Fr. William P. Saunders
Straight Answers
Holding Hands During the Lord's Prayer
In one of your previous columns, you addressed the reason for gestures at Mass. I am puzzled however by a seemingly new gesture: that of holding hands during the Lord's Prayer. I feel very uncomfortable doing it. I heard it is actually a violation of Canon Law because it assumes an intimacy or communion before the "real communion," the Eucharistic celebration. Why do pastor's allow it?
Read more
More Straight Answers
- The Sign of the Cross
- Pornography
- Transubstantiation
- Suicide
- General Absolution
- Tarot Cards
- Who is Elijah?
- The Shroud of Turin
- Receiving Communion
- Confession Comes First
- The Proper Response in Handling a Fallen Host
- The Case of Terri Schiavo
- Angels - Part 1
- Angels - Part 2
- Modest Dress
- Stem Cell Research
- Our Father
- Missing Mass
- Masses for the Dead
- Annulment: A Catholic Divorce?
- The Immaculate Conception
- The Twelve Days of Christmas
- Is There a Santa Claus?
- Excommunication: A Call to Grace
- Daily Mass and Priestly Obligation
- Is Baptism Necessary For Salvation?
- Church Teaching on Abortion
- What is Shrove Tuesday?
- The Ashen Cross
- Lenten Pretzels
- Making a Good Confession
- The Eastern Rite Church
- Can the Pope Retire?
- Who Really Killed Jesus?
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Euthanasia
- The Path to the Papacy
- John Paul the Great
- Did Jesus Have Brothers?
- Apparitions and Dogma
- The Holy See and the Chair of St. Peter
- The Gifts of the Spirit
- Why Do We Call Catholic Priests 'Father'?
- St. Anthony: Patron of Lost Things
- Whose Homily Is It?
- Dismas and Longinus
- The Gnostic Gospels
- St. Michael the Archangel
- One Faith, Two Creeds
- Basilicas, Cathedrals & Shrines
- Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
- Who Was Mary Magdalene?
- The Feast of the Assumption
- The Primacy of Peter
- Mass Intentions
- St. Helena and the True Cross
- Mother of Sorrows
- Freemasonry
- Origins of the Rosary
- Origins of the Rosary - Part II
- What Is a Novena?
- Purgatory
- The Celebration of Advent
- Christian Twist to Christmas Decorations
- The Advent Wreath
- The "O Antiphons"
- The Christmas Tree
- Mary: True Mother of God
- The Holy Name of Jesus
- Women Deacons
- Mary as Our Lady of Hope
- The Feast of St. Blaise
- Sterilization as Contraception
- The Placement of the Tabernacle
- The Origins of Lent
- The Symbolism of the Gospel Writers
- Lead Us Not into Temptation
- The Morality of 'Sex Change' Operations
- Leave Cell Phones at Home
- Traveling the Path to Catholicism
- Answering 'Amen'
- Images Surrounding the Crucifix
- The Chrism Mass and Holy Oils
- Holy Water
- Jesus Descended into Hell
- The Mortal Sin of Blasphemy
- Who Wrote the Gospels?
- The Fable of Pope Joan
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Our Lady of La Salette
- The Sacrament of Penance
- St. Joseph
- St. Joseph - Part II
- Mary as Our Lady of Hope
- What Is Purgatory Like?
- Masses for the Repose of Souls
- Marriage Problems
- Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Our Lady of Guadalupe (Part II)
- Halloween and All Saints Day
- All Souls Day
- Why Fast Before Communion?
- When was Jesus Born?
- Who Were the Magi?
- The Sadness of Life After Abortion
- Celibacy in the Priesthood
- The Elusive St. Valentine
- The Passion of Christ
- Cruelty Toward Animals
- The "Lamb of God"
- The Easter Triduum
- Cremation
- Why Is Bad Language a Sin?
- Brushing Up on Confession
- The Pervasive Reach of Pornography
- The Church and Contraception (Part 1)
- Marital Love Is Sacred Action
- Marital Love Is Both Unitive and Procreative
- Natural Family Planning
- Church Teaching Has Solid Foundation
- The Pressure to Contracept
- The Miracle of Lanciano
- Confused by Terminology
- The Catechism: A Gift for Everyone
- Prudence: Mother of All Virtues
- Justice, Fortitude, Temperance
- An Irish Catholic Tradition
- The Debate Over Incorruptibility
- Selecting the Right Godparents
- Does the Church Condone Tyrannicide?
- Disposing of Blessed Objects
|
