I suspect it stems from a well intentioned but misguided effort to allow the laity fuller participation.it happens often at our parish. the priests himself asks us to do it. it seems like a protestant custom to me. I don’t really like it. for example, if a couple has been married many years and they want a blessing, the priest will bring them forward and will ask us to extend our arms. or for mother’s day the priest will ask the mother’s to stand up or the father’s on father’s day for a blessing. I haven’t been to that many Catholic churches, but I know the one I attended in another town we did not do that.I assume you mean where the laity stretch out one or both arms at 30 degrees or so? If it is done during Mass then it is a custom of confusion. The laity are not/should not be imparting blessing at Mass. In essence you have the laity aping the posture of the clergy, thereby confusing the difference between the clerical and lay state.
Even if you read the rubrics in the Book of Blessings, when a layman is allowed to impart a blessing they are instructed to do so with hands clasped as opposed to clergy that are instructed to lift their hands in blessing.
Where did it come for?
I have seen it in a couple different parishes. I finally asked one of our priests after a deacon asked us to bless a priest during Mass. He checked with a priest well known for studying the liturgy and then came back and said it was inappropriate and we haven’t seen it again. Part of it I attribute to poor formation on the part of both laity and clergy; they simply don’t understand the difference between clerical and lay states.
I will forgive you, now will you forgive me? I had the same weird thought first time I saw it. It seemed forced and out of place and all those arms stretched out straight looks more like a military salute of sorts. I think it may be a licit posture of blessing but probably not during mass.
This is done in my parish at the end of mass every Sunday. The thought occurred to me also that if someone took a photo of it, he could claim that Catholics are Nazis.
I for one believe it is a cultural thing: we don’t want to invade another’s space. Long ago, I read of a study of the individual’s “private space” of criminals. The study discovered that violent criminals have a private space that is twice as large as the average person’s.
Neofight,no one is discussing the sign of peace or acts of community. Some just feel odd,especially during mass, with the straight arm blessing that sort of resembles a military salute.
There is a fundamental difference between the priest and the laity, ESPECIALLY during the Mass. Things like this, which seek to blur that distinction and difference, are dangerous. Especially when they are illicit and not called for by the Church.
There is no such instruction for this in any Vatican II document. It did not come from Vatican II, and such accusations are unfounded. As far as the women goes, she is doing her own thing, nothing suggested by Vatican II, and what she is doing is not proper.
Vatican II created an atmosphere, much like Pope Francis created an atmosphere that socialism, communism, and other forms of permissiveness are OK. When those who hate religion say they like him, a red flag goes up in my mind.
I take offense at your allegations against Vatican II and the Pope. I do not agree that such an atmosphere was created by either one. Perhaps, just perhaps, Pope Francis has reached across so many boundaries and groups because he is a good person. You have the right not to like him, but it’s not right to speak against him and the Church; both Vatican II and the Pope are embraced, welcomed and approved by the Catholic Church and God.
If you are in a church that has a more in-the-round configuration, you cannot help but be struck that if the group were photographed it would look like a Nazi rally. It makes the community look like an indoctrinated mob. I always wish somebody would bend an elbow or spread their fingers or something so it wouldn’t look so much like a group* Heil, Hitler!*
I totally agree and often wonder where this stuff comes from and why the clergy allow it, even endorse it. I blame it on lax Bishops, I always held there cannot be employee problems only a lack of proper management.
Yes, the appreciation for the role of the priest…I think that is the root of our discomfort. It is a very good reason for the discomfort, and is one which we often can’t seem to p(name removed by moderator)oint.