At papal Masses a prie-dieu is set up for Pope B16 to distribute communion on the tongue to kneeling people. Should parishes do likewise for priests'

[MusicMan]

I think there are several problems here… First, the faithful have the right to receive in the hand in the US. Regardless of the history or validity of the history behind it, it is allowed.

Second, we’ve argued a lot on CAF over “line jumping” so that the faithful who wish to receive from the priest can. Without derailing this thread to rehash that, there are some here who believe that the faithful have the right to receive exclusively from the hands of the priest. While I don’t necessarily agree with this position, I would find deliberate forcing of the faithful to receive from a lay person serving as an emHC to be very wrong. This creates unnecessary and potentially improper division among the faithful.
As a corollary, while the argument can be made that the faithful have the right to receive from the hands of a priest, same argument cannot be made that the faithful have the right to receive from the hands of the Pope.

Third, the norm for reception is standing. I would envision this creating a situation where the faithful were misled to believe the norm was kneeling at the prie-dieu.

 

[Lepanto]

Hi again.
Did you see my post?
The Pope offers this option because kneeling is his preference.

I suspect that there are countless people in the pews who have this preference as well, but for various reasons do not make their preference known.

I’m sure those priests who prefer the communicant to kneel have made provisions.

I think that this idea has never even crossed the mind of most priests. The Pope’s example is not only pedagogical in this regard but it also legitimizes this idea.

If the priest prefers the standing posture, is very tall, or has a back problem, and there is not much request for kneeling, he certainly will not offer this option.

If the priest has physical reasons not to do it (too tall, back problems, etc.) that would be a good reason to think twice.

But again, many people don’t request a lot of things that they want, so I’d be careful about not offering this choice just because there does not appear to be any demand for it. Do most people even know about the Pope’s new practice? I highly doubt it.

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

But again, many people don’t request a lot of things that they want, so I’d be careful about not offering this choice just because there does not appear to be any demand for it. Do most people even know about the Pope’s new practice? I highly doubt it.

Hi again,

You missed part of my response (which was also stated by Music Man)

Some pew space could be reserved and an EMHC could distribute to that section. Most parishes have many more people who wish to receive from the priest, than wish or are able to receive kneeling. The common good of the faithful does not warrent the priest to be given this station.

You are not considering the fact that you are requesting the celebrant to act against the norm and probably against the common good to satisfy your preference.

Lux

 

[Lepanto]

I think there are several problems here… First, the faithful have the right to receive in the hand in the US. Regardless of the history or validity of the history behind it, it is allowed.

As set up in the original post, the other lines would be unchanged for standers and those people may exercise their “right” to receive on the hand if they desire.

Second, we’ve argued a lot on CAF over “line jumping” so that the faithful who wish to receive from the priest can.

This would be a legitimate concern. The hope would be that the majority of the regular parishioners who have a preference could sit in pews that would be amenable to this. Also, keep in mind that until recent decades, ushers in this country did not “release” each pew one at a time in order from front to rear. People all just came up as they pleased and it all worked out.

 

[Lepanto]

Hi again,

You missed part of my response (which was also stated by Music Man)

You are not considering the fact that you are requesting the celebrant to act against the norm and probably against the common good to satisfy your preference.

Lux

In my experience, I have never seen priests’ communion lines longer than those of EMHCs. The only line-jumping that I ever see is people jumping into shorter lines (reminds me of what I do at grocery store check-outs).

You say “against the norm.” What norm are you referring to?

 

[Lux_et_Tenebrae]

Hi Again,

The standing norm for Holy Communion. The priest may not deny communion to a kneeling communicant, but the norm is standing and there is no instruction to set up the provisions you suggest. Why would he go against the norm and his personal preference if there is not a large request for this?

My suggestion would be to discuss this with the pastor, if I wished to kneel and there were no provisions, and also see if others wished to kneel and would also ask to be accommodated.

Lux

 

[stanthonyserver]

Last night I watched on EWTN the Mass of the Epiphany celebrated by the Pope .

I don’t have a stand (no pun intended) either way but I did notice that all the cardinals and I’m guessing bishops received standing and almost every one of them took the host in the hand. And that was true of, I would estimate, 90 percent of the people there.

So while the Pope may prefer to give communion to those who kneel and only by mouth - the Vatican would seem to practice otherwise.

Just an observation.

David