Catholics - Do you like the sign of peace?

[auntpolly]

Thanks for posting that Gerry -- isn't that beautiful?

And Barb -- LOL, hope he wasn't too embarrassed when he realized his mistake!!! I was so shy at that age it would have sent me into hiding!!

 

[kirbsam]

i rather enjoy it. i dont have enough time to decide which people are sincere or not, like some of you do. i have enough to pray about for myself and my kids to worry about whether or not somebody else is sincere. i like to greet people and say hello and say peace. after the sign of peace, people really seem to be happy. at least i am.

 

[goofy4tink]

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!

And also with you!!!
As our church's altar guild directress, I've been told by those supposedly in the know, when you drink from the chalice, the chemical reaction of the wine going from sterling silver (the interior of the chalice) to gold (the rim and outside of the chalice) cleanses the wine. Now, I don't know if this is true or not, but it could explain why most chalices are a combination of precious metals.
As for the peace, I'm lucky...I sing in a choir of only about 7 people..we already know who has germs, so don't exchange the peace with them! I find that when I'm in another church though, people are a bit standoffish about sharing the peace with someone they don't know. So, I will just offer a verbal 'peace of the Lord be with you' and let it go at that.
Our priest does find it neccessary to go up and down the aisle, 'peacing' as many people as he can touch....man, it adds length to the service!!

Helenabear...can I ask where you attend church? Just curious. Some in our church have inquired as to the possibility of doing away with 'intinction' and going with sipping from the chalice. I wondered if it was a more regional thing.

 

[disykat]

I'm not Catholic(I'm Lutheran), but we also pass the peace. I get uncomfortable sometimes when we do "greet your neighbors" but passing the peace is different. Our minister has spoken about how they are two different things. When you are passing the peace it's not about getting to know someone, it's sharing the peace of God. We simply shake hands and say "the peace of the Lord be with you". There's really no other conversation.

I have allergies and often use kleenex during services. I do not shake people's hands at those times. I politely say something like "I've got a cold so I won't share that with you, but I will say peace be with you!" and I pat their sleeve or something. I can tell people are relieved. It drives me crazy when people insist on shaking my hand right after they blow their nose and I try to politely get around it. It doesn't happen often, but when it does I've actually briefly left church to wash my hands after the peace because of it! I should just bring hand sanitizer I suppose.

I think sometimes these things just need to be talked about. Our previous minister was very good about explaining what the passing of the peace was for. He also wouldn't shake people's hands when he had a cold - he just greeted them without shaking - so it was all out in the open and people felt they had permission to do the same. He's been gone a while, so maybe it's time for the issue to be brought up again.

Germs are a HUGE issue with many people. We do communion by intinction. Those of us serving use hand sanitizer before doing so. We also switch hands whenever we "bless" a child who is not yet of communion age (I assume Catholics do that blessing too?). Our Pastor's have tried really hard to address these concerns so everyone can be comfortable.

 

[auntpolly]

i rather enjoy it. i dont have enough time to decide which people are sincere or not, like some of you do. i have enough to pray about for myself and my kids to worry about whether or not somebody else is sincere. .

Well said! Like I said, I think this is one of those reasons I need to be at church every week -- Some days it just seems like I'm mad at everyone -- people in traffic are "idiots" -- people on planes, oh, I just get so mad at everybody. But then I'm at church, during the sign of peace or specially at communion, and all that just melts away. I feel so humble, and I realize how we are really are one. And I'm just like everyone else, doing the best I can. It makes me very calm.

 

[LisaB]

I love the sign of peace and hate when they don't do it in some churches in the winter because of germs. Give me a break you probably get as many germs from turning a door knob. I also love that my church does the wine. I feel mre part of the Mass

 

[Talking Hands]

What is the sign of peace? When I read the first post in this thread I thought you meant the "peace sign" as in hippies, etc. I was thinking "how do they fit that into the mass?"

It sounds like you're talking about shaking hands or something? We do that every Sunday in church. The pastor says, "turn around and say good morning to someone" and we have 15-30 seconds of shaking hands. I enjoy it. But I usually end up shaking the same hands every week b/c I sit near the same people every Sunday. But when I do see an unfamiliar face I go out of my way to introduce myself and say welcome.

We do this in our church also and I do find I end up shaking hands with the same people each week as I need to stay close to where I am for when the preacher starts talking again (I interpret the worship for the deaf) I do try to shake hands with at least one hearing person as well as the deaf members I am near. And try to welcome new people near me deaf or hearing.

 

[tinkamom]

I don't mind offering the sign of peace but holding hands during the Lord's prayer sometimes makes me uncomfortable.

