A different hand-holding tale

[MusicMan]

As many of you know, I am a public school band instructor, and my principal is also a practicing Catholic.

This past week a member of our school’s basketball coaching staff passed away. He was a well respected member of our community, a great supporter of our school, and a supporter of our music program.

Because I was friends with him, I was granted permission to go to the funeral. My principal also went for similar reasons.

As we were traveling to the church, I told him that I don’t hold hands during the Lord’s Prayer. He sneered back at me, “Neither do I. And I don’t hold my hands up [orans position]. In fact, I hate it when people do those things.”

It was rather refreshing to have an entire row in the church fold their hands properly during the Lord’s Prayer.

 

[Miserissima]

That’s great to hear! The more I am on these boards, the more I am in the company of people who agree to the non-hand holding. However, when I attend Mass I usually find something different! It’s a little confusing.

But I guess that’s how the “sheep” lead the pastors back…one (in this case, two!) sheep at a time…

Tell me, at the Mass, was there hand-holding, or were you two the only ones who kept with the rubrics?

 

[MusicMan]

We were near the front, so there was no option to gop around. Nor do I usually.

 

[Miserissima]

Score! I once tried to sit as far away from anyone as I could…and a gentleman sauntered down through three long sets of pews to hold my hand during the Our Father.

I thought of the Desert Fathers who would say that this sacrefice (due to the sincere intent and effort of the gentleman) warrented at least offering it up at that moment.

 

[Quarles47]

I remember when it was only families that held each other hands and then it went on from there to folks reaching across the aisles. I will cross mine and keep my head bowed during the Our Father and those around me normally respect that; but some will tap your hand with theirs in offering and I will ignore them and they get the message. But once in particular I had someone that was very persistence and even try to take my hand. I had to take my hand away and even glare at her before she would stop. A course that ruined my preparation for receiving the Blessed Sacrament and I didn’t receive at that time.

Now this may be another thread but is it just me or is all the versions of the sung “Our Father” grating and poorly metered.

 

[Marat]

I’m fairly new to things. I’m in RCIA right now, joining in a week. Anyway, why do people hold hands if they aren’t supposed to? Is it a problem really? I don’t particularly like holding hands but I’ve learned to deal with it. If it isn’t supposed to be done, then how should you go about stopping it?

 

[irisheyes66]

I’m fairly new to things. I’m in RCIA right now, joining in a week. Anyway, why do people hold hands if they aren’t supposed to? Is it a problem really? I don’t particularly like holding hands but I’ve learned to deal with it. If it isn’t supposed to be done, then how should you go about stopping it?

Fold your hands in prayer in front of you, bow your head, and pray.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Now this may be another thread but is it just me or is all the versions of the sung “Our Father” grating and poorly metered.

Our version of the “Our Father” was written by a parishioner and it’s lovely.

 

[Jennifer_G]

I’m fairly new to things. I’m in RCIA right now, joining in a week. Anyway, why do people hold hands if they aren’t supposed to? Is it a problem really? I don’t particularly like holding hands but I’ve learned to deal with it. If it isn’t supposed to be done, then how should you go about stopping it?

I think it came from the charismatic movement (at least a Catholic version of it) from the late 1960s. Sometimes, if I’m next to some of the older women, after I fold my hands and bow, I can feel someone bumping my arm to hold hands.

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

I had a lady one time, after tapping my arm a few times to try to get me to hold hands, just grabbed my forearm for the Our Father. Why would that be ok? I really wish the whole hand holding thing never got started. Heck, I wish a lot of things that are now common in the Mass never got started.

In Christ,
Rand

 

[harrisunt]

I clasp my hands and place them under my bowed head. I used to just clasp them at my waist but I still had the occasional person try to grab them.

 

[tptram]

I clasp my hands at my chest
bow my head
and close my eyes (also a quick prayer - please God I just wnat to be alone with you)

also brace myself if some one try to grab my hands and consider it as a sacrifice, an exercise in humility.

so far, only a little girl did grabbed my hand.
when I open my eyes and see her angelic face, every thing seems all right

 

[fbl9]

I remember when it was only families that held each other hands and then it went on from there to folks reaching across the aisles. I will cross mine and keep my head bowed during the Our Father and those around me normally respect that; but some will tap your hand with theirs in offering and I will ignore them and they get the message. But once in particular I had someone that was very persistence and even try to take my hand. I had to take my hand away and even glare at her before she would stop. A course that ruined my preparation for receiving the Blessed Sacrament and I didn’t receive at that time.

