Hands together

[WillYart]

Ok two questions in one:

1. I am new to all this and I’ve seen a couple of women at various times during mass place their hands together in a Michelangelo’s famous sculpture “praying hands” fashion rather than holding the Misal. What does this mean and is it normal and acceptable? What about for men to do it? I have not seen any men doing it, although the Michelangelo sculpture looks like a man’s hands.
2. Also it is a very busy cathedral; is it rude for me to insist on seeing the priest during the sacrament instead of the helpers? Me, me wife, and 4 year old all go in line with our hands crossed over our shoulders to receive a blessing. I think he is the only one who can give the blessing, not the lay helpers, right??
3. Re. genuflecting, I saw someone doing it before the service even began. When it is OK to do that and does one have to stop doing it at any point during the service (e.g. to sing or listen to the Homily, etc.)?

 

[adrift]

catholic.com/quickquestions/why-do-we-genuflect-and-what-does-it-mean

Ok two questions in one:

1. I am new to all this and I’ve seen a couple of women at various times during mass place their hands together in a Michelangelo’s famous sculpture “praying hands” fashion rather than holding the Misal. What does this mean and is it normal and acceptable? What about for men to do it? I have not seen any men doing it, although the Michelangelo sculpture looks like a man’s hands.

Once upon a time this was the norm for mass to fold your hands. I still do. It is just a posture of respect. It is acceptable for all.

1. Also it is a very busy cathedral; is it rude for me to insist on seeing the priest during the sacrament instead of the helpers? Me, me wife, and 4 year old all go in line with our hands crossed over our shoulders to receive a blessing. I think he is the only one who can give the blessing, not the lay helpers, right??

You are correct that the only one who can impart a blessing is the priest. Here is a Link to a question that answers it.

1. Re. genuflecting, I saw someone doing it before the service even began. When it is OK to do that and does one have to stop doing it at any point during the service (e.g. to sing or listen to the Homily, etc.)?

I see few people anymore doing this but imho it should still be done. In the past, people would genuflect going into and out of the pew in acknowledgement of Jesus being in the tabernacle. link Some Churches no longer have the tabernacle in the Church having it in a chapel instead. There would then be no reason to genuflect. As far as during mass, accept for two days of the year, the only one to genuflect is the priest. I suppose your wondering which two days?Here

 

[TimothyH]

You are correct that the only one who can impart a blessing is the priest. Here is a Link to a question that answers it.

A deacon can give a blessing as well.

Parents are always allowed to bless their children.

-Tim-

 

[adrift]

A deacon can give a blessing as well.

Parents are always allowed to bless their children.

-Tim-

You are correct here is what my link said

Answer
There are certain cases in which a lay person may give a blessing. The general introduction to the Book of Blessings states: “Other laymen and laywomen, in virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity they possess because of their baptism and confirmation, may celebrate certain blessings, as indicated in the respective orders of blessings, by use of the rites and formularies designated for a lay minister” (18).

In the rubrics for the distribution of Holy Communion to the sick by extraordinary ministers, the minister may not bless the sick person but only may make the sign of the cross over himself and ask for a blessing upon both of them.

Based on these statements, the practice of extraordinary ministers giving blessings during Holy Communion does not appear to be in keeping with Church law.

We were talking within the context of the mass.

 

[AT_Cross]

1. The praying hands posture is not mandated but in my case it definitely grew on me. I had a lot of trouble doing it when I was converting but now it is so natural I do it for most of Mass. The beautiful thing about liturgical worship is that our entire posture is engaged.
2. Receiving a blessing at all during communion is and extra-liturgical tradition that is widespread but officially discouraged. We had Cardinal Burke at a Mass at our parish and he did not bless anyone who went up with crossed hands. In the US we are so used to participating in everything but the point of going up for communion is to enter into communion through the Eucharist. When we cross our arms and go up for a blessing we enter a note of discord into the process because we are asking the priest to engage I an action other than distribution of the body of Christ. It is the high point of Mass. In many other countries there are those who stay in their pews during communion- either because they have Unconfessed sin or because they aren’t yet Catholic. When I started my conversion I went up for a blessing but when I learned that the process was discouraged by the Holy See, I stayed in my pew and spent the time in prayer. I found that this created such a longing for the Eucharist in me that when I thought about the day I would be able to recieve I would come to tears. I would encourage you to pray about remaining in the official liturgy of the Church.
3. Genuflecting is not old fashioned or out of date. It is a timeless gesture of reverence for the presence of Jesus. If the Tabernacle is in a side chapel then genuflect towards the side chapel. Before you sit down in your pew and when you exit after Mass, genuflect towards the Tabernacle and make the sign of the cross. It is not an empty gesture, it shows that you understand that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and that He is really present in the Tabernacle. Another good rule of thumb: whenever you come before the altar or cross in front of it you should bow, but always genuflect towards the Tabernacle.

 

[WillYart]

Thanks for all the helpful answers. I’ve sent an email to the catechist to find out whether there is a Tabernacle in the cathedral.

Probably I won’t be taking my family up to receive a blessing then.

Parents are always allowed to bless their children.

Oh! I’m excited about doing this. How? Look what I found on another website:

"I bless you my child, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” While saying this, make the sign of the Cross upon his forehead with the thumb of your right hand. "

How does this sound. This sounds like how one priest has blessed me and my son when we went for a blessing (although he kneeled to reach my son, who is only 3 feet tall).

Re. Genuflecting, everyone here does it during, I guess, the consecration of the elements if that is what it is called. It says “Kneel” in the bulletin or Misal.

