Kilroy the Ninja Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 guess I'm a lonely hold out as I won't hold hands with my family either. But I'm weird. I don't like praying with my family. (yes, I'm horrible). Don John hates it, but for me prayer is intensely personal and intimate and nobody knows the sacrifices I make to pray in public at mass. Only for God. Only for God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroX Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Aquinas3, While I appreciate the sentiment behind your words, I would like to point out that the Bishops conference has directly refuted this. The Our Father (Pater Noster) does not reflect our unity with each other, but our unity with Christ. While they (the USCCB) have not cracked down on this practice, they have provided clear instruction on what is acceptable (the orans position, or folded hands.). Again, it is nice and true that we are a community of faith, but that is the what is reflected or intended at this point in the Mass. peace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thomasaquinas3 Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 Thank you very much, PedroX, for posting and letting me know that the USCCB directly refuted this. It is much appreciated. God bless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy Blaze Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 yea thanks for the info pedrox, and I apologize If I sounded confrontational in my post, that's the last thing I intended All smiles. Would you happen to have a link to the specific article if its available on the USCCB I have lived my entire life at a parish with a great spiritual community that has always held hands, so It comes pretty natural to me. It's just when it's posted that something like holding hands is repulsive....ouch. but it's all gravy ~S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy Blaze Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 (edited) Blasted!! double post ~S. Edited March 30, 2004 by Sammy Blaze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamalove Posted March 30, 2004 Author Share Posted March 30, 2004 [quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Mar 30 2004, 12:44 PM'] Does it occur to you that they may be non-Catholics or very new Catholics and don't know all of the responses, but do know the Our Father (from a previous church) and holding hands may be something that makes them feel like they know what's going on? I mean, I don't know. If they take the Eucharist, then my theory is shot, but maybe... cut them some slack. Watching what others are doing and judging them during mass isn't too Christian, either... [/quote] I totally understand what you are saying and, like I said, I'm not trying to judge someone's personal faith. But when something I consider distracting and irreverent behavior is going on in the pew in front of me and you see them take communion (and usually walk from the communion line out the door. You notice that because they are no longer in the pew in front of you when you get back from the communion line. It's kinda obvious.) it just bothers me. I feel cheated out of my experience at mass becuase I've been distracted by something else. I'm not pointing out particular members of my parish because I belong to a new parish and there are new people there all the time. Our church is also on a busy highway and we pick up a lot of travelers too. I don't look around and see whats going on in church, but you can't help but notice when it's right in front of you. I'll stop now because I'm just rambling on and on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleflower+JMJ Posted March 30, 2004 Share Posted March 30, 2004 mamalove, i understand what you mean. and your right. distractions are really hard to overcome during mass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovechrist Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 our Church is split torwards this... when our former pastor was here, EVERYONE held hands for it...and the new guy dislikes it--he's a very traditional priest. its hard to decide.. a lot of youth groups hold hands, just for the "connection --all of us to Christ" etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebirth flame Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 i don't mind holding my hands palm-upwards, as for me, i take that time to surrender myself again to my Lord. i dunno the point of interlocking hands, but it doesn't really distract me either. I prefer to go palms up, however. in youth groups, i can see why hands would be connected, for unity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popestpiusx Posted March 31, 2004 Share Posted March 31, 2004 Why can't people just pray and keep their hands to themselves at Mass? I have never understood this obsession with holding hands or holding their hands up in the sky or any of that. I flat refuse in any and all situations to hold someones hand at Mass (family or otherwise). Is that being rude? No. Rather, I am focusing upon our Lord (or my two and three year olds who are doing their best to distract me), not the people I am sitting next to. Like I said before though, this really doesn't affect me as I rarely (almost never) attend the N.O. and the practice NEVER takes places at the Tridentine Mass. So I suppose as long as you keep it in the Novus Ordo, I don't care what you do. That kind of sounds worse than I intend for it too. I hope it is not taken wrong. What I mean is that I have many battles to fight and I do not intend to engage in one that has no affect on me. I don't have time for it (other than the occasional debate like this.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katt1227 Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 I happen to think that holding hands can be very beautiful and powerful during the Our Father. I grew up in a parish that always hels hands, and while it was a little distracting when I was young (because my brother and I always ended up having squeeze fights to see who could crush the other person's hand while praying- I know... not appropo at all). I find it to be a powerful outward sign of our love and commitment to each other in our community of believers. But, I guess it depends on what kind of parish you go to. I know a guy who started going to my parish because at the last parish he attended, no one would hold his hand and he felt ostracized by the community. The parish I go to now is on a college campus, and I think that it is powerful for us to hold hands during the our father because it reminds us that we are a community that is often a minority in our campus and we need to feel connected to each other as well as connected to Christ, present in the Eucharist before us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popestpiusx Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 The Mass is not for "feeling connected to each other." It is the sacrifice of Calvary. It is the offering of the Son to the Father. Christ, present (hopefully, if the priest does his job) on the altar is the ONLY sign of unity necessary because He IS that Unity which binds the faithful together. It's not some cheesy holding hands things. The focus has shifted from the unity of the Church as found perfectly in Christ to some lower artificial unity of the people based on whether they are touching each other or not. I find this very disturbing and it one of the reasons that under no circumstances would I ever hold someone’s hand. I have had people try to grab my hand even after I folded my hands, closed my eyes and bowed my head to pray the Pater Noster. All I can say is that is a very very bad idea. I am flat disgusted by the practice; repulsed by it. Not for some silly "germ" reason or any other such thing but for the theological significance of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroX Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 preach it Pius, preach it! peace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 Hand holding came in with the Catholic Renew program in the 80's. It changes the theology of the our Mass, but people never stopped to think about those things when it started. People forget Mass is a liturgical dance with God, and every single gesatured has an important liturgical meaning and symbolism. Changing one part inevitably changes the whole thing in some way. I quit our church choir because I refused to be bullied into holding hands. Our connection to each other is thru Holy Communion, not thru a touching moment. That is what the sign of peace is for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popestpiusx Posted April 1, 2004 Share Posted April 1, 2004 So very true mother. And I am happy that you and I are on the same side on this one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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