Kneeling; help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter jlr247
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jlr247

Guest
I’m in RCIA and I have a problem.

Okay so here’s my back story (sorry if its long/boring):

I’m in Canada, so from what I’ve read we don’t kneel for the same amount of time during the mass as you do in the states, but I’m pretty sure everyone everywhere is supposed to kneel for the consecration at some point (I think?!).

Anyways, thats what I thought. Then I started going to the mass in my area because thats where I signed up for RCIA. No one kneels except for about 4 people. At first I thought this was fine because I didn’t know, but then I felt weird about it and started kneeling when those other 4 people kneel (from the Holy Holy, to when the priest says “Let us proclaim the mystery of faith”).

I did that for a while but then I felt like I was acting “holier than thou” so I didn’t want to call attention to myself with kneeling anymore. So, I asked my priest if we are allowed to stand. And he said yes, something about it being more reverential or participatory or something (basically he implied standing was better than kneeling). So then I stood for a few weeks.

After this, I saw a bunch of threads here in CA and figured that it sounded like my priest was perhaps wrong. So I started to kneel again.

Then today I went to pull down the kneeler, and this girl wouldn’t let me! she had her foot on it and I couldn’t fold it down so I didn’t know what to do; so I just stood there. I think I probably should’ve knelt on the ground but I was kind of taken off guard.

So could you please specify some things for me (I’m only in RCIA and its kinda hard to piece together reliable info there. Like the time they said “If theres a sin you cant bring yourself to confess ,you’re forgiven even if its a mortal sin; theres some I haven’t said yet and I’ve been catholic for 20 years!”-:eek: thank goodness I read!!)

Things I need clarified:
-Should I be kneeling at all, or should I stand like everyone else so that I don’t call attention to myself?
-Am I kneeling at the right time if I am supposed to be kneeling? (I couldn’t find a definitive answer anywhere online, so I’ve just been doing what the other guy did)
-Should I have kneeled on the floor today?

Fast answers would be much appreciated, because I gave up CA forums for lent, so I can only be here on Sundays. Thanks!
 
Hello!

Being from the U.S. myself, it is my impression that we Americans kneel more than our neighbors to the North. So much is different when it comes to practice that I am unsure what is the norm for Canada. According to your Council of Bishops:
As far back as the Council of Nicaea (325) the Church reflected Easter joy by a prohibition on fasting and kneeling (a sign of penance) throughout the season. This is reflected today in the direction that we stand (rather than kneel) during the Litany of the Saints.
Click to expand...
This is very different from the U.S. I would do what your priest suggests and do not view the practice as an abuse. I do not believe that they can tell you that you may not kneel, it is just viewed differently and as a sign of penance in your country.

Go here for the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops.

Sorry I could not be of more help!

Kelly
 
Is that just for the litany of saints though? Oi vey; I am confused.

Thanks for the reponse though! I don’t seem to be getting many, haha.
 
Hi!
I am in a Canadian RCIA too. Some people in my church kneel but as our church is a little modern there are no kneelers. I was shocked to read that a person in your pew refused to let you kneel! Two people in my RCIA kneel and I find it very inspiring though I don’t feel that I need to personally. The Catholic church is worldwide and Masses often vary country by country. I feel it is very important to express your faith the way you need to to connect with God.
So keep kneeling if you want and I would have just knelt anyway on the floor, as people in my church do, even though that person tried to stop you.
prayers,
Julie.
 
digijools said:
Hi!
I am in a Canadian RCIA too. Some people in my church kneel but as our church is a little modern there are no kneelers. I was shocked to read that a person in your pew refused to let you kneel! Two people in my RCIA kneel and I find it very inspiring though I don’t feel that I need to personally. The Catholic church is worldwide and Masses often vary country by country. I feel it is very important to express your faith the way you need to to connect with God.
So keep kneeling if you want and I would have just knelt anyway on the floor, as people in my church do, even though that person tried to stop you.
prayers,
Julie.
Click to expand...
Actually pews are modern, not having pews was the norm for, well a very very long time. I point towards say, oh Notre Dame, built a short 700 years ago, it doesn’t have pews, not do many European churches. This doesn’t mean people didn’t kneel, it’s just to point out that pews are more of a mdern thing.
 
jlr247 said:
I’m in Canada, so from what I’ve read we don’t kneel for the same amount of time during the mass as you do in the states, but I’m pretty sure everyone everywhere is supposed to kneel for the consecration at some point (I think?!).
Click to expand...
Your thinking is correct. The GIRM issued by the Holy See directs kneeling from the Sanctus to the Memorial Acclamation (no. 43). Although the conference of bishops can propose adaptions to be approved by the Holy See, it is quite certain that the Holy See would not approve standing during the Consecration. If you want to have documentation, you’ll have to buy a copy of the GIRM approved for your country. Just in case this will bring a little peace to your mind, here is a reply from EWTN to a question about kneeling in Canada.
jlr247 said:
-Should I be kneeling at all, or should I stand like everyone else so that I don’t call attention to myself?
Click to expand...
Yes, you should be kneeling. You aren’t kneeling in order to call attention to yourself; the attention is only an unfortunate side effect of doing what is right; it can’t be helped.
jlr247 said:
-Am I kneeling at the right time if I am supposed to be kneeling? (I couldn’t find a definitive answer anywhere online, so I’ve just been doing what the other guy did)
Click to expand...
Yes. Check out that link to EWTN I gave above.
jlr247 said:
-Should I have kneeled on the floor today?
Click to expand...
I would have. Kneeling doesn’t require a kneeler; kneelers are only there to make it easier to kneel inbetween pews.

