Topic: What's the deal with making the Sign of the Cross during the Penitential Rite at Mass?

Source of this posting: Moderator response to emailed question

Date originally posted: March 11, 2002

Moderator who originally posted this source: J. Ruffo

Question:  Our priest makes the sign of the cross during the Mass when he prays, (May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life). Why does he do this and what is the tradition behind it.  He is the only priest I have ever seen do it.  As he does this more and more of the congregation emulate him.  I'm not bothered by it, just curious.

Answer:

Dear Ken, 

Actually your priest there is liturgically correct in his interpretation of the rubric.  The General Instruction for the Roman Missal states that the penitential rite “is concluded by the priest’s absolution”.  He says: “May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life”.   

The traditional gesture of absolution is the “blessing” or the sign of the cross.  In the Sacrament of Reconciliation the priest extends his hand outwards in front of himself toward the penitent and makes the sign of the cross as the absolution is given, just like the blessing is given at the end of the Mass.  At the conclusion of the Penitential Rite during Mass, the priest is including himself in this request for mercy and so makes the sign of the cross on himself.  Members of the congregation joining him in this gesture seems very appropriate.  I’ve witnessed priests who still extend their hand outward even at this conclusion of the Penitential Rite at Mass for this sign of the cross, and other priests who do neither.  That having been said, I guess how this “priest’s absolution” is gestured or not at this point of the Mass is left up to the individual priest. 

Father John