Posted on 07/18/2013 3:18:07 AM PDT by markomalley
Of course we have lost reverence within the church...most churches are watered down versions of truth that mainly history with little understanding of how to guide people to real salvation. This famous new at fhu.com is doing that job!
“...wouldnt it make much more sense to do so at the beginning of the Mass, or when I first enter?”
In the Catholic Church on Hilton Head Island SC the celebrant announces,
“Before Mass begins, would everyone stand and introduce yourself to your fellow worshippers & say where you’re from? Most of us here are visitors.”
People shake hands and exchange names & hometowns. That gesture is more sincere & outreaching than the usual sign of peace which is omitted during the Mass.
They do that at the Cathedral in Las Vegas, I hate it and never participate when we are visiting there.
John Michael Talbot has a fastistic musican and medication recording, “Holy Ground” I’ve used it several times to break the ice in a group.
Yes, it makes a lot more sense.
I still would not like it, though. We have only one priest and a lay deacon. The deacon frequently asks if there are visitors. When the unfortunate persons raise their hands, he goes on to tell them to stand and say their name and where they are friend. To me, it is forced. If I want to introduce myself to people, it should be my choice, IMO. Also, some people are painfully shy and do not like to stand up and draw attention to themselves.
It’s disgusting - I don’t do it either yet feel guilty so am anxious and hate the whole process!! Lest I seem neurotic, my youngest daughter (15) has aplastic anemia, an auto immune bone marrow disease where the bone marrow makes less of all the types of blood cells. She is stable and produces enough white cells to be able to function (thank the Lord, this could easily be a worse scenario), but she is immunosupressed to a certain extent and this hand shaking is NOT good. There must be many people with immune systems that should not be doing this, elderly perhaps?
Sorry to rant, but I find the whole thing absurd. I do prefer the Latin Mass where this type of thing doesn’t go on, but the one closest to me is far and late in the day on Sunday ...
Sorry to rant - nice to have a sympathetic ear ... most don’t get it at all.
Do not apologize. Did not seem like a rant at all but merely an explanation.
I used to feel anxious about not shaking hands, but I do not any more. I actually had a woman ask me once after Mass why I do not shake hands, and I told her it was because of germs. It’s funny, but in my small parish I am noticing that a few more people are leaving out the handshake part. So maybe our side will prevail.
As far as handshaking goes, as a woman from the Boomer generation, generally I do not shake hands in any situation — unless it is forced upon me — as I was brought up with the tradition of handshaking as a greeting among gentlemen and not ladies.
I am completely with you regarding the Latin Mass. Miss the solemnity so much, especially in the face of all of this undignified stuff that goes on. But,like you, I have no reasonable choice for such a Mass.
God’s peace to you. And prayers up for your daughter’s health.
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