Posted on 11/30/2011 5:08:01 PM PST by TSgt
COVINGTON, Ky. - Bishop Roger Foys of the Covington Diocese decreed that parishioners should not hold hands during the Lord's Prayer.
In his decree Bishop Foys writes:
Special note should also be made concerning the gesture for the Our Father. Only the priest is given the instruction to "extend" his hands. Neither the deacon nor the lay faithful are instructed to do this. No gesture is prescribed for the lay faithful in the Roman Missal ; nor the General Instruction of the Roman Missal , therefore the extending or holding of hands by the faithful should not be performed.
"I'm a little bit surprised," said Dan Ryan of Edgewood.
9 News spoke Ryan as he picked up his son from Covington Catholic High School.
"It helps keep us together as a family you know the motto that says a family that prays together stays together. I think there's a whole lot of room for interpretation there I think again we're talking about individual decisions and individual options there should be some discretion it sounds like to me," said Ryan.
"First, I didn't know that was an edict that Bishop Foys made but my family and I do hold hands while we say the Lord's Prayer but the way I feel about it is if that is not part of liturgy then we will follow the liturgy," said J. Zang of Crestview Hills.
In a statement to 9News diocesan spokesman Tim Fitzgerald said, "Bishop Foys’ purpose [in issuing the decree] was to reiterate the directives guiding the celebration of the Mass as specified by the Second Vatican Council and related Vatican documents, fulfilling his role as chief teacher of the diocese; he did so as the new translation of the Roman Missal was first used in the diocese and in the United States last weekend. The decree concerned the proper texts of Mass prayers; liturgical music; gestures for priests, deacons, religious and lay faithful; the location of the choir and other musicians; and prayerful silence before and after Mass.”
It appears the parishioners don't get it either...
Snarkey Ping ;-)
When will he come out and tell Catholics they can’t support abortion?
Pelosi, Kerry and others really want to know.
I was unaware of the Biblical principle of hand-holding during prayer. Please cite the chapter and verse that teaches us this Biblical principle.
I grew up in the Church during the 60’s and the first half of the 70’s. There was never hand holding during the Lord’s Prayer. Then when I returned to the Church in the 90’s, all of a sudden everyone was holding hands, and the people on the end of the aisle were putting their free hand up in the air like some sort of lightning rod. Much changed from 1974 to 1993. :)
What the bishop is saying is that the Lord’s Prayer is supposed to be directed to Our Father. It is not a kumbaya moment.
And I fail to see how you can suggest that prayerfully saying the Lord’s Prayer in church is not biblical.
Which "Biblical principles" mandate hand-holding in church?
I understand that the same bishop also frowns on the faithful making baloney sandwiches during the Our Father. That should show you how cravenly dedicated he is to slavishly following his idolatrous traditions of men.
Matthew 16:18 “..on this rock I build my church..”
Biblical pricipals are that the church has a head. Its first head was Peter. This “headship”, or papacy, was initiated by Jesus.
If you think I have misinterpreted the verse then Read Isaiah 22 and reexamine your opinion - especially with regard to the “keys” language in both Mt. 16:20 and Isaiah.
This is the diocese that paid Stan Chesley almost $100, 000, 000. 00 to go away and let them be.
Wish all bishops took that position. And the Sign of Peace as well. It’s not that I don’t wish peace to everyone. It’s that I don’t want to shake germy hands before communion.
How does holding my husband’s hand during the prayer direct it away from Our Father? Should I put my children down as well if I’m holding one of them or is the physical contact with them also too much of a kumbaya moment?
Yep.
When I was 14 the nuns would tell me and my girlfriend to not hold hands during mass. We ignored them of course.
This only applies during Mass. In private prayer you can hold your hands and arms as you see fit.
You betcha! I’m 72 years of age and I detest holding germy hands as well. I wish this ritual is stopped. I do say “Peace be to you” I don’t see the need to shake hands.
I just read Isaiah 22. It’s talking about Jesus dying for our sins.
“and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off”
Maybe the wrong reference?
I fail to see what posture, holding hands, or any other physical motion has to do with prayer. What difference does it make? And by what authority does the clergy dictate to the people their posture in prayer? Is there somewhere in the Bible that we are told to bow our heads? Or fold our hands? Or kneel? Or stand? Or lie face down on the floor?
OUR Father
Give US... OUR daily bread.
Deliver US
It’s all about US talking together to the Father.
It absolutely IS a kumbaya moment.
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