"A visiting priest told us it is not proper to hold hands when reciting the Lord's Prayer..."

This Rock Catholic magazine's Jim Blackburn has the story!



Source: "Quick Questions" section of This Rock magazine. July - August 2009.


Question:

"A visiting priest told us that according to the Vatican it is not proper to hold hands or lift our hands upward when reciting the Lord's Prayer -- that this was reserved exclusively for the priest, who offers the prayer collectively to God for the congregation. If holding hands is in violation of Church practice, then perhaps it needs to cease?"


Mr. Jim Blackburn's answer:


"In his book, Mass Confusion, Jimmy Akin states: ' The Holy See has not ruled directly in this issue. In response to a query, however, the Holy See that stated that holding hands is a liturgical gesture introduced spontaneously but on personal initiative; it is not in the rubrics ... for this reason, no one can be required to hold hands during the Our Father (161).' The appendix notes that the practice of holding hands during the Our Father is discouraged."


--Jim Blackburn.