Must Sacred Ministers receive Communion standing?

[Pope_St_Linus]

I serve at a particular parish about once a week for a daily Mass. I am always the only server, and I receive kneeling and on the tongue, although there is extraordinary minister who distributes from the chalice who receives standing and in the hand. After Mass one day, he newly assigned priest to the parish “asked” me if I thought I should receive Communion in the “manner that the Church asks us to, rather than kneeling.” He said that since I am acting in an official capacity - fulfilling the role of the acolyte - I should receive in the way that the American bishops have asked us to - that is standing. He said that whether to receive on the tongue or in the hand is up to me, but the Church wants us to stand when we receive.

All I said to him was “I don’t know - all I know is that canon law states that the faithful are permitted to receive standing or kneeling.”

He didn’t care for that response, so I said “I’ll do some research and let you know what I can find,” to which he responded, “don’t you trust me?”

I know that he is free to refuse my service as an altar server, but what kind of stuff is out there on this topic?

 

[Canto]

-The US GIRM says in US to recieve standing
-Benedict prefers people to kneel
-You have the right to kneel and cannot be refused - to do so would constitute a grave liturgical abuse
-The US GIRM says the faithful should be catechised as to why standing
-Some say unity but if everyone knelt it would be unity too
-I have yet to hear a good reason why the US bishops prefer standing
-Has there been any catechesis as to why from them?

 

[Elizium23]

I believe that out of charity you should consider standing to receive for now.

It is your right to receive kneeling but this is not well-known or popular in the United States. In consideration for the assembly of the faithful who (I assume) also receive standing, consider doing so.

Although we feel your priest is wrong on this issue, you need to choose your battles. Out of obedience to the priest in his office as clergy and pastor, consider it.

And pray for change! If you are able to go to a daily Mass as an “unofficial” parishioner, receive kneeling and set an example!

 

[thomas_jd]

I serve at a particular parish about once a week for a daily Mass. I am always the only server, and I receive kneeling and on the tongue, although there is extraordinary minister who distributes from the chalice who receives standing and in the hand. After Mass one day, he newly assigned priest to the parish “asked” me if I thought I should receive Communion in the “manner that the Church asks us to, rather than kneeling.” He said that since I am acting in an official capacity - fulfilling the role of the acolyte - I should receive in the way that the American bishops have asked us to - that is standing. He said that whether to receive on the tongue or in the hand is up to me, but the Church wants us to stand when we receive.

All I said to him was “I don’t know - all I know is that canon law states that the faithful are permitted to receive standing or kneeling.”

He didn’t care for that response, so I said “I’ll do some research and let you know what I can find,” to which he responded, “don’t you trust me?”

I have a few books, or rather pamplets, regarding altar servers. I found no directions to servers receiving Holy Communion other than the Traditional Mass “if the altar boy is to receive Holy Communion, he ascends to the altar platform, and kneels at the edge a little to the right of the center.”
As a server I receiving standing at the side of the altar in the Ordinary form, I kneel , as is customary for all who receive, in the Extraordinary form. Hope that helps!

 

[Spirithound]

I know that he is free to refuse my service as an altar server, but what kind of stuff is out there on this topic?

I have no official sources to provide, however it may come to this: which is more important to you, serving at the altar, or receiving Communion kneeling? I, nor anyone else here can provide that answer for you. When you have made that decision, know that it is God’s will whatever happens.

 

[FrDavid96]

I serve at a particular parish about once a week for a daily Mass. I am always the only server, and I receive kneeling and on the tongue, although there is extraordinary minister who distributes from the chalice who receives standing and in the hand. After Mass one day, he newly assigned priest to the parish “asked” me if I thought I should receive Communion in the “manner that the Church asks us to, rather than kneeling.” He said that since I am acting in an official capacity - fulfilling the role of the acolyte - I should receive in the way that the American bishops have asked us to - that is standing. He said that whether to receive on the tongue or in the hand is up to me, but the Church wants us to stand when we receive.

All I said to him was “I don’t know - all I know is that canon law states that the faithful are permitted to receive standing or kneeling.”

He didn’t care for that response, so I said “I’ll do some research and let you know what I can find,” to which he responded, “don’t you trust me?”

I know that he is free to refuse my service as an altar server, but what kind of stuff is out there on this topic?

