MERGED: Should I stay kneeling?/Parish practices

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dconklin said:
Along these lines… After Communion everyone usually stays kneeling until the priest takes his seat. I recently heard we can sit once the Blessed Sacrament has been put into the Tabernacle. This makes sense since we are showing reverence to the Eucharist - not the priest. Right?
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This is how our Priest explained it to us.
 
You should by all means remain kneeling and I am grateful for someone like you in our Church Militant. Even though you may be the only one kneeling in that Church remember that you are showing reverence to our Lord. It is hard to do this when you are the only one but think of it spiritually. Remember all of your brothers and sisters in the Church Militant who remain kneeling at all the other Masses offered throughout the world. Don’t forget we are with you.
 
georgewithfaith said:
You should by all means remain kneeling and I am grateful for someone like you in our Church Militant. Even though you may be the only one kneeling in that Church remember that you are showing reverence to our Lord. It is hard to do this when you are the only one but think of it spiritually. Remember all of your brothers and sisters in the Church Militant who remain kneeling at all the other Masses offered throughout the world. Don’t forget we are with you.
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Actually, for the most part in the rest of the world they’re standing during the point that’s being discussed here. An understandable misconception, but in fact as explained above it’s the U.S. that has a special indult to permit kneeling here.
 
I’ve read that the reason why Eastern Catholics stand for most or all of their liturgy is because standing is the posture of the Ressurection, that is why they only stand during Sundays.
 
Evan said:
That is a difficult question. The priest is acting in persona Chrsti so while the priest is distributing communion is he acting the Christ present among us or did that role expire after the Eucharistic Prayer? His hands are still the hands that confected the Eucharist. So you may be kneeling on honor of the actions he has just completed.

… another thought…

Between the time the Eucharist is reposed and the priest sits, what is he doing? In our parish he is purifying the holy vessels, so the particles of Christ from the fractured host and the remnants of the blood of Christ are still present on the altar until he has consumed them. There is very little time between the completion of the purification and when he sits.
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Distributing Communion is not acting in the persona of Christ
 
ConvertaKat said:
You’ve never been to Los Angeles. Mahony territory here and the edict went out that all are to “stand in unity”.
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I have yet to comprehend how standing, in and of itself, signifies unity. Surely the congregation would be just as unified, if all were kneeling. :hmmm:
I am of the mind that I would rather kneel before the Lord…and so, I do.
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You are a very good Western Rite Catholic. 🙂
 
jmcrae said:
I have yet to comprehend how standing, in and of itself, signifies unity. Surely the congregation would be just as unified, if all were kneeling. :hmmm:
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Exactly. Where did this “disunity” jargon originate? Are we not already in union with one another because we are all there together as a parish to praise and worship God…um, together? Unity in posture is preferable but if a few do one or the other should not result in the opinion that the whole parish is somehow not in unity…ridiculous assumption IMHO. Unity is a given because we gathered in God’s name. Once gathered, it is now all about adoration of our Lord in the Real Presence.

I also remain kneeling while the Blessed Host is still out. This was taught to me by my grandmother. We kneel out of humble adoration of our Lord in the Real Presence and it has nothing to do with the priest. Mother Angelica is on our side. She said in one of her talks that it is incomprehensible to her how one could not kneel not only during the Consecration but after the Agnus Dei when the priest holds up our Lord and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world…” Would Mother Teresa, Cardinal Newman, Bishop Sheen, or any of the saints remain standing? Doubtful…doubtful.
 
Evan said:
Is it not? Was is not Jesus who said, as he distributed communion, ‘Take and eat’, Take and drink’.
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Study Church history. There have always been those other than priests that have assisted in the distribution of communion.
 
StTommyMore said:
Study Church history. There have always been those other than priests that have assisted in the distribution of communion.
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Correct, but irrelevant. I was not discussing others who distribute communion, but the priest. For it is required that, when I distribute communion, I receive it from him. As I would receive it from Christ: both victim and priest.

The broader question is “Is the priest acting as another Christ throughout the mass?” I know that each of us is to act as Christ when we leave the mass. (hence the name… Go! you are sent :: ‘mass’) In the highest person of Christ, he confects the Eucharist, but has he lost all authority and honor after the Eucharistic prayer? Or does he retain his charism as priest through the end of the mass?

Christ is present in 4 ways at the mass:
  1. congregation
  2. the word of God
  3. the priest of God
  4. the consecrated bread and wine
Each greater than the previous, but honor is due to all. So to respect the action at the altar, even without the consecrated elements, is not an unworthy request.

Do you kneel for the final blessing. As a grade-schooler and server, after each mass, we would kneel before the priest for his blessing. Was he not acting as Christ when he offered the blessing of God? And this was after mass, but still vested.
 
Please don’t stray from the OP’s topic. If you wish to discuss side issues, please start new threads or join existing ones already discussing those issues. Thank you all.
 
