Here Are 10 More Things Most Catholics Been Doing Wrong at Mass- Including You

8. Sitting all the way in back

Is there something I don’t know? Do I need an escape route planned? Please, move forward; join the community…unless, of course, you’re incredibly contagious. But why habitually sit 80 feet away from the nearest person? This is the Church, the One Body of Christ, let’s act like it.

9. Holding hands at the Our Father

First off, this looks like it was born out of necessity by people standing next to one another in the Orans position, right? The people at the end of the chain have their un-held hand raised, do they not? Expecting or obliging the whole community to join hands is unacceptable because it has not been approved, but even small groups doing it is problematic and dissonant. It also emphasizes a horizontal perspective at a moment when we ought to be focused on the vertical. And it distracts from the true act of union, the reception of Holy Communion.

10. Relying on everyone else to know when to sit or stand

How long have you been Catholic? Neophytes are given a pass, but we should all know the moves by now. An uber-brief primer: Stand to pray, because that’s the posture of prayer from Temple worship. Kneel before the Eucharistic prayers and while waiting to receive Communion.