Do you stand after communion?

  • Thread starter Thread starter catholic79
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

catholic79

Guest
My dh and I just moved to a new diocese and were the entire congregation stands after the reception of communion. I am not comfortable with this, as I have always knelt after communion and standing seams disrespectful to me, I have been knelling but we just registered and I am not sure I should continue going against the bishops wishes as I am member of the diocese now, although from everything I can find on-line he really can’t demand that we all stand. What is practice in your parish?
 
I would find that odd.

I’ve always knelt after receiving communion and I’ve never been to a Church where they stand.

Jim
 
We stand and sing until all have received and then there is a period of silence and an opportunity to kneel (or sit) and pray silently. I understand this is allowed by our bishop and mandated by our pastor and I believe it to be one of those points where obedience is due.
 
Oh goodness! Well, no wonder some churches use all those EMHCs! They all want to stop standing and have a few minutes of quiet prayer! 😉

I actually would have trouble standing with my eyes closed for that long without loosing my balance.
 
Certainly over here in Ireland, I have never come across people standing after Communion. I think in every church here it is commonplace to kneel to say a personal post-Communion prayer - some remain kneeling, and some sit once they’ve finished praying. I don’t think our bishops have given directions on what to do after Communion, although our bishop introduced new guidelines on posture in 2006 - like kneeling at ‘Pray brethren…’ and standing for the final blessing, so I think it is a matter of choice whether one stands or kneels after Communion. Having said this, I think since the established tradition is to kneel, most people wouldn’t like to draw attention to themselves by being the only person standing in the church! In your case, the opposite applies, and you probably wouldn’t be as conspicuous kneeling among standing people as a lone person standing among kneeling people! I think if you feel more comfortable kneeling, then you should kneel…But I suppose it depends on whether the bishop has given strict instructions or merely guidelines on posture…
 
I kneel even when I am not in a pew. I don’t care if the entire church is standing after communion, not me.

I also didn’t partake in the raucous clapping that occurred last week during the final hymn. It was like a hootenany, simply terrible.
 
Neither the bishop nor the pastor can mandate posture.

In the sense of unity, many will comply and remain standing. It is more of what Cardinal Arinze calls horizontal liturgy… sad.

“At the sound of His Name, every head shall bow, and every knee shall bend…”

How much more so in His Presence.
 
MrS said:
Neither the bishop nor the pastor can mandate posture.

In the sense of unity, many will comply and remain standing. It is more of what Cardinal Arinze calls horizontal liturgy… sad.

“At the sound of His Name, every head shall bow, and every knee shall bend…”

How much more so in His Presence.
Click to expand...
In fairness, it is much harder to clap, shake hands, chat with your neighbor, and advocate for female Priests while kneeling…
 
Seatuck said:
We kneel here. Unfortunately , I do believe the GIRM allows for standing after Communion. It’s a shame and not fitting in my opinion.
Click to expand...
This is what I find too, that GIRM allows for standing but I can’t find anything that says you must stand or that a bishop can force standing.
 
catholic79 said:
My dh and I just moved to a new diocese and were the entire congregation stands after the reception of communion. I am not comfortable with this, as I have always knelt after communion and standing seams disrespectful to me, I have been knelling but we just registered and I am not sure I should continue going against the bishops wishes as I am member of the diocese now, although from everything I can find on-line he really can’t demand that we all stand. What is practice in your parish?
Click to expand...
Your posture after returning from Holy Communion is totally your choice, the Bishop has no authority in the matter.
 
He_Man said:
I kneel even when I am not in a pew. I don’t care if the entire church is standing after communion, not me.

