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sistermouse
Guest
No. We just have chairs. No kneeling for communion, either. Our church is on a college campus and it is more like an auditorium than an actual church.
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onmyknees
Guest
Yes, I do the same since in the NW there are quite a few churches without kneelers.
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mlz
Guest
The parish Iāve been going to has them in the pews and I love them! I never knew that some parishes wouldnāt have themā¦isnāt kneeling part of the Catholic Mass?! (Just new at Catholicism, but seems to me important) I love seeing this as it seems so reverent and humbleā¦
mlz
mlz
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onmyknees
Guest
Yes, We have kneelers at my parish. Thanks be to God!
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onmyknees
Guest
Yay!! I love hearing about a Seattle parish putting in kneelers. I have been frowned upon in a couple of the huge modern parishes (without kneelers) because I knelt on the floor during the consecration.When we were building our new church (a decade ago) we looked into the number of additional pews we could get in if we did not have kneelers. Answer: 0.
Due to fire codes in Washington, the pews had to be a certain distance apart. That distance was enough to allow kneelers
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Depends on tradition. In the Latin culture, it is a show of honor to kneel or genuflect before the Emperor. Therefore it has become custom to kneel or genuflect as a sign of reverence for the King of kings.
In the Greek culture, kneeling is a sign of penance. Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, and in the Divine Liturgy we have Christ coming to us through the mysteries of Communion. Its not a time to feel sorrow for our iniquities, but a time of joy. Therefore it is not correct to kneel in this cultural context. Its like saying we are sorry that we received Christ in the Eucharist. Its just not right.
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Phemie
Guest
Yes, we have kneelers. Eleven years ago we installed new carpet and there was a push on (by only 2 people) to have the kneelers removed under the pretext that they would hurt the new carpet. People saw red! Then the announcement was made (pushed along by the same two people) that we would no longer be kneeling during Mass. At the time if youād said GIRM nobody would have known that such a document existed. Anyway, in spite of 3 changes in pastors since, the order not to kneel has never been rescinded.
Oh, you still find a handful who kneel for varying lengths. I sometimes kneel for the consecration because thatās what the GIRM says, but I admit that I only do so at the Mass where there is the greatest percentage of people who do so and itās not questioned.
Oh, you still find a handful who kneel for varying lengths. I sometimes kneel for the consecration because thatās what the GIRM says, but I admit that I only do so at the Mass where there is the greatest percentage of people who do so and itās not questioned.
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Evan
Guest
When I was young, we lived in a ranger station and the nearest town had a mass in the Grange Hall on Sundays. Folding chairs, simple table, and we knelt forNo. We just have chairs. No kneeling for communion, either. Our church is on a college campus and it is more like an auditorium than an actual church.
the Eucharistic Prayer
the Agnus Dei
after communion
ā and before mass ā
next to fatherās chair if we needed to go to confession (face to shoulder
)
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yukonjasper
Guest
Currently, Yes. But we are looking for a new parish closer to home. In that quest, it is amazing how many Catholic churches we have attended mass in without kneelers. As many have mentioned, it doesnāt mean you canāt kneel, but no one does, so its a little awkward. We feel like that kneeling is a necessary and essential part of the ritual of the mass and shows the proper reverance for portion of the mass.
This may be a gross generalization, but they also seem to be missing in the most liberal or lax parishes.
I think we found a parish to settle in that does have kneelers, but they donāt use Missels - UGH - whats up with that?. I guess Iāll have to buy my own.
This may be a gross generalization, but they also seem to be missing in the most liberal or lax parishes.
I think we found a parish to settle in that does have kneelers, but they donāt use Missels - UGH - whats up with that?. I guess Iāll have to buy my own.
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Phemie
Guest
We donāt provide Missals either. Parishioners either buy their own or they donāt follow in a Missal. I fall in the second category and thatās why itās going to be strange to have to follow along when the new translation is implemented in November. Guess Iāll just have to hurry and learn the prayers so I can give up the Missal again.I think we found a parish to settle in that does have kneelers, but they donāt use Missels - UGH - whats up with that?. I guess Iāll have to buy my own.
