I am a convert, and as I was beginning to explore the Church I was surprised and annoyed by the hand holding. It just seemed so casual and modern to me, and I had been hoping to connect with the “old” Church of the Church Fathers in a more concrete way. It seemed my old Episcopalian church had more formality to it and that made me sad.
There is also a sense of collectivism to it that bothers me to no end, as if we all sink or swim to Heaven together as in Obama’s “collective salvation” claptrap. I suppose it is meant to express our unity as the body of Christ but it just never came across that way to me.
The last thing about both postures, the orans and the hand holding, is that it has a sort of show-offy evangelical “look how caught up in the spirit I am” feel to it. I prefer my relationship to the Lord to be very private, not that I don’t express my gratitude or give Him praise, but that I know it’s what is in my heart that matters to Him. But then again maybe that’s the Episcopalian thing in me still, they’re not exactly known for emotionalism, LOL.
Anyway I usually sit in a wide open pew and only hold hands with my children since that at least feels reasonably normal and sincere to me. I would like to teach them not to do it but it is taught at our parish school where they attend, what to do!!
**I prefer my relationship to the Lord to be very private, not that I don’t express my gratitude or give Him praise, but that I know it’s what is in my heart that matters to Him. But then again maybe that’s the Episcopalian thing in me still, they’re not exactly known for emotionalism, LOL**
I’m the same way. I judge that this prayer is between me and “Our Father in Heaven”. I understand the unity thing, but I also feel a part of the whole congregation even when I don’t hold hands.
Another thing I don’t like is always singing the Our Father. I usually just say it quietly to myself. It’s really not to be sung at every Mass.
Welcome Home!
That said, I highly recommend the Traditional (Extraordinary Form) of mass. It seems that you would be at peace there since the casual and modern practices found in the novus ordo are not to found/suffered through.
^^THIS!!^^
Blech!
The last thing about both postures, the orans and the hand holding, is that it has a sort of show-offy evangelical “look how caught up in the spirit I am” feel to it. I prefer my relationship to the Lord to be very private, not that I don’t express my gratitude or give Him praise, but that I know it’s what is in my heart that matters to Him. But then again maybe that’s the Episcopalian thing in me still, they’re not exactly known for emotionalism, LOL.
(((
Except for the last sentence, that paragraph could have been written by me, as that was the way I was taught at home and in my 12 years of Catholic schooling in the 1950s and 1960s.
I go to Mass alone, as my husband is not Catholic, and I, also, look for an isolated seat in order to escape the handshake nonsense.
Not all parishes, BTW, do this nonsense, but, as your children are attending the parish school, I guess you are stuck with that stuff.
God bless and welcome home.