Answer: They actually are kissing a cross formed by placing the thumb and forefinger at right angles. Kissing the cross (as we do on Good Friday) is an ancient gesture of devotion.
Since they are blessed objects, sacramentals should always be treated with reverence and devotion. It is a custom of Catholics to kiss a rosary or scapular that they have accidentally dropped on the ground. The sign of the cross or a genuflection should be made deliberately and prayerfully.
They make a cross with their thumb and index finger; the thumb is the vertical bar placed over the index finger, which is the horizontal bar. By kissing their thumb, they are symbolically kissing the Cross of Jesus. It implies a humble acceptance of one's own cross in imitation of Jesus Christ.
We cross our forehead so that the Word of God may be in our thoughts and purify our minds. We cross our lips so that our speech may be holy and incline us to share the Gospel with others. And we cross our hearts to invite God to strengthen our love for Him and others.
Every time a priest kisses or reverences the altar, he does so in order to honor the altar of sacrifice (which represents Christ) where the miracle of the Eucharist occurs. The kiss also signifies the union of the Spouse (Christ) and his Bride (the Church).
Answer: If they are married to each other, it is no sin at all, as long as it is done in appropriate circumstances. If the persons are not married, then such kissing is not permitted, since it provides a compelling incentive to proceed to full sexual relations.
There's nothing wrong with affectionate acts like holding hands or kissing, they're great! But it's important that what we say with our bodies is consistent with our intentions. That's why Catholics believe that just “hooking up” with someone for the fun of it is wrong.
The gesture is not one common in our culture, although we use the words “breast-beating” in certain contexts. We strike our breasts in the liturgy because it is a nonverbal way of saying in the Bible that you are repentant.
A blessing, as a prayer, is a sacramental. By blessing water, Catholic priests praise God and ask him for his grace. As a reminder of baptism, Catholic Christians dip their fingers in holy water and make the sign of the cross when entering a church.
Kneeling is a sign of humility. It's a common posture for personal prayer and worship. Catholics kneel during the Eucharistic Prayer, that central point during the Mass when God comes down to us, when the Eucharist is transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Bowing is a sign of profound reverence.
Most commonly, we “fold” our hands during prayer. This term actually refers to two separate positions which are used fairly interchangeably. The position that interlaces the fingers suggests a more introspective posture, and possibly a more fervent frame of mind.
Premarital sex is always a sin and, in some cases, so is passionate kissing if the intent is sexual arousal between unmarried people, although in cases when they are engaged to be married, such kissing can be considered groundwork toward the eventual marital sex act, according to the Catechism—as long as it stays at ...
In most Christian rites, Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches (or the branches of other, native trees), representing the palm branches that the crowd scattered before Christ as he rode into Jerusalem. These palms are sometimes woven into crosses.
Some people wear the rosary around their necks because they believe that it provides protection or blessing. This is superstitious, and therefore wrong.
Rosaries are a very special symbol and prayer guide for Catholics, Anglicans and Lutherans. They are not meant to be worn around the neck; they are meant to be held and prayed with. Each bead symbolizes a prayer, and "saying the rosary" takes quite a bit of time.
In a word, yes. If your rosary gets wet, we recommend that you dry it off as much as you can with a towel, then let it dry in a cool dark spot.
It is to shake the soul awake into the consciousness that God is calling, so that she may hear, and take his part and punish herself. She reflects, repents and is contrite. It is for this reason that priest and people strike their breasts when they confess their sins at the foot of the altar.
The sign of the cross was made from forehead to chest, and then from right shoulder to left shoulder with the right hand. The thumb, forefinger, and middle fingers were held together to symbolize the Holy Trinity– Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Although the washing of the feet imitates Jesus' act of love for his disciples on the night before he died, it is not a re-enactment of that moment of Jesus' life. It is a ritual that signifies our participation in Christ's mission of love and service to one another and to those in need in our world today.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that when Catholics are baptized “the sign of the cross, on the threshold of the celebration, marks with the imprint of Christ the one who is going to belong to him and signifies the grace of the Redemption Christ won for us by his cross” (CCC 1235).
You might notice parishioners of a certain age or cultural background (i.e. Southern European) will instinctively raise their right hand to their chest and tap their chest three times as they say that new line. The action is a sign of remorse for the sins we confess in the prayer.
The key to what to wear to a catholic wedding is to keep it modest. So, the last thing you want to do is wear something with a plunging neckline that shows too much cleavage.
Many people are surprised to hear that even within marriage, the Church makes a distinction between oral “sex” and oral stimulation. If we define oral sex as orally stimulating the male partner to orgasm, then the Church prohibits that even for married couples.
A consecrated virgin is a never-married woman who dedicates her perpetual virginity to God and is set aside as a sacred person who belongs to Christ in the Catholic Church.
As faithful Catholics, you have a duty to model the correct behavior. By sleeping in the same bed, you risk letting others think that what you're doing is good and moral. This is what's called the sin of scandal.