Nihil Obstat Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Well, it can be omitted for the laity. The priest always has his portion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 (edited) In the Maronite Rite, the Sign of Peace is ritualized. The deacon receives it from the priest & then goes out into the sanctuary where he places his hands over the first person's hands & says "Peace be with you". That person turns to his neighbor & in turn covers their hands, stating the same. And so the pax moves on down each pew. The deacon moves quickly from pew to pew while the liturgy continues on. I like it. :buddies: At the daily mass I've been to at a nearby Dominican church, the priest says, "Peace be with you“ & the congregation replies, " And with your spirit" & we move on. I really do prefer these "quieter" versions... I find this topic fascinating... Edited June 24, 2014 by brandelynmarie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 In the Maronite Rite, the Sign of Peace is ritualized. The deacon receives it from the priest & then goes out into the sanctuary where he places his hands over the first person's hands & says "Peace be with you". That person turns to his neighbor & in turn covers their hands, stating the same. And so the pax moves on down each pew. The deacon moves quickly from pew to pew while the liturgy continues on. I like it. :buddies: That appeals to me too. It seems like it would satisfy the OF emphasis on lay participation while retaining a more prayerful tone than current practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I have to retract my statement. Our Priest is on vacation before he moves to his new assignment and so we have a different Priest filling in. He not only includes the laity's sign of peace but he leaves the sanctuary to shake hands with some of the parishioners. Bleh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 I have to retract my statement. Our Priest is on vacation before he moves to his new assignment and so we have a different Priest filling in. He not only includes the laity's sign of peace but he leaves the sanctuary to shake hands with some of the parishioners. Bleh! This is a violation of the rubrics. You can look it up in your missal (p 813, if your edition matches mine). "The priest gives a sign of peace to a Deacon or minister." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Heaven help you all if you have to attend a Catholic mass in, say, Uganda. They are entirely too joy-filled and un-solemn, at all times, and especially at the sign of peace. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 Heaven help you all if you have to attend a Catholic mass in, say, Uganda. They are entirely too joy-filled and un-solemn, at all times, and especially at the sign of peace. ;) That is within the OF rubrics: "And all offer one another a sign, in keeping with local customs, that express peace communion and charity." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfink Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I'd argue that what you see at most parishes, the priest coming around to shake hands, people being overly friendly, and so on, likely could and probably should qualify as being in keeping with local customs. Funny story about that: a brother seminarian from Uganda, Kual Dut, who I went to school with, would often comment on our strange white-people local customs, and he joked that one of our customs is being awkward all the time. :hehe: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 I'd argue that what you see at most parishes, the priest coming around to shake hands, people being overly friendly, and so on, likely could and probably should qualify as being in keeping with local customs. Funny story about that: a brother seminarian from Uganda, Kual Dut, who I went to school with, would often comment on our strange white-people local customs, and he joked that one of our customs is being awkward all the time. :hehe: The instructions in the rubrics are further clarified in the General Instruction on the Roman Missal, The 2000 edition contains the following paragraph added to section 154: The Priest may give the Sign of Peace to the ministers but always remains within the sanctuary, so that the celebration is not disrupted. In the Dioceses of the United States of America, for a good reason, on special occasions (for example, in the case of a funeral, a wedding, or when civic leaders are present), the Priest may offer the Sign of Peace to a small number of the faithful near the sanctuary. According to what is decided by the Conference of Bishops, all express to one another peace, communion, and charity. While the Sign of Peace is being given, it is permissible to say, The peace of the Lord be with you always, to which the reply is Amen. So it is pretty clear that the practice that Tardis described is against the rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo in Deum Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I have to retract my statement. Our Priest is on vacation before he moves to his new assignment and so we have a different Priest filling in. He not only includes the laity's sign of peace but he leaves the sanctuary to shake hands with some of the parishioners. Bleh! Bleh, is right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I participate in all the handshaking & hugging out of charity...& yes, I think it is a cultural thing. :)...but there are days :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 That is a pretty fascinating history. I never was a big fan of having the pax just before the agnus dei -- at least how people would sometimes act during it. The worst offenders were the masses I went to on college campus and liberal parishes where people turn it into social hour. Generally the masses I go to make it tolerable. People are reserved, they give a smile and bow but for the most part the priest keeps the mass going and moves on to the agnus dei within a reasonable time. One thing I like about living in England is that they don't get huffy if you want personal space and they don't hold hands during the Our Father so I don't have to worry about someone throwing their hand into my personal space expecting me to hold it. At times in day-to-day life I get homesick for some outgoing American friendliness because I find the British to be very reserved at times, but during the mass I love it. :) I think I would enjoy that a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fides' Jack Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I confess I sometimes try to pretend like something is catching my attention so I don't have to face the awkwardness. And I try to make sure I'm holding one of my kids so that I don't have to shake anyone's hand, but just smile politely... I'm a bad catholic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo in Deum Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I confess I sometimes try to pretend like something is catching my attention so I don't have to face the awkwardness. And I try to make sure I'm holding one of my kids so that I don't have to shake anyone's hand, but just smile politely... I'm a bad catholic... Nah, you're just shy. This is an example of a bad Catholic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 I confess I sometimes try to pretend like something is catching my attention so I don't have to face the awkwardness. And I try to make sure I'm holding one of my kids so that I don't have to shake anyone's hand, but just smile politely... I'm a bad catholic... I quite brazenly keep my hands together while smiling and nodding at people. But that is easy to get away with around here because other people do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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