Communion/Kneeling

[CaveCreekMommy]

How long are we supposed to kneel after receiving Communion? I was taught you must kneel until all the Host are put away. Some wait until the Priest sits down (but sometimes all the Hosts aren’t put away when he sits down)

Also, what about if they sing a Communion meditation song after Communion. Do we still remain kneeling? Some people kneel until after the song, others kneel before.

Thank and God bless,
Bethany

 

[kristanl]

I have been taught that you kneel until the hosts are back in the tabernacle.

 

[WetCatechumen]

The People of God are not soldiers. The rubrics do not specify the posture of the laity after receiving communion. There is freedom. If you wish to kneel, you may kneel. If you wish to sit, you may sit. If you wish to stand, you may stand.

Basically a paraphrase of Cardinal Arinze. In some dioceses, I believe that the position is specified, but for the most part, it is up to the individual layperson.

I personally believe that it is most reverential to kneel until all the exposed consecrated hosts are consumed or put away. After that, I would usually sit, but it’s such a short interval between that and the dismissal that I see no reason to. However, if someone else wants to sit or kneel, I cannot judge.

I also retain the host in my mouth without chewing until I’ve returned to my pew, so it seems odd not to kneel if God is in my mouth.

 

[Don9of11]

I remain kneeling until the priest has put away the host and sits down. Since we only have one priest how long I kneel has never been an issue nor do I concern myself with how long another person kneels after receiving communion. Usually once the priest has put away the host and sits down then you should sit down as well. If you have arthritis in your knees or some other reasonable reason for not kneeling for extended periods you should sit down. My understanding is that all communion music should be over or nearly over by the time the host is put away.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

The People of God are not soldiers. The rubrics do not specify the posture of the laity after receiving communion. There is freedom. If you wish to kneel, you may kneel. If you wish to sit, you may sit. If you wish to stand, you may stand.

Basically a paraphrase of Cardinal Arinze. In some dioceses, I believe that the position is specified, but for the most part, it is up to the individual layperson.

Exactly right. The Cardinal’s words are here: adoremus.org/1003Arinze.html . Specifically:

Does everybody have to stand until the last person has received Holy Communion?

There is no rule from Rome that everybody must stand during Holy Communion. There is no such rule from Rome. So, after people have received Communion, they can stand, they can kneel, they can sit. But a bishop in his diocese or bishops in a country could say that they recommend standing or kneeling. They could. It is not a law from Rome. They could – but not impose it. Perhaps they could propose. But those who want to sit or kneel or stand should be left reasonable freedom.

 

[Ignatius]

I was taught you must kneel until all the Host are put away.
Also, what about if they sing a Communion meditation song after Communion. Do we still remain kneeling? Some people kneel until after the song, others kneel before.

Thank and God bless,
Bethany

At Western Rite Churches, Out of reverence for The Body of Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of The Alter, I kneel until the hosts are back in the tabernacle. The activity of the choir has no bearing.

 

[Ralph4454]

I vote until the hosts are back in the tabernacle

 

[Phemie]

The GIRM says that the default position is standing, although we are free to kneel or sit if we wish. I opt to stand and sing the Communion hymn.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

The GIRM says that the default position is standing, although we are free to kneel or sit if we wish. I opt to stand and sing the Communion hymn.

During those precious ten to fifteen minutes when Jesus is bodily present within me, I would rather kneel and silently pray to Him in my own words — or no words — and acknowledge His sacramental presence, rather than sing some banal hymn that does not match the sentiments of my heart.

On the weekends when I serve as cantor, I have difficulty having to lead a Communion hymn at this time, suspecting that others in the pews may have the same preference. But for now, a Communion hymn is what is done in our parish. I just try to cut the hymn short when I can, so as to leave some time for sacred silence.

Soft organ music of a traditional Eucharistic hymn might be a good compromise, as long as it is not too intrusive. (There are a few wonderful Eucharistic hymns that actually assist my prayer rather than clash with it.)

 

[OraLabora]

During those precious ten to fifteen minutes when Jesus is bodily present within me, I would rather kneel and silently pray to Him in my own words — or no words — and acknowledge His sacramental presence, rather than sing some banal hymn that does not match the sentiments of my heart.

Ah, but then you may want to consider a Gregorian communion antiphon like Qui Manducat, or Videns Dominus or Primum Quarite, just to name a few.

They are most definitely not banal!

 

[John_Lilburne]

There was a similar question in December 2006, in this thread forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=125430 . As I wrote then, in post #6:

For a Stational Mass of the Diocesan Bishop the instructions are for all to sit when the bishop sits. From the 1984 Ceremonial of Bishops:
“166 When the bishop returns to the chair after the communion, he puts on the skullcap and, if need be, washes his hands. All are seated and a period of prayerful silence may follow, or a song of praise or a psalm may be sung.”
(Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 60).

This should still be followed, since from the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html it has:
“112. … At a Mass celebrated by the Bishop or at which he presides without celebrating the Eucharist, the norms found in the Caeremoniale Episcoporum should be observed.”

The “Caeremoniale Episcoporum” is the Latin title of the book “Ceremonial of Bishops”.

For other Masses the 2002 GIRM will apply. Here the instructions on posture after Communion are not clear.

On the one hand unity of posture is encouraged. For example: “42. … A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the Sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the intention and spiritual attitude of the participants.”

Another example of unity of posture is: “43. … With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.”

On the other hand “individual freedom of choice” seems to be encouraged by this part of 2002 GIRM n. 43: “… and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.”

