[cherry]

at our Catholic Masses, we have two things that do drive me crazy, especially during cold and flu seasons......holding hands during the "Our Father" and the "sign of peace" which ususally means shaking hands with people around you, maybe even a quick hug......

I've gotten to the point where it bugs me so much , we sit way away from people......

first, I think its disruptive to a solemn Mass to be shaking hands in the middle of it, and secondly, people are wiping their noses and touching their mouths etc and then we hold hands and then we shake hands and then we go up to the Priest and get Communion.....

[Smokin' Joe]

It never ceases to amaze me, that despite all the germicidal products available today, our grandparents often had a better handle on basic sanitation than we do.

I have seen people wearing the little plastic gloves wipe their noses while handling food... with the glove.(Yikes, I'm outta there!)

With an animal vector involved, people might not think of the possibilities for contamination that exist, regardless of the disease.

In the event of an extremely deadly pathogen, current common habits would spread it pretty fast.

[steve86]

Just a couple of the reasons some of us have returned to the Traditional Latin Mass. You won't see hand-holding there. There are more important liturgical reasons as well.

[jill1]

Hi Cherry,

During flu season, our church makes an announcement before mass that we can refrain from shaking hands during the sign of peace. Most people still shake hands though. Maybe you can suggest this in your church?

Jill