# Stupid and odd question about Catholic practices **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 6, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709 "2008-10-06T18:21:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/1 "2008-10-06T18:21:57Z")
…Can one do a proper Hail Mary (the stereotypical penance for small sins) without the use of one’s hands? If not, what adjustments are made for people without arms? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/2 "2008-10-06T18:28:10Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > …Can one do a proper Hail Mary (the stereotypical penance for small sins) without the use of one’s hands? > > If not, what adjustments are made for people without arms? Yes. I’m not sure why that’s even an question. Rosary beads are not required, nor is making the sign of the Cross. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/3 "2008-10-06T18:28:41Z")
“Proper” Hail Mary? What is one required to do with one’s hands? As an ex-Catholic I’m intrigued. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/4 "2008-10-06T18:29:10Z")
Thanks. I don’t know a darned thing, (that’s obvious) and I thought the rosary thing might be necessary. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/5 "2008-10-06T18:32:04Z")
Are you thinking of praying the Rosary? AFAIK, the “Hail Mary” is a prayer, which may be said aloud or silently, no arms required. Praying the Rosary means praying sets of prayers (usually the Apostles’ Creed, the Hail Mary, the Our Father and the lesser known Glory Be To the Father) using beads in your fingers to count your prayers, much like Tibetan prayer beads. One can say all the prayers without the beads, the beads just help keep count. (And give you something to do with your hands.) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/6 "2008-10-06T18:46:26Z")
Is the full Hail Mary, or the one you say when falling from a truck? Miss ya, George. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/7 "2008-10-06T19:46:35Z")
> [@](#): > > “Proper” Hail Mary? > > What is one required to do with one’s hands? Why, throw the football far downfield, of course. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/8 "2008-10-06T19:53:50Z")
As a Catholic, I can assure you that no one has successfully complted a Hail Mary without the use of both arms and legs in conjunction. (Go Notre Dame!) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/9 "2008-10-07T01:36:50Z")
Once again, wikipedia comes to the rescue: > **[Hail Mary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary)** > > The Hail Mary (Latin: Ave Maria) or Angelical salutation is a traditional Christian prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the Gospel of Luke: the Angel Gabriel's visit to Mary (the Annunciation) and Mary's subsequent visit to Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist (the Visitation). It is also called Angelical salutation as the prayer is based on the Archangel Gabriel's words to Mary. The Hail Mary is a prayer of praise fo In the L... Nothing in there about hands, arms, or, for that matter, penance. For those looking for the typical western Hail Mary prayer: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-and-odd-question-about-catholic-practices/466709/10 "2008-10-07T02:11:52Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > As a Catholic, I can assure you that no one has successfully complted a Hail Mary without the use of both arms and legs in conjunction. > > (Go Notre Dame!) I think I just found another difference between Irish and Roman Catholics.