Is hand holding during the Our Father practiced outside the United States?

[Fransea]

I only hope those who object to holding someone’s hand never finds themselves in an emergency room dying and some kind nurse walks in and holds their hand as they take their last breath.

Really, some people are really off the radar.

Seek and you will find…BUT what are you seeking?

 

[petronus]

The mass was celebrated at a Convalescent home in Rome. The people there in the wheelchairs and the sisters are from the convalescent home and have likely lived in Italy a long time.

The sisters are workers at the convalescent home.

From Vatican Radio website :-

The home was the Don Gnocchi Foundation home in Rome .

Holy See Press Office director, Fr. Federico Lombardi has confirmed that this year the chosen twelve will include nine Italians, one Muslim from Libya, a young man from Cape Verde and an Ethiopian woman. All of whom have received help and support from the Don Gnocchi Foundation to overcome the difficulties, marginalization and isolation they often face on account of their age or a disability.

 

[Fransea]

Sunbreak

I guess you’ve never considered saying a prayer in a grocery store or work station either.

 

[pnewton]

When I was in Rome you could spot an american right away. They were the ones holding hands during the our father and receiving in the hand.

Do you not see the circular logic here? You say you identify Americans because they hold hands therefore only those you saw hold hands were Americans? Unless one is telepathic and has a way of confirmation of national origin, this is useless. No, it does not take Sherlock Holmes. It takes a telepath.

 

[pnewton]

Where in the rubrics does it say we should keep our hands at our sides? That’s a liturgical abuse probably started by anti-social types who think the Mass is a solitary celebration. It’s “Our Father,” not, “My Father.” People need to stop this ghastly practice of keeping their hands at their sides.

[/sarcasm]

I wonder if this is why nothing much is said about this issue. If anything is said, one way or another, then it is proscribing something not in the GIRM. It has been called silly. My opinion then is that people get all worked up over the silliest things.

 

[MarkInOregon]

Someone mentioned kissing Good Lord, dragging the Liturgy down this is not what the Liturgical Commission intended neither did it sanction holding hands and raising them up, do these people think they are at a Non Catholic Event/A Party of sorts, we are at Mass not for ourselves but to give glory to God, its not about “Me” and I am having a good time.
Holding hands is a Liturgical Abuse, Praise the Lord they don’t do this in England/Ireland when I go to Mass, to be quite honest if someone try to grab my hand, I would grab it back while saying the Our Father. I think the Bishop should be informed so the priests can say something from the Pulpit, I mean to day its holding hands at the Our Father, to morrow its kissing instead of shaking hands giving the sign of Peace, and then who knows what nut will invent more Liturgical Abuse while trying to get the Original Version of THE MASS in the Novus Ordo.

Shudder at the thoughts of what I have just read.

Dragging down the liturgy? “Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss.” Justin Martyr discussing how the liturgy was celebrated. From the footnotes to the First Apology: The kiss of charity, the kiss of peace or “the peace” was enjoined by the Apostle Paul in his Epistles to the Corinthians, Thessalonians, and Romans, and then passed into a common Christian usage. It was continued in the Western Church, under regulations to prevent its abuse, until the thirteenth century. Stanley remarks “It is still used in the Coptic Church”.

In many cultures today people still great each other with a “kiss”–and you know the type of kiss meant. From paragraph 82 of the GIRM: “As for the acutal sign of peace to be given, the manner is to be established by the Conference of Bishops in accordance with the culture and customs of the peoples.”

Regarding holding hands–I think liturgical abuse is rather a strong term to use–given that the GIRM is silent on this matter and does not specifically forbid the holding of hands – so those doing so are not contradicting any statement in the GIRM as far as I can see.

You are correct that we are at Mass to worship God but I fail to see how when someone holds hands during the Our Father–they have suddenly made the Mass about them and about having a good time and not about praying to and worshiping God–how do you make that leap? Perhaps this gesture is for them all about giving praise to God in union with their fellow parishioners–and for them this gesture is a sign of union. I’m not about to condemn them as self-centured people bent on destroying the Mass.

I myself prefer not to hold hands during the Our Father, but several years ago there was this old lady in our parish whose hands were misshapen from arthritis who often sat next to us and she would put out her hand at that time–I think it would have been self-centered of me and making it more about me and not about God had I refused to take her deformed hand. Can we truly worship God and give him praise when our hearts are hardened against our fellow brothers and sisters because they hold hands during the Our Father?

The peace of Christ,
Mark

 

[MarkInOregon]

I have problems with it because it reminds me of the nursery rhyme “ring around the rosy, pocket full of posy…” where all the little kids join hands and dance around. I wouldn’t grab some stranger’s hand in the grocery store or in a work situation, so I’m not about to do it in church.

You realize you’re not holding hands with a stranger don’t you? The person next to you at Mass is your brother or sister in Christ–we are all one family. Not advocating one way or the other just pointing out something you seem to be missing regarding those who attend Mass with you.

The Peace of Christ,
Mark

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

You realize you’re not holding hands with a stranger don’t you? The person next to you at Mass is your brother or sister in Christ–we are all one family. Not advocating one way or the other just pointing out something you seem to be missing regarding those who attend Mass with you.

The Peace of Christ,
Mark

Not really. People at Mass can be strangers. Many I would not give a key to my house to or let watch my children without knowing them. They may be a brother christian but they are strangers to me.