 

[auntpolly]

I don't mind offering the sign of peace but holding hands during the Lord's prayer sometimes makes me uncomfortable.

Yes, I admit I do too -- I think I've found a parish that suits me because we don't do that, though. I don't know why I don't like it, it's just a personal thing, I guess.

 

[Disney Doll]

I like it.

 

[goofygirl]

And also with you!!!
As our church's altar guild directress, I've been told by those supposedly in the know, when you drink from the chalice, the chemical reaction of the wine going from sterling silver (the interior of the chalice) to gold (the rim and outside of the chalice) cleanses the wine. Now, I don't know if this is true or not, but it could explain why most chalices are a combination of precious metals.
As for the peace, I'm lucky...I sing in a choir of only about 7 people..we already know who has germs, so don't exchange the peace with them! I find that when I'm in another church though, people are a bit standoffish about sharing the peace with someone they don't know. So, I will just offer a verbal 'peace of the Lord be with you' and let it go at that.
Our priest does find it neccessary to go up and down the aisle, 'peacing' as many people as he can touch....man, it adds length to the service!!

Helenabear...can I ask where you attend church? Just curious. Some in our church have inquired as to the possibility of doing away with 'intinction' and going with sipping from the chalice. I wondered if it was a more regional thing.

That's interesting about the sliver and gold and the wine, I didn't know that!

My Priest also takes the time to shake everyone's hand

The service in the Episcopal church is similar to what Gerry posted, only we use this for the Doxology:

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

I love this, it's really pretty when sung.

 

[JoyG]

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

I love this, it's really pretty when sung.

Oh the Doxology! I miss it ! The Baptist church I grew up in used to sing it every Sunday right before the sermon. This church I go to now doesn't.

 

[sodaseller]

Seems to me the sign of peace or kiss of peace was a Church reaction to the worldly 1960/ 70s. Peace be with you? Is anything more indictative of the late 60s than that? All that banners in the Church/ Signing Kumbaya, etc.

Shaking hands with your neighbor before Mass begins. At my Church people walk across aisles/ falling over 4 pews to shake hands with someone/ people exchanging recipes/ sport scores. Seems irreverant right after the Consecration as well.

Anyway

Gerry

It's a product of the 60s, the 0060s, really the 0030s. It was part of the original Christian liturgy modelled after the risen Christ's greeting in the sealed upper room

 

[sodaseller]

I don't mind offering the sign of peace but holding hands during the Lord's prayer sometimes makes me uncomfortable.

We do both as well as sign language during the music (we routinely attend a LifeTeen Mass). We love it all

 

[sodaseller]

Also I have not looked at the whole thread, but this may be changed in the new liturgical guidelines, with the rejoinder being closer to the original Lation/Greek "and with your spirit"

 

[sodaseller]

We start our service with the direction "Jesus welcomed the stranger. So that none may feel unwelcome, please rise and greet those around you."

Another touch I loved during opur visit on Vacation to St. Andrew's in Roanoke (a beautiful Church and a seemingly dymnamic parish), was the congregation's repeating of individual names during intercessions

 

[JVL1018]

Oh the Doxology! I miss it ! The Baptist church I grew up in used to sing it every Sunday right before the sermon. This church I go to now doesn't.

We sing it every Sunday after the offering/before "prayers of the people".
I looooove it!

 

[6_Time_Momma]

I personally don't care for it. It feels "fake" to me (I think someone else mentioned that, too".

 

[nuke]

I personally don't care for it. It feels "fake" to me (I think someone else mentioned that, too".

I wonder what feels fake to you and others that feel that way? Is it that you don't think the people wishing you peace are sincere or are you not sincere in your wish of peace on others?

I just think a little bit of compassion and kindness goes a long way in this world. Taking 30 seconds out of mass to give a smile and a wish of peace can't be that bad can it?

 

[MikeB63]

I am actually Byzantine Catholic and the liturgy is different, however, I have attended many masses in the Latin church (RC) and know the sign of peace well. I have no problem with it. As someone else said you contact more germs opening the door.

As for the "wine" at communion, a major teaching/belief of the Catholic faith is that the wine has been transformed into the actual blood of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you fellow Catholics think receiving Christ will make you sick? This is a bit of a sore subject with me. In my church, communion is actually both "wine" and "bread" and both are placed in the chalice and distributed by the priest with a small gold spoon. Occaisionally the spoon will hit people's mouth's or be touched by childrens mouths as children receive communion at their Christening(Baptism and Chrismation) and continue to receive as they grow older.