Catholics - Do you like the sign of peace?

[Missy1961]

I like it. I know the feelings you are talking about.

But once, I was the person who was coughing & sneezing, and when I just wanted to nod my head & smile, someone wanted to shake my hand!

 

[auntpolly]

I don't like it at all - as a Catholic I find it very insincere. The same people who are falling over themselves to shake everyone's hands are the ones who are practically running over everyone in their SUV's to try to leave the church parking lot first and get home to watch sports.

It's really not like that at my church but I have to admit I felt that way at a parish I used to belong to -- I really hated it when they were all rushing out at the end, before the song was over, before even the priest left, kicking up their kneelers loudly.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

well, when I did go to church, I HATED it.

ME TOO!! Sorry but maybe I am just an anti social grump but I do not like to shake hands with strangers. Who knows where their hands have been? Did they wash them? I could go on and on. I hate it and always hope that they will FORGET IT when they do the mass. I do not go to church all that much so I think..." maybe they did away with it" But no ...they never do!

 

[JoyG]

ME TOO!! Sorry but maybe I am just an anti social grump but I do not like to shake hands with strangers. Who knows where their hands have been? Did they wash them? I could go on and on. I hate it and always hope that they will FORGET IT when they do the mass. I do not go to church all that much so I think..." maybe they did away with it" But no ...they never do!

Are most of the people strangers at your parish? Is that normal in the Catholic church? We don't have time during our shaking hands session to leave our pew and go 4 pews over or anything, but I usually know the names of the people sitting one or two pews in front of me and behind me. And even if I don't know their names I know their faces. That's why if I see someone unfamiliar I make a point of introducing myself. Do you find you generally know the other families and people in your parish or is that not too common?

 

[yalidae]

It's not that bad here in both Singapore and Indonesia. I tend to be normal at that session. People just shake their hands with each other, and just that. I think Sign of Peace is not a bad thing for me. Anyway, Sign of Peace would be a little weird if it is translated from English into Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian). In Indonesia we called it "Salam Damai" or if it translated into English, it would be "Peaceful Handshake" (you see, the language is a little bit weird if it is translated from Bahasa Indonesia into English vv).

 

[Brianne]

ME TOO!! Sorry but maybe I am just an anti social grump but I do not like to shake hands with strangers. Who knows where their hands have been? Did they wash them? I could go on and on. I hate it and always hope that they will FORGET IT when they do the mass. I do not go to church all that much so I think..." maybe they did away with it" But no ...they never do!

That's exactly how I feel & think. Like someone else said, it feels insincere. I know it's the church's way of getting people to branch out for fellowship, but sometimes I just want to be left in my own thoughts. I guess that sounds selfish but sometimes I'm more social than other times.

 

[nuke]

I love it. We have a very small parish and everyone is very friendly and open. I never feel anxious or uncomfortable wishing someone peace.
Maybe it's the hippie in me but I can't think of anything nicer to wish on someone. If you listen there are several parts of the mass where we are praying for or wishing for peace. Grant us peace, peace be with you etc. We all need more peace in our lives.

 

[goofygirl]

I'm not Catholic, we do the peace handshake in the Episcopal church and I really like it. Our parish is small and casual and friendly, so its more of a "peace mingle" where people go up and down the aisles and shake hands and chit chat.

You can't think about germs in church because we also have a common cup for communion- you just have to put any thoughts of "oh no I'm gonna catch something!" out of your mind.

Peace be with you!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I like it! My DD6 absolutely loves it. Its her time to move around and pretend she's a little politician. Makes her feel like she is part of the mass and not just sitting there being lectured.
However, I am also the type that will hold back if either one of us is coughing. I started some sort of coughing thing at church this winter, left quietly for a drink, etc. but it still wouldn't stop completely. I knew I wasn't planning on shaking anyone's hands but it was pretty funny to see the people sitting around me. They waved from as far away as they could. I wasn't offended at all!

 

[debknight]

DisneyGerry,
It comes right before the Consecration, doesn't it?

 

[4chitlins]

I've heard so many people say that they don't like it, that it is for them a really weird part of church, and that they wish we'd go back to latin mass, etc.

I really love it, and I think I am post Vatican II so I wasn't around for latin masses being the norm, but I like them in English.

When we do the sign of peace, it just makes me so happy -- people that don't look at all friendly, turn around and smile, and the people you think look the most stern ending up seeming so kind. Several times it's led me to actually meet someone new at mass.

So, tell me, do you like it, or is it something that you wish they'd take out?

Wish they'd take it out. I am very shy and don't like that part and I believe I would go more often if they took it out

 

[akhenaten]

I personally love the sign of peace!

I think my communion class was the introduction of it into our parish......I remember being told it was new......

 

[Minnesota!]

Love it!

 

[swea_pea1]

It comes after the Consecration and before Communion.

I personally love the sign of peace. Occasionally, I have run across people that didn't want to shake hands, and I just nod and tell them "Peace be with you".

When we were going through our Pre-Cana classes, the priest told us that if we went Church every week, it'll guarantee that no fight will last longer than Sunday. He was right...no matter what's going on in our lives, when my husband and I wish each other peace, we mean it and we move on. I love the sentiment, and just assume everybody around me means it like I do, whether they want to shake hands or not.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Never liked it.

 

[Pammyb]

Lutheran here-and do the sign of peace. I go to church with my Mom every Sunday and get a "peace hug" from her. We laugh about it, but it means a lot as she is a breast cancer survivor.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

NM--I was wrong.

 

[auntpolly]

Peace be with you!

And also with you!

 

[WDWLVR]

I've always liked it. We don't go crazy in our parish. Usually just do the people right around us and may do a slight wave to others farther away if we make eye contact. When I have a cold I'll usually just smile and nod and not extend my hand.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

That was a good point by goofygirl, how many of our RC friends use the communal cup at communion? I tend to hope that the wine is strong enough to kill the germs we're swapping.