 

[japhy]

A genuflection could be described as a brief kneel on only one knee: you bring your right knee down to the ground for a moment and then stand again. (If you’re a football fan, Tim Tebow essentially genuflects when he “Tebows”.)

A double genuflection is a brief kneel on both knees: you bring your right knee down to the ground, then your left knee, pause a moment, and then stand again.

Kneeling is being in the “double genuflection” position for an extended period of time.

 

[ProVobis]

Probably I won’t be taking my family up to receive a blessing then.

Parents are always allowed to bless their children.

IMO most Anglophones don’t know what “bless” means, though they use the word all the time. I can’t really define it myself, except to say the word was formed to express its Latin benedicere meaning, to “speak well of.” So in this sense anyone can “bless.”

 

[WillYart]

IMO most Anglophones don’t know what “bless” means, though they use the word all the time. I can’t really define it myself, except to say the word was formed to express its Latin benedicere meaning, to “speak well of.” So in this sense anyone can “bless.”

Oh I don’t either think I have a full understanding, but I assume that Christians in blessing one another and especially their progeny repeat Abraham and others’ example of conveying, predicting or calling down God’s blessing. This being done, as all prayer, in response to God’s own character promises. God told Abraham, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Gen. 22:18)

Jacob’s blessing of Joseph’s sons in fact almost sounds like an invocation of God and of some angel (a prayer):

“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” (Gen. 48:15-16)

p.s. Thanks everyone for the answers on genuflection. I’ll slowly figure out what to do…

 

[TimothyH]

You are correct here is what my link said

We were talking within the context of the mass.

You said that the only one who can give a blessing is a priest. Within the context of the Mass, a deacon can also give a blessing.

-Tim-

 

[TimothyH]

Parents are always allowed to bless their children.

I do that every night for one of my daughters. My older daughter thinks she is too mature for that silly stuff.

You can also give the Aaronic Priestly blessing from Numbers 6.

The LORD said to Moses:
Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.
(Numbers 6:22-27)*

You can lay hands on the head of your children and give them the blessing in red. It is especially appropriate for when they are leaving on a trip or going away for some time, first day of kindergarden, leaving for college, etc.

-Tim-

 

[WillYart]

Tim, that one’s the best! I’ll use it! I’ve heard it used as a benediction before but it seems suited for the purpose.

 

[Stylites]

IMO most Anglophones don’t know what “bless” means, though they use the word all the time. I can’t really define it myself, except to say the word was formed to express its Latin benedicere meaning, to “speak well of.” So in this sense anyone can “bless.”

Interesting.Dictionary.com says the word has Middle English significance of consecrating, originally with blood.

 

[ProVobis]

Interesting.Dictionary.com says the word has Middle English significance of consecrating, originally with blood.

You’re right. It does have an interesting etymology. I find it significant that it “was chosen” and has “no cognates in other languages.” It’s difficult to contrast it with anything else in the linguistical sense and its meaning is vague as a result.

bless (v.)
O.E. bletsian, bledsian, Northumbrian bloedsian “to consecrate, make holy, give thanks,” from P.Gmc. *blodison “hallow with blood, mark with blood,” from *blotham “blood” (see blood). Originally a blood sprinkling on pagan altars. This word was chosen in O.E. bibles to translate L. benedicere and Gk. eulogein, both of which have a ground sense of “to speak well of, to praise,” but were used in Scripture to translate Heb. brk “to bend (the knee), worship, praise, invoke blessings.” Meaning shifted in late O.E. toward “pronounce or make happy,” by resemblance to unrelated bliss. No cognates in other languages. Related: Blessed; blessing.

 

[adrift]

You said that the only one who can give a blessing is a priest. Within the context of the Mass, a deacon can also give a blessing.

-Tim-

And I said you were corrrect. The comment about the mass had to do with your comment that a parent could bless their child which is also correct. I don’t know many parents who bless their children within Mass.

 

[Martin15]

1. We had Cardinal Burke at a Mass at our parish and he did not bless anyone who went up with crossed hands.

So a cardinal did not give a blessing to those who were unable to recieve the eucharist? I find that incredible, it would be unheard of in the UK… I understand the points about recieving the eucharist being the pinnacle of the mass but it still seems very unusual.

With regard to the OP:

1. I have begun placing my hands in this way during mass, particularly during the kneeling parts (somehow it seems more comfortable with a pew - whilst standing it seems very show-y - I’d welcome peoples thoughts on whether or not it seems ok to stand with one’s hands palm-to-palm), the rest of the time I currently have my hands clasped with the fingers inter-linked.
2. I believe (someone else might be able to give a reference for this) that a similar thing applies in mass for EMHC as when they are visiting the sick - they can invoke a blessing, but not bestow one; the crucial word being ‘us’ rather than ‘you’, as in ‘the Lord bless us’, rather than ‘the Lord bless you’. This is certainly the common practice in England and Wales.
3. Most people here genuflect on one knee before entering a pew, to the tabernacle, as has been mentioned. In a cathedral (or other church with a seperate chapel for the blessed sacrament) I wouldn’t think it necessary to genuflect before entering a pew, but some would, but again, to the chapel with the tabernacle, not to the high altar. A cathedral will certainly have a tabernacle, and you should genuflect before entering a pew in the chapel containing it (except on Good Friday, when it will be empty).
   Two-knee genuflections are very rare in the UK now - the only time I have seen them is by priests immediately following the exposition of the eucharist for adoration and just before a benediction. They may be more common elsewhere.

Apologies if any of that has been non-sensical, it is rather late here; please ask if there is anything I was unclear about.

Best wishes

Martin