Conference to Promote Communion Kneeling and on the Tongue

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Referring to what Benedict XVI called a “sort of ‘nuclear fission’” that takes place when bread and wine is turned into Christ’s real body and blood, Msgr. Bux explained how transubstantiation brings about a “process of transformation of reality, a process leading ultimately to the transfiguration of the entire world, to the point where God will be all in all.”

Kneeling before the Holy Eucharist is therefore “the most eloquent expression” a person can make in front of the “present mystery,” said Msgr. Bux. “Divine worship has this central focus: to realize that the Lord is here and to give him importance, that is, to worship him by bringing us to our knees, as Saint Peter did at the Sea of Galilee.”
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I agree with kneeling and on the tongue, but everyone in my parish received standing in hand. I’d feel like I’m making a display of myself if I kneel. At the same time it seems more correct to reverence God than to protect the sensibilities of those who don’t want to be bothered by “excessive reverence”, if that would even be the case.
 
They asked that the possibility of receiving Holy Communion on the tongue and kneeling be guaranteed and that the distribution of the Eucharist by the laity be prohibited.
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Receiving on the tongue kneeling is already guaranteed so not sure what they’re on about there. As for the second part, unless they want to do away with frequent reception of the eucharist or suddenly magic up a massive amount more priests and deacons, distribution by the laity is here to stay!
 
Sure, the way it’s pictured. But my experience with an actual communion rail is that it goes very quickly, in a surprisingly organized fashion.
 
Powdercoater said:
Sure, the way it’s pictured. But my experience with an actual communion rail is that it goes very quickly, in a surprisingly organized fashion.
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Yup. And at the church of my childhood they had both - if you sat in the front half you processed up to the Communion rail; in the back half you processed to the “halfway mark” where Eucharistic Ministers distributed Communion and you received standing. So parishioners has a choice based on where they sat. Seemed nice to me.
 
Communion on the tongue, while kneeling is already allowed by the Church. I have no problem with people trying to promote it, but I do have a problem with those same people trying to take a legitimate option away from others.
The Church has spoken, COTT and CITH are both acceptable options. One is not “better” than the other and receiving kneeling and on the tongue does not make one a “better” Catholic.
 
Without a communion rail, it complicates the procession. What If one cannot kneel? Doesn’t that make them a sort of second class citizen in the eyes of all who watch?

I believe that reverence is in the heart of the communicant, and not in any physical posture.
 
po18guy said:
What If one cannot kneel? Doesn’t that make them a sort of second class citizen in the eyes of all who watch?

I believe that reverence is in the heart of the communicant, and not in any physical posture.
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Amen. And thank you. I rest my case.
 
And I’d be making a display of myself when I try to get back up. I would hope that at any church that insists that you kneel, they have a muscular volunteer “helper-upper” for those who can’t spring or levitate back up.
 
po18guy said:
Without a communion rail, it complicates the procession. What If one cannot kneel? Doesn’t that make them a sort of second class citizen in the eyes of all who watch?

I believe that reverence is in the heart of the communicant, and not in any physical posture.
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Is that really what you think? You honestly believe that everyone else is the parish is going to look down on someone who physically can’t kneel???

Obviously physical posture matters to a degree, if not then why are we required to kneel during certain parts of the Mass?

If postures didn’t matter, then perhaps it would make sense that the next big liturgical change should be to do away with all required standing and kneeling then. Because by that logic one can have just as much reverence sitting through the entire Mass without needless action that is intended to reflect reverence, that one truly has in their hearts anyway.
 
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The article says . “The event, aimed at raising awareness about the way Jesus in the Eucharist is received, will especially urge greater reverence by receiving the Body of Christ kneeling and on the tongue rather than standing and in the hand.”

I strongly object to folk inferring that one way is more reverential than the other way .

Whichever way I receive the Eucharist , and I receive both ways , I am as reverential as I can be .
 
Crusader13 said:
You honestly believe that everyone else is the parish is going to look down on someone who physically can’t kneel???
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Yup. It has happened to me and is one of the reasons why I will never attend the EF in my diocese again.

I have an auto-immune disease that causes severe joint pain, but I look young and healthy.
When I approached the altar rail, I stood near the corner. The priest ignored me the first time he passed me, then told me to kneel if I wanted to receive. Since I could not, I left the rail and returned to my pew.

After Mass, I tried to talk to Father, who didn’t want to hear it. He accused me of lying and said that if I ever attended his Mass again I must kneel.

I also was demeaned by a bunch of people at an OF Good Friday service, who felt my lack of kneeling was just laziness.

So, yeah, I believe it can happen.
 
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Why should I waste my time and energy on people who are rude and judgemental?
I tried to have a very polite conversation with Father, he just didn’t want to hear it.
I also know of a few others who were treated very poorly by this priest, who feel the same way I do.

I know what they say doesn’t matter, and I really don’t care.

But for anyone to say that things like this don’t happen is wrong. And it says a whole lot more about them than it does me.
 
Shasta-Rose said:
And I’d be making a display of myself when I try to get back up. I would hope that at any church that insists that you kneel, they have a muscular volunteer “helper-upper” for those who can’t spring or levitate back up.
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Churches that “insist” that you kneel have altar rails and use them. The altar rail makes it a lot easier to get back up. Altar rails (at least in the US) also have really nice padding.

However, if there is still someone who cannot kneel due to really bad knees (or some other health issue that prevents them from kneeling), then are allowed to stand.
 
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I was not hurt or upset. I was actually quite angry that a priest would behave that way.
Needless to say, the Bishop was not so happy either, when he started getting lots of complaints from other people as well.

I have told you, twice now, that the priest in question did not care to hear my reasons.
Why should I continue to try to reason with an unreasonable man?

And why should I have to explain myself to anyone?

Custody of the eyes people. Learn it, live it.
 
phil19034 said:
However, if there is still someone who cannot kneel due to really bad knees, then are allowed to stand.
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Bad knees are not the only reason to not kneel.
It is no one’s, and I mean no one’s business to approach me, or anyone else, for not kneeling.
Period.
 
CilladeRoma said:
When I approached the altar rail, I stood near the corner. The priest ignored me the first time he passed me, then told me to kneel if I wanted to receive. Since I could not, I left the rail and returned to my pew.

After Mass, I tried to talk to Father, who didn’t want to hear it. He accused me of lying and said that if I ever attended his Mass again I must kneel.
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This doesn’t sound correct. The priest was wrong. However, typically, one would speak with the priest before hand.

Granted, I’ve never seen someone at the EF not kneel (even the most elderly), but I know that if one speaks with the priest before hand, a dispensation can be granted.
 
CilladeRoma said:
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phil19034:
However, if there is still someone who cannot kneel due to really bad knees, then are allowed to stand.
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Bad knees are not the only reason to not kneel.
It is no one’s, and I mean no one’s business to approach me, or anyone else, for not kneeling.
Period.
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You are correct. NO LAY person should approach you about that.

It would be just between you and your pastor (and obviously between you and God).
 
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