When Do You Make the Sign of the Cross? A couple of weeks ago, when I was teaching an RCIA Class on the Mass, the question emerged about when we make the Sign of the Cross. The Catholics in the group shared how they were trained to make the Sign of the Cross multiple times. It may surprise you when and when not the rubrics call for the Sign of the Cross. Here is a little quiz. Answer Yes or No to the following if you should make the sign of the cross during these portions of the Mass. The Answer Key is someplace in the bulletin. 1. Anyone entering the church using holy water makes the sign of the cross on themselves. 2. The priest, putting incense in the thurible, makes the sign of the cross over the incense. 3. Anyone, making a genuflection, makes the sign of the cross on themselves. 4. All, at the beginning of Mass while saying “In the Name of the Father,” makes the sign of the cross on themselves. 5. All, when the priest says, “May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins…” makes the sign of the cross on themselves. 6. When the priest sprinkles with water, all makes the sign of the cross on themselves. 7. Priest or deacon, before adding water to the wine, makes the sign of the cross over the water. 8. Priest, holding a particle of the host just before dropping it into the chalice, makes the sign of the cross over the chalice. 9. Any minister of communion holding the host and saying “The Body of Christ.” 10. Anyone, after receiving Communion, makes the sign of the cross on themselves. 11. The priest, when saying the final blessing, makes the sign of the cross over the people. 12. The people, hearing the final blessing, makes the sign of the cross on themselves. 13. Anyone leaving the church using holy water makes the sign of the cross on themselves. I must admit – when I took this quiz, I did not score 100%. I share this quiz with you just to acknowledge we so easily add things to the liturgy. It becomes a problem when individual gestures begin to weaken the expression of unity or draws attention to an individual. This quiz comes from Fr. Paul Turner’s book, In these or Similar Words.
When Do You Make the Sign of the Cross?
A couple of weeks ago, when I was teaching an RCIA Class on the Mass, the question emerged about when we make the Sign of the Cross. The Catholics in the group shared how they were trained to make the Sign of the Cross multiple times. It may surprise you when and when not the rubrics call for the Sign of the Cross. Here is a little quiz. Answer Yes or No to
the following if you should make the sign of the cross during these portions of the Mass. The Answer Key is someplace in the bulletin.
1. Anyone entering the church using holy water makes the sign of the cross on themselves.
2. The priest, putting incense in the thurible, makes the sign of the cross over the incense.
3. Anyone, making a genuflection, makes the sign of the cross on themselves.
4. All, at the beginning of Mass while saying “In the Name of the Father,” makes the sign of the cross on
themselves.
5. All, when the priest says, “May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins…” makes the sign
of the cross on themselves.
6. When the priest sprinkles with water, all makes the sign of the cross on themselves.
7. Priest or deacon, before adding water to the wine, makes the sign of the cross over the water.
8. Priest, holding a particle of the host just before dropping it into the chalice, makes the sign of the cross
over the chalice.
9. Any minister of communion holding the host and saying “The Body of Christ.”
10. Anyone, after receiving Communion, makes the sign of the cross on themselves.
11. The priest, when saying the final blessing, makes the sign of the cross over the people.
12. The people, hearing the final blessing, makes the sign of the cross on themselves.
13. Anyone leaving the church using holy water makes the sign of the cross on themselves.
I must admit – when I took this quiz, I did not score 100%. I share this quiz with you just to acknowledge we so easily add things to the liturgy. It becomes a problem when individual gestures begin to weaken the expression of unity or draws attention to an individual. This quiz comes from Fr. Paul Turner’s book, In these or Similar Words.