Kneeling after Communion

[Yes]

In this diocese we are to stand immediately after receiving until the last person has received. During the period of silence, there is to be no preference for posture.

I love how everyone on this board talks about “obedience” ad nauseam - until the Church asks you to do something you don’t like - something not “conservative” enough for you. Then it’s ok to be a renegade.

I really don’t care what you do in your diocese (not that your bishop has the authority to mandate a posture after you receive communion), nor do I care about your condemnation of others.

This matter cannot be compared to the kneeling posture where some continue to ignore the Church simply because they will not be refused communion. That’s a red herring.

To put it clearly, you are making inaccurate comments. Let’s look at what the Church actually instructs, versus what you believe it instructs on this matter:

*"POSTURE OF THE FAITHFUL FOLLOWING COMMUNION

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Chairman of the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy, received the following clarification concerning the right interpretation of the “General Instruction of the Roman Missal” on the posture of the faithful from their own reception of Communion until the period of sacred silence after all Communions have been received (at which time they may sit or kneel as they prefer). What is noteworthy is the clarification of the mind (mens) of the Holy See on the uniformity of posture of the faithful.

5 June 2003

Prot. n. 855/03/L

Dubium: In many places, the faithful are accustomed to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to their places after 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 that the prescription of the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, no. 43, is intended, on one hand, to ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture within the congregation for the various parts of the celebration of the 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.

Francis Cardinal Arinze
Prefect"*

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

I really don’t care what you do in your diocese (not that your bishop has the authority to mandate a posture after you receive communion), nor do I care about your condemnation of others.

This matter cannot be compared to the kneeling posture where some continue to ignore the Church simply because they will not be refused communion. That’s a red herring.

To put it clearly, you are making inaccurate comments. Let’s look at what the Church actually instructs, versus what you believe it instructs on this matter:

*"POSTURE OF THE FAITHFUL FOLLOWING COMMUNION

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Chairman of the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy, received the following clarification concerning the right interpretation of the “General Instruction of the Roman Missal” on the posture of the faithful from their own reception of Communion until the period of sacred silence after all Communions have been received (at which time they may sit or kneel as they prefer). What is noteworthy is the clarification of the mind (mens) of the Holy See on the uniformity of posture of the faithful.

5 June 2003

Prot. n. 855/03/L

Dubium: In many places, the faithful are accustomed to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to their places after 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 that the prescription of the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, no. 43, is intended, on one hand, to ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture within the congregation for the various parts of the celebration of the 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.
Francis Cardinal Arinze
Prefect"

My point is made. His plain english seems pretty clear to me that uniformity of posture is preferred, however it is not meant to be so “rigid” - meaning, no we will not come, drag you up, and say “On your feet!”.

Thank you for helping me make my point once again.

 

[jmcrae]

Maybe I’m missing something. Is there something written that says people should stand after Holy Communion?

The custom here is to kneel. There is no instruction given in the Missal, one way or the other.

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

Maybe I’m missing something. Is there something written that says people should stand after Holy Communion?

The custom here is to kneel. There is no instruction given in the Missal, one way or the other.

In the United States the normal posture during the Communion Rite is kneeling, unless the diocessan bishop says “standing”.

In our diocese we have been directed to stand.

 

[jmcrae]

In the United States the normal posture during the Communion Rite is kneeling, unless the diocessan bishop says “standing”.

I didn’t think the Bishop had that kind of authority - he is not allowed to add to or subtract from the Mass, is he?

In our diocese we have been directed to stand.

You are not required to obey him in areas where he has no authority - are you quite certain that he is allowed to add to the Mass in this way?

 

[otjm]

I didn’t think the Bishop had that kind of authority - he is not allowed to add to or subtract from the Mass, is he?

You are not required to obey him in areas where he has no authority - are you quite certain that he is allowed to add to the Mass in this way?

The GIRM says that people stand during Communion (sorry, I don’t have my copy at hand), and it is stated in such a way that it appears that all are to stand once Communion starts, until the last person has received and the remaining Eucharist hosts replaced in the tabernacle, and then all sit and there is a period of silence.

Cardinal George submitted a dubium - a question - as to how that specifically was to be understood, as many (most) people were used to kneeling (or sitting) upon return to their bench before all had received.

Rome responded, and the net of that response is 1) yes, we wrote that all stand and it can be read that all remain standing until the last has received, and 2) we did not intend that posture to be rigidly interpreted, and they can kneel (or sit) if they wish upon returning.

Rome also would prefer a unanimity of posture, but said in so many words that they were not mandating it.

Therefore, technically it may be within the provence of the bishop to indicate that all stand, or to indicate that all kneel as they have done in the past, or to let it work itself out by community. Since Rome said it was not an absolute, going one way or another on the issue is not a change of the Mass as you were referring to. Whether a bishop should wade in and make a decision is a pastoral decision, and while we may disagree with them, the bishop seems to have the authority in general to make a decision on this issue.

 

[mommyof4]

Certainly if you’re kneeling you can sit up when the priest sits. Once Our Lord is safely back in the Tabernacle it’s fine to stop kneeling - or that’s what I was taught.

I was taught the same thing, too.

 

[MelanieAnne]

I kneel.

And I can’t help wondering if perhaps Jesus grieves over all the fighting about this and so many other issues. Are these fights about faith or are they instead about the egos of those that are fighting?

 

[maryjk]

I was taught the same thing, too.

Me, too. And I have taught my son the same thing.

