Perigrina Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 In days gone by it was customary to bow and kiss a priest's hand. And we still call him "father", so........ y'know... Y u gotta be liek dat? Is it not appropriate to honour those who have authority over us? One parish I sometimes attend has a lot of Filipino immigrants who retain their customs of visible gestures of respect to priests like bowing and hand-kissing. I really like the idea because I hold priests in very high respect, but it would be awkward for me (and probably most Western priests) because we are not from a culture that does this. The thing that makes a priest so worthy of respect is his role in confecting the Eucharist. While bishops have additional powers of governance and teaching, nothing is as significant as the Eucharist.
Nihil Obstat Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 One parish I sometimes attend has a lot of Filipino immigrants who retain their customs of visible gestures of respect to priests like bowing and hand-kissing. I really like the idea because I hold priests in very high respect, but it would be awkward for me (and probably most Western priests) because we are not from a culture that does this. The thing that makes a priest so worthy of respect is his role in confecting the Eucharist. While bishops have additional powers of governance and teaching, nothing is as significant as the Eucharist. There are a couple people at my parish who do it too. I would find it awkward for myself as well, but I do wish it was still the prevailing custom.
Credo in Deum Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 Every time I read "confecting....", I always think of.. http://youtu.be/LcufmQqovUQ
truthfinder Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 The EF has several times where kissing the priest's hand is required - receiving the palm on palm Sunday, candles on candlemas, etc. At solemn high Masses, the servers also frequently kiss the priest's hand.
Perigrina Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 The EF has several times where kissing the priest's hand is required - receiving the palm on palm Sunday, candles on candlemas, etc. At solemn high Masses, the servers also frequently kiss the priest's hand. I think the EF is better in general at expressing the importance of priests.
Credo in Deum Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 The EF has several times where kissing the priest's hand is required - receiving the palm on palm Sunday, candles on candlemas, etc. At solemn high Masses, the servers also frequently kiss the priest's hand. It's also customary when receiving a blessing from a newly ordained priest. In fact you kiss the palm of his hands.
Nihil Obstat Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 It's also customary when receiving a blessing from a newly ordained priest. In fact you kiss the palm of his hands. A plenary indulgence is attached to a priest's first blessings, if I remember correctly. The first year following his ordination.
Nihil Obstat Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 If that is not a recognition of the great honour we offer our priests, then nothing is.
Byzantine Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 (edited) Your grace is typically for Britain, but also used in some dioceses of Canada; I don't think it is of common usage in the US. It is among Byzantine Catholics. Our Archbishop (that is, His Excellency WILLIAM (Skurla), Archbishop of Pittsburgh and Metropolitan of the United States) is Excellency and the other bishops are Graces. In England "Your grace" is for Archbishop and "My lord" is usual for Bishop. Fewer and fewer Bishops, it seems to me, want you to kiss the ring and even make it difficult for one to do so. Well, could be worse for them: they could be Eastern. We just have to hit the hand, which is easier than the ring. so how come as catholics we do not slobber all over a priests ring and bow or curtsy or call the priest some other fancy title to honor his role as priest. But gimme some time as I am still flipping through my bible and catechism to find out where and why it is right and more over expected to go above and beyond a normal greeting. I do (the hand, that is, not the ring #ImaByzCat), but only when a blessing is given or something. One priest I know kind of finds it awkward, I think. Another is probably used to it by now, whatever his personal thoughts on it. Especially given that his mom does it. To him. Edited June 23, 2014 by Byzantine
Nihil Obstat Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 (edited) A mark of a truly humble priest is that he can accept those customs which strike him as awkward or uncomfortable, because he knows it is not him being honoured, per se, but rather his office, his authority, and by extension God Himself who instituted those things. Edited June 23, 2014 by Nihil Obstat
truthfinder Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 It's also customary when receiving a blessing from a newly ordained priest. In fact you kiss the palm of his hands. True enough - although the OF priests who I've received first blessing from didn't exactly default to this -the one new priest I literally grabbed his hand (he doesn't like physical contact at all). I guess this would be absolutely expected in the EF. Question then: when we generally kiss priests hands in the rituals it seems more to be the 'outside' of the fingers, yet in first blessings it's the palms?
Selah Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 I will have to find where, but there was a picture of someone who shook hands with a Patriarch. He just smiled and took his hand and shook back xD
CatherineM Posted June 23, 2014 Posted June 23, 2014 Would that be Lynch in St. Pete? No, Archbisop Salatka in Okc.
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