Have You Ever Seen a Catholic Church without Kneelers?

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Yes, this cathedral is in Bristol, England. Mind you, a Cathedral. Where has Jesus gone, I wonder???

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

The chairs, as I recall, are movable, and “bucket style.”

I have posted pics of this cathedral in an “Ugliest Churches” thread.

😛
 
The kneelers in my church are so hard that you might as well be kneeling on the floor. The padding is totally worn out. If I kneel with my back straight, it’s like two knives tearing apart at my kneecaps, so I have to lean back and sit my butt on the pew to take the pressure off my knees.

I actually think standing is the better posture in our case. It is really hard to focus on the Consecration in all that pain. Hopefully, we will be having the kneelers and pews repadded in the next year or so.
 
cessnawag said:
I recently moved to a new parish with no kneelers. I assumed we would kneel on the floor but after the consecration the priest said please be seated. Im not to sure if this is ok or not but I think so if the priest okay’s it. Replys welcomed.
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I’m for kneeling. Let’s show respect. We’re getting to far off the track by not kneeling.
 
PennyinCanada said:
In our city, the RC kneelers were removed. Gone. I was actually at a Mass where there was a special speaker that came in and lots of visitors were there to hear him. They actually stopped the Mass, right before the consecration, to insist that all stand. Stand, or *they would not continue. * "We do NOT kneel here! I saw many people standing and wiping away tears that day.

When attending, I have personally knelt on the hard floor but found that the pews were strategically positioned closer together so that you had to be somewhat skinny or you could not manage it, the pew was too tight to the pew in front.
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I have seen that pew configuration also. I just move into the aisle and kneel there.

As for the bullies in your first paragraph, they would have had to carry me out of there to keep me from kneeling. They could have insisted all they wanted. I find that the older I get, the less I care who gets upset at me for doing what is right.
 
CB_Catholic said:
The kneelers in my church are so hard that you might as well be kneeling on the floor. The padding is totally worn out. If I kneel with my back straight, it’s like two knives tearing apart at my kneecaps, so I have to lean back and sit my butt on the pew to take the pressure off my knees.

I actually think standing is the better posture in our case. It is really hard to focus on the Consecration in all that pain. Hopefully, we will be having the kneelers and pews repadded in the next year or so.
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While you are waiting, why don’t you bring one of those garden pads to place over the worn kneeler. We have people who bring cushions for their backs, cushions to sit on (although we have padded pews), and one even brings a form of some kind because of a medical problem.
 
Our church was built in the eary 80’s. No kneelers and minimal statues. Very boring.
I kneel on the floor, and I am no spring chicken…
 
Irishgal49 said:
If I was in a Catholic Church without kneelers I would be thrilled. I cannot kneel and get tired of the glares, icy stares, and explaining I can’t kneel. It works both ways. Sounds like I should look at a different branch of Catholicism.
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Buy a cane, take it to Mass, whack the people giving you the icy stares and tell them they should be focusing on the Mass, not you.
 
wondrousgnat said:
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (G.I.R.M. 4th edition) Issued 27 March, 1975

…20. The uniformity in standing, kneeling, or sitting to be observed by all taking part is a sign of the community and the unity of the assembly; it both expresses and fosters the spiritual attitude of those taking part. [28]
  1. For the sake of uniformity in movement and posture, the people should follow the directions given during the celebration by the deacon, the priest, or another minister. Unless other provision is made, at every Mass the people should stand from the beginning of the entrance song or when the priest enters until the end of the opening prayer or collect; for the singing of the Alleluia before the Gospel; while the Gospel is proclaimed; during the profession of faith and the general intercessions; from the prayer over the gifts to the end of the Mass, except at the places indicated later in this paragraph. They should sit during the readings before the Gospel and during the Responsorial Psalm, for the homily and the presentation of the gifts, and, if this seems helpful, during the period of silence after Communion. They should kneel at the Consecration unless prevented by lack of space, the number of people present, or some other GOOD REASON.
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That is out of date, but the latest version is essentially the same:
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. …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…
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.
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PennyinCanada said:
In our city, the RC kneelers were removed. Gone. I was actually at a Mass where there was a special speaker that came in and lots of visitors were there to hear him. They actually stopped the Mass, right before the consecration, to insist that all stand. Stand, or *they would not continue. * "We do NOT kneel here! I saw many people standing and wiping away tears that day.

When attending, I have personally knelt on the hard floor but found that the pews were strategically positioned closer together so that you had to be somewhat skinny or you could not manage it, the pew was too tight to the pew in front.
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I would have continued to kneel with an absolute poker face. They would have blinked, I guarantee it. I wouldn’t have known anyway because i would have been looking away, ignoring them.

“We do NOT kneel here!” is nothing more than control freak stuff. I still remember when a nun who was our diocesan “liturgy coordinator” actually tried to lift my 225 out of a kneeling position after I returned to my pew following reception of communion. I seriously doubt she tried it ever again with anyone.
 
CB_Catholic said:
The kneelers in my church are so hard that you might as well be kneeling on the floor. The padding is totally worn out. If I kneel with my back straight, it’s like two knives tearing apart at my kneecaps, so I have to lean back and sit my butt on the pew to take the pressure off my knees.

I actually think standing is the better posture in our case. It is really hard to focus on the Consecration in all that pain. Hopefully, we will be having the kneelers and pews repadded in the next year or so.
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Hahaha! Do you go to my church?

I have been to a church with no kneelers, no crucifix, just a cross. It doesn’t look anything like a Catholic church, it looks like a theater in the round almost… very odd. I think it was built in the 70’s or 80’s… not one of my favs… but I have seen many like that in NE Ohio in the burbs.
 
I really appreciate having the rules posted here and all the responses with the various churches without kneelers. I used to find kneeling the most comfortable position and often would kneel in an otherwise empty church to pray just because it was comfortable. Or maybe it was a Holy Spirit thing, I dunno, it just seemed so natural.

Now, I cannot kneel at all or stand for more than a minute or so. No one has ever been rude about it to me. Or if they gave me a look, I didn’t register it.

My instinct if someone said WE DON’T KNEEL IN THIS CHURCH would be to go to the front and drop to my knees. See, that’s no good, that’s not reverence it’s just defiance. I would also be tempted to walk out. I probably would. Also not good. Humility demands we just do as we are told and let Jesus sort it out.

Doesn’t it?
 
katy said:
Where? I don’t see it.
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Nor do I. Must have used a magnifing glass.

So how do these places get built? Are the parishioners, who are asked to contribute, also asked what they’d like to see in their Cathedral or church?

My church has Mary and Joseph in the back of the Church. Why? They’re there like an after thought so no one will complain that we don’t have a statue of either.
 
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