Spanish translation on why it's not proper to hold hands during the Our Father?

[spangler1982]

This was very strange to me because I am Mexican and in Mexico we NEVER held hands during the Our Father. Then I came to California, and in every single parish I have gone to, they all hold hands during the Our Father. Whether the Mass is in English or in Spanish, everyone holds hands. I don’t think there is anything wrong, but I thought it was strange 13 years ago when my mom brought us to the US.
:twocents:

Pax vobiscum!
This is a little strange. I don’t recall seeing the people at the Spanish Masses at my home parish hold hands during the Our Father…at least not that I ever noticed. Almost everyone at that Mass recieves on the tongue, too.
In Christ,
Rand

Well, they’re sure doing it a lot out here in California!: calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=fb24a2f4-77dc-42fa-acfb-82088208e9d6

 

[smolderingwick]

Here is my tip (this is what I do): as we stand up after the great AMEN (I am ready) I immediately bow my head slightly, CLOSE MY EYES (that is key), and fold my hands in prayer.

Then, at the sign of peace, I make sure to greet those near me (because this IS in the rubrics of the Mass). .

Hmmm… i always thought that both holding hands during the OF and greeting were not part of the official rubrics of the Mass…

In any case, thanks for the info. I don’t like doing either one and do pretty much what you suggest already… I do worry that others will think me rude, but don’t care enoiugh to change…

I don’t know why we have to have these changes. I know the Masons tried to get in @ Vatican II… i think their primary goal was just CHANGE period - hardly even mattered, really, waht the change was, as long as Catholics got used to change…
If we change one “small” thing, we can change some other “small” thing and then we get to where we change not so small things… (such as the position on birth-control, etc…).
So “They” think…
It irritates me even though Jesus did promise that the gates of Hell would not prevail against His Church…

God bless…

 

[otjm]

You can do a search and find many previous threads on this forum regarding holding hands at the Our Father. The bottom line is that the rubrics of the Mass (the rules for celebration) as spelled out in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal do not indicate that the congregation should hold hands at any point.

The GIRM also does not say that you should hold your hands palms together, fingers pointiing up, or palms together, fingers interlaced. In fact, the GIRM doesn’t really have a whole lot to say about posture other than standing, sitting or kneeling. Archbishop Chaput wrote somewhat extensivley about this, and his general points were that 1) the [posture other than staanding is unregulated at that point and the Church does not micro-regulate posture; 2) those who wish to hold hands should not be criticized as the Church {Rome} has long been aware of the practice and has chosen not to regulate the issue, and 3) those who prefer not to should also not be criticized as it is not required.

As a general principle, you should not do things that are NOT specified as part of a liturgical rite. Now, people can do private devotional things like beating their breast at the lamb of God or quietly saying little prayers to themselves at the elevation of the host, etc. … but gestures and actions that are done by the entire assembly… when they are not part of the rite is something different. The rubrics also do not say anywhere that we can’t all give each other “high fives” at the conclusion of the Gospel proclamation… that does not mean we can do it just because we are not explicity told not to. However, a “high 5” does not symbolize unity, but holding hands does. Your example brings in a non-religious movement to try and compare to a posture that does have some religious connection - we say “our father”, not “my father”; “give us”, not “give me”. While there may be good, solid liturgical reasons that holding hands may not be preferrable, there are also some intelligible connections between holding hands and a group prayer.

Further, because you like the symbolism of beating your breast but do not like the symbolism of holding hands, you find it ok to do one but not the other on the basis that"everyone" is doing the hand holding, but only “individuals” are doing the other. That is falt out cafeteria GIRM allowances.
AngelicDoctor;1914129:

I have heard (not positive) that the hand holding was a fad that Catholics in America started by imitating some Protestant churches.

And the point is? So what? St Patrick saw the Druids using a fire to celebrate the coming of Spring, so he started a fire on a different hill, to celebrate the ressurection of Christ. And that wasn’g from Protestants… anyone who knows much of Church history will know that the Church has adopted any number of symbols and actions throughout history from non-Catholics, including heathens. and so if it was adopted from Protestants, so what? They believe in Christ too. Or didn’t anyone let you in on that little secret?

Frankly, I don’t care if people hold hands, or don’t, or use the orans posture; what I care about is that they say the Our Father fervently. And I suspect that if we all said it fervently and paid a little less attention to the hands issue, the issue would become a non-issue.

 

[Brendan]

Maybe just hold their hand? I promise it won’t hurt.

Maybe just fold your hands together. I promise it won’t hurt either.

 

[IrishCathy]

I understand your discomfort in holding hands with strange women. That is perfectly normal and understandable. I wouldn’t want to feel I had to hold hands with a lot of strange men! I don’t know how much Spanish you speak, but I’m a native speaker and here are some suggestions:

Option 1. Hold your hands together, either in front of you or behind your back, and when they reach out to you, with a serious expression on your face shake your head “no.” Latin women will understand.

Option 2. Say:
Lo siento. Yo no creo en eso. *.
or
Lo siento. Yo no hago eso. *

I’m sure they will understand. Being a man, I think your wishes will be respected.

If there’s something else you’d rather say, let me know.**

 

[BlyssfulDreamer]

I guess I have no problem with people who know each other…families holding hands…I just don’t want to hold hands with someone I don’t know. That’s just me. I keep my hands folded in front of me during the times when we stand anyway, so that kind of settles that.

:heart:Blyss

 

[Biblioassistant]

Where I go to church, there are a couple of seats next to a pillar.
I sit there. I don’t have to hold hands with anyone there. Bliss.

 

[puzzleannie]

I don’t know why we have to have these changes. I know the Masons tried to get in @ Vatican II… i think their primary goal was just CHANGE period - hardly even mattered, really, waht the change was, as long as Catholics got used to change… …

this issue has nothing whatever to do with V2 or the masons. It hs to do with how do we charitably communicate to others during Mass who are doing something not in the rubrics. There is no V2 doc anywhere that prescribes hand-holding or any other unorthodox practice.