If the priest goes down the pews shaking hands, is that liturgical abuse?

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Roman_Army

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Hello again,

**Well I just mailed the letter anonymously on that other liturgical abuse that I witnessed in my own parish. Now, I noticed that in another parish near me, during the sign of peace both the priest and deacon goes down the pews to shake people’s hands. Now, I was wondering if that constitutes liturgical abuse or could that be part of the sign of peace? Personally, I think it makes the clerics look like celebrities. But, at the same time it does seem friendly. :confused: **
 
This is a practice that has been condemned by the CDW. There are minor exceptions but it should not be done at your average mass in the US.
 
Roman_Army said:
Hello again,

**Well I just mailed the letter anonymously on that other liturgical abuse that I witnessed in my own parish. Now, I noticed that in another parish near me, during the sign of peace both the priest and deacon goes down the pews to shake people’s hands. Now, I was wondering if that constitutes liturgical abuse or could that be part of the sign of peace? Personally, I think it makes the clerics look like celebrities. But, at the same time it does seem friendly. :confused: **
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From what I understand the priest is not supposed to this, a minor infraction of the rubrics of the mass, but these minor ones always seem to come in bunches.

Trick
 
Roman_Army said:
Hello again,

**Well I just mailed the letter anonymously on that other liturgical abuse that I witnessed in my own parish. Now, I noticed that in another parish near me, during the sign of peace both the priest and deacon goes down the pews to shake people’s hands. Now, I was wondering if that constitutes liturgical abuse or could that be part of the sign of peace? Personally, I think it makes the clerics look like celebrities. But, at the same time it does seem friendly. :confused: **
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The GIRM says that they are to exchange a sign of peace with those near them. I don’t see a problem with it as long as they do not leave the sanctuary area (the area around the altar).

I read somewhere that there is some thought about dropping the exchange of peace from the middle of the liturgy of the Eucharist. Moving it to the beginning of Mass is being considered.
 
This is forbidden by Redemptionis Sacramentum:
[72.] It is appropriate “that each one give the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a sober manner”. “The Priest may give the sign of peace to the ministers but always remains within the sanctuary, so as not to disturb the celebration. He does likewise if for a just reason he wishes to extend the sign of peace to some few of the faithful”. “As regards the sign to be exchanged, the manner is to be established by the Conference of Bishops in accordance with the dispositions and customs of the people”, and their acts are subject to the recognitio of the Apostolic See./QUOTE]
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The priest must never abandon the consecrated Eucharist by leaving the sanctuary. And since he has already extended peace to the entire congregation, he doesn’t need to go into the congregation to do it again.
 
Michael Welter:
This is forbidden by Redemptionis Sacramentum:
[72.] It is appropriate “that each one give the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a sober manner”. “The Priest may give the sign of peace to the ministers but always remains within the sanctuary, so as not to disturb the celebration. He does likewise if for a just reason he wishes to extend the sign of peace to some few of the faithful”. “As regards the sign to be exchanged, the manner is to be established by the Conference of Bishops in accordance with the dispositions and customs of the people”, and their acts are subject to the recognitio of the Apostolic See./QUOTE]
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The priest must never abandon the consecrated Eucharist by leaving the sanctuary. And since he has already extended peace to the entire congregation, he doesn’t need to go into the congregation to do it again.

However, as I said there are a few allowable circumstances such as giving the pax to a married couple or the immediate family at a funeral and if a visiting dignitary is present at the liturgy.
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I don’t think this is a good practice, it really does put far too much emphasis on the priest as a celebrity MC. However, I would caution against sending anonymous letters, as they are easily dismissed out of hand and often interpreted very negatively, if indeed those without a return address are ever even opened.
 
We have one Priest that does a few of these minor violations during the weekday Mass. He is a wonderful Priest though.

That being said, I group these things in with stuff like “that family squeezes more people in my pew than is comfortable”, “that guy took my seat”, “that couple holds hands during the Lord’s prayer”, “people behind me chat too much during Mass”, " I only like Father X’s homilies", “The organ is too loud.soft”, “the person reading the epistle mispronounced Capernaum”, etc…I read once that these things all happen for a reason, it is not ours to judge, they happen because Jesus wants them to happen as part of His plan not ours. I am not against the GIRM etc. by any stretch, I support it and its mission, but I do try to consider the perfect sacrifice being held in a very imperfect world, and have some perspective about it.

