Holding hands during the Our Father

[MarkThompson]

This isnt the way its done?
My Marian Missal shows that the server, at least, says:
Sed libera nos a malo.
I’ve only experience EF Masses at one F.S.S.P. parish, and the “disgusting” congregation has always joined in that part of the Lord’s prayer.

I guess only priests are not disgusting??? I suppose we’re all wretches??

Just to be clear, I was being 100% sarcastic. You can ask PilgrimToChrist whether the congregation is worthy to say the Our Father – and I certainly don’t keep a priest around to say it during my rosaries, that was a joke.

 

[PilgrimToChrist]

Just to be clear, I was being 100% sarcastic. You can ask PilgrimToChrist whether the congregation is worthy to say the Our Father – and I certainly don’t keep a priest around to say it during my rosaries, that was a joke.

I said nothing about being “worthy”, I simply said that the reason the priest says it alone (except “sed libera nos a malo”) in the (Traditional) Mass is because of its priestly component, there are different ways in which prayers are specific to the priest. The Our Father a prayer of the whole faithful but the priest says it alone and the faithful respond with the last line, this does have a meaning. Saying it all together and holding hands has a different meaning. The question is with what meaning we want to imbue this part of the Mass, and the Mass as a whole.

 

[The_Reginator]

Just to be clear, I was being 100% sarcastic. You can ask PilgrimToChrist whether the congregation is worthy to say the Our Father – and I certainly don’t keep a priest around to say it during my rosaries, that was a joke.

Sorry Mark – tonight it went right over my head.
Bed time!

 

[MarkThompson]

I said nothing about being “worthy”, I simply said that the reason the priest says it alone (except “sed libera nos a malo”) in the (Traditional) Mass is because of its priestly component, there are different ways in which prayers are specific to the priest. The Our Father a prayer of the whole faithful but the priest says it alone and the faithful respond with the last line, this does have a meaning. Saying it all together and holding hands has a different meaning. The question is with what meaning we want to imbue this part of the Mass, and the Mass as a whole.

No, there’s no “priestly component” to the Pater Noster whatsoever. That is why there are so many of them in the rosary. And “sed libera nos a malo” is not a “response” in any way, shape, or form. It’s just the last five words of the prayer.

 

[Irish_Girl_68]

In my Archdiocese (in the Midwest), it’s done both ways. I’ve found the older, more established parishes do not do it and the younger – read younger people – do. It doesn’t bother me either way. I found it odd and overly-personal after moving from a very orthodox diocese but now I actually like it. We are a family in Christ and I (personally anyway) think it’s OK to hold hands and affirm that. I also think it’s OK to hold my hands up in praise to our Lord (I’m not charismatic, however) or to give ‘peace’ back towards the priest. But, I also understand people who aren’t familiar or comfortable with these thingst. I’m by no means offended when someone doesn’t wish to hold my hand during the Our Father.

 

[O_Duirnin]

Where are you from? It seems that hand holding is a “southern thing”. Up north in Wisconsin they don’t do it, but it’s universal down here in Texas. I don’t hold hands or do the orant (the thing with the hands in the air with the palms facing out) because that’s a priestly gesture. It started out as a normal posture of prayer, but over time it became something a priest did. The Maronites don’t hold hands either.

Its not unknown in Scotland, but it certainly isn’t the norm. I wouldn’t say its related to age either. I haven’t seen it done in non-English speaking countries though. I don’t do it myself - but if some people believe that it helps them during the Our Father, and the Bishop allows it, then I don’t see any problem with it, providing people aren’t made to feel obliged.