I expect many readers were puzzled by the Congregation for Divine Worship’s decision to call for “restraint” at the sign of peace at Mass (“Faithful told a handshake will suffice at Mass”, News, 9 August).Let us, for example, assume that in a certain parish the sign of peace was becoming somewhat “riotous” and that some parishioners were uncomfortable. The obvious way forward would be for them to raise the matter at their parish council and, if necessary, the parish could then agree to modify its behaviour. So why does Rome yet again think it is its job to dictate to individual communities how they should act? It appears to be a long way still from recognising the existence and validity of the local Church.In terms of not allowing the priest to le