Arm movements during Mass.

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Snowy,
That sounds scary.:eek: I do know what you mean though about going along with something so as not to cause a ruckus. Then we live and learn, try to avoid that which is disturbing and be steadfast.šŸ˜‰
 
This morning I attended Mass in a very small chapel at a parish Church and was forced to hold hands in a circle around the altar. I went along to avoid violence, but wasn’t comfortable feeling like I was participating in a sĆ©ance. The ladies that forcibly grabbed my hands probably think of themselves as being very liberal, with their Obama stickers in their cars and all (I’m not making this up), but their actions proved to be anything but liberal. God bless them.
This episode is most troubling. No one is supposed to be at the altar unless it’s the celebrant (deacon, if he is there) and the altar servers. LifeTeen got in big trouble for that one. I would have refrained from standing anywhere near the altar. Heck, the EMHCs aren’t even supposed to approach the altar until after the priest has communicated.

I have a stranger one for you. My dad and I have been taking turns caring for our dying dachshund (senior and Katrina survivor that I adopted). I went to the Rosary for the mother of a colleauge. The strangest thing happened. The couple leading the recitation of the Rosary (in a parish with two priests and a deacon why they couldn’t get one of them to do it is beyond me 🤷) were somewhat okay until the end when the man ended it with a quasi blessing. He then approached the casket and prayed over the deceased.

Afterwards I asked him if he was a deacon (I had a gut feeling about his answer). Sure enough, he wasn’t. I politely told him that what he did was a big no-no. His response? ā€œI listen to what God tells me, not the Popeā€ and he walked away in a huff. The woman behind me told me that she had the same concerns over what had just happened.

When my grandmother died, I led the Rosary. Her arrangments were strange because the Mass was in the morning, the rosary was in the evening and the burial at Fort Sam Houston was at an early hour (Austin is about an hour and a half from Fort Sam). I did not presume to do anything other than lead the group in prayer.

This may not be arm movements during the Mass, but, given that this was in the context of a funeral, it was mighty strange and most unsettling.
 
I’m losing this battle, Benedictgal. Last Sunday I sat on a pew all by myself and when the paternoster started I put my hands together to pray, but the old lady in front of me turned around and extended her hand towards me with a martyr’s look on her face. What could I do, but hold her hand?
 
The most charitable thing I’ve seen about posture in weeks, Snowy…

Thank-you.

Now, I tend to simply close my eyes and fold my hands.
 
Laity cannot and therefore do not impart blessings. Only a bishop, priest, or deacon may ever impart a blessing.
I don’t know where or how it started in our parish… and I’m hoping that our new Pastor (a very holy man) will soon put an end to it… but we have several Extraordinary Ministers… who… during Communion can be seen… making an ENORMOUS ā€œSign of the Crossā€ in the air, (just like a priest would make) over the heads of people or children.

They do so, with a great amount of ā€œpomp and ceremonyā€ and it appears to me… that THEY believe they are actually blessing people! :eek:

I am still astonished when I see this… and find it very disturbing, too.
 
Arm movements during Mass are wonderful! If you have experienced God in a personal way, then you will want to partispate FULLY in many different areas that may not have always been in place before. Its the giving of oneself and asking God to work through you too on behalf of what is happening. Attend a Cum Christo or Cursillo; these are wonderful weekend retreats sponcerd by the Church for lay people. Not only do these weekends open you up to God’s love but also help one to reallize there is so much more for you on a personal level. You won’t feel so uncomfortable with the arm movements at Mass.
We live in a society of individuality, where what each of us ā€˜feels’ has been elevated to a dangerous position. But what any person feels to be ā€˜wonderful’ is not what the Liturgy is about. It is not about your individual, personal desires. It is a communal worship of God and celebration by the priest of the Holy Eucharist. When we cross the line by participating in Liturgical Abuses (holding hands during Our Father, using the Orans Posture of extending hands.which is ONLY allowed for the priest), we are committing a severe abuse of the Mass individually. If you did not know that, God did not hold you accountable. Now that you know, and if you continue simply because it feels good or you want to do what everyone else does, you are accountable for committing an abuse (sin?). Even priests do not adhere, because they were misinformed in the late 90’s. But the Holy See has not approved these gestures. We are bound to follow the Holy See on matters of this sort, as he is the authority Christ has appointed. You need to research this as I did if you don’t believe me. Our goal as fellow Roman Catholics is to help others when they are misguided so that the Mass remains a pure and Holy Sacrifice. Please consider your re-thinking.

SEE #40 from THE VATICAN for an example of an admonishing of recent practices:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html
 
We live in a society of individuality, where what each of us ā€˜feels’ has been elevated to a dangerous position. But what any person feels to be ā€˜wonderful’ is not what the Liturgy is about. It is not about your individual, personal desires. It is a communal worship of God and celebration by the priest of the Holy Eucharist. When we cross the line by participating in Liturgical Abuses (holding hands during Our Father, using the Orans Posture of extending hands. which is ONLY allowed for the priest), we are committing a severe abuse of the Mass individually. If you did not know that, God did not hold you accountable. Now that you know, and if you continue simply because it feels good or you want to do what everyone else does, you are accountable for committing an abuse (sin?). Even priests do not have a good handle on this, because they were misinformed in the late 90’s. But the HOLY SEE HAS NOT APPROVED THESE GESTURES. These are priestly positions In Persona Christi…he is the only one able to extend in blessings and in approaching God on our behalf. We are bound to follow the Holy See on matters of this sort, as he is the authority Christ has appointed. You need to research this as I did if you don’t believe me. Our goal as fellow Roman Catholics is to help others when they are misguided so that the Mass remains a pure and Holy Sacrifice. Please consider your re-thinking.

