Kneeling? Trivial question but

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Podo2005

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Being a catholic that lives in the most secular part of North America and is constantly surrounded by liberal(i.e. oh stop living in the past we’ve change all that stuff!) catholics I cant help feeling confused at times. At what points during the mass are catholics required to kneel and what are the norms for kneeling(or standing) after communion? It would be helpful if you could provide some references also if possible
Also a carefully reasoned sound argument in favor of the current teaching?

I apologize for asking such a stupid question, its just I knelt after communion at mass today and was yelled at by some parishoners for “remaining in the past” ,“Doing something that has nothing to do with communion…” etc

In Christ,
Zachary
 
Hi Zachary,

Ther is nothing wrong with kneeling after communion. I actually like it, it is what we used to do and we still should be doing. We all should humble ourselves before the Lord and I personally prefer to kneel after receiving His body and blood to thank Him for His ultimate sacrifice so that I may join Him when I die. If anyone hollers at you, just pray for them…sounds like they could use some humble pie.

Yours in Christ,
Patsydtr
 
Podo2005 said:
Being a catholic that lives in the most secular part of North America and is constantly surrounded by liberal(i.e. oh stop living in the past we’ve change all that stuff!) catholics I cant help feeling confused at times. At what points during the mass are catholics required to kneel and what are the norms for kneeling(or standing) after communion? It would be helpful if you could provide some references also if possible
Also a carefully reasoned sound argument in favor of the current teaching?

I apologize for asking such a stupid question, its just I knelt after communion at mass today and was yelled at by some parishoners for “remaining in the past” ,“Doing something that has nothing to do with communion…” etc

In Christ,
Zachary
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Ignore them. I would. And I would tell them to mind their own business. (BTW, instructions on what to do during mass are in the missellette.) One time when the Our Father was about to be said, I put my hands together infront of me because I cannot stand it when people hold hands during the Our Father.It’s not even part of the Mass. Anyway, I had closed my eyes and the man next to me tapped me on the shoulder. I ignored it. He tapped me again and when I opened my eyes to look at him he offered his hand, all this while the Our Father was being said!. I gave him a dirty look and closed my eyes again to continue praying. I never did hold his hand.

That was only one time though.

Incidentally, in Divine Liturgy, they do not kneel but stay standing. They stand during the consecration and after receiving communion. I admit, the Latin Rite girl in me wants to kneel and I’ve done so a few times. I literally get weak in the knees when I take communion! But!!! Kneeling is not part of the Divine Liturgy. It’s a situation of, “When in Rome, do as the Romans,” literally! 😃

Anyway, I found this:


It gives directions in itty bitty dark red letters. Although, it does not say and the way it reads it looks like we all sit after receiving communion. It has been my experience, and the church I go to does this as well, that people sit after the Holy Eucharist has been put back into the tabernacle.

Kneel. I would. Remember, we are in the presence of our Lord.
 
Kneeling, sitting, standing … who could ever notice. At this point in the Mass we’ve just witnessed the miracle of bread and wine being changed into the very body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord. And then we actually received Him on our tongues! Do people really have nothing better to do than gaze around at fellow parishioners?:eek:
 
The_Reginator said:
Kneeling, sitting, standing … who could ever notice. At this point in the Mass we’ve just witnessed the miracle of bread and wine being changed into the very body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord. And then we actually received Him on our tongues! Do people really have nothing better to do than gaze around at fellow parishioners?:eek:
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I was just asking a question, I know that the focus should be on Christ… but I wanted to know the proper posture , I dont want to go to mass and do what I want and what makes ME feel comfortable, I want to do the correct posture.

In Christ,
Zachary
 
This thread is a shock to me because i’ve always knelt after communion and I’ve never seen other people do otherwise unless they are old or injured and cannot kneel.

Maybe it’s the fact that i grew up in south America and now I’m in Miami where the vast majority of people are Hispanic and that has always been the custom 🤷
 
Podo2005 said:
At what points during the mass are catholics required to kneel and what are the norms for kneeling(or standing) after communion?
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Kneeling is prescribed for the Eucharistic Prayer and (by default) after the Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God”). That’s found in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 43. That same direction says that you may kneel after Communion.

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has addressed this matter several times before. You may stand, sit, or kneel after you have received Communion. Your posture at this point in the Mass is up to you.
 
Podo2005 said:
Being a catholic that lives in the most secular part of North America and is constantly surrounded by liberal(i.e. oh stop living in the past we’ve change all that stuff!) catholics I cant help feeling confused at times. At what points during the mass are catholics required to kneel and what are the norms for kneeling(or standing) after communion? It would be helpful if you could provide some references also if possible
Also a carefully reasoned sound argument in favor of the current teaching?

I apologize for asking such a stupid question, its just I knelt after communion at mass today and was yelled at by some parishoners for “remaining in the past” ,“Doing something that has nothing to do with communion…” etc

In Christ,
Zachary
Click to expand...
Each person is permitted to kneel , sit or stand as they choose upon returning from Holy Communion.

