Kneeling to Receive Communion

[afvw]

I have this burning desire to kneel for receiving communion, but it isn’t an accepted practice here in Rochester NY. Should I do it anyway?? Why should anyone care if I do?? I know I will face some persecution for it.
Then what about receiving communion for a Eucharistic minister extraordinary?? I think I will try kneeling there too.
Any thoughts?? Encouragment?? Persecutions?? Discouragements??

Thanks
Arnold

 

[paramedicgirl]

I think the whole world should receive Communion kneeling, in order to humble ourselves before God, but others will tell you different.

Apparently the way they prevent us from kneeling is by telling us that if we kneel where there are no Communion rails, we risk tripping the person behind us. (As if God would allow that to happen!) You might want to discuss this with your priest first, though, to see if you have his support.

I always receive from the priest, never from a lay person. I just go to the back of the priest’s line if I’m not in his lineup. So I can’t advise you on receiving from EMHC.

 

[otm]

The GIRM inicates that standing is the norm for reception of Communion in the United States, as best I recall.

When the GiIRM was promulgated, in a few areas some priests refused to distribute Communion to those who knelt.

Rome was petitioned on the issue, and said that withholding Communion was a Canonical punishment that was excessive to the issue, and that priests did not have the authority to impose that Canonical punishment. Rome said that the individual was to be allowed to receive, but was to be counseled (on their reufsal to follow the norm).

There have been a number of threads herein in which individuals have said that Rome therefore gave them a right to receive kneeling. This is an incorrect statement of the rubrics and the law surrounding them.

It is clear to anyone who knows and understands Cononical law that Rome did not “give permission”; what they did was say that the Canonical punishment of refusing Communion to that individual was an inappropriate punishment and could not be imposed by the priest.

Therefore, if you choose to receive kneeling, you are in violation of the norms, but the priest cannot refuse you Communion.

To all of those who complain wide and loudly that the priests do not follow the rubrics (for example, allowing someone to take the Host instead of having it handed to them), or complain that holding hands during the Our Father is an abuse (Archbishop Chaput has said otherwise), one would think that while they may not like the rubric of standing, that they would do so since it is the rule.

However, some, even having been told that the rubric was not changed (it even says in the GIRM that the individual is to be counseled) have decided that their piety or version of reverence takes precedence over Church rules.

In other words, out of obedience to the bishop of your diocese, the bishops of the United States, and to the Church which officially promulgated the rule, you should stand.

Other reasons include that it is difficult to get down and back up, it tends to slow the reception down, it tends to draw undue attention to yourself, it is easily seen by others as pietistic as opposed to pious, it tends to lead to dissention and unnecessary commentary, and is disruptive to others not only physically but in terms of unnecessary distraction during Communion.

 

[netmilsmom]

otm:

It is clear to anyone who knows and understands Cononical law that Rome did not “give permission”; what they did was say that the Canonical punishment of refusing Communion to that individual was an inappropriate punishment and could not be imposed by the priest.

Therefore, if you choose to receive kneeling, you are in violation of the norms, but the priest cannot refuse you Communion.

.

Then define disobedient and illicit.
Because what the Vatican said was that no one can be called disobedient or acting illicit because they want to receive by kneeling.

Rome, February 26, 2003

This Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has received your letter dated December 1, 2002, related to the application of the norms approved by the Conference of Bishops of the United States of America, with the subsequent recognitio of this Congregation, as regards the question of the posture for receiving Holy Communion.

As the authority by virtue of whose recognitio the norm in question has attained the force of law, this Dicastery is competent to specify the manner in which the norm is to be understood for the sake of a proper application. Having received more than a few letters regarding this matter from different locations in the United States of America, the Congregation wishes to ensure that its position on the matter is clear.

To this end, it is perhaps useful to respond to your inquiry by repeating the content of a letter that the Congregation recently addressed to a Bishop in the United States of America from whose Diocese a number of pertinent letters had been received. The letter states: “…while this Congregation gave the recognitio to the norm desired by the Bishops’ Conference of your country that people stand for Holy Communion, this was done on the condition that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds. Indeed, the faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion”.

