No sign of peace?

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Well, it may not be, but they say “please give each other the sign of peace” and then everyone greets their neighbors with a “peace be with you”…
 
Unfortunately, at many churches I’ve been to, someone who didn’t know better would think that the sign of peace is the most important part and the whole point of the Mass.
 
I can only recall one instance when the gesture was either omitted or “a polite bow” was suggested. That’s when the Bird Flu was making headlines.

Otherwise, it’s like a competition with some individuals aggressively seeking to make contact with as many attendees within the allotted time as possible. Then it may even continue during communion.
 
Wish that we had an Opus Dei chapel here!
 
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otrrl said:
Bacteriologically speaking, I’m against the practice entirely. I think it would be novel for the priest to instruct the people to address each other with the words “I forgive you” instead of the more vague “peace be with you.” (“pax tecum”)
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Why would I have to forgive someone?
 
Look at it this way. If it were optional for the faithful (the congregation), then it would be licit for them to go around shaking hands with one another even if the priest had opted to omit the Pax in that occasion.
 
I’m sorry I failed to make my meaning clear. We’re in full agreement, then. Good!
 
sign of peace is sometimes omitted in services as we sometimes do in our actual lives (saddening)… hope we will always remind ourselves that peace is what we should always have in our heart…

God’s peace I leave you
 
We have the “pleasure” in our parish of both “greeting our neighbors” before Mass begins and then doing the sign of peace later.
 
Horton said:
He has also instructed the choir to start the Angus Dei within a few seconds, maybe 15, of the start of giving the sign of peace. It will take a few more weeks for the parish to catch up.
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The Agnus Dei accompanies the fraction rite. Our choir hasn’t figured that out and starts singing it while the priest is offering the sign of peace to the ministers in the sanctuary, forcing him to rush to the altar to do the fraction rite.
 
Our former pastor informed us to keep our eyes on him and only begin the Agnus Dei when he was ready for the fraction rite. It was the first time in all the decades I’ve been involved in music ministry that someone bothered to tell us when to begin the singing!
 
The EMHCs at our parish are not in the sanctuary at the time of the Agnus Dei. They only go up once the priest has received. They gather just below the sanctuary as the Angus Dei begins.

I’ve never seen a priest in our parish offer the sign of peace.
 
That is usually my response when I see this:

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Because they have sinned against you.

The idea is that our parish community is an actual community, not a bunch of strangers whom you only see on Sunday. People who live in relationship are going to have quarrels and disagreements. This is the time to forgive those things.
 
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But in a parish as big as mine with over 1500 families, they are strangers. They have done me no harm. There is no reason to forgive them. Then again I havent done the sign of peace in decades.
 
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It will benefit you and the parish if you cultivate some friendships. Out of 1500 households, surely you can find a dozen who would be worth the effort?
 
Well let’s say I am friends “in relationship” with 12 people, out of 1500. What is the likelihood that I will sit near any or all of them?
 
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Went to a Mercedarian church last Sunday. It was OF Mass but I could tell the priest was old school because he wore a biretta, used the words “mortal sin” from the pulpit, and didn’t do the SIgn of Peace 🙂

Actually, now that I think of it, one of the priests at the other Mercedarian church where I go more often doesn’t do it either.
 
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