Is it still appropriate to kiss a priest's hand?

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Redwood said:
I am a young Catholic, and somewhere recently (a couple years ago) I read that it is reverent to kiss a priest’s hand, because his hands are the instrument for the consecration.

However, this kiss was a more common practice in the past, not now. Is it still appropriate to kiss the priest’s hands?:signofcross:
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I don’t…and probably never will. But that is just me. It isn’t necessary.
 
Redwood said:
I am a young Catholic, and somewhere recently (a couple years ago) I read that it is reverent to kiss a priest’s hand, because his hands are the instrument for the consecration.

However, this kiss was a more common practice in the past, not now. Is it still appropriate to kiss the priest’s hands?:signofcross:
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The truth hasn’t changed dispite the cloud of the past forty years. Yes, it is still proper to kiss the hand that Consecrates our Lord into the Blessed Sacrament.
 
Redwood said:
I’ve wondered about this one, too. Anyone know?
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You simply take the priest’s hand as if you are shaking it but slightly more like you would shake a woman’s hand, then bring it up slightly and bend over to kiss the back of his hand. Many priests will realize what you are doing and hold their hand up more for you to kiss it more easily.
 
Thank you again for all the helpful replies!

Prayers and encouragement,

redwood

:signofcross:
 
Spencerian said:
What is the source of this indulgence from official teachings of the Magisterium?

This sounds awfully suspicious and superstitious. There are plenty of recognized indulgences and we shouldn’t spread hearsay on rituals, so a source is needed here.
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Calm down, tiger, no communist conspiracies here. It is a widely practiced reverence in Traditional communities. The priest is the Alter Christus.

From the Raccolta:
Those who devoutly kiss the palms of the hands of a newly ordained priest, both on the day of ordination and on the day of the first Mass are granted:

An indulgence of 100 days (S.P. Ap., Dec 29,1934).***

I wouldn’t try it with a Jesuit, though.
 
giuseppeTO said:
Calm down, tiger, no communist conspiracies here. It is a widely practiced reverence in Traditional communities. The priest is the Alter Christus.

From the Raccolta:
Those who devoutly kiss the palms of the hands of a newly ordained priest, both on the day of ordination and on the day of the first Mass are granted:

An indulgence of 100 days (S.P. Ap., Dec 29,1934).***

I wouldn’t try it with a Jesuit, though.
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No need to be condescending in your post…

But I do thank you for the reference. It is an expression of respect I have seen in many circles, but I did not know that an indulgence was attached to this (or similar gestures).
 
Spencerian said:
No need to be condescending in your post…

But I do thank you for the reference. It is an expression of respect I have seen in many circles, but I did not know that an indulgence was attached to this (or similar gestures).
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I guess I was surprised that your first inclination was that kissing the hand of priest might be a heresy.

Upon reflection, it shouldn’t be surprising since the thrust of the post-conciliar period has been to make the priest “more like us”, one of our buddies. He frequently wears civilian clothes and enjoys being called by his first name, sometimes with or without the “Father”. The concept of the Catholic priesthood as the scriptural Royal Order of Melchizedek has long passed away in the modern church.
 
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