We are required to kneel after the “Holy, Holy, Holy…” until the “Great Amen” after the “Lamb of God” until we return from receiving Holy Communion we are to follow the local Bishop’s directive.
 
Podo2005 said:
Being a catholic that lives in the most secular part of North America and is constantly surrounded by liberal(i.e. oh stop living in the past we’ve change all that stuff!) catholics I cant help feeling confused at times. At what points during the mass are catholics required to kneel and what are the norms for kneeling(or standing) after communion? It would be helpful if you could provide some references also if possible
Also a carefully reasoned sound argument in favor of the current teaching?

I apologize for asking such a stupid question, its just I knelt after communion at mass today and was yelled at by some parishoners for “remaining in the past” ,“Doing something that has nothing to do with communion…” etc

In Christ,
Zachary
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It is extremely difficult to believe that you were yelled at for kneeling after communion.

Your comment “…surrounded by liberal(i.e. oh stop living in the past we’ve change all that stuff!) catholics…” reinforces that difficulty.
 
The_Reginator said:
Kneeling, sitting, standing … who could ever notice. At this point in the Mass we’ve just witnessed the miracle of bread and wine being changed into the very body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord. And then we actually received Him on our tongues! Do people really have nothing better to do than gaze around at fellow parishioners?:eek:
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Apparently so, unfortunately. I know that when I get to the pew and kneel down I don’t even notice anyone else.
 
Podo2005 said:
Being a catholic that lives in the most secular part of North America and is constantly surrounded by liberal(i.e. oh stop living in the past we’ve change all that stuff!) catholics I cant help feeling confused at times. At what points during the mass are catholics required to kneel and what are the norms for kneeling(or standing) after communion? It would be helpful if you could provide some references also if possible
Also a carefully reasoned sound argument in favor of the current teaching?

I apologize for asking such a stupid question, its just I knelt after communion at mass today and was yelled at by some parishoners for “remaining in the past” ,“Doing something that has nothing to do with communion…” etc

In Christ,
Zachary
Click to expand...
In Canada at present, per the 1975 GIRM which is still in effect until the new translation of the Roman Missal is promulgated, the only moment at Mass where we are required to kneel is for the words of Consecration. If people kneel at any other time, and parishes vary greatly in that regard, it is simply because of the tradition in that parish. When it comes to after Communion, Rome has already spoken on the that subject and has indicated that posture after returning from Communion is up to the person so kneeling is perfectly OK if that’s what you wish to do.

When a parish kneels is no indication of how traditional they are. Today I was at a parish that knelt for Consecration and then after the Lamb of God until the priest sat after Communion.

For all that kneeling they skipped the Gloria, the wine was consecrated in the decanter and the Precious Blood was poured at the Fraction rite, and because the priest is a good singer he was also the cantor (complete with gestures), scurrying from chair to ambo to do the psalm and back to the chair to sit for the second reading and back to the ambo to sing the Gospel Acclamation.
 
Goodness, I can’t imagine anyone getting scolded for kneeling after communion unless you were in their way as they tried to get back to their places. If someone did, I would just smile and ask them to pray for me and then go back to praying myself!

It is so sad that we are so concerened about what everyone else is doing and not focused enough on what we should be doing–thanking the Lord!
 
Wow, I’m really surprised, I’ve never been to a mass where people didn’t generally kneel after Communion. (Well, except for those few churches that didn’t have kneelers.)

I can’t imagine people scolding others about it though…sheesh! :rolleyes:
 
I was scolded for kneeling after Communion by the lady next to me once. :rolleyes:
 
I cannot believe someone else would actually chide another person for behavior at Mass. Even if the behavior was pretty bad, I don’t think I would say very much, if anything. And to have someone YELL at you for kneeling???!:eek: What is their problem?
Kneel anyway!
 
Hi,

The liturgy is community worship, so it is preferred to use a common posture. However, there is never a excuse or reason for rudeness.
GIRM
Movements and Posture
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  1. The gestures and posture of the priest, the deacon, and the ministers, as well as those of the people, ought to contribute to making the entire celebration resplendent with beauty and noble simplicity, so that the true and full meaning of the different parts of the celebration is evident and that the participation of all is fostered.52 Therefore, attention should be paid to what is determined by this General Instruction and the traditional practice of the Roman Rite and to what serves the common spiritual good of the People of God, rather than private inclination or arbitrary choice.
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A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the Sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the intention and spiritual attitude of the participants.
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No one should have an attitude to anyone because of their style of worship. If someone is disrupting another person, this may need to be addressed. If the majority of the community is sitting or standing, it would be better to kneel in a place that would not be in the way of the rest of the community. A kneeling person may block the path of others, or poke them in the back, if they are sitting in front of the kneeler.

Often common courtesy would go a long way in helping different preferences to co-exist.

Lux
 
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