This Dicastery hopes that the citation given here will provide an adequate answer to your letter. At the same time, please be assured that the Congregation remains ready to be of assistance if you should need to contact it again.

With every prayerful good wish, I am

Sincerely yours in Christ,
[signed]
Mons. Mario Marini
Undersecretary

 

[m134e5]

paramedicgirl:

Apparently the way they prevent us from kneeling is by telling us that if we kneel where there are no Communion rails, we risk tripping the person behind us. (As if God would allow that to happen!) You might want to discuss this with your priest first, though, to see if you have his support.

Why wouldn’t God allow that to happen? Don’t assume God will make sure nothing will go wrong because of what you’re doing- simply because you’re doing it for Him. That’s no different then refusing medicine for an illness because you think God will heal you, so you have no need for medicine.

 

[GodBlessJoanie]

I’d love to kneel to receive Holy Communion.

What I’ve seen on EWTN is people who genuflect or bow before receiving.

I also NEVER receive in the hand anymore… because I feel that when I receive in the hand I “take” Communion. When I open my mouth I truly receive him.

I do whatever it take to no receive from an EMHC! AND I’M ONE OF THEM! I will NOT serve at Mass, but I have offered my services to provide Communion to the homebound as the Priests are stretched.

Show as much reverence as you can. Rochester is a tough place to do that – but continue and the Lord will bless you abundantly.

Blessings,
Joanie

 

[paramedicgirl]

m134e5:

Why wouldn’t God allow that to happen? Don’t assume God will make sure nothing will go wrong because of what you’re doing- simply because you’re doing it for Him. That’s no different then refusing medicine for an illness because you think God will heal you, so you have no need for medicine.

You’re right. He could allow it to happen. I just meant that it’s a rather lame excuse to prevent people from kneeling while receiving the Sacred Host.

 

[Freeway4321]

I agree. This is just another invention to please the Protestants! It’s all a Protestant conspiracy!

Seriously though… to not allow someone to receive communion while kneeling is plain old tomfoolery.

 

[Kielbasi]

Seriously though… to not allow someone to receive communion while kneeling is plain old tomfoolery.

You’re probably right.

But receiving communion has definitely got the thumbs up from the Magesterium as a viable option, and if the priest and the other Catholics in the parish are all doing it, folks ought to be humble enough to conform, regardless of their own personal preferences to show unity with the others.

 

[robertaf]

I was told that a Priest in one of our neighboring parishes, took a person who knelt to receive Communion aside, couseled them and asked them to please remain standing in the future.
This is what the Priest is advised to do, I understand.

My question is, what would you do if your Pastor was to do this with you?
Would you be obedient or defy him?

 

[afvw]

I would be obedient to the pastor.

I want to thank all of you for your informing, encouraging and contentious responses. I never expected so many responses and so fast. Many of the ideas and questions presented are quite saddening and could be discouraging. It amazes me how such a simple show of reverence could be so controversial, but that’s our world.

I am in unity with you, in obedience to Church rules and those who are in charge. Not my will but Thine be done.

Sad, sad sad …

Arnold

 

[puzzleannie]

personally, since kneeling to receive communion is not required, I don’t do it unless the church hospitably retains a communion rail with kneeling bench. I don’t genuflect or kneel since I am physically unable to rise without assistance. Since I have already been kneeling until I join the procession I have already made a gesture of reverence, which is prescribed. I don’t bow my head because of vertigo.

However, since kneeling during the Eucharistic prayer is required, I kneel no matter where I am, whether or not the parish has abused Christian charity to the point of removing kneelers which assist the faithful in their duty.