 

[Phemie]

Rome has already responded to a dubium about the posture after one returns from Communion.

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
5 June 2003

        Prot. n. 855/03/L

        **Dubium**: In many places, the faithful are accustomed             to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to             their places after individually received Holy Communion             during Mass. Is it the intention of the *Missale Romanum*,            *editio typica tertia*, to forbid this practice?
        **Responsum:** *Negative, et ad mentem*. The *mens*             is that that the prescription of the *Institutio Generalis             Missalis Romani*, no. 43, is intended, on one hand, to             ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture             within the congregation for the various parts of the             celebration of the Holy Mass, and on the other, to not             regulate posture rigidly in such  a way that those who wish             to kneel or sit would no longer be free.
        Francis Cardinal Arinze
       Prefect

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Ah, but then you may want to consider a Gregorian communion antiphon like Qui Manducat, or Videns Dominus or Primum Quarite, just to name a few.

They are most definitely not banal!

I certainly agree.

The bad news: I don’t have much (name removed by moderator)ut into the hymn selection process at our parish (someone else selects the hymns), and there are certain parishioners who would mutiny if I tried that! (I am thinking of one elderly gentleman in particular who yells at our organist every time she does a “Sanctus” or “Agnus Dei” in Latin. I’ve started carrying around in my music folder the Latin/Gregorian chant “pride of place” excerpt from the Vatican II document so I can yank it out and show him next time he pulls that stunt. Am I sounding a little too spiteful? )

The good news: We are on the verge of having a weekly Tridentine Mass in our community, hopefully within a few weeks, and we have a schola raring to go. Can’t wait!

 

[OraLabora]

I certainly agree.

The bad news: I don’t have much (name removed by moderator)ut into the hymn selection process at our parish (someone else selects the hymns), and there are certain parishioners who would mutiny if I tried that! (I am thinking of one elderly gentleman in particular who yells at our organist every time she does a “Sanctus” or “Agnus Dei” in Latin. I’ve started carrying around in my music folder the Latin/Gregorian chant “pride of place” excerpt from the Vatican II document so I can yank it out and show him next time he pulls that stunt. Am I sounding a little too spiteful? )

The good news: We are on the verge of having a weekly Tridentine Mass in our community, hopefully within a few weeks, and we have a schola raring to go. Can’t wait!

We have a small schola in Sherbrooke, QC, about a dozen of us sing at any one time and we have about 20 members overall. We sing once a month. We used to rotate around parishes, then we were asked to stay at the same parish all the time. Then they tired of us, and now we visit a different parish each month. To be frank I prefer that, we can bring Gregorian Chant to a wider audience. Moreover our base parish was really poorly attended and seemed lacking in spirit.

We have visited some young parishes that were really vibrant, young families and all, and very uplifting. Oddly, we find we sometimes get a better reception from younger folks, as they discover what seemed like a lost tradition of the Church.

Many folks in their 60s and 70s are children of Vatican II’s worst excesses and therefore are not always keen on Latin.

The REALLY elderly folks though are amazing. We sang at the chapel of a nursing home a couple of years ago, and folks in their 80s and 90s, many quite clearly in advanced stages of dementia, were able to sing along with us.

 

[Digitonomy]

The GIRM says that the default position is standing, although we are free to kneel or sit if we wish.

I only got the second part of your statement from the GIRM (paragraph 43, quoted by John Lilburne in post #11), not the part about the default being standing. Is there a different instruction in the Canadian version, or did I skip a paragraph somewhere?

 

[Phemie]

I only got the second part of your statement from the GIRM (paragraph 43, quoted by John Lilburne in post #11), not the part about the default being standing. Is there a different instruction in the Canadian version, or did I skip a paragraph somewhere?

1. The faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance chant, or while the priest approaches the altar, until the end of the Collect; for the Alleluia chant before the Gospel; while the Gospel itself is proclaimed; during the Profession of Faith and the Prayer of the Faithful; from the invitation, Orate, fratres (Pray, brethren), before the prayer over the offerings until the end of Mass, except at the places indicated below.

They should, however, sit while the readings before the Gospel and the responsorial Psalm are proclaimed and for the homily and while the Preparation of the Gifts at the Offertory is taking place; and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.

But they should kneel at the consecration, except when prevented on occasion
by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some
other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow
when the priest genuflects after the consecration.

Nevertheless, it is up to the Conference of Bishops to adapt the gestures and
postures described in the Order of Mass to the culture and reasonable traditions
of the people.53 The Conference, however, must make sure that such adaptations
correspond to the meaning and character of each part of the celebration. Where
it is the practice for the people to remain kneeling after the Sanctus until the end of the Eucharistic Prayer and before Communion when the priest says Ecce Agnus Dei
(This is the Lamb of God), this practice is laudably retained.

OK, that’s the universal GIRM. Note that the only place where kneeling is required is at the Consecration. Except for that moment, the posture is standing from the “Orate frates” until the end of Mass although “as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.” They ‘may’ sit or kneel as opposed to the norm of standing.

It is this that prompted the dubium back in 2003: did the fact that the posture for Communion time was standing mean that when you returned to your pew you were forbidden to kneel until Communion was finished and the period of sacred silence started? The answer was 'No. While a certain uniformity of posture was hoped for, one could certainly kneel or sit upon returning to one’s pew after Communion."

Note that in the US version, the blue text above is replaced with the adaptations for the US:

In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after the consecration. The faithful kneel after the Agnus Dei unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise.53