Manila Bulletin
Philippines
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CBCP clarifies hand gestures while singing the Lord's Prayer are liturgically accepted
Philippines
National
CBCP clarifies hand gestures while singing the Lord's Prayer are liturgically accepted
CBCP clarifies hand gestures while singing the Lord's Prayer are liturgically accepted
Published Jul 15, 2023 02:06 am
The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines has clarified that traditional hand gestures such as raising one’s hands, holding hands with family members or folding one’s hands in prayer are liturgically accepted while singing or reciting the Lord’s Prayer (Ama Namin) during mass.
CBCP logo (Facebook)
“We are, therefore, exhorted to exercise sincere respect for each other in the gesture we express during the prayer,” said Capiz Archbishop Victor Bendico, chairman of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Liturgy. In a circular, the Church leader reiterated the CBCP’s previous statement that the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) “neither forbids nor prescribes raising hands or holding hands while praying the Lord’s Prayer during mass.” The archbishop said that more important than the hand gestures is one’s connection with the Lord while singing the “Ama Namin.” “The faithful can recite or sing it with a gesture that can best help them to experience and express themselves as God’s children,” Archbishop Bendico said. “For many of the faithful, it is in raising their hands in an orans posture that they can express the filial love and reverence contained in the prayer. Nothing in the Scriptures nor in the Christian tradition of worship forbids them from doing so,” the prelate stressed. The CBCP said the issue of the proper gesture while singing the Lord’s Prayer at mass was among the items discussed during the CBCP’s recent plenary assembly in Kalibo, Aklan. For his part, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula supported the statement of the CBCP-ECL. “Let us respect the decision of the faithful on the gestures they take, whether raised or joined hands or holding each other’s hands, This should be done in harmony with the nature of the prayer and in deference to others who are present in the celebration,” His Eminence said. “The Lord’s Prayer is not only a prayer formula but a program of the Christian life founded on the Good News that Jesus proclaimed, lived, and died for. This, therefore, demands from us conversion of life that makes the will of the Father the foundation of our life. The fruit of this is our love of our brothers and sisters,” Cardinal Advincula said.
CBCP logo (Facebook)
“We are, therefore, exhorted to exercise sincere respect for each other in the gesture we express during the prayer,” said Capiz Archbishop Victor Bendico, chairman of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Liturgy. In a circular, the Church leader reiterated the CBCP’s previous statement that the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) “neither forbids nor prescribes raising hands or holding hands while praying the Lord’s Prayer during mass.” The archbishop said that more important than the hand gestures is one’s connection with the Lord while singing the “Ama Namin.” “The faithful can recite or sing it with a gesture that can best help them to experience and express themselves as God’s children,” Archbishop Bendico said. “For many of the faithful, it is in raising their hands in an orans posture that they can express the filial love and reverence contained in the prayer. Nothing in the Scriptures nor in the Christian tradition of worship forbids them from doing so,” the prelate stressed. The CBCP said the issue of the proper gesture while singing the Lord’s Prayer at mass was among the items discussed during the CBCP’s recent plenary assembly in Kalibo, Aklan. For his part, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula supported the statement of the CBCP-ECL. “Let us respect the decision of the faithful on the gestures they take, whether raised or joined hands or holding each other’s hands, This should be done in harmony with the nature of the prayer and in deference to others who are present in the celebration,” His Eminence said. “The Lord’s Prayer is not only a prayer formula but a program of the Christian life founded on the Good News that Jesus proclaimed, lived, and died for. This, therefore, demands from us conversion of life that makes the will of the Father the foundation of our life. The fruit of this is our love of our brothers and sisters,” Cardinal Advincula said.