Maybe it’s the Biblical way of Jesus telling us not to put so much starch in our shorts? 😃
 
Awalt, your post, in my opinion, is one of the more intelligent post on the Liturgy I have seen.

Thanks for your insight.
 
Hey its called working the crowd - politicians and many P preachers do oh and so do used car salesmen. Then again may wife told me that my parent’s P paster seemed like a used car salesman. One more and he’s got the trifecta. PS sorry to any used car salesmen whose reputation’s were lowered to politicians and P ministers levels.
 
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awalt:
We have one Priest that does a few of these minor violations during the weekday Mass. He is a wonderful Priest though.

That being said, I group these things in with stuff like “that family squeezes more people in my pew than is comfortable”, “that guy took my seat”, “that couple holds hands during the Lord’s prayer”, “people behind me chat too much during Mass”, " I only like Father X’s homilies", “The organ is too loud.soft”, “the person reading the epistle mispronounced Capernaum”, etc…I read once that these things all happen for a reason, it is not ours to judge, they happen because Jesus wants them to happen as part of His plan not ours. I am not against the GIRM etc. by any stretch, I support it and its mission, but I do try to consider the perfect sacrifice being held in a very imperfect world, and have some perspective about it.

Maybe it’s the Biblical way of Jesus telling us not to put so much starch in our shorts? 😃
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I agree that what you are speaking about is trite and is indeed nitpicking on things that are a condition of our finite nature. We will never have a perfect litugy until we are in heaven. The complaints that are more apt for discussion are those that speak to the nature of the liturgy and the intent and purpose of the action or inaction that is proscribed. I think that you speak to this when you say that you are not against the GIRM “by any stretch.” So, it is right and just that many people would become jaded when it comes to discussing issues concerning liturgical correctness. I fully agree that matters of taste and accident are definatelly not matters that a critical eye should not be cast upon the person that violated angelic perfection. That being said, matters that are more important because of the theological lesson that is being taught through their performance are criticel and they are matters of grave concern and should be matter of grave concern to all the faithful because there is no greater thing that we do in a day then attend Mass.
 
And imagine… those priests that come down with the people and give their homilies… oh my!!
 
I only read the first post so, dont misquote me on this. Does your parish do the consicration before the sign of peace? Because if they do, the priest is shaking with consicrated hands. Then, after the sign of peace he goes and distributes god like nothing even happened. Yeah, I would concider that misconduct.
 
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mgy100:
And imagine… those priests that come down with the people and give their homilies… oh my!!
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I see that all the time. What’s wrong with that? I haven’t seen anything against it in any documentation.
 
This past sunday we went to Mass a parish other then our own. Not only did the priest take an entire tour up and down the aisles of the large church, the majority of the people in the pews did some major moving around as well. Literally leaving their pews and greeting others half way across the church.
 
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rayne89:
This past sunday we went to Mass a parish other then our own. Not only did the priest take an entire tour up and down the aisles of the large church, the majority of the people in the pews did some major moving around as well. Literally leaving their pews and greeting others half way across the church.
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Not having that 1:30 Holy Mass messed us up too.
I had to go to the Slovak Mass!
That was confusing…
 
Personally I think it’s wonderful. The priest at my parish does it and often times gives his homily away from the pulpit too.
Code: 
 Like one poster said....stop with the nitpicking.
                      ~ Kathy ~
 
I was being sarcastic! Hand shaking in the aisle is better than a 6th grade homilist which took place in the local diocese for the celebration of a local parochial school’s anniversary.
 
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mgy100:
I was being sarcastic! Hand shaking in the aisle is better than a 6th grade homilist which took place in the local diocese for the celebration of a local parochial school’s anniversary.
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NO, NO, NO!
Really??? 6th grade.

Did the priest walk out or smile at the little darling?
Oh B16, Smackdown is needed now!
 
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Katie1723:
Personally I think it’s wonderful. The priest at my parish does it and often times gives his homily away from the pulpit too.
Code: 
 Like one poster said....stop with the nitpicking.
                      ~ Kathy ~
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outstanding… two abuses for the price of one!!
 
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