Our Lord's Prayer during Mass

[Greg]

Good morning, all.

A visiting priest ended Mass by teaching us certain aspects of liturgy. During his last Sunday Mass, he told us it’s not proper to hold hands or lift our hands in an upward fashion when reciting the Lord’s Prayer- this was reserved exclusively for the priest; reasoning that the priest offers the prayer collectively to God for the congregation. He informed us that we should place our palms together during this prayer (which I do for most of the Mass) as a child may do before going to bed.

Then I read in a Catholic journal that clasping hands or lifting them upward or whatever manner is practiced depends on the worshipper and/or parish.

The visiting priest said he was informing us what is proper via the Vatican. Personally, I find unity when a family or entire pew holds hands, but if this is in violation of church practice, then perhaps it needs to cease?

Greg

 

[Jim_Blackburn]

In his book, Mass Confusion, Jimmy Akin states, “The Holy See has not ruled directly in this issue. In response to a query, however, the Holy See stated that holding hands ‘is a liturgical gesture introduced spontaneously but on personal initiative; it is not in the rubrics’… For this reason, no one can be required to hold hands during the Our Father”. In the appendix, Jimmy lists the practice of holding hands during the Our Father as “discouraged”.