[Catholic Caucus] Archdiocese of Portland urges faithful not to hold hands during Our Father at Mass

LifeSite News ^ | November 12, 2026 | Doug Mainwaring

[ebb tide]

[Catholic Caucus] Archdiocese of Portland urges faithful not to hold hands during Our Father at Mass

The current instructions for the Roman Missal only refer to the priest extending his hands to pray during the Mass, the Archdiocese of Portland noted.

A U.S. archdiocese has instructed Catholics to no longer hold hands or raise their arms during the praying of the Our Father at Mass.

The Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, explained in a manual just published by its liturgy office: “Laity should refrain from extending hands during the Our Father at Mass.”

Both actions by Massgoers have been a point of contention in recent decades, as many lay members have adopted the orans posture (arms raised), which is reserved solely to the priest during the Sacrifice of the Mass.

The archdiocese based its instruction in General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), which lists specific directives as to the proper postures at various points in the Mass for both the clergy and the laity.

“There has been some confusion as to whether the lay faithful should extend or raise their hands (and even holding hands with others) when the Lord’s Prayer is prayed during Mass, as the priest does. While the GIRM does not explicitly forbid the lay faithful from using the Orans posture during the Our Father, it gives guidance as to why the lay faithful should not use this posture,” the archdiocese explained.  

“Prior to the New Roman Missal of 1970, only the priest prayed the Lord’s Prayer as a part of the Liturgy and had his hands extended while he prayed on behalf of the people. Nothing in the Roman Missal of 1970, nor the documents of the Second Vatican Council, indicated that there would be a change in posture during the Lord’s Prayer,” noted the archdiocese.   

“Whenever the GIRM gives the instructions for hands to be extended, it is always with reference to the priest specifically, whether it be the principal celebrant or concelebrants. Neither the deacons assisting at Mass, nor the lay faithful, are ever instructed to use this posture,” wrote the archdiocese. “It is a liturgical posture that is proper to the priest. When the priest uses this posture, he is praying on behalf of the people.”

The Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, states that “no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority,” (SC 22.3).

“Since the GIRM is very specific that the priest is instructed by the GIRM (152) to extend his hands when he prays the Lord’s Prayer, for the deacons or the laity to extend their hands would be adding to the liturgy. Therefore, the practice of the lay faithful extending their hands (or holding hands) during the Our Father should not be done,” the directive says.  

The directive from the archdiocese also referred to the Code of Canon Law (CIC).

In the Eucharistic celebration deacons and lay persons are not permitted to offer prayers, especially the Eucharistic prayer, or to perform actions which are proper to the celebrating priest.

The Church gave an instruction in 1997 entitled, Ecclesiae de Mysterio, affirming this Canon, as well as stating further, “It is a grave abuse for any member of the non-ordained faithful to ‘quasi-preside’ at the Mass while leaving only that minimal participation to the priest which is necessary to secure validity.”

“Care should be taken that proper instruction be given to the laity in this regard, so that the postures proper to the priest remain only proper to the priest,” the archdiocese warned. 

The raising of arms and hands in praise and worship or while beseeching the Lord on behalf of an intention is seen throughout the Old Testament and is mentioned in the New. Orant figures are among the very examples of early Christian art as found in the catacombs in Rome and elsewhere, however, praying with arms or hands raised during Mass is specifically reserved for the priest due to his role as intercessor for the people, as the archdiocese noted. 

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TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Worship
KEYWORDS: litugicalabuse; modernists; novusordo

[ebb tide]

Both actions by Massgoers have been a point of contention in recent decades, as many lay members have adopted the orans posture (arms raised), which is reserved solely to the priest during the Sacrifice of the Mass.

[Da Coyote]

As the Pope is bending over to appease the slimy Imams, THIS is a concern of the Church? We are sooo doomed.

[ebb tide]

Ping

[frank ballenger]

Couple in their 80s: This is romantic. Reminds me of Woodstock during Melanie’s Candles in the Rain. 💞🕯️🕯️

“Glad I wore my bell bottoms and tie dyed shirt.”

[Dr. Sivana]

THIS is a concern of the Church? We are sooo doomed.

For Roman Catholics, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the most important thing in the world. The "Our Father" takes place after the Consecration, and we are supposed to be concentrating on what is happening on the altar, rather than on each other.

The Parish Council at my mother's church tried introducing this 30+ years ago. I leafletted the parking lot, letting people know they don't have to do it, and shouldn't. I got called into the rectory, had a talk with some conflict. The activity did NOT catch on, for whatever reason, thankfully.

Mother Teresa never let charismatics intoher group because "they cause trouble".

The Bishop of Portland can't really do anything about Imams around the world. He should take care of his own churches. Bishops in Islamic countries, and of course Rome, should be addressing them.