Kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament

[kleine_katerine]

I have seen various posts here and read all over that a lot of Catholics kneel before they receive Holy Communion. I’ve never seen anyone at my parish do this. We all file slowly up and receive on the tongue or in the hand (apart from me who gets a blessing), but nothing else. Is it a cultural thing or something that over the years has diminished like wearing a mantilla?

God bless,

Katherine

 

[Dtmccameron]

… Is it a cultural thing or something that over the years has diminished like wearing a mantilla?
…

Both, kinda. Back in the day, when they’d the rail, everyone knelt. It’s more prevalent in some cultures than others. (For instance, in the United States, such reverance is almost non-existant…but that’s not really a modern development. 's just the culture. )

 

[dashso40]

I see some people kneel at my parish here in New York but not too many…probably people in the Latin Mass do it…

 

[Cluny]

I’m just mentioning this in passing as a related custom:

It seems that Benedictine monastic practice prefers a profound bow to a genuflection.

 

[Will_B]

I was talking to a person a few months ago who flew her Grandfather to Ireland to have his wake, funeral mass and interment in the old country.

The wake is where the eulogies were said, and many of them.

The mass was in English with an Irish accent… The rail was still in the church and still used, so all knelt to receive.

After the mass, the crucifix lead the procession to the grave site… However, the procession went all through the town before finally reaching the grave site. Oh, It wasn’t a motorcade, the procession was walked by all.

Seems the Irish really know how to do it right… I love the Irish traditions.

 

[saskatoon]

I think it was taken away as Vatican ll was taking its place. Pre Vatican ll people would kneel and one person, the priest, would distribute communion, imagine that!! and I think it takes just as long for one priest to distribute communion as it does the 4 or so people it does now. I also think that many people have no real idea about what they are doing for communion, I think they go to communion because thats what you do. Then are they in the state of grace? (that is a whole other thread) I know reverance for not just the Blessed Sacrament but being in church in general has gone by the wayside. Many have posted on this site about the noise (talking) that goes on in church. It is as if church has become more of a gathering, social event than the solem obligation we have to spend an hour with Our Lord. When I go to a modern church, I don’t go to communion, for a number of reasons including communion in the hand/tongue while standing. I attend the traditional Latin Mass and kneeling is the only way to receive it. (unless you have physical limitations, elderly, broken leg, etc, that prevent you from kneeling, then standing is accepted). I really think people need to go back to the reason why they go to church. Of course you are going to see friends and want to chat, but there is a time and place for that outside the church or in the basement. Not in the church. Remember you are in the presence of God and there is a degree of respect and reverence that should be given to Him, in His house.

:manvspc:

 

[dashso40]

Both, kinda. Back in the day, when they’d the rail, everyone knelt. It’s more prevalent in some cultures than others. (For instance, in the United States, such reverance is almost non-existant…but that’s not really a modern development. 's just the culture. )

Well, i live in the United States and I do see it at the NO Mass sometimes, but I think in the Latin Mass in the US, more people kneel…I wouldn’t say reverance is almost non existent…I think that is a generalization…

 

[mick321]

I have seen various posts here and read all over that a lot of Catholics kneel before they receive Holy Communion. I’ve never seen anyone at my parish do this. We all file slowly up and receive on the tongue or in the hand (apart from me who gets a blessing), but nothing else. Is it a cultural thing or something that over the years has diminished like wearing a mantilla?

God bless,

Katherine

Some Catholics prefer a less formal, more user-friendly spiritual experience. They tend to favor the Ordinary Form Mass.

Others believe that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass requires a different approach. Some Catholics appreciate the more reverent atmosphere of the Extraordinary Form Mass. The rubrics of the EF require that Holy Communion be received on the tongue - from a kneeling position - for those who are physically able to do so.

If you have not yet attended the EF Mass, the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales can direct you to one in your area.

www.latin-mass-society.org/

.

 

[brigid12]

I have seen various posts here and read all over that a lot of Catholics kneel before they receive Holy Communion. I’ve never seen anyone at my parish do this. We all file slowly up and receive on the tongue or in the hand (apart from me who gets a blessing), but nothing else. Is it a cultural thing or something that over the years has diminished like wearing a mantilla?

God bless,

Katherine

I have seen it in the Ordinary Form in some parishes, however there is a lot of flack from both others in the congregation and clerics in other parishes, so most people (not wanting to be the cause of flack) don’t bother. Of course, where there is Adoration, it is done 95% (roughly) of the time on this Left Coast.

 

[diggerdomer]

I have seen various posts here and read all over that a lot of Catholics kneel before they receive Holy Communion. I’ve never seen anyone at my parish do this. We all file slowly up and receive on the tongue or in the hand (apart from me who gets a blessing), but nothing else. Is it a cultural thing or something that over the years has diminished like wearing a mantilla?

God bless,

Katherine

Follow the instruction in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for your diocese along with whatever further specific guidance your Bishop or Bishops’ Conference may have instructed.

 

[corsair]

In the EF parish, that I prefer, there is no question; you kneel at the communion rail and receive on the tongue. However, when I do go to the local OF parish about 10% of the people kneel for communion and there is no communion rail or kneeler. We just do it because the GIRM says we can.

 

[occupant]

i can’t help but kneel when i go up to take the Eucharist. it seems weird thinking about just standing there while i’m about to recieve the Lords Body. to each his own on this, i suppose.

 

[CWBetts]

In my home parish I have never seen anyone kneel, however at Franciscan, there are a significant number of us who kneel before receiving

 

[kleine_katerine]

Thanks for all your posts, they’ve given me some extra insight into the issue.

God bless,

Katherine

 

[otjm]

This issue seems to have died down in intensity over time, at least according to this thread.

