Whats with holding hands?

Philippines
October 13, 2012 8:17pm CST
I will be referring to the Catholic mass here guys. I grew in a provincial area with people who are really passionate and devoted into their faith. During mass, I could really see people even strangers to one another holding hands during the Lord's prayer. However, here in the city, most people do not really bother to hold the hands of the person sitting next to them even if their hands will almost meet. It really pisses me off seeing people not doing a very simple act. Is it really that awkward to hold someone else' hand during the mass?
2 people like this
9 responses
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
15 Oct 12
I don't know how people sees this kind of prayer or mass. But my religion doesn't require us to hold hands when praying because we kneel down when we prayed.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
15 Oct 12
Its just a part of our mass and not entirely the whole mass we do this. There are also some part in our mass that we kneel down.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
14 Oct 12
Here in mexico many hold hands during mass. I see a few who dont. But almost all do. I assume because they want to. Not because they have to.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
15 Oct 12
Cool. I want to be there too to experience such.
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
15 Oct 12
I was raised in the Province and I did the same thing with you but now I am here in Manila, I attended some to the Mass here in Baclaran and Quiapo church. I observed that there's a big different specially the one you mention. Maybe they don't know each other and of course to be practical. You can pass viruses to others through your hand. Better like this way.
1 person likes this
@aabuda (1722)
• Philippines
14 Oct 12
But I have heard in one of the masses that the priest is not agreeing to the holding hands thing because it is not encouraged by the Diocese. I don't know why it has been our way in singing the Lord's Prayer...
1 person likes this
• Philippines
15 Oct 12
I see, so its not really encouraged by the Diocese. I still find it invalid as to the reason of such action.
@lady1993 (27225)
• Philippines
14 Oct 12
Well, i live in the city.. People used to hold hands in mass. Whenever we have a school mass, since i went to a Catholic school, all of us held hands.. I think it started with the warning of the SARS virus.. that people were warned not to hold hands.. and it went on a for a time, people just didn't want to hold hands anymore.
1 person likes this
@yuekim123 (161)
• Philippines
16 Oct 12
You must also understand, yours is different from theirs. Just saying.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
16 Oct 12
It depends like if you want to hold hands with them or not then you have your own option as they cant just grab your hand if you dont lend you hands to them. Same thing here in the city. Its a symbols or unity when singing the lords prayer that your praying as a whole thogh some rise their hand with palm open as a symbol of receiving god`s grace. Any of the two will do. What matter is your presence with the lord.
@kokomo (1867)
• Philippines
14 Oct 12
Maybe it is only in the province that made the tradition of "holding hands in mass" not vanished and has been practiced since today.I have also noticed that before. It feels awkward sometimes because you are holding with someone's hand and you are not aware what is in their mind,if it is comfortable with them also or not.
1 person likes this
@kiiw013 (102)
• Slovenia
28 Oct 12
Well to be very honest with you. HOLDING HANDS IS NOT OFFICIALLY PART OF THE MASS. NEITHER IS IT PART OF THE RUBRICS OR MENTIONED IN ANY CHURCH DOCUMENTS. In fact, NOT HOLDING HANDS is the PROPER and NORMAL way that a mass is supposed to be. HOLDING HANDS is an unofficial gesture that developed in the US and spread to a few other countries, Traditional Catholic Countries and places never hold hands, because it is simply not part of the mass, and not part of official church tradition.