Left handed parishners

[Stephentlig]

I am left handed when I write, but right handed in everything else, I’ve just discovered that my niece who is 6 years old, makes the sign of the Cross with her left hand, I’ve never seen this done before, is there anyone else here who does it?

Pax Christi
Stephen

 

[Musicadmirer]

I have done this in the past. Though left handed, I would actually mix it up with both hands. For about seven months , I’ve been only making the sign of the Cross with my right hand.

 

[Stephentlig]

I have done this in the past. Though left handed, I would actually mix it up with both hands. For about seven months , I’ve been only making the sign of the Cross with my right hand.

Do you think I should make the suggestion to her parents that they should train her to do it the right handed way? I remember a story once where a nun trained kids to do it the right handed way by keeping their left hand behind their backs.

 

[armywife]

I’m left handed and have always done the sign of the cross with my right. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. My daughter is right handed and keeps doing it with her left. I am constantly reminding her to do it with her right.

 

[puzzleannie]

I am left handed when I write, but right handed in everything else, I’ve just discovered that my niece who is 6 years old, makes the sign of the Cross with her left hand, I’ve never seen this done before, is there anyone else here who does it?

Pax Christi
Stephen

about 10 percent of our new CCD classes every year. If they can do it without become too confused or frustrated we gently encourage right handedness with this and with reception of communion, mainly for their sake so they don’t feel different from everyone else. We encourage all the children to “stand like altar boys” with hands folded when they are not in use, and with the left hand held still across the chest while signing themselves.

 

[1ke]

My husband and I are both left handed, and we do not make the sign of the cross with our left hand but with our right.

I think it’s worth showing the correct way, but not worth making a big, hairy deal out of.

 

[Miserys_Fence]

I’m ambidextrous, but have forced myself to make the sign of the cross with my right hand. Since I usually sit on the left side (as you walk in) of the sanctuary, I have to grip the pew with my left hand to genuflect–due to arthritis and knee surgery–so my right hand is the only one free to cross with.

Miz

 

[JRKH]

I am left handed when I write, but right handed in everything else, I’ve just discovered that my niece who is 6 years old, makes the sign of the Cross with her left hand, I’ve never seen this done before, is there anyone else here who does it?

Pax Christi
Stephen

Actually when we were small and in school the teacher would make teh sign of the cross “left anded” so that we would follow her “right handed”.

I am left handed but make the sign of the cross right handed.

Peace
James

 

[ProVobis]

I am left handed when I write, but right handed in everything else, I’ve just discovered that my niece who is 6 years old, makes the sign of the Cross with her left hand, I’ve never seen this done before, is there anyone else here who does it?

Pax Christi
Stephen

I don’t know what the rules are on this. I also don’t know whether she touches the left shoulder first, but in the Latin Rite, traditionally the sign of the cross is made with the right hand, touching in order the forehead, the chest or stomach, left shoulder, then the right shoulder.

 

[choy]

the best question here is, is there anything that says the proper form for signing of the cross must be with the right hand?

for CITH, the Church specifically instructed left over right. i don’t know if there are the same specific instructions for signing

otherwise, the proper way is just to touch the forehead, heart, left shoulder, right shoulder, regardless of the hand used

 

[SMHW]

Actually when we were small and in school the teacher would make teh sign of the cross “left anded” so that we would follow her “right handed”.

I am left handed but make the sign of the cross right handed.

Peace
James

My first grade teacher did that. Totally confused me. I thought we were supposed to use our right hand and there she was using her left! But she told me to use my right and then I realized why she was doing what she was doing.

 

[Mel_Stones]

Here’s the apologist take

What is the official stance on using the one’s left side to make the sign of the cross?

Basically, publicly the Sign of the Cross should be prayed right handed.
In private, the Sign of the Cross can be prayed with either hand.