Holding Hands During the Our Father

[anamchara]

This isn’t cool. Do you really want to take this discussion to it’s most ridiculous, irrelevant conclusions, or should we focus on the matter at hand? (No pun int.) Because if you really want to play that way, lets talk about the poster a few pages back who refuses to even do the sign of peace- part of the liturgy- because any ackowledgement whatsoever of the people sitting next to her will take her focus from God.

This is, of course, ludicrous, and so are the conclusions some of you are making. I am talking ONLY about the practice of joining hands during the Our Father prayer at mass. Period. Don’t throw in a bunch of other stuff and accuse me of advocating for that, too. Please don’t accuse me of denying the Sacrifice if I admit that I enjoy the fellowship of the mass and the Lord’s Supper. Don’t tell me I’m putting community before God because I didn’t do that, and you’re only weakening the legitimate use of that accusation.

The Church acknowledges that it’s common among the laity to join hands for the Our Father. The practice would have been condemned if it was truly worthy of condemnation. It’s a very brief, unofficial, optional outward sign of fellowhsip that the congregation can take part in or opt out of.

Someone, somewhere had to introduce the practice to the mass. But I don’t see it as a a “meaningless addition” -and I think I speak for a lot of people in my age group- because it’s always been done, as far back as I can remember (20+ years) and in various parishes in 3 states. No, I am not saying that just because something is a common practice, that makes it right. I am saying that choosing to hold your neighbor’s hand during this short prayer is right because there’s nothing wrong with it.

If you don’t like it, just don’t think twice about it!

 

[Miles_Mariae]

Irish Saints-

Your last two posts were probably the best two posts I’ve ever read on this forum. Thank you.

 

[Irish_Saints]

Thank you for these posts.
This is, indeed, a valuable perspective. Your love and loyalty to the church is extremely inspiring.

You are in the middle of NY and there’s not a priest who will come to you…? There has to be something that can be done to get this moving…
Have you tried to put out some feelers on this forum…? Maybe someone in CAF-land in the NY dioscese knows somebody who knows somebody else, etc. who can get this taken care of for you!

I’m not in the archdiocese of New York, that’s downstate from where I am. I’m in the “Land of the Frozen Chosen”, closer to the Canadian border than I am with NYC.

I’ve put out some feelers, but haven’t been “felt back” yet. I understand with Lent right around the corner, this is a busy time of year for most folks. So I’ll probe again once Lent and Easter has come and gone and see what I come up with. Thanks for the shout-out, just the same!

 

[Irish_Saints]

Irish Saints-

Your last two posts were probably the best two posts I’ve ever read on this forum. Thank you.

Umm……you’re welcome. :blushing: You’re gracious for saying so.

To God be all Glory!

 

[benedictgal]

While there may be some who are critical of EWTN, I came across this little interesting piece while looking at the Answers section:

Our Father
Question from on 02-04-2008:
Dear Fr.Levis, Is it a requirement of the Church to hold hands during the saying of the Our Father at Mass? I am beginning to feel like the odd-man out and I don’t see the significance of holding hands. I notice that the Priests on the altar don’t hold hands. Thank you.

Answer by Fr. Robert J. Levis on 02-05-2008:
Lisa, Actually, holding hands is a good Protestant gesture, never part of the Catholic Liturgy. It should not be done, in spite of its growing attraction. It expresses unity and Catholics already enjoy the Eucharist and Holy Communion as a sign of mutual love and unity. Fr. Bob Levis

I trust Fr. Levis on many things and had the good pleasure of actually speaking to him on one occasion. He speaks plainly, but correctly.

 

[anamchara]

While there may be some who are critical of EWTN, I came across this little interesting piece while looking at the Answers section:

I trust Fr. Levis on many things and had the good pleasure of actually speaking to him on one occasion. He speaks plainly, but correctly.

Fr. Levis miss spoke. We have already talked the matter to death on here and it’s been suggested several times that this does not come from Protestants but the Catholic Charismatic movement. His credibility is lost on that one, sorry.

Also, this is his personal opinion not necessarily the Churches.

 

[Lepanto]

We have already talked the matter to death on here and it’s been suggested several times that this does not come from Protestants but the Catholic Charismatic movement.

Well where do you think that the Catholic Charismatic “movement” came from?

What goes around comes around…

 

[Irish_Saints]

Well where do you think that the Catholic Charismatic “movement” came from?