When you’re serving Mass, you should be doing whatever the priest at that Mass expects of you–so long as he’s not asking you to do anything that’s outright against the liturgical norms of the Church.

Of course, you can receive Communion kneeling if you choose, but once you agree to serve Mass, you have an obligation to follow the directions of the priest celebrating.

 

[Catholicben]

When you’re serving Mass, you should be doing whatever the priest at that Mass expects of you–so long as he’s not asking you to do anything that’s outright against the liturgical norms of the Church.

Of course, you can receive Communion kneeling if you choose, but once you agree to serve Mass, you have an obligation to follow the directions of the priest celebrating.

This is a very helpfull article by a priest friend of mine (who, by the way, has been syndicated by Fr. Z before…).

marysanawim.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/communion-kneeling-and-on-the-tongue-is-preferred-form/ (High point at 2:50) (One sentence summary: Official Papal liturgy spokesman says you can ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS receive on the tongue and kneeling.

marysanawim.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/if-its-good-for-the-pope-its-good-for-me/

I would encourage anybody and everybody to read Fr. Rick’s blog. It is very helpful, and sometimes even funny!

 

[CatholicLife]

I have the same problem at my church. The Pastor told me that I could not receive kneeling;he didn’t give an explanation why but I have stopped doing it. The wierd thing is that I receive kneeling when the Bishop comes to our church and he didn’t say nothing.

 

[centurionguard]

When you’re serving Mass, you should be doing whatever the priest at that Mass expects of you–so long as he’s not asking you to do anything that’s outright against the liturgical norms of the Church.

Of course, you can receive Communion kneeling if you choose, but once you agree to serve Mass, you have an obligation to follow the directions of the priest celebrating.

Hello Father;

Normally I would agree with everything you have stated here.

In my parish after the priest consecrates the species of bread and wine and concludes the Eucharistic prayer and Our Father, usually the EMHC’s leave their families from their pews and make their way to the sanctuary behind the priest and deacon at the Altar standing in a semi-circle with some EMHC’s allocated to help the priest and deacon parcel out the consecrated hosts into empty ciboria on the altar. After this the priest or deacon assist in giving holy communion to the EMHC’s.

The confusing part is that now the presiding priest has told the altar boys/girls to leave the sanctuary and stand in the main aisle in wait to receive holy communion instead of them staying up on the sanctuary to receive holy communion along-side the EMHC’s.

Guess I’m a little confused since the altar boys and girls always received holy communion along-side the EMHC’s on the sanctuary in the past with plenty of room on the sanctuary. Is there some spiritual message or humility of service that the priest is trying enjoin on the altar boys/girls as if placing the adult EMHC’s in an esteemed higher service above them?
Just a little confusing for me in my understanding in all this. My apologies if I’m derailing this post.

In the Peace of Christ
Chris

 

[corsair]

With all due respect Fr. David, but at our local parish our servers can receive either way. Our Bishop has asked, not demanded, that we recieve standing.There are about 25% of the folks that receive kneeling /on tongue.

I for one will not receive standing /in hand or from an EMHC. If that is my only choice I will do a “spiritual communion” in the pew. There is too much valid information out here for us to be “bullied” into following rules that are not valid.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The liturgical laws depend on which country you are in, which Conference of Bishops has jurisdiction.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“160. … The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing. Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.”

The GIRM approved for Australia has:
“160. … In Australia standing is the most common posture for receiving Holy Communion. The customary manner of reception is recommended to be followed by all, so that Communion may truly be a sign of unity among those who share in the same table of the Lord.”

Unity of posture is also emphasised in the universal GIRM (in the standard Latin text):
“42. … 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.” (Latin text: “Communis corporis habitus, ab omnibus participantibus servandus, signum est unitatis membrorum communitatis christianæ ad sacram Liturgiam congregatorum: mentem enim et sensus animi participantium exprimit eosdemque fovet.”)

And at the end of n. 43: “With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.” (Latin text: “Ad uniformitatem in gestibus et corporis habitibus in una eademque celebratione obtinendam, fideles monitionibus obtemperent, quas diaconus, vel minister laicus, vel sacerdos proferunt, iuxta ea quæ in Missali statuuntur.”)

In my view it is unfortunate that Pope Benedict XVI has taken a different approach, with those receiving from him being required to kneel, while those receiving from others do so standing. This is what happened, for example, at the World Youth Day Mass in Australia in 2008.

