Sign of Peace at EWTN

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Does anyone know why EWTN elects to omit the sign of peace at their masses?
 
I’ve heard people comment that its placement after the consecration is disruptive. Is it like that in the old mass?
 
I attend Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville AL. Mass is usually offered by the Fathers from EWTN, it is omitted there as well.

First, it is not required.

Second, I kind of sense they omit it because we really are not a parish. It seems to be more needed in parishes. If that even makes sense. (of course this is my opinion and haven’t asked any of the fathers as to why it is omitted)
 
That’ very interesting I did not know it was not required. Hopefully perhaps one day it will be omitted from an Mass or at least done prior to mass.
 
Call me grumpy, but I would prefer if it were to go away everywhere. There is nothing worse than forced interaction. I really don’t think the sign of peace means much to anyone.

A nearby parish starts with an announcement “Before we begin Mass, let us rise and greet one another.” That is a round of hand shaking just like the sign of peace, but without the exact words, so you get it twice.

I simply find the whole thing a little disruptive. Yes, I know I sound terrible because I really am a people person who loves to chat with just about anyone. It’s just that the sign of peace seems a needless interruption.
 
The Sign of Peace is optional. In a chapel that belongs to a religious order, the superior of the house may make any changes to the liturgy allowed by law, regardless of what the diocese is doing. The chapel is outside of the diocese.

The two chapels are Franciscan, not diocesan. Therefore, the Franciscan Missal, not the Roman Missal and the General Instructions for the Franciscan Missal, are the highest ranking authority. The local superior can change anything that the missal allows him to change.

The Sign of Peace is optional in both the Roman Missal and the Franciscan Missal. Some Franciscans include the Sign of Peace and some do not. It depends on their superior. Superiors take the circumstances into consideration.

My guess is that they do not do it at EWTN, because the chapel was originally the monastery chapel for the Poor Clare Nuns. This is not part of the Poor Clare tradition. It would make sense for the superior of the friars to allow them to skip over it.

By the way, they are Friars, not Fathers. In the mendicant tradition Father is the title that you use for a priest (when allowed) or a superior. Friars is the collective title when speaking of the group such as: Carmelites, Dominicans, Franciscans, Trinitarians, and some Augustinians.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
Georgia said:
Call me grumpy, but I would prefer if it were to go away everywhere. There is nothing worse than forced interaction. I really don’t think the sign of peace means much to anyone.

A nearby parish starts with an announcement “Before we begin Mass, let us rise and greet one another.” That is a round of hand shaking just like the sign of peace, but without the exact words, so you get it twice.

I simply find the whole thing a little disruptive. Yes, I know I sound terrible because I really am a people person who loves to chat with just about anyone. It’s just that the sign of peace seems a needless interruption.
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I don’t think you sound terrible…I think I agree with you…and they could do away with the rise and greet your neighor as well…
 
Georgia said:
Call me grumpy, but I would prefer if it were to go away everywhere. There is nothing worse than forced interaction. I really don’t think the sign of peace means much to anyone.

A nearby parish starts with an announcement “Before we begin Mass, let us rise and greet one another.” That is a round of hand shaking just like the sign of peace, but without the exact words, so you get it twice.

I simply find the whole thing a little disruptive. Yes, I know I sound terrible because I really am a people person who loves to chat with just about anyone. It’s just that the sign of peace seems a needless interruption.
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I have seen this a priori greeting and I find it annoying as well. I simply try to be polite and smile to the left and right. Greeting before the mass is not part of the liturgy. Therefore, it is not mandatory. So, you try to be polite if someone says “hello.”

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
o skip over it.

By the way, they are Friars, not Fathers. In the mendicant tradition Father is the title that you use for a priest (when allowed) or a superior. Friars is the collective title when speaking of the group such as: Carmelites, Dominicans, Franciscans, Trinitarians, and some Augustinians.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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LOL 🙂 , oops, I call them Father so and so … and so does everyone else! They don’t seem to mind. 😃

I think that I knew that.
 
DJgang said:
LOL 🙂 , oops, I call them Father so and so … and so does everyone else! They don’t seem to mind. 😃

I think that I knew that.
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If a friar is ordained and his community allows it, he may be called Father. When you speak about us, collectively, then you say the Friars.

I don’t know about the other mendicant orders, but Franciscans are uncomfortable with “the Fathers”, because the Franciscans were founded as a family, not an order of priests. The term 'Friar" is a variation on Frater or Brother. That’s why we use “the friars” to refer to the whole. When we want to single out the ordained friars, we say “the priests” or “the clerics”. The clerics includes the deacons and bishops.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
At weekday mass the few regular attendees have stopped the practice of stretching across pews to shake hands, or worse, crossing the aisle. I think our priest let people know, without openly saying anything, that he wasn’t stopping longer than it takes to nod at one another. If only it were that way on Sunday.
 
PattiDay said:
At weekday mass the few regular attendees have stopped the practice of stretching across pews to shake hands, or worse, crossing the aisle. I think our priest let people know, without openly saying anything, that he wasn’t stopping longer than it takes to nod at one another. If only it were that way on Sunday.
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You shouldn’t be going across town to deliver the sign of peace. The Sign of Peace, when properly done is very beautiful.

I’m more familiar with the Franciscan Missal than with the Roman Missal. I’ll speak from there. Though they are not that different on this point.

The priest, in Pesona Christi, speaks to the community the words of Christ upon his first post-resurrection appearance, “Peace be with you.”

