Kneelers: were they removed from your church? Reinstalled? Never had them?

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Walking_Home said:
vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20050707_instrlabor-xi-assembly_en.html

The Perception of the Eucharistic Mystery among the Faithful
  1. Generally speaking, the responses to the Lineamenta reveal a certain decrease in the understanding of the mystery celebrated. The Eucharist as gift and mystery is not always perceived. This is witnessed in various cultural nuances. For example, in those countries enjoying a general climate of peace and prosperity—primarily western countries—many perceive the Eucharistic mystery as simply the fulfilment of a Sunday obligation and a meal of fellowship. Instead, in those countries experiencing wars and other difficulties, many understand the Eucharistic mystery more fully, that is, including its sacrificial aspect. The paschal mystery, celebrated in an unbloody manner on the altar, gives profound spiritual meaning to the sufferings of Catholic Christians in these lands, helping these people to accept them as a participation in the mystery of the death and resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
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If that is correct, the alleged relationship is with peace and prosperity in the West and problematic societies elsewhere, not whether or not the Mass is said aloud in the vernacular!
 
Walking_Home said:
vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20050707_instrlabor-xi-assembly_en.html

The Perception of the Eucharistic Mystery among the Faithful
  1. Generally speaking, the responses to the Lineamenta reveal a certain decrease in the understanding of the mystery celebrated. The Eucharist as gift and mystery is not always perceived. This is witnessed in various cultural nuances. For example, in those countries enjoying a general climate of peace and prosperity—primarily western countries—many perceive the Eucharistic mystery as simply the fulfilment of a Sunday obligation and a meal of fellowship. Instead, in those countries experiencing wars and other difficulties, many understand the Eucharistic mystery more fully, that is, including its sacrificial aspect. The paschal mystery, celebrated in an unbloody manner on the altar, gives profound spiritual meaning to the sufferings of Catholic Christians in these lands, helping these people to accept them as a participation in the mystery of the death and resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Click to expand...
Man, if only that paragraph were read from the ambo and printed in every bulletin…
 
My parish has always had kneelers with the pews since it’s beginning. My father’s parish had a movable altar, plastic chairs that hooks together and no kneelers. This lasted for about 15 years. They moved the altar around like you would move furniture in your living room. The Blessed Sacrament was residing in the a back room called the sacristy. Oh, and I forgot. There was NO Crucifix
My dad’s current pastor came in and changed all that. He put a crucifix up immedicately. He bought the pews from a parish that was remodeling, set up a permanent altar, build a special place in the front of the church for the Tabernacle that has a private space for adoration. Recently a new, beautiful wood altar complete with altar stone with a relic of the patron saint (St. Elizabeth Ann Seton).
Incidently the previous pastor “left” the priesthoon and got married.
 
I’ve been to alot of parishes both here around home and elsewhere. The Cathedrals of Europe that I visited didn’t have any kneelers, or even pews for that matter. The Cathedral of the Assumption here in Louisville didn’t have pews, they had individual chairs linked together, but they did at least have kneelers on the backs of them. My local Parish as well as all the other ones in my area though all had pews and kneelers (various degrees of hardness though 😛 ).

A while back our Parish did some renovations (put hardwood floors throughout the entire church, absolutely beautiful!) and we just had folding chairs out without kneelers. Most people didn’t bother kneeling during the renovations (most people of the parish are over 50, sadly I’m one of the youngest at 19) and just sat during the kneeling parts.

Recently our new Archbishop decided that throughout the Archdiocese that after communion all parishioners are to stand. I’ve been to a few churches that have done that before and I’ve always found it rather unreverant while the Body and Blood are visible outside of the Tabranacle.
 
Our new modern up-to-date church at the parish where I grew up has padded movable seating and carpeted floors, but no kneelers. They claim there’s no room to kneel, though they added a million-dollar addition to the worship space. “You can kneel if you want to”, said the pastor.

My current parish uses kneelers, They usually get placed in the upright position whenever standing is required, even if one returns to kneeling moments later. Perhaps this behavior was drilled into the Mass-goer through building evacuation drills in the formative years.

Another theory about slamming the kneelers up is the 1970s-80s phenomenon of The Clown Mass. Those clown shoes tended to be quite large, and you need room to maneuver.

Finally, kneelers needed to be put up in order to facilitate the liturgical dance craze now fortunately forgotten.

You may have theories of your own regarding the kneeler etiquette in your parish. :rolleyes:
 
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