Kneeling while receiving Communion

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Agape11

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I am new to Traditional Catholicism but I love what I’m learning about my faith and how it was before V2. Recently, I started veiling at Mass and kneeling while receiving the Eucharist. However, I attend a Novus Ordo Mass, my priest is not very conservative and I’m the only one who does this. Each and every time I go up for Communion, my priest roles his eyes. I asked him if it were ok, before I started doing it and he didn’t say “no” but he didn’t say “yes” either. He gave me a long lecture of how it holds up the line and how we have a lot of people and he made me feel like I’m adding so much extra time to the whole Mass by my choice of reverence. I’m not doing it to be “holier than thou”, I just want to do it because I am approaching and receiving the King of Kings and He deserves at least that amount of respect.

The reason I’m not putting this in the Traditional Catholic forum is because I know how they will respond but I want to hear from other priest or lay people. Am I wrong to do it in NO mass? Also, I don’t go to the Trinidine Mass every weekend because its about 2 hours from me and I can’t afford the gas price right now… trust me, I would if I could.
 
I do the exact thing as you. I go to the Tridentine Mass every sunday as well as the Novus Ordo. I kneel for Communion always, but Priests don’t really have a probelm with it in my area. God bless
 
You are not wrong, you have the right to receive kneeling. I’m sorry your priest is so nasty about it, I’ll pray for you and him as well.
 
You are perfectly within your rights to do so and if this is beneficial to your spirit, then by all means do so.
I would suggest that you not look at your pastor’s eyes when you go up but concentrate on his hands and the host.

I wonder - do people come up to receive a “blessing” and does he permit this? It is my understanding that this is NOT correct, though many priests permit it. If he does and if he were ever to broach the subject of your kneeling…you could mention that, while kneeling for communion is permissible, people coming up for a “blessing” is not permissible…

I don’t know where this is addressed but I’m sure someone could provide a reference…

Peace
James
 
I’m looking at the host but from my view point, its kinda hard not to see his eyes or expression. 😉 Like I said, he has never said I couldn’t do it but he isn’t happy that I do it. I think it takes a nano second longer.
 
I have not been to an OF Mass since January 1 of this year. I have been able to bum rides or share expenses with another family to EF Masses. But even when I do go to my local OF parish I always kneel for communion.

One of the priests doesn’t know how to give properly to a kneeling communicant and sometimes misses my tongue so I have to be very alert.
 
Agape11 said:
I’m looking at the host but from my view point, its kinda hard not to see his eyes or expression. 😉 Like I said, he has never said I couldn’t do it but he isn’t happy that I do it. I think it takes a nano second longer.
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True - Often times body language is hard to miss - Especially when we have an expectation of what it will be. 🤷

In his defense, I will say that the Church tries to promote unity through commonality. That is, we show we are a single community by doing things together in the same manner.
So when you asked him about this, his encouraging you to receive standing may have been an expression of this idea.

Regardless - the choice is yours - You can receive kneeling out of great Love and reverence for the Eucharist, but out of “step” with common practice at your parish, OR you can submit to your pastor, who is your local shepherd, and receive standing.

Peace
James
 
JRKH said:
You are perfectly within your rights to do so and if this is beneficial to your spirit, then by all means do so.
I would suggest that you not look at your pastor’s eyes when you go up but concentrate on his hands and the host.

I wonder - do people come up to receive a “blessing” and does he permit this? It is my understanding that this is NOT correct, though many priests permit it. If he does and if he were ever to broach the subject of your kneeling…you could mention that, while kneeling for communion is permissible, people coming up for a “blessing” is not permissible…

I don’t know where this is addressed but I’m sure someone could provide a reference…

Peace
James
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Seems to me some of the laity like to push the priest resolve when kneeling to request a blessing. Why doesn’t a parish priest nip this in the bud by addressing this non-sanctioned practice from the Ambo? The laity in the congregation go up to receive Holy Communion not a blessing. Personally; I think its rude and disruptive. If a person wants a blessing why don’t they ask for one while greeting the priest at the end of Mass at the exit doors.🤷 I’m sure priests who do bless people coming up is because they don’t want to cause hard feelings.
 
