Are any other Catholics creeped out by hand-holding during the Lord's Prayer-Vanity Post

lanceboyle | 13 June 2002 | lanceboyle

[lanceboyle]

This is just a concern of a cradle Catholic. I've never been abused, God bless the priests who were in our parish while I was growing up. I accepted without question the changes that took place in our church, but as a child in the seventies, the iconoclasm, the felt banners, and guitar Masses didn't make much of a difference to me. But recently, this whole thing of hand-holding during the Our Father has been rather disturbing. I'm just not the touchy-feely type, and it's getting even wierder. There have even been people making Shirley Maclaine type gestures during Mass. Call me a dinosaur, but even the hymns don't have the same punch anymore. We used to sing great songs like "Holy God We Praise Thy Name." Now the music is banal at best, probably written by a member of the lavender mafia. Unless you go to a Hispanic parish, where you're treated to Mariachi music (with which I personally have no problem, but does it belong in Mass?) Am I just getting old, or do we need to bring the Church back to the Traditional Mass. Besides, the hand-holding is just plain gay.

[Arthur McGowan]

Handholding during the Our Father is completely improper. 1) There is no basis for it in Tradition. 2) It duplicates the Sign of Peace. In a parish that practices holding hands during the Our Father, there should be no Sign of Peace.

[Dick Vomer]

I don't like holding hands either. I'm just a cold fish I guess. I feel prayer is solitary at times and I want to pray to the lord. Oh and yeah I think it's kinda gay also...... but only in a kind and loving way. huh.???

[pittsburgh gop guy]

GO LATIN MASS!

And don't worry about this new-age hippie crap!

[floydibanezer]

I've never really been comfortable with it. I personally don't like the sign of peace either.

[american colleen]

That is strange! They don't hold hands during the Our Father in my parish, but a lot of people open their arms up like the priest does... what is that all about? Seems like a charasmatic leftover of the 70s...

What do I know, I still receive Holy Communion on my tongue.

[Shethink13]

It's a phony-baloney, plastic-banana type gesture. Goes right along with the stripping down of the beautiful artwork in older churches and making them look more "ecumenical", or changing the lyrics of hymns so they are gender neutral. Pathetic.

[Mo1]

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[areafiftyone]

I personally hate the "Peace be with you" handshake. I find it annoying.

[afraidfortherepublic]

There have even been people making Shirley Maclaine type gestures during Mass.

My goodness, what is a Shirley McClaine type gesture? I don't know if they are doing that in my church because I don't know what to look for.

[Grampa7030]

It is not just Catholic services that have gotten a bit wierd. I left a Lutheran church when a major part of the service was hugging others. I was not comfortable with that at that stage of my life.

I have been back to that church a few times and there is almost no sermon or scripture anymore. There are about five music groups and at least three perform on a given Sunday. There is only one general hymn anymore so there is a definite lack of participation form those of us not musically inclined. I remember sermons that went on for nearly an hour.

The last service I went to at my former church was five minutes, four of which was berating those of us who did attend for the lack of people in attendance. And they now let everyone take communion, including children, and in my day you had to go through three years of confirmation classes for that privilege. I am not sure it is a bad thing, but I do think that it should have meaning to those accepting it.

I say vote with your feet, if you are not comfortable. Also, bring back "Onward Christian Soldiers."

[RobbyS]

Just hold up both hands toward heaven. But the hand holding can be thought of simply as forming a prayer circle. Methodists do it. so it's Protestant, not gay.

[Russell Scott]

I grew up in the Catholic church, and didn't have a clue who Jesus was until I accepted him as my personal Lord and Savior at 19. Not during my 15 years in the Catholic church did they once give an altar call. I find the whole organization sadly lacking in even the fundamentals taught in the Bible. Any organization that doesn't "walk in the Holy Spirit, is going to fulfill the lusts of the flesh." In my opinion, the Catholic church has replaced Christ with a bunch of ritualistic nonsense.

Read Matthew 23, I believe quite of few of the Master's words were directed at large religious organizations like the Catholic church.

[Shethink13]

I grew up in the Catholic church, and didn't have a clue who Jesus was until I accepted him as my personal Lord and Savior at 19.

I believe that is YOUR fault, not the Catholic Church's. You must not have paid very close attention in CCD.

[Dajjal]

When the priest says "Peace be with you" I answer "Et cum spiritu tuo" and promptly kneel down, lowering my head in meditation on the Eucharist, thereby avoiding the whole chaos. I figure that gesture is in itself a "sign of peace" to any and all concerned.

Yes, holding hands _is_ queer.

[BlueAngel]

I don't like holding hands and avoid it, if possible. Especially if the person next to me has just sneezed.

The peace sign, I believe, is a disruption and distraction just when we should be thinking of and preparing to receive the Eucharist. Oh well, I miss the Latin Mass and the old ways. I grew up in the fifties and sixties.

[lanceboyle]

They Shirley Maclain type gesture can best be described as holding their arms up palms forward toward the Celebrant. Also, thanks to the other folks for their opinions in this matter. I thought I was being divisive by being wierded out by this practice, evidently not. Hopefully this hippie stuff will blow over eventually.

[Miss Marple]

Well, as a Methodist, I don't like it either. I find it vey distracting to hold hands with people when praying, especially if they are total strangers. It is distracting and is just another thing that makes me grumble, along with skits, sacred dance, and granola group hymns.