He then MAY offer sign of peace to the ministers on the altar, such as a handshake, an embrace, bow or some other sign…

Christ’s peace is communicated to the body of the faithful present. One or two ministers (alter servers or deacons) who have received the sign from the priest, transmit the sign to the faithful in the congregation.

Each person then transmits the sign to the persons on either side (maybe in front and behind, but unnecessary).

It is not necessary to pass the greeting to more than the people on your side, because it’s not your peace that you’re offering, but the peace the Christ, who is risen and present on the altar has offered. Therefore, the gesture, when used, need not be over extended.

The gesture can be omitted, because the priest, in Persona Christi, has spoken the words, “Peace be with you.”

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
Georgia said:
Call me grumpy, but I would prefer if it were to go away everywhere. There is nothing worse than forced interaction. I really don’t think the sign of peace means much to anyone.

A nearby parish starts with an announcement “Before we begin Mass, let us rise and greet one another.” That is a round of hand shaking just like the sign of peace, but without the exact words, so you get it twice.

I simply find the whole thing a little disruptive. Yes, I know I sound terrible because I really am a people person who loves to chat with just about anyone. It’s just that the sign of peace seems a needless interruption.
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Well, Grumpy… 🙂

I happen to agree with you. I realize that the Sign of Peace is supposed to remind us to be At Peace with our neighbor and forgive them for all that they may have done and allow us to be forgiven, but it winds up being a time for a lot of chatter and socializing, which is really not appropriate during Mass. Some can handle it. Others can NOT:o
 
In this matter, I believe in employing only those practices and cultural traditions which are least easily abused. Without any instruction by a priest on suitable expressions of good will during the Holy Mass, the Sign can be easily abused. The meaning seems to be of reconciliation with one’s fellow creatures; one’s brothers and sisters on Earth, but everywhere I go in this city it becomes more than that. I often see a couple kissing (rather passionately…) when giving ‘peace’ to one another. That disgusts me.

Often, the all-important declaration that the Lamb of God has come upon us (and is waiting to be presented above the altar) is delayed for several minutes while parishioners shake hands, hug, bow, and kiss each other. Christ is left up there on His throne while all His subjects look at the pretty banners of His royal court! Which king would allow his servants to chat with each other and embrace while he is trying to declare a new law or announce the beginning of a war? edited by moderator] we ought to be on our knees while the priest tells us that the unblemished Lamb of Heaven is upon us! It seems so silly to be making peace with each other right in the middle of the Great Lord’s speech.
 
ByzCath said:
Its not in the EF Mass at all.
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Not quite true. A Solemn High Mass includes the Kiss of Peace, but it is reserved to those in the sanctuary. It’s also not at all like the free-for-all that happens now. The Priest passes the Kiss to the Deacon, who passes it to the Sub-deacon, etc.
 
Georgia said:
Call me grumpy, .
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Ahem. “crumpy” here…

I think the reasoning behind the sign of peace is very shallow. We can get all theological about it, but there’s a shallow reason behind it, really. For the congregation, the Mass is a very passive activity, we’re spectators. So the sign of peace is just something made up to give us something to do.

Taking communion under two species is the same, too. It’s a way to get all these lay extraordinary ministers into the “act” and to give the people something else to do, also.

Taken together , these two things add about 20 minutes to the length of the Mass. You’d think these activities would die out quickly just for this reason.

There’s plenty of time for socializing after Mass. I haven’t made one new friend as a result of the sign of peace, since Vatican II. Has anybody?

Not too many years ago, I watched a 10-yo boy in front of me cleaning his long fingernails. Guess he didn’t have any time to do that until Sunday morning in church. They were filthy. And, what was worse, he was eating the dirt! You know? Sometimes I could just run out of church. I don’t know why I didn’t that time. It’s making me sick just to think about it now.
 
JReducation said:
You shouldn’t be going across town to deliver the sign of peace. The Sign of Peace, when properly done is very beautiful.

I’m more familiar with the Franciscan Missal than with the Roman Missal. I’ll speak from there. Though they are not that different on this point.

The priest, in Pesona Christi, speaks to the community the words of Christ upon his first post-resurrection appearance, “Peace be with you.”

He then MAY offer sign of peace to the ministers on the altar, such as a handshake, an embrace, bow or some other sign…

Christ’s peace is communicated to the body of the faithful present. One or two ministers (alter servers or deacons) who have received the sign from the priest, transmit the sign to the faithful in the congregation.

Each person then transmits the sign to the persons on either side (maybe in front and behind, but unnecessary).

It is not necessary to pass the greeting to more than the people on your side, because it’s not your peace that you’re offering, but the peace the Christ, who is risen and present on the altar has offered. Therefore, the gesture, when used, need not be over extended.

The gesture can be omitted, because the priest, in Persona Christi, has spoken the words, “Peace be with you.”

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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The most beautiful sign of peace I have seen is in the Chaldean Mass. The gesture of peace is physically transmitted from the priest to the severs to the laity. And you pass it along down your own pew, usually just to the next person. There is a certain flow to it that it radiates from the priest down to the last person. Its very ordered.
 
In my opinion the sign of peace in present form distracts the attention from the presence of Jesus Christ, who is ready to give himself to feed us, to the community. He brings the peace, but by Himself, not by our sharing.

Still it was present in the Church and the remnant the sign of peace from the priest to the clergy, survived into the solemn Tridentine Latin Mass too.

Here is the EWTN article

ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur137.htm
 
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