Churches without kneelers?

[allhers]

Oh, tons of churches in Europe do have kneelers. My point is that we don’t hve to have them in order to kneel. I believe that kneeling is a very important and appropriate posture of reverence at certain times in the Mass. Especially at the Consecration. Personally, I can’t imagine standing then. In fact, if I had my preference, I’d kneel throughout the entire Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Me too:thumbsup: Even without a kneeler, and I too have had periods in my life where my knees “locked” and I couldn’t even bend my knees for days, but…those periods have been rare, thank God. (and what great opportunities to “offer it up.”)

 

[benedictgal]

Me too:thumbsup: Even without a kneeler, and I too have had periods in my life where my knees “locked” and I couldn’t even bend my knees for days, but…those periods have been rare, thank God. (and what great opportunities to “offer it up.”)

I have also knelt sans a kneeler. In fact, I would have to do it at the UT Catholic Center because they opted not to have them. In fact, the little room where we have daily Mass in my parish sometimes does not have the portable kneelers (for lack of a better word), and I still kneel.

What I was addressing is the trend, as indicated in the OP, of parishes wanting to do away with them. Heck, even the funeral homes, at least the ones down here, have kneelers.

 

[elizebeth123]

I’m curious about this, because I’m new to the Catholic faith. When I was at Mass this Christmas Eve, two visitors were kneeling in front of me without putting the kneeler’s down. (the kneeler’s were in working order.) I wondered at the time why this was done at the time and I have not seen it happen since.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

I’m curious about this, because I’m new to the Catholic faith. When I was at Mass this Christmas Eve, two visitors were kneeling in front of me without putting the kneeler’s down. (the kneeler’s were in working order.) I wondered at the time why this was done at the time and I have not seen it happen since.

Some people do it as a bit of extra penance.

Sometimes I do it because the angle of my kneeler relative to the pew in front of me is such that using the kneeler gives me excruciating lower back pain (I have ruptured discs). I can either slouch on my pew (which I don’t really want to do) or kneel on the floor and have my back relatively straight. It seems the only place I can use the kneeler comfortably is in the first pew, where the wood in front of the kneeler is a straight vertical, rather than angled.

 

[Fludgecow101]

Well is the church council allowed to decide if they don’t kneel in the church? Even before they redisgned, they had kneelers but no one used them anyways.

 

[benedictgal]

Well is the church council allowed to decide if they don’t kneel in the church? Even before they redisgned, they had kneelers but no one used them anyways.

The only one who can decide who kneels, and this is limited, is the diocesan bishop. He can decide whether or not to kneel after the Agnus Dei. However, we are bound by what is written in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.

This reminds me of an incident that occured in my old parish in Austin. The liturgy committee had the bright idea to remain standing throughout the entire Communion Rite. I was the lone vote of dissension and almost got booted out because I vehemently argued against it. It was an ugly fight. The transitional deacon (who was also my friend) and I got into something that would rival Triple H and Randy Orton. He even pushed it further by saying that we should not have kneelers. We were also haggling about rennovations to the parish, which, I am happy to say, have not occured (even some 17 years after our initial fight–the kneelers are still here ). Needles to say, it was not at all very pretty.

Unfortunately, they prevailed (this was back in the day before RS). I held fast to my kneeling and would not budge. This lasted a couple of weeks. Interestingly enough, not a few people complained to the bishop and he put a stop to the whole thing. Part of me felt like telling them, “I told you so”, but, I figured silence was golden. I still cherish my friend (who has since been ordained) and still love my old parish. I just worry about them.

 

[Aramis]

It should be noted that in many of the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches, most parishes will be without kneelers, as the Byzantine Catholics do not kneel during the Divine Liturgy. (And generally, do not kneel whilst praying, either, except during lent.)

Some do not even have seating.

 

[diggerdomer]

It should be noted that in many of the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches, most parishes will be without kneelers, as the Byzantine Catholics do not kneel during the Divine Liturgy. (And generally, do not kneel whilst praying, either, except during lent.)

Some do not even have seating.

Thanks Aramis, good point. I also think it’s instructive to note that in the early Church standing was the normal posture. Tertullian even remarked that we stand at prayer vs. kneeling. I’m not saying one’s better than the other…in fact that’s exactly what I’m saying: kneeling and standing are both reverential, respectful, and traditional postures at worship.

Cheers

 

[rosebudsal]

The way my church is built, kneelers would be very difficult to add. It’s a newer church and it’s built on a gentle slope, so the only kneelers in the church are in the first four rows of pews, on the level part of the floor. People often kneel anyway, but most often we just stand.

It’s been a little awkward at times, we’re kneeling during the Penitential Rite during lent and on Good Friday it’s a bit hard but as one of my catechism students said today, it’s a bit of suffering and penance.

 

[benedictgal]

The way my church is built, kneelers would be very difficult to add. It’s a newer church and it’s built on a gentle slope, so the only kneelers in the church are in the first four rows of pews, on the level part of the floor. People often kneel anyway, but most often we just stand.

It’s been a little awkward at times, we’re kneeling during the Penitential Rite during lent and on Good Friday it’s a bit hard but as one of my catechism students said today, it’s a bit of suffering and penance.

We are not to kneel during the Penitential Rite during Mass. Although I can understand why your parish might think it appropriate, we are not to amend the Mass as wel please. Redemptionis Sacramentum notes that:

[11.] The Mystery of the Eucharist “is too great for anyone to permit himself to treat it according to his own whim, so that its sacredness and its universal ordering would be obscured”.27 On the contrary, anyone who acts thus by giving free rein to his own inclinations, even if he is a Priest, injures the substantial unity of the Roman Rite, which ought to be vigorously preserved,28 and becomes responsible for actions that are in no way consistent with the hunger and thirst for the living God that is experienced by the people today.

Furthermore, there is no Penitential Rite during the Good Friday Liturgy. The General Intercessions are where we kneel and stand, but, that is not the Penitential Rite.

 

[Anais_Fleur]

Because of the lack of kneelers at the nearest parish (my “technical” home parish), I now go pretty regularly to our diocesan cathedral.

It’s really tough to stay focused and in the right state of mind when you see people standing at the consecration in a pose reminiscent of waiting on the 5:10 bus.

And I did try kneeling, but that’s a solid concrete floor. I started bringing in a pillow to kneel on, and got the weirdest looks when I did kneel (and walked in and out with my discreet pillow in hand). It’s not the friendliest parish.

Much happier at the cathedral. Sad, isn’t it?