Do all Catholics do the Sign of the Cross when passing a Catholic church?

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isaiahcruz

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In Guam, where I am from, we do the Sign of the Cross when we pass a church. I never understood why. Is it just a sign of respect towards the church or was this done during the times of our early church fathers? We would also do it when we pass by a cemetary and/or a car accident.
 
isaiahcruz said:
In Guam, where I am from, we do the Sign of the Cross when we pass a church. I never understood why. Is it just a sign of respect towards the church or was this done during the times of our early church fathers? We would also do it when we pass by a cemetary and/or a car accident.
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It is a sign of respect for the Blessed Sacrament present in the church…Men also used to tip their hats when they passed by a church out of respect

Times have changed and not for the better
 
I was taught to do this by my Hungarian mother.

My friend from Scotland was taught to do this by her Scottish mother.

It’s a comforting thing to me.
Not something to get mad about when it doesn’t happen but as a priest once put it…it’s a little piece of poetry to offer to the Church.
 
It’s also good to make thge sign of the cross when passing a graveyard. Also when an ambulance passes by.
 
Jacafamala said:
It’s also good to make thge sign of the cross when passing a graveyard. Also when an ambulance passes by.
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Pope John Paul Ii always said we were to pray when we hear a siren for those that are in peril

Joe Garigeola(sp) the sports caster, used to pray to whom he called the saint of the siren to protect those in need of our prayers

I taught my children to always offer a prayer for the dead when they visit a commentary
 
It’s a cultural sign of respect. The nuns taught us in school to offer up a prayer every time we heard a siren.
 
I make the sign of the cross when I pass a Catholic church, graveyard, car accident, or whenever I hear a siren. For me, its just a way to show respect to the Blessed Sacrament in the case of passing a parish and just a way to pray for other souls in the other cases. But I don’t think its that common around here, perhaps it should be? 🤷

pax
 
IrishDude45 said:
I make the sign of the cross when I pass a Catholic church, graveyard, car accident, or whenever I hear a siren. For me, its just a way to show respect to the Blessed Sacrament in the case of passing a parish and just a way to pray for other souls in the other cases. But I don’t think its that common around here, perhaps it should be? 🤷

pax
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It’s common when we’re there.😃
My Irish Mother and Father taught me this when I was little, just the same way as you explained it, except we also say a Hail Mary. (and when I pass in front of a hospital I always say a prayer for those within, both the patients and all others.)
 
When I visited Guatemala, I would see whole families cross themselves as they drove by a church in their car. I don’t see it that often here in America, or perhaps I just don’t pay as much attention here 🤷.
 
isaiahcruz said:
In Guam, where I am from, we do the Sign of the Cross when we pass a church. I never understood why. Is it just a sign of respect towards the church or was this done during the times of our early church fathers? We would also do it when we pass by a cemetary and/or a car accident.
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No, not all Catholics make the sign of the cross when they pass a Church. The reason why some Catholics do make the sign of the cross is out of respect for the Eucharist which of course is housed in the Tabernacle which is housed in the Church. Most of the younger generations today, did not grow up doing this and over time the reverence has/is dying away. 😦
 
We all at CAF should try to revive the respectful tradition of doing the sign of the cross when passing a Catholic Church… .👍
People will start copying us,hopefully.
We should be leaders not followers.🙂
Tam
 
Tamsulosin said:
We all at CAF should try to revive the respectful tradition of doing the sign of the cross when passing a Catholic Church… .👍
People will start copying us,hopefully.
We should be leaders not followers.🙂
Tam
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Yes we should and I for one will make sure I do it…I have gone back to meatless Fridays too

These old practices kept us near to Christ and his passion
 
I cross myself whenever I pass a Catholic Church, out of respect to Our Lord Who is inside.

I cross myself when I pass a cemetery as a prayer for the dead, and when I hear sirens, to accomplish their goal.

I teach my CCD kids to do the same.
 
Meatless fridays, making the sign of the Cross when passing a Church and praying for
the victims when you see an accident are little things but they make us feel closer to God.
 
I make the sign of the cross when passing a Catholic Church (or an Orthodox one :o-is there anything wrong with that? They have the Real Presence in their Sacrament).

I also make the sign of the cross when I hear a fire engine or ambulance, when passing a graveyard (there is one right in the middle of my university campus so I feel it is a nice way to set an example :)), when I hear or read that someone has passed away, or if I pass an accident.

Also when I’m back in Ireland the roadsides are dotted with shrines, I make the sign of the cross when I pass these too.

When I was growing up most of the kids I knew made the sign of the cross when passing a church, now I don’t notice so many people doing it any more.
 
isaiahcruz said:
In Guam, where I am from, we do the Sign of the Cross when we pass a church. I never understood why. Is it just a sign of respect towards the church or was this done during the times of our early church fathers? We would also do it when we pass by a cemetary and/or a car accident.
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When I remember to do it i do.
I remember in first grade, sister saint Adrian taught us a prayer to say when an ambulance or fire engine went by.
 
It’s like you would’nt pass in front of someone you really love, your father , and not aknowledge the person is there, but just look away.Yet apparently many people do
nowadays.
Maybe they are too concerned about how others around would catalogue
them if they see them making a religious sign.
That is called insecurity.
 
If all Catholics in the United States started making the Sign of the Cross when passing in front of a Catholic Church, it might start a revolution … for the good.

So, it might be an excellent idea for all of us to make the Sign of the Cross regularly in public so it can be seen and provide an example.
 
WOW Im not the only one that does this. I feel so much better now. I make the sign of the cross when I pass Planned Parenthood as a prayers to the children that are slaughtered, and I make the sign when I hear a siren or if I have heard someone has died or is in grave donger of dieing. because of this thread I will now do this when i pass a Catholic church and graveyards.
 
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