As a general rule for myself and in teaching my children and grandchildren, I adhere to the practices that are commanded, and refrain from adding practices which are not prescribed. Gestures such as kneeling and genuflection are intended to foster humility, and if they are used to promote disobedience, this is the antithesis of humility. We obey our priests and bishops in all things that are not sinful.

 

[Orionthehunter]

afvw:

I have this burning desire to kneel for receiving communion, but it isn’t an accepted practice here in Rochester NY. Should I do it anyway?? Why should anyone care if I do?? I know I will face some persecution for it.
Then what about receiving communion for a Eucharistic minister extraordinary?? I think I will try kneeling there too.
Any thoughts?? Encouragment?? Persecutions?? Discouragements??

Thanks
Arnold

I understand that you want to show proper reverence prior recieving the Eucharist. Proper posture is a good thing whenever we worship our Lord. However, I would like to suggest a couple things for you to consider:

1. Be on the look out for the sin of excessive piety.
2. Consider the impact this will have on others. If you start this, others may follow. However, suddenly Communion will last an extra 15 minutes. Granted for most of the devout, this is no big deal. However, we have many brethren whose heart is not yet in the right place. If Mass time is increased 25%, some may use it as an excuse not to attend or sneak out prior to the concluding prayer and hymn. Do we really want that effect?
3. Personally, I think that it is more important to get in the right mental posture prior to recieving. Contempletively praying in humility about the great gift that Christ is so eminently present for you will make your physical posture irrelevant.

I guess my point si that your heart is in the right place. While I think that it is a shame that we no longer have Communion rails and would support their addition to new churches, sometimes we need to make practical compromises by spendign more time in contempletive prayer on our knees prior to getting in line and using that time for continued prayer.

 

[Michael038]

If you wish to kneel, then kneel. There shouldnt be anyone who holds that against you.

 

[otm]

netmil(name removed by moderator):

Then define disobedient and illicit.
Because what the Vatican said was that no one can be called disobedient or acting illicit because they want to receive by kneeling.

Rome, February 26, 2003

This Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has received your letter dated December 1, 2002, related to the application of the norms approved by the Conference of Bishops of the United States of America, with the subsequent recognitio of this Congregation, as regards the question of the posture for receiving Holy Communion.

As the authority by virtue of whose recognitio the norm in question has attained the force of law, this Dicastery is competent to specify the manner in which the norm is to be understood for the sake of a proper application. Having received more than a few letters regarding this matter from different locations in the United States of America, the Congregation wishes to ensure that its position on the matter is clear.

To this end, it is perhaps useful to respond to your inquiry by repeating the content of a letter that the Congregation recently addressed to a Bishop in the United States of America from whose Diocese a number of pertinent letters had been received. The letter states: “…while this Congregation gave the recognitio to the norm desired by the Bishops’ Conference of your country that people stand for Holy Communion, this was done on the condition that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds. Indeed, the faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion”.

This Dicastery hopes that the citation given here will provide an adequate answer to your letter. At the same time, please be assured that the Congregation remains ready to be of assistance if you should need to contact it again.

With every prayerful good wish, I am

Sincerely yours in Christ,
[signed]
Mons. Mario Marini
Undersecretary

The GIRM states that they (who receive kneeling) are not to be denied Communion, but they are to be counseled. I do not need to define the term illicit, as I did not use the term. You did.

You and the good Monsignior can split all the hairs you wish as to the term disobedience. The norem is standing, and contrary to what the insisitent conservatives try to maintain, the letter from Rome did not overrule the GIRM. It states both the norm, and the fact that one not following the norm is to be counseled.

There is absolutely no reason to counsel anyone if Rome has given permission to anyone to receive as they wish; but that is the postion of the insistent conservatives; that they have carte blanche permission to ignore the norm - that is, the norm is no longer the norm - and that they are not being disobedient.

Fine; call it anything you wish. The norm is standing, those who do not stand are not following the norm, and are to be counseled.

Sounds fairly simple to me.

Oh, and by the way, I re-read my post, and I did not use the word disobedience either. Your word.

