Holding Hands at the Lord's Prayer

[Exalt]

There is quite a heated debate going on here! Wow.

Well, let me give my two cents. A few documents have been cited saying that holding hands during the Our Father is going against a teaching from Rome. This is not true. The only issue that Rome addresses is replacing the Sign of Peace. Nothing of the sort is going on here.

Frankly, I’m noticing many people are getting the idea that thier idea of a traditional mass - bare of any and all ‘protestant’ influences at all - is the best idea for everyone. However, there are many elements of a protestant service that a catholic mass lacks. Mostly dealing with Music. However, participation (saying the responses and singing) is also lacking in many Catholic services.

I believe Peter Kreeft said that “protestants need to teach catholics how to sing, and catholics need to teach protestants how to sculpt.” I think there is much wisdom in that. Certianly, follow the rules from your Bishop, for sure. Absolutely. Surrender to Church teachings. However, what is against the rule books that says you can’t hold hands during the Our Father? How about holding your hands up while praying? How about clapping to the closing song? How about having music that stirrs the soul and speaks to the heart? How about having a catholic mass with a congegration that sings loud? There is no heresy committed.

 

[Audrey]

DigitalDeacon:

I personally think - “A mountain is being made out of a mole hill” on this issue. If I am with my wife at Mass which is not very often because I am normally in the Santruary doing my Diaconal Duties, I hold hands with my wife. If this offends anyone I am not sorry. We don’t need the Liturgy Police telling me I can’t hold my wife of 41 years hand .

DigitalDeacon

Deacon, I fully agree that it is probably a very positive experience to hold your wife’s hand during the “Our Father.” However, I am uncomfortable holding hands with a stranger. My parish does not do this on the whole although I do see a few scattered “hand-holders” here and there. My mother’s parish, on the other hand, makes sure everybody is holding hands with somebody, no matter where they are and what gyrations need to be gone through. I usually participate because I can’t think of a polite way to say, “no,” but I find that my focus is then on the fact that I’m holding hands (kind of an intimate gesture) with a stranger and I pay absolutely no attention to the prayer. Each time it happens when I am visiting my mother, I tell myself that the next time I will very politely shake my head, “no,” and hold the missalette in my hands or make my hands unavailable in some other manner.