sign of peace in the Catholic Mass

[christMAScomesbutonceayear]

Am a very infrequent goer to Mass but when I do go I rather dread the bit where the priests says 'let us offer each of the sign of peace' - I just rather stiffly shake the next persons hand, but actually I find it excruciatingly uncomfortable...I always rather hope they'll skip that bit. Is it just me ? Did they always do this ? I can't remember it from childhood

oh well, call me old fashioned but I am not keen on any vestiges of happy clappiness edging it's way in !

You're luck it's only shaking hands. I was once at a service where they tried to get us to hug each other!

I was going to say that too georgiemum - I can barely manage the shaking hands thing but lived in the US for a bit and there was lots of hugging going on [repressed English emoticon]

It definitely wasn't done when I was growing up. I'm 44 and go through fits and starts with going to Catholic mass, but I'm sure it wasn't done in the 80's even...or maybe only came in tin the 80's. I hate it.

Tommy, at a wedding, you are all related or there for the same couples big day...I'd be worried if they weren't smiling

I've been known to have the odd kiss, and NOT from a family member, but a retired couple in the congregation!

def been part fo Mass since I was little and I'm 38 now. Maybe it didnt come in in England till later than in Ireland. Have noticed that Mass here is different to Ireland re sitting/kneeling/standing.

always thought it was a great part of Mass. Gave a chance to have a chat/whisper/giggle after having to be good for so long.

Why would you not want to shake hands with your neighbours at Mass? Isn?t friendliness and openness to others the most important point of Christianity? How can you love your neighbour if you won?t even shake hands? How can you get to know your neighbour if you won?t catch their eye and smile when wishing them peace?

oh - and we were definitely shaking hands in our church by 1976 - can't remember if it happened when I was very little...

I don't like it either.

I'd just prefer to be left in peace frankly..

I am from a southern european country, and we've always done it. it's one of my favourite parts of mass! really brings out the community sense for me. you brits and your stiff upper lip :-)

My mum told me a funny anecdote: when it was introduced (sometime in the 60s i gather?) her brothers who were then teenagers used to go up to all the pretty girls and offer them the sign of peace- together with a quick introduction and their phone number! I know i know, not quite the spirit, but hey...

ROFL beforesunrise!

I always hated it as a child. Old people's hands always felt so dry and sometimes the men smelt of beer!

I expect they'll be alcohol infused too at Midnight Mass

I'm 38 and we always did it when I was a child. I didn'tmind it, except my db and dsis whose hands were always clammy for some reason.

I was a great mass goer up until I was 12 and we definitely didn't do it then...

its my favourite bit of mass, after the singing