What goes around comes around…

A-ha! That does seem to be the 64-cent question, isn’t it?

This is my biggest issue with the Charismatic Renewal movement in the Catholic Church. Virtually every other doctrine you can name stands on centuries of careful thought, scholarship and research. And believe me, as a former Protestant, I’ve looked at 'em all.

But even Ft. Benedict Groeschel (whom I love and admire tremendously BTW), in giving the history of the CRM one evening on his “Live” show, could only and at best go back to the early part of the 20th century. The “proofs” upon which it is based is largely anecdotal, subjective, and has nowhere near the level of depth of the Church’s other teachings.

Tracing back a movement that is, at best, around a century old (and within the present “movement”, it can only go back to the mid-to-late 1960’s) is standing on very shakey ground. Additionally, this “movement” started when a couple of priests had hands laid on them by a couple of Pentecostal ministers. Now, not to get on my spiritual high horse here, but what other “movement” can you point to in the Catholic Church that got its impetus from Protestantism? That’s more than a little like the tail wagging the dog, and just doesn’t sit right with me in the light of the Church’s de facto position as repository of the fullness of the faith.

I don’t say these things arrogantly at all… I truly wish someone could enlighten me without resorting to “experience” being the final litmus by which this movement is measured.

So, coming back around to topic… if this hand-holding phenomenon can be traced back, directly or indirectly, to the CRM, then just what sort of chickens have come home to roost? Obviously, there’s some dirty birds in the ol’ hen house.

And that’s my :twocents:

 

[Margarite]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=139237&goto=newpost

Irish Saints,
please join the discussion on the attached link. I am fighting a one person battle and we need some new blood.

As far as holding hands, I find it insulting to Our Lord, that the very people who hold hands, are the ones who go up and receive Holy Communion on the hand.

Well, even if a person can claim that their own hands are clean, they certainly cannot be sure that their neighbor’s hands are clean. And even if both of their hands are clean, after holding hands for a few minutes your hands get all clammy and sweaty. This is why I am against Extraordinary Ministers holding hands or shaking hands during the OF and KoP.

I am glad that my life is simple, I just receive on the tongue I don’t hold hands :nope: during the OF, and I only shake with the people who ask me to.

 

[Irish_Saints]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=139237&goto=newpost

Irish Saints,
please join the discussion on the attached link. I am fighting a one person battle and we need some new blood.

As far as holding hands, I find it insulting to Our Lord, that the very people who hold hands, are the ones who go up and receive Holy Communion on the hand.

Well, even if a person can claim that their own hands are clean, they certainly cannot be sure that their neighbor’s hands are clean. And even if both of their hands are clean, after holding hands for a few minutes your hands get all clammy and sweaty. This is why I am against Extraordinary Ministers holding hands or shaking hands during the OF and KoP.

I am glad that my life is simple, I just receive on the tongue I don’t hold hands :nope: during the OF, and I only shake with the people who ask me to.

Thanks Margarite, I’ll flag that thread and be sure to weigh in on it. Looks like quite the conversation going on there.

 

[adriancombe]

More power to you, then.
You don’t grab my sweaty mitt, I won’t grab yours. I don’t know what the heck Kumbaya has to do with anything.

Hmm. Post after post of projected hostility at the very idea of touching another person shudder…when nobody on the thread has even suggested that you do so. Nah, no agenda there.

“Master of the Obvious” type statement here, but I bet you they did not have all this discord and debate and mutual suspicion re hand holding in the old days of the Tridentine Liturgy.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

Nor at the Last Supper, when they reclined at table, and actually leaned on each other.

Different times, different rubrics, but one Eucharist. The Church issues very little instruction for the posture of the congregation at Mass. It is not up to any individual to force any posture. And if any posture not mentioned is forbidden, we cannot have any striking of the breast, sign of the cross, praying the rosary, or kneeling or genuflecting for Holy Communion in the US.

Lux

 

[SonofMonica]

Cardinal Arinze, as sitting Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, said it’s perfectly fine to hold hands.

In fact he said “it’s alright!” in a wonderfully human, generous, Catholic, way, with a wonderfully encapsulating African accent.

youtube.com/watch?v=Iix5v1ytwBA&feature=related

[Jump to the question at 6:45 minute mark].

P.S. I (not so) secretly hope he is our next Holy Father. I love him! (not just because he’s okay with holding hands during the Our Father).