Continuing to kneel after presiding priest has reseated himself

[Chatter163]

This puzzles me. Do you mean that in your parish empty vessels are kept in the Tabernacle?

I think the normal place for them would be in a safe in the sacristy, ready to be filled with altar-breads when the next Mass is prepared.

I was thrown off by this, too, but did not bother asking the OP, who started this thread three years ago and has since been banned.

 

[zab]

I have the same thought and experience. We were instructed multiple times by our priests in my parish to stand until the last person receives Holy Communion and then sit or kneel. Like you I prefer to kneel after the last person receives Communion until the “Let us pray” when all rise again.

As others have already said the GIRM 43 says "and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed. "

In Let Us Pray: A Guide to the Rubrics of the Sunday Mass author Father Paul Turner, Doctor of Sacred Theology, says “Many people assume the Communion ends when the tabernacle door is shut or when the priest sits down, but Communion ends when the last person has received.” (P751)** "The CDWDS* attempted to clarity the matter in a later statement permitting these devotional postures after each person receives Communion.** The intent of GIRM 43 is 'on the one hand, the ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture within the congregation for the various parts of the celebration of Holy Mass, and on the other, not to regulate posture rigidly in such a was that those who wish to kneel or sit would no longer be free" Prot.N.855/03/L). However, this did not eliminate the posture the GIRM had in mind all along, namely, standing. The documents, therefore, permit three different posture after receiving Communion." (P748)

*CDWDS Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
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Each individual faithful may chose to sit, stand or kneel upon returning from receiving Holy Communion for the period of personal prayer and reflection. No one may dictate the posture taken it is up to each individual. Most people remain kneeling until the tabernacle is closed or the Blessed Sacrament is removed from the sanctuary.

**These two posts seem to contrast. If communion ends only after the last person receives, do we stand once communion starts till it ends? **Or do we sit kneel until we get up to go receive then can choose to sit, stand or kneel immediately after returning to our seats and not wait till the rest of the congregation has received?

Maybe you are reading it wrong.

 

[marleelynn]

I remain kneeling until the Tabernacle door is closed but sometimes I wait until the Priest stands. It depends.

that is what I do… kneel (when I can – I have a back problem) until the tabernacle door is closed. at my parish most people kneel while the priest purifys the vessels.

 

[MrS]

I’ve noticed that there is a minority of parishoners who remain kneeling after the priest has reseated himself, following communion. What is the specific directive of GIRM regarding this action and posture? My understanding is that all in the congregation are required to reseat themselves when the presiding priest has reseated himself.I interpret this as an outward sign of unity.

IMHO, a lot of what the parishioners do is the result of the actions/reverence/attitude of the chief liturgist, the Priest.

The lack of oversight and uniform understanding of the GIRM results in many, many, of our priests either doing it wrong (their personal way), or not caring what the congregation does.

We have gone from a rather loose, progressive, innovative parish years ago to one where many changes have taken place"

we had: a lot of noise, visiting, “fellowship” prior to the beginning of the Mass
we have: witnessed the pastor spend many minutes before Mass kneeling in silent prayer in the sanctuary. His example had a profound effect on the noise.

we had: a song selection meant for a community praise and worship event
we have: replaced the non-Catholic music director with a very sincere young gal who now wonderfully plays the organ again, and selects music that could make B16 pleased.

we had: people who remained standing all through communion - reminded me of a sporting event when the first row stands up…
we have: virtually every person kneeling in prayer while the choir/cantor sings/chants softly from the Psalms

we had: people who went from standing to either leaving early or just sitting reading the bulletin
we have: the priest who returns the ciborium, purifies the vessels, and then returns to his chair, but kneels in silent prayer - as do the altar boys now vested in surplice and cassock.

In other words, reverence has not only returned to the Mass, but there is a profound evidence that everything is about Him.

oh yeah,
No more handholding during the Our Father
All the weekday Masses and the Sunday 2nd Mass are ad orientum
The Introit is now the entrance chant to bring focus to the Mass
Incense, patens, chalice and tabernacle veils, etc have been re-instituted
Homilies actually teach, instruct, admonish, etc

… and the parish is growing with many Masses having standing room only.

We are not only blessed with our pastor, but the new bishop is absolutely delighted in what is happening in the parish.

Praise God

 

[pickguard1]

I suspect you’ll see less of this now that there have been instructions regarding the purification of vessels.

…

Now that the priest purifies the vessels after communion and puts them back into the tabernacle and THEN seats himself, I seat myself when he does.

Simple as that.

What instructions are you speaking of? Do you have a link to them? The priest at my local parish doesn’t do any purifying of vessels that I’m aware of (at least as of last Sunday). Is this now incorrect?

 

[greggy53]

Ditto. I kneel for Christ on the altar. As I heard a mother once explain it simply, “we kneel until Jesus goes back into His house (tabernacle).”

That is what I was taught as well. We kneel while the tabernacle remains open. Most if not all do wait for the priest to sit at our Church.

 

[thomas_jd]

I personally kneel until after the blessing. Our Lord gives the blessing thru the priest.
This is how my wife and I were taught many years ago. Both taught by nuns at seperate schools. For us this is a solemn time of the mass.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

It may be that they kneel until they have finished their prayers. In my parish the priest or deacon purifies the vessels and put the reserved hosts away in the tabernacle. The presiding priest then sits and sometimes sits for a time in silent prayer. If I am still saying my prayers of thanksgiving, I continue to kneel during this time. If I have finished, I kneel until the tabernacle is closed and then I sit. I don’t think the GIRM says anything at all about this.

 

[Ben_F]

In our Church, the Priests purifies the vessels, puts Jesus back in his house and then continues to purify the remaining vessels of the sacrament. After this is done he then sits. I remain kneeling (I will always kneel before the Lord) until he sits and all of the Holy Body and Blood of our Savior is no longer outside of anything. God bless Ben F.

 

[EasterJoy]

We often have a deacon purifying the vessels. The presider doesn’t stand for that, but sits in the presider’s chair once he has returned the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle.

There is no physical place provided for the presiding priest to kneel for prayer during Mass, at least not in any church I’ve ever been in. I am certain that no pastor I know would expect anyone to feel compelled to be seated during the sacred silence following Holy Communion, just because he has to be. He’d simply want them to assume the posture that is the best for undistracted prayer. That’s the main thing.

 

[Ben_F]

God bless you Easter Joy. I love Jerimaya (Misspelled) when he said he will print his law in your heart. Ben F.