 

[ProVobis]

I myself prefer not to hold hands during the Our Father, but several years ago there was this old lady in our parish whose hands were misshapen from arthritis who often sat next to us and she would put out her hand at that time–I think it would have been self-centered of me and making it more about me and not about God had I refused to take her deformed hand. Can we truly worship God and give him praise when our hearts are hardened against our fellow brothers and sisters because they hold hands during the Our Father?

The peace of Christ,
Mark

I keep hearing these stories but my question is why not wait until the exchange of peace to hold or shake hands, when it is actually encouraged? It’s only a minute later.

“I the LORD thy God am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5) I believe the Pater Noster is reserved SOLELY for God and full attention is required whether you wish to pray the words or not. When you’re touching someone you have to be conscious of that touch, I would think, taking some of that attention away from God.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

If somebody tries to hold hands with my wife during the Our Father they risk getting punched during the doxology.

since kindergarten we have all been taught “hands to yourself”

Why is this something that is different in liturgy. In some places in America holding hands with someone who has not given you permission will get you fired.

I can’t imagine a kiss of peace to the checker at the grocery store. (or maybe I can)

 

[ProVobis]

since kindergarten we have all been taught “hands to yourself”

Some, apparently not.

Either that or they are just defying their teachers.

 

[Brendan_64]

In my parish, the only people who do this are indeed Americans. It is a small parish so it is easy to identify who is of various nationalities.

I don’t like it because it creates an exclusive unit within the congregation, in effect it says, “We are a family and we are here worshipping as a family group.” But when we worship at Mass we worship as one large family, including all who are present - married, single, old, young, regular attenders, and visitors - all one large family with the same Father. Individual family units holding hands is an act of separation from those around us. When we worship, we worship as God’s family, all equal.

 

[liturgyluver]

In my parish, the only people who do this are indeed Americans. It is a small parish so it is easy to identify who is of various nationalities.

I don’t like it because it creates an exclusive unit within the congregation, in effect it says, “We are a family and we are here worshipping as a family group.” But when we worship at Mass we worship as one large family, including all who are present - married, single, old, young, regular attenders, and visitors - all one large family with the same Father. Individual family units holding hands is an act of separation from those around us. When we worship, we worship as God’s family, all equal.

I completely agree with you Brendan.

The GIRM makes this quite clear:

*A common bodily posture, to be observed by all those taking part, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered together for the Sacred Liturgy, for it expresses the intentions and spiritual attitude of the participants and also fosters them.

They are consequently to avoid any appearance of singularity or division, keeping in mind that they have only one Father in heaven and that hence are all brothers or sisters one to the other.
Moreover, they are to form one body, whether in hearing the Word of God, or in taking part in the prayers and in the singing, or above all by the common offering of the Sacrifice and by participating together at the Lord’s table. This unity is beautifully apparent from the gestures and bodily postures observed together by the faithful*

If people hold hands discreetly then they are not making a statement but when they raise their hands together ostentatiously they can indeed shatter the common unity that we are all called together through the liturgy.

 

[Jon_S_1]

I completely agree with you Brendan.

The GIRM makes this quite clear:

*A common bodily posture, to be observed by all those taking part, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered together for the Sacred Liturgy, for it expresses the intentions and spiritual attitude of the participants and also fosters them.

They are consequently to avoid any appearance of singularity or division, keeping in mind that they have only one Father in heaven and that hence are all brothers or sisters one to the other.
Moreover, they are to form one body, whether in hearing the Word of God, or in taking part in the prayers and in the singing, or above all by the common offering of the Sacrifice and by participating together at the Lord’s table. This unity is beautifully apparent from the gestures and bodily postures observed together by the faithful*

If people hold hands discreetly then they are not making a statement but when they raise their hands together ostentatiously they can indeed shatter the common unity that we are all called together through the liturgy.

Except when everyone holds hands. Then it is the 1% not doing it that are shattering unity.

 

[angelic06]

Except when everyone holds hands. Then it is the 1% not doing it that are shattering unity.

The 1 % are not invading anyone’s right to do as they please. However, if the 99 % force themselves on the 1 %, then they are in violation of the command to love one’s neighbor…

 

[acacia12]

At a quick glance, it seems that it is us from the UK that don’t particularly care for the hand holding. Possibly a cultural thing.

 

[liturgyluver]

Except when everyone holds hands. Then it is the 1% not doing it that are shattering unity.

Except perhaps that the GIRM which dictates posture does not ask us to hold hands during the Our Father, and as somebody wrote earlier the US Bishops have not commended the practice.

 

[Jon_S_1]

The 1 % are not invading anyone’s right to do as they please. However, if the 99 % force themselves on the 1 %, then they are in violation of the command to love one’s neighbor…

Where the oh please icon!

Violating ones space??? Forcing themselves?? Come on! I

I suppose you would feel the same way if the Pope mandated this ?

Speaking of the Pope, how horrible of him to force himself on people by embracing and holding their hands.

You people must not be very loved.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Except perhaps that the GIRM which dictates posture does not ask us to hold hands during the Our Father, and as somebody wrote earlier the US Bishops have not commended the practice.

And yet you say it is not unifying. I say it is very very unifying. I can literally feel the prayers if the congregation when we do it.

I think you guys need to lighten up.

 

[Jon_S_1]

At a quick glance, it seems that it is us from the UK that don’t particularly care for the hand holding. Possibly a cultural thing.

I seem to be noticing that too…interesting.