What gestures do you make during Mass - Page 3

TrueLight · #31 May 22, '12, 1:44 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizium23

At my vacation parish, the pastor has completely abolished the call for the Sign of Peace (which is a valid liturgical option), but 100% of the assembly still shakes hands while the Agnus Dei is being sung.

In my home parish, one of my fellow choir members was known to show the Peace Sign instead of shaking hands, and the pastor put the kibosh on that; evidently he does not think that is reverent or respectful. YMMV.

I just cannot understand why one would not be focused on the words “Agnus Dei” and the implication of those words, but choose instead to shake hands.

Cristiano · #32 May 22, '12, 1:47 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueLight

I just cannot understand why one would not be focused on the words “Agnus Dei” and the implication of those words, but choose instead to shake hands.

At least they do not do the wave in the pew!

TrueLight · #33 May 22, '12, 1:52 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cristiano

At least they do not do the wave in the pew!

You gotta be kidding!

Corki · #34 May 22, '12, 1:54 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by constantconvert

With all the hub-bub about holding hands at the Our Father, etc. I was just curious about what people actually practice. Other than the sign of the cross, the only hand gesture I can find in the GIRM are the three small crosses before the Gospel, so I guess all other gestures are innovations.

The striking of the breast during the Confetior and the bow during the Creed are also in the GIRM. In addition, our Archbishop has called for a bow of the head to be the standard gesture of reverece before receiving Communion.

Quote:

When other parishoners make innovations in the Mass, as far as hand gestures go, does it bother you?

If someone repeats a gesture that's already called for at another time, it doesn't bother me at all. So extra signs of the Cross or string of the breast - no problem. We have many "old school" types who strike their breast three times with the three rings of the bells during the Consecration, for example. It's the gestures that are completely different that kind of irk me such as the outward swoopy motion some people do when they say "and with your spirit" or the similar one (upward instead of outward swoop) for "we lift up our hearts".

Cristiano · #35 May 22, '12, 1:54 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueLight

You gotta be kidding!

I am.

TrueLight · #36 May 22, '12, 1:55 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cristiano

I am.

Ha ha!

Well, they did the wave at my college graduation during the guest speaker's speech, so anything is possible.

johnnyjones · #37 May 22, '12, 2:04 pm

When someone refuses to shake my hand I take it personally and report it to the priest, and not after the mass but during.

TrueLight · #38 May 22, '12, 2:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyjones

When someone refuses to shake my hand I take it personally and report it to the priest, and not after the mass but during.

LOL!

constantconvert · #39 May 22, '12, 2:25 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cristiano

At least they do not do the wave in the pew!

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyjones

When someone refuses to shake my hand I take it personally and report it to the priest, and not after the mass but during.

MarkThompson · #40 May 22, '12, 3:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizium23

There was a whole thread on this a while ago, and a clarification in Notitiae said that the rubrics mean that we should strike our breast only once, but let me tell you: I took a look around during Mass, and found that everyone who did this gesture struck his or her breast three times, and I mean everyone including the clergy, so I decided that since it is not disobedient or contrary to rubrics, that this is a truly organic change in the liturgy that may well inform the next edition of the missal, so now I strike my breast three times.

Since I am in the choir, and I do not use a music stand, I am often holding a hymnal or a notebook with music in it, so that limits my hand gestures. But for much of the time I am empty-handed, so I take a cue from my altar server training and hold my hands joined in front of me. I am not as strict about it as when altar serving, but to me it feels better than hands at my sides, and I feel it is a suitable gesture for laity overall.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnykins

Actually in the EF the rubrics call for striking the beast each time "mea culpa" is said, so when the old OF translation was used and "though my fault" was said only once, many were confused whether to strike once or 3x. Now with the return of the thricely said "through my fault" many are again striking their breasts 3x.

Not so much innovation or organic development as sheer confusion....

The ruling given in 1978 in Notitiae was this:

The words mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa which are found in the Confiteor are introduced in the restored Roman Missal by a rubric of this sort: All likewise ... striking their breast, say ... (OM, n. 3). In the former Missal, in the same place, the rubric sounded like this: He strikes his breast three times. It does not seem, therefore, that anyone has to strike his breast three times in pronouncing those words in Latin or in another language, even if mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa is said. It suffices that there be a striking of the breast.

It is obvious also that only one gesture suffices in those languages in which the words for showing one's fault have been rendered in a more simple manner, as, for example, in English, « I have sinned through my own fault », or in French, « Oui, j'ai vraiment peche ».

Thus, all that is required is a single strike, regardless of whether the Confiteor contains a triple or only a single invocation of fault. On the other hand, however, it does not seem to be the intention of the rubric to regulate how many times the congregant strikes his breast. One time "suffices" to satisfy the instruction, but nothing appears to forbid or prevent striking three times, if that is the individual's choice. The old instruction had expressly said "ter," thrice, and if it had been the intention of the new instruction to limit the striking to once, then it could just as easily have said "semel," once. The apparently deliberate omission of any adverb of frequency ought typically to be taken to indicate a choice not to regulate the frequency.

Cristiano · #41 May 22, '12, 4:08 pm

Did I mentione the tradition that my mother used to follow with us kids?

The smacking on the head of the child that was making disrupting noise!

That started before Vat II and kept going after Vat II.

**ProVobis** · #42 May 22, '12, 4:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corki

or the similar one (upward instead of outward swoop) for "we lift up our hearts".

But Sursum corda/Habemus ad dominum is literally "Upwards hearts! We hold to the Lord." No lifting. Ask any first-year Latin student or Pole.

bmadamsberry · #43 May 22, '12, 10:24 pm

Two particular ones that I do, which aren't common, are bowing my head at the name of Jesus (although I'll now start to do it at the three names of the Trinity, the name of Mary, and the name of the Saint-of-the-Mass).

I also bow my head when I say "L-rd, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof."

I then raise my head and say "but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."

This is just my own personal action, of course.

I don't have a problem with people adding small gestures as long as:

1) It's not large and/or very distracting; and

2) It is an action that is not suppressed by either the GIRM or the bishop.

Steady Eddy · #44 May 23, '12, 2:58 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by constantconvert

Do others in Ireland kneel through out? I would love to kneel during the whole liturgy of the Eucharist, but I fear it would be too distracting for others. Maybe on a weekday mass if I was in the very back.....

Hello again,

There was an elderly couple just in front of me that attended morning Mass for a while and knelt for the most part like myself. They arrived very early too before Mass, and remained for a little while afterwards. They also appeared to be very annoyed (and weren’t afraid to show it) at the appalling behaviour/noise of some people immediately after Mass. These particular people (some of whom are readers and Eucharistic Ministers) spend a lot of time talking around, at back, or just outside the Church. They obviously go to Church to meet other people, and would have all the aforementioned gestures, handshakes etc off to a tee. But all that means absolutely nothing without the proper interior disposition.

constantconvert · #45 May 23, '12, 4:51 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrueLight

I just cannot understand why one would not be focused on the words “Agnus Dei” and the implication of those words, but choose instead to shake hands.

Nor can I understand why the GIRM doesn't give us the option of kneeling, especially since we kneel right after anyway! (Doesn't it seem like way back we used to kneel at the Agnus Dei? Or maybe it was because I lived in another diocese-- is it an option given to the bishops?) Oh, I forgot, you attend the EF, right?