Maria
 
Hi, Im a returning Catholic…and the subject/practice of kneeling interests me. My observation and from talking with other Catholics, is that in North America we kneel and stand more…it seems to me that it becomes more of a distraction…trying to keep up. And what about all those with bad knees, arthritis, etc…it just seems the European practice of standing throughout seems more universal and appropriate. Im open to thoughts, but please dont advise me to be unthinking and obediant…I need reflective help. Thanks.
 
DavidAbott said:
And what about all those with bad knees, arthritis, etc…
Click to expand...
hi David,

Welcome to the Forums!
For those with bad knees and other health issues, they can sit. When my mom had problem with her back that she could not stand for 10 seconds, she just sit throughout the mass. The same thing with elderly, they are in wheelchair, they don’t kneel down or stand. 🙂
 
Ah, yes. The old foot-on-the-kneeler thing.
It is called a kneeler and not a footrest for a reason.
Be that as it seems to be, even in The OC and with a bad back, I simply kneel on the floor. Many churches in Europe do not have kneelers, and the faithful kneel on the floor.
 
DavidAbott said:
in North America we kneel and stand more…it seems to me that it becomes more of a distraction…trying to keep up. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Hello David and Welcome!

When you break the Mass down, bit by bit, you will see that every posture has a distinct purpose. We stand at “Let us Pray” and our words are joined together in prayer as the body of Christ. We sit attentively during the first reading, psalm and second reading. We stand for the reading of the Gospel because we are in the presence of Jesus Christ in His word. We sit during the homily as the priest or deacon helps to break down the reading so that we can understand it in terms of our daily lives. Boy would I fall over if I had to stand during some homilies! We sit while the collection is taken and stand as we offer our sacrifice to God. During the consecration, Jesus comes to us in the most Blessed Sacrament of Eucharist. He’s right there in front of us! If he were here before me in person, I wouldn’t be able to sit or stand myself.🙂 We kneel during the consecration because He is our King and most worthy.

I give absolutely no thought to my posture during Mass because my attention is completely focused on the Sacrifice of the Mass. My knees begin to bend and appear to be on auto-pilot during the most Holy part of the Mass. We need to be active participants at Mass. We are not mere witnesses to the Sacrifice of the Mass. Christ actually comes to us because we are His Church. We are His body. I promise, David, once the postures are memorized they are not a distraction. Just like anything, repetition is the key.

I hope I helped a bit. And regarding your question about those who are physically unable: when my Grandmother attends Mass with us, I have to hold her down in her seat and remind her that it is okay to stay seated. God only wants us to give what we can and certainly doesn’t expect us to do what we are unable to.

Many blessings to you!

Kelly
 
mystified said:
Many churches in Europe do not have kneelers, and the faithful kneel on the floor.
Click to expand...
I noticed that most continue to stand and don’t sit or kneel unless they’ve received communion. I kind of like that because it’s more of a sacrifice for me since I don’t like standing for really long periods of time, especially if I’m wearing heels. 😉 I screwed up my knees after a couple of years of kneeling on the hard floor every Sunday up at the altar when I cantor. So, now that my knees are back to normal, I won’t kneel unless I have some sort of padding underneath. Thank goodness they now have kneeling pads for me to kneel on.
 
DavidAbott said:
…it just seems the European practice of standing throughout seems more universal and appropriate. Im open to thoughts, but please dont advise me to be unthinking and obediant…I need reflective help. Thanks.
Click to expand...
When I was in Italy, they did not stand throughout. They knelt at the consecration.

My husband and I do not like the kneeler so we kneel on the carpeted floor.
 
Thanks…in Italy they kneel during the Consecration…yea, I agree. I may have heard incorrectly about Europe. IAm I they only one willing to admit that all the kneeling and standing is a distraction? Are there any wise words of goodness to help me?
 
DavidAbott said:
Thanks…in Italy they kneel during the Consecration…yea, I agree. I may have heard incorrectly about Europe. IAm I they only one willing to admit that all the kneeling and standing is a distraction? Are there any wise words of goodness to help me?
Click to expand...
I wish I did. I get easily distracted. I have a magazine “Word Among Us” which helps keep my mind where it should be. Actually it is paying attention to when I should kneel stand and sit that keeps me focused so I guess I am not much help sorry:o
 
DavidAbott said:
the European practice of standing throughout
Click to expand...
There is no such practice in Europe. I have been to Italy, England, and I come from Hungary - kneeling is pretty much in the vogue everywhere … except for Protestants who stand. My father, a Protestant, used to stand up when others knelt down during mass, together with people with arthritis or other health concerns, but for a few years, he prefers to slide forward in his seat and lay his forehead on his hands in prayer.

I believe there is too strong a connection between body and soul to think that kneeling or standing is distracting us from the mass. A respectful, devout posture should mirror what we feel inside, or help us generate that feeling. So to me, kneeling is very important at prayer and at mass as well.
Health concerns are an entirely different issue, of course.
 
Thanks…Ill look up the mag Word Among Us…Ill check the library of a nearby Jesuit college…Thanks for helping! Peace.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top