I always kneel at the rail at EF Masses to receive Communion. I’ve only knelt one time at an OF Mass but it is because they have a rail at the church, and the priest prefers to give out Communion that way. I could not kneel for Communion without a rail nearby due to my size and bad knees.
 
Keep receiving the sacred flesh, blood, soul and divinity of Our Lord and Saviour kneeling and on the tongue. Don’t let anyone put you off. Look to the example of Our Holy Father. A good read is Dominus Est (It Is The Lord) by Bishop Athanasius Schneider, you could give this Priest a copy! I genuflect when receiving the Lord but don’t kneel, so I receive the sacred host on the tongue while frozen in a genuflection, maybe this is quicker.

But remember that by your example of piety could inspire others. For example there might be a poorly catechized teenager who thinks they “get bread” in the communion line. They might see you and wonder why someone would kneel to simply get “bread”. Then they might research the Blessed Sacrament and discover the Real Presence.
 
centurionguard said:
Seems to me some of the laity like to push the priest resolve when kneeling to request a blessing. Why doesn’t a parish priest nip this in the bud by addressing this non-sanctioned practice from the Ambo? The laity in the congregation go up to receive Holy Communion not a blessing. Personally; I think its rude and disruptive. If a person wants a blessing why don’t they ask for one while greeting the priest at the end of Mass at the exit doors.🤷 I’m sure priests who do bless people coming up is because they don’t want to cause hard feelings.
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Please see the ‘sticky’ at the top of the column, especially continuing on to read the latest information. The situation is by no means as cut-and-dried as you suggest.

Indeed, in some countries, for example England and Wales, those not receiving are explicitly encouraged officially by the relevant Archbishops to come for a blessing. The Archbishops’ Office has confirmed to another poster that Rome is aware of the practice, and has not objected.

I think many posters confuse two issues : the giving of blessings by EMHC - not allowed, except as a general ‘God bless you’, such as one might say to a neighbour - and blessings as given by clergy, and condemn both of them.

I have never seen a priest ‘forced’ to give a blessing because of a person coming forward in the communion line. But I have times without number heard priests invite non-Catholics/those not receiving for whatever reason to come forward, especially at funerals.
 
paperwight66 said:
Please see the ‘sticky’ at the top of the column, especially continuing on to read the latest information. The situation is by no means as cut-and-dried as you suggest.

Indeed, in some countries, for example England and Wales, those not receiving are explicitly encouraged officially by the relevant Archbishops to come for a blessing. The Archbishops’ Office has confirmed to another poster that Rome is aware of the practice, and has not objected.

I think many posters confuse two issues : the giving of blessings by EMHC - not allowed, except as a general ‘God bless you’, such as one might say to a neighbour - and blessings as given by clergy.
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My apologies; I never read the sticky. I suppose every diocese has its own directives concerning this issue. Unless the occasion was Saint Blaise or a communal celebration of the Sacrament of the Sick held in the Church I’ve never walked up the aisle to receive a blessing from a priest in lieu of “not” feeling right about myself about receiving Holy Communion unworthily.
 
We don’t have to receive communion every week.
I attend OF 3 times a month and once a month go to EF.
I therefore receive kneeling and on the tongue once a month.
I recognise the OF as being a valid mass of course. I would be quite happy to receive communion at an OF mass if the holy sacrament was reverently dispensed.
 
Have you tried calling him on it? Approach him and say something like, “Father, I couldn’t help but notice every time I receive communion from you, you roll your eyes. I’m concerned it’s directed at me, and therefore I find it distracting and taking away from my ability to receive our Lord reverently and with the proper inward disposition. May I ask why you do this? Do you have some sort of an ocular muscle problem that I should pray for you to overcome?”

Doing something like this is usually enough to get people to stop doing it.
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
Have you tried calling him on it? Approach him and say something like, “Father, I couldn’t help but notice every time I receive communion from you, you roll your eyes. I’m concerned it’s directed at me, and therefore I find it distracting and taking away from my ability to receive our Lord reverently and with the proper inward disposition. May I ask why you do this Do you have some sort of an ocular muscle problem that I should pray for you to overcome?”

Doing something like this is usually enough to get people to stop doing it.
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That’s really good advice.
 
