Mass celebration: deacon and acolyte open hands at Lord's Prayer?

[ngoyaemjukuu]

During the Lord’s prayer, deacon and acolyte are they obliged to ope their hands while praying?

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

During the Lord’s prayer, deacon and acolyte are they obliged to ope their hands while praying?

No. In fact, deacons are specifically instructed not to.

 

[MtnDwellar]

No. In fact, deacons are specifically instructed not to.

Exactly correct. It’s an assault against the authority of the Church

 

[otjm]

Exactly correct. It’s an assault against the authority of the Church

Assault on the Church is a bit hyperbolic.

For a deacon, it is against the rules,

There is no rule for acolytes as to how they hold their hands, any more than there is for laity.

And Rome has refused, for more than 50 years, to address the issue.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Assault on the Church is a bit hyperbolic.

For a deacon, it is against the rules,.

Maybe a bit.

In my view, whether a deacon has his hands raised or not is trivial. It becomes serious when one considers that the Church has authority over the liturgy. Said deacon is openly and publicly violating the authority established by Christ.

I called it an assault against Her authority.

 

[otjm]

Maybe a bit.

In my view, whether a deacon has his hands raised or not is trivial. It becomes serious when one considers that the Church has authority over the liturgy. Said deacon is openly and publicly violating the authority established by Christ.

I called it an assault against Her authority.

Calling the matter serious fails to account for serious matters, and matters not so serious.

I am not suggesting that deacons do otherwise than required by the rubrics. But I would consider a priest or deacon announcing an “open Communion” when it is clear (such as during funerals) that there are a number of non-Catholics present, to be a serious offense against both the authority and the rules of the Church. How a deacon holds his hands is of far less seriousness; and may be indicative of not knowing the rubric, or simply having forgotten it.

As I said, a bit hyperbolic. Not “totally”, or “absolutely”, or “over the top”. Perhaps forgetfulness; perhaps ignorance; and perhaps a very minor failure.

I know nothing of the deacon who is the subject of this post - in fact, I know exceedinly few, given there are 18,000+ deacons in the US. And I would not be the least shocked to find any number of them in either the orans posture or holding hands with an acolyte during the Our Father.

Those same deacons may be spending time in extensive prayer outside Mass, and may be praying at abortuaries during the week. It helps to keep things in some sort of perspective, and not judge the intentionality (and thus the heart) of a deacon over a rubric.