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Incomplete
Guest
Some people do better without a missal. We have some at church entrances, but most of us donāt use them. Personally, I do better without. I concentrate better. I used to alway find myself reading ahead when I used them.
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Jim_Roberts
Guest
Iknow that the newer churches do not have kneelers. I assume it is to go with the structure of the church. If you are kneeling or seated, you can still worshop God either wayt. Be at peace and God bless y ou.
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TheMc
Guest
Yes, go with the struture of the church. And the church says kneel.
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yukonjasper
Guest
If kneeling is supposed to be part of the mass, are the churches without kneelers expecting you to kneel on the floor? The masses Iāve attended indicate that people just donāt kneel and the Priest doenāt instruct them otherwise. Iām confused on this issue. I get the sense that if there are so many churches who openly donāt provide kneelers and they donāt indicate that you should kneel on the floor, that there must not be a hard and fast rule about kneeling - I donāt think so - which is why we sought a church with kneelers. Iād love to know what the answer isā¦
As for the Missal issue, I too am wondering what to do about a church that does not supply them. I prefer to read the readings for mass before mass starts (get there early) so I can think about how they all fit together and do some reflecting.
As for the Missal issue, I too am wondering what to do about a church that does not supply them. I prefer to read the readings for mass before mass starts (get there early) so I can think about how they all fit together and do some reflecting.
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TheMc
Guest
Yes, if youāre physically able, you need to kneel, even if there is no kneelers. There is a hard and fast rule in the US, but many simply ignore it.
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Incomplete
Guest
Some churches donāt provide them in the pews, but do provide them at the door. If you go to a parish that doesnāt have them at all, you can print the readings out from the USCCB site and bring them with.
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odile53
Guest
Iāve never been to a Catholic church in the northeastern US that didnāt have them, Iām not saying that there may be some churches that donāt, but Iāve never seen a church without.
Americans have been getting taller over the decades: My parish church is 160 years old. My legs are 34 inch inseam, and the pews are close together. This means that my feet hit the kneeler behind me when Iām kneeling unless I either flex my feet, or rest my behind on the pew so that I can move my lower legs further ahead on the kneeler. Other churches built after 1860 or so have pews with a few more inches of space between them, itās only an issue at my own parish. It figures.
Americans have been getting taller over the decades: My parish church is 160 years old. My legs are 34 inch inseam, and the pews are close together. This means that my feet hit the kneeler behind me when Iām kneeling unless I either flex my feet, or rest my behind on the pew so that I can move my lower legs further ahead on the kneeler. Other churches built after 1860 or so have pews with a few more inches of space between them, itās only an issue at my own parish. It figures.
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zab
Guest
I donāt think our pews are that bad, (but Iām 5ft 2in). But like you, we do have some tall people in our parish and I have seen them reach over the pew to lower the kneeler in back of them. So you are not alone.
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sulkow82
Guest
Iām actually registered with two (2) parishes in my diocese.
One of them (my regular parish, just down the street) does have kneelers. I take full advantage of them. The other parish (my fiancĆ©eās parish) does not have kneelers. However, they have also said that they consider their building ātemporaryā until they can save up enough money for building what will be the permanent structure.
One of them (my regular parish, just down the street) does have kneelers. I take full advantage of them. The other parish (my fiancĆ©eās parish) does not have kneelers. However, they have also said that they consider their building ātemporaryā until they can save up enough money for building what will be the permanent structure.
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TheMc
Guest
Iām 6"1ā and I often run into the same problems. If Iām particularly tired/unaware/half-unconscious, I occasionally send the kneeler behind be crashing down!I donāt think our pews are that bad, (but Iām 5ft 2in). But like you, we do have some tall people in our parish and I have seen them reach over the pew to lower the kneeler in back of them. So you are not alone.
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