Sign of the Cross: Thumb, index finger, and middle finger?

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Thanks. I admit that my heart sunk when she told me that I was making the Sign of the Cross the wrong way. It’s 50+ years since Orientalium Ecclesiarium (the last document of VII) and there’s still so much ignorance of the Eastern Catholic Churches.

Like I’ve always said: We’re the best-kept secret in the Catholic Church. 😉
 
She was clearly using it to read the LOTH or similar long prayer, while kneeling on the floor for the entire 20 minutes she said it, in a head covering. So I wasn’t bothered by it. Lots of people use Universalis or iBreviary app for LOTH. I have seen her doing this many times at Adoration since we tend to attend at the same hour.

I have occasionally used my Android phone to read prayers at Adoration, which granted has a much smaller screen and I used it in a less obvious way. But if I can use a hard copy prayer book or say a prayer from memory instead I’ll do that because some people have the AAUGH response like you to seeing anything electronic being used, even silently, at Adoration. Also, one of the Adoration chapels I attend has very poor reception so I can’t pull up my bookmarked prayer pages or use my Kindle app with prayers in it.
 
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I either shut off my phone or keep it in the car when I go to Adoration.

Occasionally at the chapel someone has their phone on “vibrate”. It doesn’t matter how low it is; when I hear it, it still scares me. (Seriously, I scare very easily.)
 
Sorry that you are going under radiotherapy. That must be difficult, challenging, and disruptive. Wish I had words of wisdom to share.
 
Margaret-Ann: Yes, she does use holy water at Mass or in Church, but not at home.
 
jim1130 said:
Sorry that you are going under radiotherapy. That must be difficult, challenging, and disruptive. Wish I had words of wisdom to share.
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Thanks. I’m sorry if my comments were a bit abrasive. I should pray harder to bear the pain.
 
I cannot imagine and am sorry for your situation. I trust you have a great support network and that the family, friends, and faith bring immense comfort. I pray and hope for a full and complete recovery. I am sorry for my insensitive words earlier. I was out of line.
 
The belief in the use of all of the fingers, is very inspirational.
 
jim1130 said:
Sorry that you are going under radiotherapy. That must be difficult, challenging, and disruptive. Wish I had words of wisdom to share.
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thistle said:
Thanks. I’m sorry if my comments were a bit abrasive. I should pray harder to bear the pain.
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jim1130 said:
I cannot imagine and am sorry for your situation. I trust you have a great support network and that the family, friends, and faith bring immense comfort. I pray and hope for a full and complete recovery. I am sorry for my insensitive words earlier. I was out of line.
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Thankyou BOTH! For being humble, understanding, apologetic, sincere, mature and respectful towards each other. A great example to all. God bless you both.
 
We had the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom celebrated maybe 5-6 times per year up until a couple of years ago. The Liturgy was sent out on email so people either printed 18? sheets or used electronic devices to follow along. Nobody knew how many people would come. It felt more than a lot weird to use modern equipment to celebrate a liturgy that is “ancient” in the proper sense.
 
Since my reversion to the Catholic church about a year ago, I have realized there is a tension between those who are more traditional and those who are not so. I have really enjoyed learning all the things about my faith I didn’t know before, and it’s funny because when I reverted, I almost immediately learned about this way of making the sign of the cross (with thumb, index finger, and middle finger pressed together) and began making the sign of the cross that way and continued to do so for some time.

It’s just preference, and her children are unlikely to be all that affected by it, but it seems she is associating it with traditionalist catholic beliefs about ritual and liturgy somehow, and her opposition is actually to those things. Or she may be merely misinformed and thinks it is actually incorrect to do it that way.

Making the sign of the cross with an open hand represents the 5 wounds of Christ (each of your five fingers).
 
Good morning. Thank you for the charitable and thoughtful (name removed by moderator)ut. I have been doing the three fingers for quite some time and even kiss my fingers at both the start of the Sign of the Cross and the end (Amen). She has made me feel a bit self-conscious about it, to be honest, but the feedback here has reinforced my confidence. Again, thank you. Jim
 
I never realized before how people were doing the sign of the cross until now. My wife does it open handed…I use three fingers and a kiss at the Amen. I know that if what I was doing was odd, my wife or her parents would have said something to me (in a sincere teaching way).
 
Lol, my father was born in South Africa back in the 50’s and suffered thought the same thing! I think it was a general thing…he also tells stories of nuns with measuring tapes making sure boys and girls were at least 40cms (16 inches) apart while dancing!

@jim1130
As for the Sign of the Cross, you have a wonderful opportunity to teach her about diversity in the Church. The way you describe is exactly the way I do, which is as most south europeians do.
 
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