FNDRB58 said:
Exactly. Where did this “disunity” jargon originate? Are we not already in union with one another because we are all there together as a parish to praise and worship God…um, together? Unity in posture is preferable but if a few do one or the other should not result in the opinion that the whole parish is somehow not in unity…ridiculous assumption IMHO. Unity is a given because we gathered in God’s name. Once gathered, it is now all about adoration of our Lord in the Real Presence.
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Exactly! 👍
I also remain kneeling while the Blessed Host is still out. This was taught to me by my grandmother. We kneel out of humble adoration of our Lord in the Real Presence and it has nothing to do with the priest. Mother Angelica is on our side. She said in one of her talks that it is incomprehensible to her how one could not kneel not only during the Consecration but after the Agnus Dei when the priest holds up our Lord and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world…” Would Mother Teresa, Cardinal Newman, Bishop Sheen, or any of the saints remain standing? Doubtful…doubtful.
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🙂
 
I would say if you want to stay kneeling then do. Those instructions you were given were probably liberal.
 
One parish I attend we kneel through the amen, and then stand for the Lords prayer.

The other I attend we(they) stand during the amen, which doesn’t seem quite right.
 
newangela said:
Hi all-
I hope you can give me some advice about the Eucharist and when to kneel/stand.
In our parish, everyone kneels during Consecration, and then stands up to sing “Amen” while the host is still being raised. In other parishes I’ve been too, everyone remains kneeling until it’s time to begin Communion. I’ve seen some older folks remain kneeling, but I don’t want to be the odd man out.
Also, after I receive Communion, I would love to go back to my seat and kneel in prayer, but I was told in RCIA that “at our parish we all stand until everyone has received Communion as a show of community.” So, once again, I’d be the weird one kneeling while everyone else is being “a community.”
What to do??
Thanks,
Angela
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Well there’s clearly some variation from culture to culture.

In French Canada where I attend Mass, we kneel from the beginning to the end of the consecration and then remain standing until communion. When returning from communion we kneel in prayer at our pew.

It’s been that way ever since I’ve attended Mass as a tot so clearly it isn’t a new innovation.
 
OraLabora said:
Well there’s clearly some variation from culture to culture.

In French Canada where I attend Mass, we kneel from the beginning to the end of the consecration and then remain standing until communion. When returning from communion we kneel in prayer at our pew.

It’s been that way ever since I’ve attended Mass as a tot so clearly it isn’t a new innovation.
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This is the proper form, in Canada. 🙂
 
belmontmac said:
This is how our Priest explained it to us.
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That’s been the latest move in the “progressive” parishes here too.

The ones that go old school, those run by the Norbetine Fathers still see people kneeling until the priest sits.
 
Brendan said:
An edict? No, because this is not a matter that the GIRM delegates to the local Ordinary ( unlike the postion AFTER the Agnus Dei)

The USCCB, prior to the vote on this matter, discussed and agreed that the faithful may kneel when they return to their pew.

This again was affirmed by the Vatican when Cardinal George, acting as President of the USSCB and on behalf of the USCCB requested clarification on the matter. The Vatican ruled that the faithful may kneel when they return to their pew.

Any RCIA instructor ( or local Ordinary) who disagrees, needs to take it up with the Vatican.

adoremus.org/0703Kneel.html
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I only know what I was told when I started going to this one place close to my house. I wanted to hit the deck on my knees and was hissed at to stand up. Later, someone told me that Mahoney had declared we all must stand and that I should do so out of respect to him.

That’s when I started looking for other places to receive my Lord. If I have to go to the progressive place by my house, I go to the back where I am likely to have a kneeler to myself.

All I can say is this: if this former and fallen away Methodist/Pente. can walk into a Catholic Church, feel the presence and KNOW that this is the Lord so much so that they risk family ire and disgust to convert, how can I stay standing before the Lord that saved me? How can anyone?
 
newangela said:
Hi all-
I hope you can give me some advice about the Eucharist and when to kneel/stand.
In our parish, everyone kneels during Consecration, and then stands up to sing “Amen” while the host is still being raised. In other parishes I’ve been too, everyone remains kneeling until it’s time to begin Communion. I’ve seen some older folks remain kneeling, but I don’t want to be the odd man out.
Also, after I receive Communion, I would love to go back to my seat and kneel in prayer, but I was told in RCIA that “at our parish we all stand until everyone has received Communion as a show of community.” So, once again, I’d be the weird one kneeling while everyone else is being “a community.”
What to do??
Thanks,
Angela
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You have received many opinions. You HAVE to kneel during the Consecration and THROUGH the Great Amen per Church rubrics and commen sense. And you don’t have to but SHOULD kneel during the Agnus Dei as the Real Presence is being raised before us…again…common sense.The bottom line is obedience to the Church’s rubrics and how you feel about the Real Presence. You would certainly be in good company if you did kneel both times and through the Great Amen. Sit towards the rear of the church so as not to stick out like a sore thumb if that is your worry. Most people are followers and don’t even know what to do. Do what your conviction tells you. Can you imagine after you die being before the Lord knowing that you adored him by kneeling instead of placating to the ignorance of your fellow parishioners?
 
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