I also didn’t partake in the raucous clapping that occurred last week during the final hymn. It was like a hootenany, simply terrible.
Click to expand...
I kneel when I return from Communion
 
I do whatever the parish does. In some places they stand, in some places they kneel, and that’s what I do. I figure I may have my preference, but the Mass isn’t about ME, so as a sign of humility I follow along.
 
catholic79 said:
This is what I find too, that GIRM allows for standing but I can’t find anything that says you must stand or that a bishop can force standing.
Click to expand...
The link that I posted in fact shows the opposite from a question Cardinal George sent to the CDW.
Dubium: In many places, the faithful are accustomed to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to their places after having 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 the prescription of the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, no. 43, is intended, on the one hand, to 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, to not regulate posture rigidly in such a way that those who wish to kneel or sit would no longer be free.
 
it depends where I am. At my home parish, my pastor is adamant about having “uniformity of posture” and in my Archdiocese, His Excellency the Reverend Archbishop has, pastorally decided that it is permissible to remain standing throughout the Rite of Communion. However there is supposed to be a period in which sacred silence is observed afterward. People are free to kneel at this point if they so choose and there is ample time to silently pray but it seems as though that option is not made known. which is why very few people kneel anymore after communion. It seems as though the majority of people just thought “oh, we’re not supposed to kneel during communion anymore, I guess they’re doing away with kneeling” and are ok with it. I have heard stories of my pastor telling a young man who knelt after receiving communion to stand up because he was not “in communion in posture” with the rest of the assembly. So, out of humility and obedience to my pastor, I remain standing even though I’d rather kneel.

First and foremost, we are called to be IN COMMUNION with Christ Jesus, The Lord. But, we are also called to humble obedience to our rightfully and lawfully appointed pastors for they are ministers of the Most High God. The Lord will reward our obedience. If His ministers cause scandal to the people, then it will be a matter they must account for personally on the day of judgement.

Advent Greetings!
 
catholic79 said:
This is what I find too, that GIRM allows for standing but I can’t find anything that says you must stand or that a bishop can force standing.
Click to expand...
I struggle with the logic of this comment. It is like saying “The GIRM requires the priest to wear vestments at Mass, but the bishop cannot force priests to wear vestments for Mass”.
The bishop has a duty to insist on the Code of Canon Law, which includes following the liturgical books.

I agree the GIRM requires standing. Some extracts on this:

“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.”

“43. … and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.” It is not silence while the priest is saying “The Body of Christ”.

“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.”
 
VietCatholic83 said:
it depends where I am. At my home parish, my pastor is adamant about having “uniformity of posture” and in my Archdiocese, His Excellency the Reverend Archbishop has, pastorally decided that it is permissible to remain standing throughout the Rite of Communion. However there is supposed to be a period in which sacred silence is observed afterward.!
Click to expand...
Read the dubium above. the period of sacred silence begins after a person returns to their place (pew)

At that point, you are free to kneel.

If the pastor is attempting to make you not feel free to kneel, he needs to read that responsum.

Cardinal George was the president of the USCCB when he submitted that, and submitted it on behalf of the US bishops, so it applies to the entire US.
 
Dear Catholic79
Your post prompted me to stop lurking, register and post a reply.
I live in the Archdiocese of Detroit and spend a lot of time 'Up North". I had the same question about standing before and during communion until everyone has received. I emailed the worship Office of the Archdiocese of Gaylord and here is the explanation I received:

"The Diocese of Gaylord is following the GIRM. The last line of the third paragraph of section 43 states, "The faithful kneel after the Agnus Dei unless the diocesan Bishop determines otherwise. Our Bishop has determined that since it is a short time between the Agnus Dei and when people come forward for Communion, it is better to remain standing until one comes forward for Communion.

Paragraph 43 also says that “the faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance …from the invitation, (Pray brethren…) before the prayer over the offerings until the end of Mass, except at the places indicated below.”

then below it does state, “…they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.” Since it states, “after” Communion, we believe that means that all remain standing until AFTER everyone has received Communion since this should be the time when we are most unified in posture, voice, etc. Also, by remaining to stand, we are standing with the Lord who has risen from the dead, are we not?

The priests have been told that since all stand until the last one has received Communion then each may sit or stand after Communion for silent prayer, that period of time must allow for silent prayer. Some priests have shortened that time though and you need to ask him why.

So, we are following the GIRM as you can see and we are not the “only ones” as things are being done this way in Hawaii, San Francisco, and other places. "

(1st post…hope I did it right)
 
At our parish the norm is kneeling after Holy Communion. I’m glad about that because 1) I prefer to kneel when I am praying, and 2) standing for long periods of time sends my back muscles into spasm.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top