Raising of Hands During the Recitation of 'Our Father' during mass

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I have usually always lifted up my hands during the mass when it comes to the recitation of the ‘Our Father’ sometimes joining them with other people in the church. I have seen it becoming less common and I was surprised when so little in the congregation lifted their hands when I was having my first communion.
What is happening with this tradition ?:confused::confused:
I grew up always doing it
 
Although you grew up with this tradition its not a Catholic tradition. It’s actually a Protestant practice that made its way over here. Its actually liturgical abuse for the priest to request the congregation to hold hands, although nothing forbids a “spontaneous” holding of hands. Nonetheless, the far more proper practice is to simply keep one’s hands to oneself and not raise them.
 
Questioner28 said:
I have usually always lifted up my hands during the mass when it comes to the recitation of the ‘Our Father’ sometimes joining them with other people in the church. I have seen it becoming less common and I was surprised when so little in the congregation lifted their hands when I was having my first communion.
What is happening with this tradition ?:confused::confused:
I grew up always doing it
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Yes, the old traditions are dying out one by one. Sad.

Just kidding. Actually, if there’s one thing people on the Traditional Catholicism forum hate, it’s raising your hands during the Our Father. (If there’s a second thing, it’s holding hands during the Our Father.) Don’t ask me why, but to some people even the mere sight of others doing this is like fingernails on blackboard.

This posture is called the “orans position,” with orans being the Latin word for “praying.” You can google it; it’s very ancient. What is not ancient, though, is for the congregation to do it during the Our Father. I first saw this catch on in about the late 1990s, although it probably started a decade or so earlier. I haven’t the slightest idea why it caught on so quickly – why does any fad? As far as my experience in the midwest goes, it you had done this in 1990, people would probably have thought you had mental issues, and by 2000 half the congregation or more was doing it.

I agree with you that we no longer seem to be experiencing growth in this fad, and are maybe even seeing the early signs of its waning. As to the reason, it would probably be because it has no basis in the liturgy, because most people do it wrong and look stupid in the process, and, well, because fads generally die out. I also suspect (and I haven’t done a survey, but I’d judging from body language) that many people feel stupid and uncomfortable doing the orans. Many people seem so timid and hesitant about it that it’s almost like they didn’t want to do it at all and were just trying to fit in.
 
I and many of the congregation were staggered when a newbie (obviously non Catholic) called out “Amen” to a sermon at a recent Mass. This was at a Tridentine Mass…I doubt I would have been so shocked if he had started waving his arms in the air at the Pater Noster
 
MarkThompson said:
This posture is called the “orans position,” with orans being the Latin word for “praying.” You can google it; it’s very ancient. What is not ancient, though, is for the congregation to do it during the Our Father. I first saw this catch on in about the late 1990s, although it probably started a decade or so earlier. I haven’t the slightest idea why it caught on so quickly – why does any fad? .
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In order to discourage hand holding, some parishes suggested the orans position instead. I don’t know why they didn’t just go back to the traditional folding of the hands:shrug:
 
adrift said:
In order to discourage hand holding, some parishes suggested the orans position instead. I don’t know why they didn’t just go back to the traditional folding of the hands:shrug:
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Very strange. If you hold your hands out in the orans position, it looks like an invitation for someone to grab on. I always fold my hands and look down or even close my eyes, to prevent any forced handholding.
 
The orans posture during the Pater Noster is a Catholic tradition, as far as I can remember, since the time of the Tridentine Mass. It could have started way earlier.
As a young altar boy then, I saw the priest extending his hands while we pray the Pater Noster. We were instructed to have our hands touching our own palms. That used to be the practice until the Charismatic movement introduced the holding of hands.
When I checked my copy of the Roman Missal, the words “extendit manus” are written in red before the text of the Pater Noster.
My opinion is that the Catholic tradition is the orans posture for the priest celebrating the Mass. It also seems one of those that His Holiness, Benedict XVI referred to as the laity should avoid doing during the Mass few days after he assumed office in 2005. That was when he enjoined everyone to observe the rubrics of the Mass.
You may ask your parish priest about it.
 