Now this may be another thread but is it just me or is all the versions of the sung “Our Father” grating and poorly metered.

may i ask politely what were you doing for the first part of the mass if you are just now preparing yourself to recieve the Body?i have read others feel holding hands brings the worship down to the level instead of directing it up,Christ is already present isn’t He?others feel hh is all about the people and not God??this is something i don’t understand,i have spoke with the oldest member of our church to her these things make no difference. thinking about the"glare" i had simular experience but on a different theme.i was preparing for the sacrement of reconcillation when i noticed an older lady staring at my tearful face,i thought what haven’t you seen some one sorry for their sins,oh great something else to confess.

 

[Jimsdun]

I’m outta luck unless I either change parishes (which I am seriously considering) or my current parish gets rid of those individual chairs and installs pews. Those molded plastic chairs are so close together they force everyone to close quarters making it nearly impossible to avoid hand-holding. If you refuse to hold hands they look at you funny. They also look at you funny if you don’t clap or do the “Halleluia 2-fisted twirl”

 

[happyseppy]

Score! I once tried to sit as far away from anyone as I could…and a gentleman sauntered down through three long sets of pews to hold my hand during the Our Father.

I thought of the Desert Fathers who would say that this sacrefice (due to the sincere intent and effort of the gentleman) warrented at least offering it up at that moment.

 

[GemmaRose]

I am neutral on hand-holding, and would only change that position if the Church officially banned it (which I don’t think it has and if it did, please, someone correct me). If someone reaches for my hand, in Christian charity I offer it. If someone does not, I take no offense and also in Christian charity give to that person the freedom of their desired prayer position.

But what amuses me about so many rabid anti-hand-holding posts that I have read in so many threads and forums is this:

What part of OUR Father don’t we understand???

---

*“I wish that my heart could beat, that I could live and breathe only for Jesus, I wish that my tongue could utter no other name than that of Jesus; that my eye could see only Jesus; that my pen could write only about Jesus, and that my thoughts could soar to nothing but Jesus. I have often wondered where on earth there might be something on which I could center my love. But neither on earth nor in heaven do I find any such thing but only my beloved Jesus… I am the fruit of your passion, Jesus, born of your wounds. O Jesus, seek me in love; I no longer possess anything; you have stolen my heart…” *- St. Gemma Galgani

 

[Pixie_Dust]

I am neutral on hand-holding, and would only change that position if the Church officially banned it (which I don’t think it has and if it did, please, someone correct me). If someone reaches for my hand, in Christian charity I offer it. If someone does not, I take no offense and also in Christian charity give to that person the freedom of their desired prayer position.

But what amuses me about so many rabid anti-hand-holding posts that I have read in so many threads and forums is this:

What part of OUR Father don’t we understand???

I had the same thought last night reading this thread.

 

[iona_scribe]

I have to say I’ve had the opposite experience of most people here.

When I was still a protestant, I had been to a few Masses, but the first time I ever visited my current parish was also the first time I had ever experienced hand-holding during the Our Father. It moved me almost to tears. Suddenly I was in a place where worship and prayer wasn’t just an individualistic act; we were all praying to God together in one voice. Plus the orans posture is seen in some of the earliest Christian artwork. Beyond joining in prayer with my brothers and sisters in the pews, I feel like I’m joining in prayer with the early saints and martyrs

I can see how bumps on the hand would be irritating; I don’t inflict hand holding on my neighbors unless they’re actively seeking it. Be grateful that nobody’s knocking into you with raised arms and closed eyes during the worship music.

 

[mschrank]

Our version of the “Our Father” was written by a parishioner and it’s lovely.

Oh man, that was so dry, so good…

 

[Pixie_Dust]

I have to say I’ve had the opposite experience of most people here.

When I was still a protestant, I had been to a few Masses, but the first time I ever visited my current parish was also the first time I had ever experienced hand-holding during the Our Father. It moved me almost to tears. Suddenly I was in a place where worship and prayer wasn’t just an individualistic act; we were all praying to God together in one voice. Plus the orans posture is seen in some of the earliest Christian artwork. Beyond joining in prayer with my brothers and sisters in the pews, I feel like I’m joining in prayer with the early saints and martyrs

I felt the same way the first time I experienced it.

I can see how bumps on the hand would be irritating; I don’t inflict hand holding on my neighbors unless they’re actively seeking it. Be grateful that nobody’s knocking into you with raised arms and closed eyes during the worship music.

[SIGN]Amen to that![/SIGN]