This creates confusion. According to The Code of Canon Law, the liturgical books should be faithfully followed in the celebration of the sacraments (canon 846). But the example given by Benedict XVI and those in charge of the papal liturgies is, in this case, different.

So it is understandable that an altar server believes that it is better to kneel to receive Communion. And it is understandable that a priest, in the USA, believes he should be instructing his altar server to receive Communion standing, and expect obedience.

 

[Canto]

Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm."

Yet have they ever explained the reasons for this norm???

Unity of posture is also emphasised in the universal GIRM (in the standard Latin text):

If every one knelt, like they used to, that would be a unity of posture.

And at the end of n. 43: “With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.”

The Missal indicates that the priest prays Mass ad orientem. How many priests do this?

In my view it is unfortunate that Pope Benedict XVI has taken a different approach, with those receiving from him being required to kneel, while those receiving from others do so standing. This is what happened, for example, at the World Youth Day Mass in Australia in 2008.

This creates confusion. According to The Code of Canon Law, the liturgical books should be faithfully followed in the celebration of the sacraments (canon 846). But the example given by Benedict XVI and those in charge of the papal liturgies is, in this case, different.

So it is understandable that an altar server believes that it is better to kneel to receive Communion. And it is understandable that a priest, in the USA, believes he should be instructing his altar server to receive Communion standing, and expect obedience.

Kneel or stand. What’s so confussing.

Cardinal Arinze says kneeling is the tradtional and prefered form - why change?
marysanawim.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/communion-kneeling-and-on-the-tongue-is-preferred-form/

St Paul said at the name of Christ every knee should bend

 

[japhy]

I am puzzled at how the “pastoral” response to someone who wishes to receive kneeling usually ends up resulting in the person being told to receive standing up (in other words, a lack of permissiveness)… but that the “pastoral” approach to a lot of other issues usually ends up resulting in bending or breaking rules (in other words, permissiveness).

 

[Canto]

I am puzzled at how the “pastoral” response to someone who wishes to receive kneeling usually ends up resulting in the person being told to receive standing up (in other words, a lack of permissiveness)… but that the “pastoral” approach to a lot of other issues usually ends up resulting in bending or breaking rules (in other words, permissiveness).

Bingo!

 

[FrDavid96]

Instead of replying to individual posts:

Please note that I wrote “When you’re serving Mass, you should be doing whatever the priest at that Mass expects of you…” I think that some may have missed the part that I was writing only about “while serving Mass” and perhaps I could have been a little more clear with that qualification.

 

[JReducation]

The celebrant makes the rules for everyone on the sanctuary: concelebrants, deacons and servers, as long as he does not ask for something that is a violation of liturgical law.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[zab]

With all due respect Fr. David, but at our local parish our servers can receive either way. Our Bishop has asked, not demanded, that we recieve standing.There are about 25% of the folks that receive kneeling /on tongue.

I for one will not receive standing /in hand or from an EMHC. If that is my only choice I will do a “spiritual communion” in the pew. There is too much valid information out here for us to be “bullied” into following rules that are not valid.

I understand that you have a right to receive Communion from the priest if you choose, but I just cannot imagine that someone’s devotion would drive them to prefer making a spiritual communion rather than to receiving the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

 

[Spirithound]

The celebrant makes the rules for everyone on the sanctuary: concelebrants, deacons and servers, as long as he does not ask for something that is a violation of liturgical law.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Wouldn’t denying someone Communion because of their posture violate canon law?
(this scenario has not played out, according to the OP)

 

[MarkThompson]

Wouldn’t denying someone Communion because of their posture violate canon law?
(this scenario has not played out, according to the OP)

Maybe, but denying someone the privilege of being an altar server would definitely not be.

(I don’t approve of what this priest is doing, but I agree with JRed that he’s entitled to regulate things – posture, dress, haircut – for his servers that he’s not entitled to regulate for average-Joe communicants.)

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Interestingly enough, our altar servers always receiving kneeling and are asked to receive on the tongue because it is easier for the priests. Those boys who would normally receive in the hand, do not when they are serving because the priest has requested otherwise. I agree with Fr David and Br JR, that the altar servers should do as the priest requests.

And the remark about the haircut is spot on! The boys here are nagged more about their haor from the priests than from their parents! lol