Zacdecat said:
I and many of the congregation were staggered when a newbie (obviously non Catholic) called out “Amen” to a sermon at a recent Mass. This was at a Tridentine Mass…I doubt I would have been so shocked if he had started waving his arms in the air at the Pater Noster
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It’s nice to know he’s joining in!
 
Zacdecat said:
I and many of the congregation were staggered when a newbie (obviously non Catholic) called out “Amen” to a sermon at a recent Mass. This was at a Tridentine Mass…I doubt I would have been so shocked if he had started waving his arms in the air at the Pater Noster
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I have been known to say Amen at the end of a homily, although softly enough so that only the person in front of me could hear it.
 
roads152 said:
The orans posture during the Pater Noster is a Catholic tradition, as far as I can remember, since the time of the Tridentine Mass. It could have started way earlier.
As a young altar boy then, I saw the priest extending his hands while we pray the Pater Noster. We were instructed to have our hands touching our own palms. That used to be the practice until the Charismatic movement introduced the holding of hands.
When I checked my copy of the Roman Missal, the words “extendit manus” are written in red before the text of the Pater Noster.
My opinion is that the Catholic tradition is the orans posture for the priest celebrating the Mass. It also seems one of those that His Holiness, Benedict XVI referred to as the laity should avoid doing during the Mass few days after he assumed office in 2005. That was when he enjoined everyone to observe the rubrics of the Mass.
You may ask your parish priest about it.
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I think people are referring to the laity doing it along with the priest.

I went to an OF mass yesterday morning and was jarred anew by the orans and the sign of peace.
 
This fad of raising the hands or holding hands developed in the 90’s and is thankfully dying out. Our prayer posture as Catholics has always been with palms touching and fingers extended pointing toward heaven. Mimicking the priests posture is not to be done, per our pontiff.
 
I have observed, from attending Mass at different places, that this practice differs from Parish to Parish. Holding hands is more common in the American (Arizona) Parishes I have attended with the Orans position more common in my Canadian (Alberta) Parish.

In my Canadian Parish, one of our Priests, when asked, stated unequivocally that the Orans position was for the Priest alone and not for the laity. He is a theologian, coming to us from teaching theology at Seminary.

I had no idea there was controversy over this issue and that Pope Benedict had issued a statement early in his papacy that the Orans position was solely for the celebrant. Thanks to all, I appreciate this information.
 
I vividly recall the first time I saw this practice. It was in the mid-Eighties in San Diego, and a woman in our pew was doing it. I asked my mother what the lady was doing, and my mother replied that she was probably Charismatic. So that is as far as my information goes on the situation.
 
It’s annoying when people mimic the priest, deliberately or not. One guy at Mass sings cantor, priest’s and schola parts. He must have a thick skin, as it seems not to have occurred to him that it’s odd that no one else does.

You can certainly do the orans posture outside Mass. Otherwise, let the priest be the priest, I say.
 
At my parents’ church (the one I went to for a good part of my life), most everyone holds hands for the Our Father with others nearby them or just hold hands with their families near them or the hand of their spouse.

But I do not always notice that at other churches I’ve attended. Most people either hold up their hands or fold them.
 
TrueLight said:
I think people are referring to the laity doing it along with the priest.

I went to an OF mass yesterday morning and was jarred anew by the orans and the sign of peace.
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“The Sign of Peace” is sometimes referred to as “The Holy Riot” of the Mass where even the Priest comes off the Altar to shake hands and visit with everyone.
I was at Tuesday"s noon Mass. Our Parish Priest is on vacation and a Priest from the Oratory was filling in. He showed up late, in Civi’s & shorts. At Communion he became flustered when everyone chose to kneel at the Communion Rail.
 
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