Holding hands during Pater Noster — Why?

  • Thread starter Thread starter savedbychrist
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Holding hands usually emphasizes group or personal unity from the human or physical point of view. It is in a sense a figure of us being spiritual members of the Body of Christ. But yes, as so many have pointed out, it is not obligatory.
 
Dan_Defender said:
It is in a sense a figure of us being spiritual members of the Body of Christ
Click to expand...
I think that is part of the reason many find it objectionable. It came from a type of non Catholic way to be united. The unity Catholics have is found in the Eucharist.
 
One way to avoid this novel and unauthorized (but tolerated) practice during the liturgy is to do as I do:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Not a chance anyone will grab your hand. Even more so if you wear a shirt such as…

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Seriously, due to immune suppression, I have spent 7 months+ this year coughing and hacking with various viruses. That friendly handshake can land me in ICU with pneumonia.

During the “Our Father” I simply hold my hands in the classic praying position.
 
Dan_Defender said:
I agree with you on that. On the other hand, the orantes posture is as old as Christianity itself, being depicted in the catacombs.
Click to expand...
That I believe is true but I do not believe it means the same today as it did during the days of the catacombs. IMHO mimicing the priest is a protestant idea that came along with in the last several decades under the misguided understanding of the “priesthood of all believers”.

I was reminded of this thread today, though, due to a woman I don’t know sitting next to me this morning at Mass who used the orans position during the Our Father. Her hands were so extended that her right hand was about less than a foot from my face. Not just my head but right in front of my face. I needed to ask my family to scoot down the pew a little. I live in a small town and usually sit with people I know and none of them raise their hands during the Our Father but after sitting next to her today and her hand in front of my face, if this is happening to people during the Our Father, I can see why this topic comes up frequently.

My understanding we are to imitate the deacon, not the priest.

 
Last edited:
It seems Rome has spoken on this. I don’t know why it still continues and i don’t know why some bishops and priests remain silent.

“In eucharistic celebrations deacons and non-ordained members of the faithful may not pronounce prayers — e.g. especially the eucharistic prayer, with its concluding doxology — or any other parts of the liturgy reserved to the celebrant priest. Neither may deacons or non-ordained members of the faithful use gestures or actions which are proper to the same priest celebrant. It is a grave abuse for any member of the non-ordained faithful to “quasi preside” at the Mass while leaving only that minimal participation to the priest which is necessary to secure validity” (ICP Practical Provisions 6 §2).

I don’t think those that use the Orans position are attempting to “quasi preside”, they just haven’t been taught.
 
SPONP4US said:
The sign of peace has to be one of the most blatant examples of Human social awkwardness at it’s fullest, most of the time.

The next is when everyone from the back of the church rushes forward to be first for communion without any comprehension of " taking turns and forming a que line" 😆
Click to expand...
In which country does this happen? I’ve never seen this phenomenon at any Catholic Mass here in the United States. Sure, occasionally there might a few people from the back of the church that walk quickly up to the front to be one of the first to receive Holy Communion, but it’s certainly not everyone. Most sitting or standing in the back of the church wait until others sitting closer to the front get in the Communion line.

What I see more frequently are people who want to be the last to receive Holy Communion. Most of these people are one’s who would receive Holy Communion kneeling so as a courtesy they wait until those who receive Holy Communion standing have gone by.

Then there’s sometimes one or two parishioners who like to be last in line so they can finish off drinking our Lord’s most precious blood from the Cup.

But a race from the back to the front? I’ve never seen that happen during a Mass here in the U.S…
 
tafan2 said:
Quick question. I admittedly have not read this whole thread, but has anyone taken the time to answer the question in the thread title: why hold hands? I got to thinking that through the years, with all the threads on this topic, I do not recall one person who argued for why we should hold hands during the Our Father? A lot of people point out that it is allowed/not prohibited, others point out why we should not. But is there an argument as to why we should?
Click to expand...
Yes of course: it’s a strong sign of unity.

It symbolizes that we’re one body, the one mystical body of Christ. As St. Paul said (paraphrasing): one body made from many parts.
 
Any sign of unity would be subsumed under drinking from the same cup and eating the same bread. It is in communion that the great sign of unity is found.
 
That begs two questions. Why during the Our Father,. Why only during the Our Father?

Why not during the EP, why not during the Gospel?
 
Dymphna1 said:
I don’t think those that use the Orans position are attempting to “quasi preside”,
Click to expand...
I don’t. I seriously doubt anyone considers they have any sort of presiding role, based on their posture, which might explain the first thing you said, that you don’t know why it is continuing. It may be that this passage is addressing a grave abuse, like it says.
 
England I see it happen 9/10 Masse’s I attend, unfortunately. It’s so predictable, that now I often just deliberately wait until the line is down to one or two people before leaving the pew as it’s much easier.

I think alot people here either haven’t read, or choose to skip over, Matthew 20:16 😆 :
 
SPONP4US said:
England I see it happen 9/10 Masse’s I attend, unfortunately. It’s so predictable, that now I often just deliberately wait until the line is down to one or two people before leaving the pew as it’s much easier.

I think alot people here either haven’t read, or choose to skip over, Matthew 20:16 😆 :
Click to expand...
Are you referring to rushing forward for Holy Communion?

I am in England, too, and have NEVER seen it. Everything is very orderly and usually without ushers. Are you going by experiences at London churches, where perhaps there are a lot of immigrants (for example from the Philippines) attending, though?
 
Cruc3S1gnatus said:
I was told by my old parish priest that you aren’t supposed to hold hands and it started back in the 60s
Click to expand...
That explains both that and why we have witnessed all of the lunacy that has transpires, since. VCII took place at a time in which there was great upheaval in all of society. I don’t thin that we, as a religion, are better off for all of this change, but that is me.
 
I did have occasion once, a lady grabbed my hand firmly and would not let go.
At least not until I sneezed on it.
 
Sounds like they need to have that class at my parish it would really help I think. They did during the Easter vigil when I was received so it was very aword
 
Last edited:
If it was a violation of Canon law, Rome would have addressed the matter. Rome has not addressed it, as it is not a matter of Canon law.

There is nothing - nada, zip, zero - as to how one is to hold one’s hands, with the exception of reception of Communion in the hand. No one is adding anything to any liturgical books. People are responding, as they have been for over 50 years, to the statement “Our Father” (not “My Father”, as one wag put it) by holding hands; it is a sign of community. Not the only one, nor necessarily the most significant one. It is something which sets some people in a tizzy as can be seen in the history of threads in the forums; it just keeps popping up.

Some people like it. Some don’t. Some areas of the US may see more of it; some areas less.

And if you or anyone in this thread (or similar threads) should find it causes anxiety or grief, then in the words of my grandmother, long deceased, “offer it up for the Poor Souls in purgatory”.
 
otjm said:
nor necessarily the most significant one.
Click to expand...
Not even close to the most significant one. You might like it, it is allowed, but let’s not overstate it’s significance. Someone even implying that it might be the most significant seems to justify not continuing the practice.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top