacy within the People of God.

 

It is introduced on personal initiative. The Holy See has authority over the liturgy according to Vatican II's "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy" #22 and canon 838 of the Code of Canon Law.

 

This gesture has come into widespread use, often leaving bishops and pastors at a loss as to how to reverse the situation. For individuals, I would recommend closed eyes and a prayerful posture as sufficient response, rather than belligerence. Most laity, and probably many priests, are blind to the liturgical significance of interrupting the flow of the Mass in this way. It is not necessary to lose one's peace over this or be an irritation to others. Some proportion is required. If asked why you don't participate, simply, plainly and charitably tell the questioner of your discovery. If some chance of changing the practice is possible talk to the pastor or work with other laity through the parish council. You can also write the bishop, as is your right in the case of any liturgical abuse not resolved at the parish level. If your judgment is that no change is possible then I believe you are excused from further fraternal correction.

[dUSt]

Why should it be discouraged? As far as I can tell it is not against any rules, and seems to be a legitimate local form of inculturation.

At that point in the mass our prayers should be vertical, not horizontal.

[Nihil Obstat]

At that point in the mass our prayers should be vertical, not horizontal.

inb4 fat joke.

[Papist]

Why should it be discouraged? As far as I can tell it is not against any rules, and seems to be a legitimate local form of inculturation.

 

It is true that there is no prescribed posture for the hands during the Our Father and that, so far at least, neither the Holy See nor the U.S. bishops' conference has officially addressed it.

The argument from silence is not very strong, however, because while there is no particular difficulty in a couple, family or a small group spontaneously holding hands during the Our Father, a problem arises when the entire assembly is expected or obliged to do so.

 

The process for introducing any new rite or gesture into the liturgy in a stable or even binding manner is already contemplated in liturgical law. This process entails a two-thirds majority vote in the bishops' conference and the go-ahead from the Holy See before any change may take effect.

 

Thus, if neither the bishops' conference nor the Holy See has seen fit to prescribe any posture for the recitation of the Our Father, it hardly behooves any lesser authority to impose a novel gesture not required by liturgical law and expect the faithful to follow their decrees.

 

While there are no directions as to the posture of the faithful, the rubrics clearly direct the priest and any concelebrants to pray the Our Father with hands extended -- so they at least should not hold hands.  Priests should not hold hands. There many that do which really makes this all more problematic. 

 

One could argue that holding hands expresses the family union of the Church. But our singing or reciting the prayer in unison already expresses this element.

 

The act of holding hands usually emphasizes group or personal unity from the human or physical point of view and is thus more typical of the spontaneity of small groups. Hence it does not always transfer well into the context of larger gatherings where some people feel uncomfortable and a bit imposed upon when doing so.

 

The use of this practice during the Our Father could detract and distract from the prayer's God-directed sense of adoration and petition, as explained in paragraphs 2777-2865 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in favor of a more horizontal and merely human meaning.

 

For all of these reasons, no one should have any qualms about not participating in this gesture if disinclined to do so. They will be simply following the universal customs of the Church, and should not be accused of being a cause of disharmony.

 

A different case is the practice in which some people adopt the "orantes" posture during the Our Father, praying like the priest, with hands extended. Despite appearances, this gesture is not, strictly speaking, a case of the laity trying to usurp priestly functions.  Personally, I cringe when I see people imitating the priest.

 

The Our Father is the prayer of the entire assembly and not a priestly or presidential prayer. In fact, it is perhaps the only case when the rubrics direct the priest to pray with arms extended in a prayer that he does not say alone or only with other priests. Therefore, in the case of the Our Father, the orantes posture expresses the prayer directed to God by his children.

 

The U.S. bishops' conference debated a proposal by some bishops to allow the use of the orantes posture while discussing the "American Adaptations to the General Instruction to the Roman Missal" about 10 years ago. Some bishops even argued that it was the best way of ridding the country of holding hands. The proposal failed to garner the required two-thirds majority of votes, however, and was dropped from the agenda.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Papist

[T-fish]

Catholicism is supposed to be a communicable organism.

What about a Christian Kiss to each other during the Peace?

What would St. Francis do?

And why can't my St Bernard go to Mass?

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

So after reading all posts the matter is really neutral since the vatican or local bishops have not said yay or nay to the gesture. So you can hold hands but you also can choose not to hold hands. A bit like how a man should wear his hair short but if he chooses to wear it long it is not evil. Or perhaps we are waiting to see if something holy or unholy to happens from the hand holding, kind of on trial. 
 

But also Papist after reading you posts, i don't really wan't to hold hands anymore, i will focus on the prayer instead now. 

[Meduseld]

I just don't like touching complete strangers more than I have to.  :harhar: I'll shake hands, but holding hands is awk.