Expert: Fr. Michael - 1/15/2006

Question
Fr. Moderator,
In a recent discussion with friends we talked about holding hands during the Our Father.  I was told that our Pope and rules governing Liturgy say that we aren't to hold hands during this prayer.  For me I feel more connected to the whole community, I see the Mass as a communal event and not a private worship time, when we do hold hands.  What does the church say about this?  Thank you.

Answer
You are obviously not speaking about the true Mass, the traditional Mass of two millennia, but that "New Mass" that was fabricated by the Masonic Archbishop Hannibal Bugnini and six Protestant ministers.  It is popular in some parishes, as the real Catholics have just walked out on it.

"Holding hands" is an unCatholic and completely unsubstantiated practice.  It is more reminiscent of the "touchy-feely" forms of Protestanism.  The purpose of the true Mass is to worship God and *He* has established through Sacred Tradition.  It is not up to man, let alone any individual, to decide what makes him feel good and corrupt true worship to suit himself.

You should make an effort to find the true Mass, the traditional Mass, not this New Order knock-off.  It has apparently already gone far to undermine your Catholicism.