The only time I didn’t do this was after I had knee surgery. Then I sat. Of course, I sat for the whole Mass.

 

[PaixGioiaAmor]

The GIRM says that people stand during Communion (sorry, I don’t have my copy at hand), and it is stated in such a way that it appears that all are to stand once Communion starts, until the last person has received and the remaining Eucharist hosts replaced in the tabernacle, and then all sit and there is a period of silence.

Cardinal George submitted a dubium - a question - as to how that specifically was to be understood, as many (most) people were used to kneeling (or sitting) upon return to their bench before all had received.

Rome responded, and the net of that response is 1) yes, we wrote that all stand and it can be read that all remain standing until the last has received, and 2) we did not intend that posture to be rigidly interpreted, and they can kneel (or sit) if they wish upon returning.

Rome also would prefer a unanimity of posture, but said in so many words that they were not mandating it.

Therefore, technically it may be within the provence of the bishop to indicate that all stand, or to indicate that all kneel as they have done in the past, or to let it work itself out by community. Since Rome said it was not an absolute, going one way or another on the issue is not a change of the Mass as you were referring to. Whether a bishop should wade in and make a decision is a pastoral decision, and while we may disagree with them, the bishop seems to have the authority in general to make a decision on this issue.

This is a great response, which I second.

It IS in the GIRM that the diocessan bishop can say “standing” instead of kneeling, which is the norm. I’m too lazy to look it up and quote it now. I’ll do it tomorrow.

 

[Yes]

The GIRM says that people stand during Communion (sorry, I don’t have my copy at hand), and it is stated in such a way that it appears that all are to stand once Communion starts, until the last person has received and the remaining Eucharist hosts replaced in the tabernacle, and then all sit and there is a period of silence.

Cardinal George submitted a dubium - a question - as to how that specifically was to be understood, as many (most) people were used to kneeling (or sitting) upon return to their bench before all had received.

Rome responded, and the net of that response is 1) yes, we wrote that all stand and it can be read that all remain standing until the last has received, and 2) we did not intend that posture to be rigidly interpreted, and they can kneel (or sit) if they wish upon returning.

Rome also would prefer a unanimity of posture, but said in so many words that they were not mandating it.

Therefore, technically **it may be within the provence of the bishop to indicate that all stand, or to indicate that all kneel as they have done in the past, or to let it work itself out by community. ** Since Rome said it was not an absolute, going one way or another on the issue is not a change of the Mass as you were referring to. Whether a bishop should wade in and make a decision is a pastoral decision, and while we may disagree with them, the bishop seems to have the authority in general to make a decision on this issue.

It may be, but it’s not. When this matter came up a few years ago, some places like the Archdiocese of LA pushed HARD for a mandate to stand and it was rejected…

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Maybe I’m missing something. Is there something written that says people should stand after Holy Communion?

The custom here is to kneel. There is no instruction given in the Missal, one way or the other.

NO, there is no specified posture after receiving Holy Communion, and with the current rules, no one has the authority to specifiy or even suggest a specific posture.

 

[jmcrae]

NO, there is no specified posture after receiving Holy Communion, and with the current rules, no one has the authority to specifiy or even suggest a specific posture.

That’s what I thought.

If it were in the GIRM, it would be in the Missal, but there’s nothing in the Missal.

 

[Cat]

So let me get this straight, please.

It’s OK to stand, sit, or kneel after the Communion, right?

That’s what the Church has said, right? The CURRENT Catholic Church, not the Catholic Church of 500 or 1500 or 1900 or 1962, but the CURRENT Church, the One that is still the Church of Jesus Christ.

It’s really OK to sit, stand, or kneel? Really?!

I just want to make sure I am understanding correctly.

Then why is anyone on this Forum challenging anyone else about their practice or their church’s practice?!!

How about this?–I’ve seen people who receive Communion and keep walking right out the door to their cars. I assume that’s not OK, right? Actually, I believe in being charitable, and I choose to believe that those who leave immediately after receiving the Lord have a problem like sudden illness or pain, the onset of a migraine headache, a family emergency, an extremly upset or soiled child, a weak baldder, or one of the many “human” things that happens to normal human beings at the most inopportune times. I don’t judge anyone for leaving because I may have to do it myself someday.

 

[orgel_maestro]

So let me get this straight, please.

It’s OK to stand, sit, or kneel after the Communion, right?

That’s what the Church has said, right? The CURRENT Catholic Church, not the Catholic Church of 500 or 1500 or 1900 or 1962, but the CURRENT Church, the One that is still the Church of Jesus Christ.

It’s really OK to sit, stand, or kneel? Really?!

I just want to make sure I am understanding correctly.

Then why is anyone on this Forum challenging anyone else about their practice or their church’s practice?!!

How about this?–I’ve seen people who receive Communion and keep walking right out the door to their cars. I assume that’s not OK, right? Actually, I believe in being charitable, and I choose to believe that those who leave immediately after receiving the Lord have a problem like sudden illness or pain, the onset of a migraine headache, a family emergency, an extremly upset or soiled child, a weak baldder, or one of the many “human” things that happens to normal human beings at the most inopportune times. I don’t judge anyone for leaving because I may have to do it myself someday.

Well, every country has their own customs, just like its normal to receive communion in US in their hand standing, while in many dioceses in Mexico its normal to still receive kneeling on the tongue. I come was just seeing what everyone’s local custom was, i believe the local bishop determines such type of things, whether it is allowed to receive communion in the hand, kneeling after the Agnus Dei etc.