Holding and lifting hands during Our Father

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MiserereMei25

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I would like a solid answer as to whether this act during mass is or is not to be done by the laity.

I know fellow Bretheren who state that it is not in the Litigurical instructions and therefore should not be done. I have heard of other Bretheren state that it is a personal preference.

I would like to know of this is permitted or not during the mass.

I request solid catechetical answers and not what one feels based off of taste. Thank you.
 
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The Church is silent on the matter.

The US bishops state,
Q. Some people hold hands during the Lord’s Prayer, while others hold their hands out like the priest. Is there a prescribed posture for the Our Father?

A. No position is prescribed in the Roman Missal for an assembly gesture during the Lord’s Prayer.
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http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-wor...ing-the-eucharistic-prayer-and-our-father.cfm

It has been argued by an EWTN apologist that because the holding hands has not been prescribed by either the bishops or the Vatican, then people can’t be made to do it as part of Mass, so anyone who doesn’t want to, doesn’t have to, and those who do want to, can (except for the priest and any concelebrants who aren’t supposed to hold hands).

https://www.ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur10.htm

I’ll be surprised if there is anything more specific out there from a “solid catechetical answer” POV as we’ve been over this before.
 
It has been going on since 1965 (as I have a picture of a Catholic college youth group during a Mass).

When Chaput was Archbishop in Colorado, he sent out a public letter as chief liturgist of the archdiocese. His comment was that there are no instructions in the GIRM as to how the laity are to hold their hands, period. His response was that it was not forbidden nor required; that those who desired to hold hands could do so, those who did not want to were fine, and that both sides should react with charity towards the other side. That includes pushing someone who does not wish to hold hands, to do so, and includes those who choose to not do so to refrain from criticizing others.

Those who range from not being comfortable doing so to those who outright despise it will come up with all sorts of permutations as to how it is not allowed. Most who do hold hands simply do so (that is, they don’t spend time defending it).

There seem to be areas in which it is more common than other areas, and even within a diocese, there appear to be parishes where it is more common, and parishes where it is less common, or mostly non-existent.

Rome unquestionably has been aware of the matter for decades, has gone through several permutations of the GIRM and has issued letters restricting, correcting and revising various rubrics of the Mass, and has seen fit to not make any ruling on the matter.

There have been many and numerous threads herein on the matter.

That is about as close to a catechetical answer as I think can be given. It has been around for at least 53 years, and it is still causing grief among some of the laity, and it is still widely practiced.

and yes, I have repeatedly heard from some who comment that they were forced to hold hands with someone else. There is no excuse for that - it is very plainly a lack of charity on the part of the one insisting to hold hands.

From those who prefer to hold hands, I heard one wag comment “The prayer is Our Father, not My Father - holding hands is a sign of unity”. True or not, Rome has been silent, so it is neither prescribed nor prohibited. Just the same as holding one’s hands palms together, and fingers either extended or interlaced is neither prescribed nor prohibited - but has a longer history.
 
I rarely see it among a whole congregation to be honest. Families sometimes hold hands. But I have only seen this done by the whole congregation in the last several years of Masses twice: at one Easter Vigil and at Mass in one monastery.
 
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For me it is cringy when there is hand holding.
 
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All I can tell you is that at the Traditional Latin Mass that I attend it is not done. It seems to be popular among liberals that hold to the ‘spirit’ of Vatican II.
 
From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM):

“42. … A common bodily posture, to be observed by all those taking part, is a sign of unity of the members of the Christian community gathered together for the Sacred Liturgy, for it expresses the intentions and spiritual attitude of the participants and also fosters them.”

From the Ceremonial of Bishops:

“104 Customarily in the Church a bishop or presbyter addresses prayers to God while standing with hands slightly raised and outstretched.”

“107 … Similarly, concelebrants and ministers keep their hands joined when walking from place to place or when standing, unless they are holding something.”

From the GIRM:

“237. Then the principal celebrant, with hands joined, says the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer. Next, with hands extended, he says the Lord’s Prayer itself together with the other concelebrants, who also pray with hands extended, and together with the people.”

Code of Canon Law, canon 907: “In the celebration of the Eucharist, deacons and lay person are not permitted to say the prayers, especially the eucharistic prayer, nor to perform the actions which are proper to the celebrating priest.”

[From Code of Canon Law (c) 1983, 1997 The Canon Law Society Trust, published by Harper Collins Liturgical in 1997, isbn 000599375X. Excerpts from the English translation of Ceremonial of Bishops © 1989, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation and The Roman Missal © 2010 ICEL. All rights reserved.]
 
So it is permitted then I take it?
 
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Considering the multitude of threads on this over the years, it’s fair to say you aren’t going to get a “solid” answer here. It is one of CAF’s hot button topics. The closest thing I can provide is purely anecdotal. I attended a Sunday Mass at St. John Lateran, our mother church, and it was not done there.
 
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It doesn’t say.

There have been so so so many threads regarding this. The church rubrics do not specific. It is neither deemed permissible nor impermissible. The rubrics are silent on this issue as @Tis_Bearself said.

Therefore, you can either choose to do it or not choose to do it. I choose not to. I generally keep my hands folded in front of me so that there is no confusion for anyone on either side of me.
 
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Hereiam said:
The more serious question is, “does it make the Mass invalid?” And the answer is NO!
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There are a lot of things that could be done that would still result in a valid Mass. Liturgical dancing does not invalidate the Mass. Having clowns near the altar during the consecration does not invalidate the Mass. Should these be permitted since they don’t invalidate the Mass? Are these not serious issues because the Mass is still valid?
 
It’s not required and no one can seem to nail down it’s origins. The panelists on EWTN’s Live Wire found the ‘tradition’ to be “corny”. This forumite knows of instances where it has been abused, by stalkers, for example. An opportunity to flirt. Some have taken to forming “magic circles” in the pews–and choir section. Sometimes turning one’s back to the altar in doing so. It’s a distraction, and it’s awkward as people tend to scratch and pick their noses–or return from the restroom. Then–after holding hands with someone recovering from a cold or flu–one receives in the paw. It’s a miracle more folks don’t become ill.
 
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Holding hands is done in some communities. Then the cold and flew season starts, when the priest informs the community, when able, please take communion in the hands and don’t shake hands during the sign of peace.
During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, my hands are always in a posture of prayer, so I have no grief over who holds hands and who doesn’t, so long as respect and charity is given to one or the other with gladness and not misjudgment.
 
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At this time, it is not forbidden in Mass.

It really IS about personal preference.

I take a “when in Rome” stand. I prefer to stand with my hands folded in prayer. If I am sitting with someone who wants to hold my hand, I hold their hand. Should my Bishop, the US Bishops or Rome decree one way or another I will follow that decree.
 
I don’t think the Church officially says anything about it one way or the other.

Could be mistaken but it feels like some who do it might be doing it to be seen by others and if so that seems to be treading towards sinful pride.
 
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