SEE #40 from THE VATICAN for an example of an admonishing of recent practices:

vatican.va/roman_curia/co…mentum_en.html
 
This thread is 6 years old, and the moderators do not wish us to resurrect old threads. We are to start new ones. But FYI, we just had one on this subject last week and it is now closed.
 
I had a thought: since the Orans Position is only allowed for the priest in his Priestly Duties in Celebration of the Mass, I wonder just how distracted God becomes as the entire congregation tries to be Concelebrants (i.e., other 'priests)?

Of course, I am being facetious. God can concentrate, yet it can’t be pleasing to Him that the Laity is trying to assume Priestly Duties in their misguided hand gestures.

Hands clasped in prayer are the only acceptable postures during these moments. Eyes closed can help us be less distracted by those committing these Liturgical abuses.

And a quality veil for women (such as the Eternity Veils I make www.VeilsByKaren.com) will help your eyes not to wander both during the Mass, and specifically during Communion…so that those of you daring to receive Our Lord in the norm as we ought (on the tongue) won’t see others’ reactions to your truly justified piety.

I came back 4 years ago after 40 years in a Protestant Church (long story). Since that time, I feel it is my mission to help others along back to the true norms of worship (such as veils…see my site on OUR STORY for info on that). The older I get, the more of a sense of urgency I feel to be as close to norms as possible so as to honor and show love to God.
 
This thread is 6 years old, and the moderators do not wish us to resurrect old threads. We are to start new ones. But FYI, we just had one on this subject last week and it is now closed.
So why is that new one closed? And can another be started? It seems that these types of Liturgical questions need to be up to date and offered to inform.
 
:thumbsup:Good for you.
I also came back as a revert after being away for many years. It’s like a time warp:eek: . I’m still not comfortable with doing the ā€œoransā€ position of the hands like the priest does. I keep my hands folded during most of the Mass and during the Our Father. I don’t raise my hands but I do look up at the image of Christ. I am learning more tolerance of others’ preferences during Mass. I don’t understand why many people fold their arms or clasp their hands behind their backs – anything but folding their hands in prayer. I still have to work on being critical. I confess this as a fault. I guess what I’m trying to say is do what you are comfortable with so long as it is permitted. šŸ™‚ I’m still trying to work up the nerve to receive communion on the tongue again. But whatever the changes, the disagreements, the preferences, even the shenanigans people do; I am so very, tearfully grateful to have been brought back to Holy Mother Church through the workings of the Holy Spirit. šŸ‘
 
You don’t have to do any of the silly hand movements invented by people that think they have to pretend being a priest in order to participate in the Mass.
 
I have returned to the Church after more than 30 years, and see things I don’t remember seeing as a child. At my new parish, the faithful lift their arms and hold hands during the Lord’s Prayer, and are asked to do ā€œlong-distance laying of handsā€ when accepting new members or during the anointment of the sick, or while responding ā€œand also to youā€. It feels to me a bit ā€œpaganā€.

Is there a basis for this behavior? Am I required to do it? I don’t want to be the party pooper, but would rather keep my hands to myself and leave the ā€œtransmissions of energyā€ to the priest.
Thank you.
You are NOT obligated to hold hands or even lift your hands during the Lord’s Prayer. You’re also not required to do a ā€œlaying of handsā€ during the mass. Actually, not only are you not obligated, but it is not even in the liturgical norms of the Mass… Sad
 
Today during the announcements at the end of Mass our priest gave a blessing to a man for his 80th birthday and asked the congregation to extend our hands outward while he gave the blessing. I haven’t experienced that before in the past year of attending Masses so I just did it. Is this okay?
 
So why is that new one closed? And can another be started? It seems that these types of Liturgical questions need to be up to date and offered to inform.
I don’t know why it was closed, the moderators generally don’t say. As for being up to date and offered to inform, this topic appears about once a week, as does headcovering, and we are well and overly informed on it. I personally wish they would ban both topics, but apparently people like hashing out the same thing over and over ad nauseum. Usually the threads turn argumentative and uncharitable and often these types of threads are closed. I have never seen anything productive come from them in the end, just people giving their opinions, and arguing.

You can start another one if you wish, but personally I wish you wouldn’t. I don’t mean to be rude, but we have heard it all before. I mean the last one was just closed yesterday. If you don’t believe me, do a topic search and see how often this topic comes up. However, do as you please. This thread will be closed soon, I am guessing, because it is 6 years old.
 
Sorry I was doing a search for my own google research on this topic and this thread came up. there have been many things I have observed after returning to the church after 40 years being away that appear to be liturgically incorrect if not actual abuses. my goal as a revert Catholic is to be as close to magisterial teaching as possible. and I try to answer at least something factual and not just my personal opinion. I apologize if this was offensive to you.
 
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