Rome gave the bishops the authority to determine whether people would receive standing, or kneeling.

Where the bishop determined that standing is to be the norm, the question came up as to what about those who chose to not stand according to the norm, but rather to kneel.

The issue came to a head when one or more priests refused to give Communion to those who knelt.

Refusing to give Communion to someone is a Canonical penalty. The issue made its way, post-haste, to Rome, and Rome’s response was swift: violating the norm was not grounds for imposing a Canonical penalty and no priests were to do so.

Those who read that decision and wanted to continue kneeling in spite of the norm legitimately set by the bishop said that the decision gave them permission to do so.

That could only be said by someone who, if they actually read the decision, chose to flat out ignore the rest of the decision.

The decision went on to say that while they could not be given a Canonical punishment of not receiving Communion, they were to be taken aside (not right there) and counseled about the issue.

In other words, Rome did not give them permission to do whatever they chose; butr they could not be punished for doing whatever they chose by being refused Communion.

All of which brings us to an interesting observation: some, but not all of those who kneel to receive when the bishop has set the norm of standing are some of the same people who are among the first to complain when the priest or someone else violates a norm of one of the rubrics of the OF. Which essentially says that “You, Father, have to follow the rules in spite of the fact that you may think something else is better; but I don’t have to follow the rules when I think something is better.”

That may not be a version of cafeteria Catholicism; but that old rule, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and has feathers, it is not a cat comes to mind.

As noted above by another poster, it helps if you actually find out what the bishop has set as a norm. We have one parish in particular in our archdiocese where the Communion rail is in place and everyone uses it. Every other parish I have been in follows the rule of standing. I would presume (since I am not going to bother myself to find out - I follow the “when in Rome” process) that in our archdiocese, the norm has been set for standing, and there were exceptions made. It may be thus elsewhere too.

If as in this case the bishop has legitimate authority to set a norm and there are no exceptions made (or there are exceptions made) then we need to follow the norm (and the exceptions) as set. If we don’t like it, well, there are other norms others don’t like either. Or as my grandmother used to say (much to my occasional dismay) “Offer it up (for the poor souls)”.

 

[Kasey1]

I was talking to a person a few months ago who flew her Grandfather to Ireland to have his wake, funeral mass and interment in the old country.

The wake is where the eulogies were said, and many of them.

The mass was in English with an Irish accent… The rail was still in the church and still used, so all knelt to receive.

After the mass, the crucifix lead the procession to the grave site… However, the procession went all through the town before finally reaching the grave site. Oh, It wasn’t a motorcade, the procession was walked by all.

Seems the Irish really know how to do it right… I love the Irish traditions.

Nice work–thank you for sharing-
Thanks so much for this. I appreciate the effort. It really helps a lot.

 

[KEVIN_WILCOX]

I have seen various posts here and read all over that a lot of Catholics kneel before they receive Holy Communion. I’ve never seen anyone at my parish do this. We all file slowly up and receive on the tongue or in the hand (apart from me who gets a blessing), but nothing else. Is it a cultural thing or something that over the years has diminished like wearing a mantilla?

God bless,

Katherine

One of the great experiences (blessings?) I have gained through kneeling is seeing the world from a different perspective. It’s as though I become a child. Grow smaller in stature. I’ve read somewhere it’s a result of the ego growing smaller (jury’s out on that one!)

Talking about filing up to receive, one of the things I’ve noticed is the growing trend for people to stop and bow on their way to the sanctuary. If I’m behind sometimes I just keep walking, it’s embarrassing (I do wish they wouldn’t do it!)
And then Father tells us not to answer “The Body / Blood of Christ” with “Thanks, ta, or yep, or aha” He would prefer “Amen”.
And then there’s kneeling to receive. It’s a "Health and Safety"problem. So many old people, so much at risk.
Going up hoping to receive on the tongue? I tried it once. Father didn’t know what I was doing. (Won’t try that one again.)

 

[Travelinkid]

I think it was taken away as Vatican ll was taking its place. Pre Vatican ll people would kneel and one person, the priest, would distribute communion, imagine that!! and I think it takes just as long for one priest to distribute communion as it does the 4 or so people it does now. I also think that many people have no real idea about what they are doing for communion, I think they go to communion because thats what you do. Then are they in the state of grace? (that is a whole other thread) I know reverance for not just the Blessed Sacrament but being in church in general has gone by the wayside. Many have posted on this site about the noise (talking) that goes on in church. It is as if church has become more of a gathering, social event than the solem obligation we have to spend an hour with Our Lord. When I go to a modern church, I don’t go to communion, for a number of reasons including communion in the hand/tongue while standing. I attend the traditional Latin Mass and kneeling is the only way to receive it. (unless you have physical limitations, elderly, broken leg, etc, that prevent you from kneeling, then standing is accepted). I really think people need to go back to the reason why they go to church. Of course you are going to see friends and want to chat, but there is a time and place for that outside the church or in the basement. Not in the church. Remember you are in the presence of God and there is a degree of respect and reverence that should be given to Him, in His house.

:manvspc:

 

[Travelinkid]

If I were able to receive Jesus, the Body and Blood of Christ, in the Eucharist, I would never pass it up because I was critical of the format, standing or kneeling.

 

[Javl]

As a Traditionalist I believe all should kneel when rceiveing the Eucharist. Kneeling shows
love and respect for our Lord and Saviour. I do attend the Novus Ordo mass, but I notice that, other than some of the older Traditionalists, there does not seem to be that respect
or awe that should be present when one receives the Eucharist. It always seems like the
reception is done as a chore or a matter of fact thing. Although the requirement is to bow at the waist before accepting the Eucharist, Our Lord is lucky if He gets a quick nod of the head!

PAX DOMINI

Shalom Aleichem