Agape11 said:
I am new to Traditional Catholicism but I love what I’m learning about my faith and how it was before V2. Recently, I started veiling at Mass and kneeling while receiving the Eucharist. However, I attend a Novus Ordo Mass, my priest is not very conservative and I’m the only one who does this. Each and every time I go up for Communion, my priest roles his eyes. I asked him if it were ok, before I started doing it and he didn’t say “no” but he didn’t say “yes” either. He gave me a long lecture of how it holds up the line and how we have a lot of people and he made me feel like I’m adding so much extra time to the whole Mass by my choice of reverence. I’m not doing it to be “holier than thou”, I just want to do it because I am approaching and receiving the King of Kings and He deserves at least that amount of respect.

The reason I’m not putting this in the Traditional Catholic forum is because I know how they will respond but I want to hear from other priest or lay people. Am I wrong to do it in NO mass? Also, I don’t go to the Trinidine Mass every weekend because its about 2 hours from me and I can’t afford the gas price right now… trust me, I would if I could.
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The “norm for receiving” in the U.S. is standing.
A local church, that I attend, has 600-700 communicants on a given weekend. There is one that kneels, only one and he waits until the end or near to the end to receive. He blends in rather than stands out.
If you try this your priest may change his attitude towards you, as this clearly seems to have upset you.

Last tuesday morning mass, at a different church , we utilized the communion rail: at last nights mass all knelt on marble steps, no rail. Last nights mass was at a monastery, no rails.
All three masses were in the ordinary form, one ad-orientum, two ad populum.
If you want to cover your head do so, many have continued that practise.
If you want to kneel do so, just do not trip the person in front of you., not a pretty site.
 
thomas_jd said:
The “norm for receiving” in the U.S. is standing.
A local church, that I attend, has 600-700 communicants on a given weekend. There is one that kneels, only one and he waits until the end or near to the end to receive. He blends in rather than stands out.
If you try this your priest may change his attitude towards you, as this clearly seems to have upset you.
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Nonsense. While the norm in the US is standing, the universal norm is kneeling, and on the tongue. The OP is not doing anything wrong, and has every right to receive whilst kneeling. It’s not the OP’s concern the priest has issues with it. This nonsense about it “holding up the line” is absurd. I’m willing to best dollars to donuts that at the OP’s parish they permit blessings during communion, which holds up the communion line far more than one person receiving communion kneeling. I’m also willing to bet that they receive under both species at this parish. This unnecessarily holds up communion, as communicants are receiving the exact thing they received under the species of bread alone. They’re not getting anymore Jesus by receiving under both species. Furthermore, I know most communicants who receive kneeling forgo receiving under both kinds because it’s simply too awkward to receive from the chalice while kneeling, so essentially they’re not taking up anymore time in the communion line.

Personally, I think communion lines are moving too fast and turning into a hurry and get through it so we can be out in an hour communion line.
 
My priest does allow blessings to be given out during Communion and we also have both the Body and Blood to receive, if we want.
 
Agape11 said:
My priest does allow blessings to be given out during Communion and we also have both the Body and Blood to receive, if we want.
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Likewise in ours.

It was good advice from an earlier poster to go either at the start or the end of the line, if one wishes to receive kneeling. I would suggest at the end is best, as I remember a blind lady falling when she tripped over the legs of someone who suddenly knelt. It’s much safer and more considerate to kneel only if there is nobody behind, imo.
 
paperwight66 said:
Likewise in ours.

It was good advice from an earlier poster to go either at the start or the end of the line, if one wishes to receive kneeling. I would suggest at the end is best, as I remember a blind lady falling when she tripped over the legs of someone who suddenly knelt. It’s much safer and more considerate to kneel only if there is nobody behind, imo.
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Very rarely will a blind person be behind you, if they are, you’ll know and can act accordingly. I have never had anyone trip over me, nor have I seen anyone ever be tripped over who chose to kneel. Even my absent-minded brother who never goes to Mass, and had no idea that I even kneel to receive (probably has no clue this is even an option) managed not to trip over me when I knelt and received from my bishop who was more than happy to give me communion whilst kneeling. He also didn’t say anything after Mass when I was talking to him about how I shouldn’t kneel if there are people behind me. Honestly, kneeling to receive is not this huge thing that priests and people make it out to be.
 
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