Do you stand after communion?

[RosalieM]

After receiving communion, I kneel as in “fall on your knees”. Everyone in my parish kneels, then some sit back in the pews. I can’t imagine standing after receiving the Body of Christ. I can’t even sing unless it’s a situation when I’m singing in the choir. I just want everything else to go away and leave me alone with my Lord in those few precious moments right after I have received Him. Those moments are so very sacred. All too soon we have to return to the mundane. I don’t understand why we have to busy ourselves all the time and make motions and sounds and distract ourselves. I wish we could be still more of the time, more contemplative.:heaven:

 

[benedictgal]

The link that I posted in fact shows the opposite from a question Cardinal George sent to the CDW.

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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.

Cardinal Arinze also affirmed this position during a Q & A session that appears on Adoremus.org:

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.

It does leave it a little nebulous; however, as the good cardinal notes, “There is no such rule from Rome.” Furthermore, the bishop could do that, but, not impose it. Therefore, it would not be disobedient for you to kneel. Now is this diocesan-wide, or is this in the parish you are currently attending? My old parish in Austin tried it a couple of times. I bucked the trend because, in good conscience, I couldn’t go along with the flow. Then the bishop intervened and said that this wasn’t a good idea. Thankfully, the pastor got the very big hint and the whole matter met with a swift and painless end.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

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.

Well, it is a practice mandated by individual bishops or pastors. Our bishop, also in Illinois, does not like this practice and does not allow it. But I live in Rockford Diocese, and we are almost but not quite as conservative as Peoria.

 

[thomasf]

I kneel and pray, until the priest closes the tabernacle and then sits down. What I find weird is that half our church kneels, half keep standing. I wish we would all come to a consensus.

 

[puzzleannie]

the norms say we may stand, or sit, or kneel after communion. do what is best for you.

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

The norm in my diocese is to kneel from the Sanctus until after the Great Amen, from the Agnus Dei until one goes forward to receive the Eucharist, and from when one returns from receiving the Eucharist until the Blessed Sacrament has been returned to the tabernacle AND all the vessels have been purified (and only by a priest, deacon, or instituted acolyte).

 

[water]

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 kneel down, but I don’t have problem standing either. It is not disrespectful; after all, we do walk back to our pew, we don’t walk on our knees, do we?

 

[neslor617]

Our parish is kind of divided on this…about 60% stand after communion, and the other 40% kneel. Personally, I wish we all could do 1 or the other. I don’t care whether we stand or kneel, and feel that both are respectable to Jesus, but I really dislike the division after communion. It is uncomfortable, and the point is to show our unity in Christ.

 

[stbruno]

This is from the general instructions of the Roman Missal.
usccb.org/liturgy/current/GIRM.pdf
43. 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.
In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or
21
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
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.

It does not say stand after communion.

 

[Fred_4]

I believe that either standing or kneeling is appropriate. The point is to show respect to our lord and savior present in the blessed sacrament. I think that if the tabernacle is open, one should be on one’s feet or on one’s knees… but not on one’s butt. Knees or feet… it’s the same respect I think.

 

[johnnydigit]

is there a place we can verify what our bishop wants exactly? how do we know if he asked the whole diocese, or maybe just his congregation at his cathedral? does he just need to say it during one Mass, all of them, in print? letters to the pastors? haven’t seen anything at the local diocesan website…

i usually go with the parish, but kneeling after communion… it is such an intense moment and i am so ingrained to kneel that the last time i saw people standing around me i was in conflict when i was kneeling.

with the whole holding hands, standing, not kneeling for communion… i wish there would be some solid instruction on the matter for the public. the conflict and grief it has caused is undeniable at this point…

 

[Frogjim]

After communion we return to our pew and kneel and pray until the Priest finishes purifying everything…

 

[lindalou725]

I am a daily mass attendee which means I have to attend 4 different churches in the area each week in order to get to mass every day. The postures differ in all the Churches.

In My Parish we kneel at the consecration and Most of the parishoners stand starting with the Our Father and ending when all have recieved communion.

My Pastor is also Pastor of another Church, so he says two daily masses at my Church and two a week (and one at each Parish on Sunday)at the sister Parish. That means that I go to that second Parish twice a week.

One of the two daily masses at my parish is a noon mass. If i can’t make that due to work schedules, I go to a third parish on Monday.

I have to attend a fourth Parish on Wednesdays and Saturdays as my parish has no masses on those days.

Then, I usually go downtown to a wonderful Dominican Church for confession every 2 or 3 weeks. They have confessions every weekday. That Church is my favorite as they hold to the postures we have always had.

One of the other two Parishes I attend stands from the time the priest starts handing out communion until the last person recieves.

The last Parish I attend stands from the consecration (they do bow at one point after the actual consecration) until the last person recieves. I kneel during the consecration and at the Angus Dei. I stand during reception of communion and after.

I have attended a couple of local parishes where they joined in a circle around the alter with the priest from the Our Father till the reception of communion. I won’t go there again! One of them actually goes around the whole room (side chapel where daily mass is said) and hugs EVERYONE–even the Priest at the sign of peace!

We recently got a new Archbishop who is very holy. He is visiting all the parishes and has participitated in many church activities in a number of Parishes. I was priveledged to see him at our Living Rosary in October and at our Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration (at 5:30am with 750 mostly Hispanic parishoners). It was beautiful!

I have hope that he will stop all the silliness that has been going on at various Parishes.

“Preach always, and when necessary, use words”
St. Francis of Assisi

 

[catholic79]

They have confessions every weekday.

That would be nice!

The last Parish I attend stands from the consecration (they do bow at one point after the actual consecration) until the last person recieves. I kneel during the consecration and at the Angus Dei. I stand during reception of communion and after.

I have attended a couple of local parishes where they joined in a circle around the alter with the priest from the Our Father till the reception of communion. I won’t go there again!

I don’t think I would be able to either!