 

[otm]

Freeway4321:

I agree. This is just another invention to please the Protestants! It’s all a Protestant conspiracy!

Seriously though… to not allow someone to receive communion while kneeling is plain old tomfoolery.

No. It is the rubrics approved by Rome.

 

[otm]

afvw:

I would be obedient to the pastor.

I want to thank all of you for your informing, encouraging and contentious responses. I never expected so many responses and so fast. Many of the ideas and questions presented are quite saddening and could be discouraging. It amazes me how such a simple show of reverence could be so controversial, but that’s our world.

I am in unity with you, in obedience to Church rules and those who are in charge. Not my will but Thine be done.

Sad, sad sad …

Arnold

I see no sadness in obeying Rome. There are any number of rubrics that one could pick at because at one time or another the Church did it this way, or that way. Or they do it this way in the Maronite rite, or that way in the Byzantine rite. Or personal feelings. Or whatever other reason is brought up, to express a personal feeling about any given rubric. Rome has reasons for the rules it promulgates; at times, the reasons are the reasons that a particular council or group of bishops may request for their area, and which Rome accepts as an exception to the universal rules.

The Mass is not about personal piety, but about the worship of the community, and one of the things that is important in community worship is unity of posture.

 

[Freeway4321]

otm:

No. It is the rubrics approved by Rome.

Yeah, i’m still going to go with “plain old tomfoolery”.

“It well may be that kneeling is alien to modern culture-inso-far as it is a culture, for this culture has turned away from the faith and no longer knows the One before whom kneeling is the right, indeed the intrinsically necessary gesture. The man who learns to believe learns also to kneel, and a faith or a liturgy no longer familiar with kneeling would be sick at the core. Where it has been lost, kneeling must be rediscovered”
-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy

 

[netmilsmom]

otm:

The GIRM states that they (who receive kneeling) are not to be denied Communion, but they are to be counseled. I do not need to define the term illicit, as I did not use the term. You did.

The Monsignior did.

Oh, and by the way, I re-read my post, and I did not use the word disobedience either. Your word.

The Monsignior’s word, which by definition is the opposite of being obedient to a Bishop.

OTM:

In other words, out of obedience to the bishop of your diocese, the bishops of the United States, and to the Church which officially promulgated the rule, you should stand.

 

[Anna_Elizabeth]

netmil(name removed by moderator):

Then define disobedient and illicit.
Because what the Vatican said was that no one can be called disobedient or acting illicit because they want to receive by kneeling.

Rome, February 26, 2003

This Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has received your letter dated December 1, 2002, related to the application of the norms approved by the Conference of Bishops of the United States of America, with the subsequent recognitio of this Congregation, as regards the question of the posture for receiving Holy Communion.

As the authority by virtue of whose recognitio the norm in question has attained the force of law, this Dicastery is competent to specify the manner in which the norm is to be understood for the sake of a proper application. Having received more than a few letters regarding this matter from different locations in the United States of America, the Congregation wishes to ensure that its position on the matter is clear.

To this end, it is perhaps useful to respond to your inquiry by repeating the content of a letter that the Congregation recently addressed to a Bishop in the United States of America from whose Diocese a number of pertinent letters had been received. The letter states: “…while this Congregation gave the recognitio to the norm desired by the Bishops’ Conference of your country that people stand for Holy Communion, this was done on the condition that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds. Indeed, the faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion”.

This Dicastery hopes that the citation given here will provide an adequate answer to your letter. At the same time, please be assured that the Congregation remains ready to be of assistance if you should need to contact it again.

With every prayerful good wish, I am

Sincerely yours in Christ,
[signed]
Mons. Mario Marini
Undersecretary

Perhaps I’m repeating myself, but last year someone in our parish chose to kneel, and the pastor not only wouldn’t give him the Host, after Mass he said that Cardinal Arinze’s OK re kneeling didn’t mean anything to him as he took his directions from the USCCB!

Go figure,

Anna