Kneeling at the Consecration Answered by Colin B. Donovan, STL
Whether one kneels or stands for the Eucharistic Prayer is a matter of ecclesiastical tradition. Human customs of paying respect, or in this case worship, determined the development of the practices of the Eastern and Western Churches in this, as in other matters.
**In the Orthodox Churches and the Eastern Catholic Churches **standing is the norm during the Eucharistic Prayer. At the Consecration is added the customary sign of adoration in these Churches, a profound bow. In the Latin Church, however, kneeling is the sign of adoration for Christ who has just become present on the altar. This came about through the dogmatic development of Eucharistic theology in the West. To go back to the earlier practice in the West would be a sign of devolution of doctrine, and in fact, that is the way the devout faithful perceive efforts to change Latin practice, as a counter-sign of faith. For Eastern Catholics this is not a problem, since they have never inculturated the Latin way of expressing adoration.
Finally, the Magisterium desires each Church to preserve what is peculiar to it, thus manifesting in the unity of the universal Church a legitimate diversity of Rites. Therefore, on many grounds efforts to require Latin Catholics to stand at the Consecration are wrong-headed, as well as disobedient.
**The Latin Norm. **In the Latin Rite adoration of Christ in the Eucharist calls for either kneeling or genuflection. In the Liturgy the people are obliged to kneel for the Consecration and the main celebrant to genuflect (both after Consecrating each element and before receiving Holy Communion). Concelebrants are to bow profoundly. Deacons and the laity are to be kneeling.
No kneelers. The liturgical law says we are to kneel, it does not require kneelers. There can only be one of two reasons a Catholic church would be built without kneelers or would remove them. Either the pastor is faithful and wants his people to do some penance by kneeling on the floor, in which case they should oblige him, or, he intends to disobey the liturgical law of the Roman Rite, in which case they should obey the Church. Naturally, if it is too hard for them to kneel then they are excused by n.43.
Unity argument. The General Instruction (nn.42-43) does call for a unified posture of the people. These are important norms, since the outward sign of being the Mystical Body is in part manifested by the one posture of all, just as the sign of Christ the Head, and sign of His members, is manifested by the different postures and actions of the ordained versus the people. BUT, unity is also manifested, and more importantly, by the unity of rite with the Bishop and with the Pope. The life of every parish is dependant upon communion with the successor of the Apostles who is Bishop in that place. And, the life of the particular Church (the canonical term for a diocese) is the communion of its Bishop with the Successor of Peter, the Pope. Of what value is a common posture that acts as a sign of disunity with the particular and universal Church? None! It is a liturgical sign of Congregationalism, not Catholicism.
Roman churches don’t have kneelers. This is simply not true. I’ve lived in Rome and been to Mass in many different churches. Parishes churches have kneelers, just as ours do. The reason the basilicas, like St. Peter’s, don’t have kneelers is the size of the nave. The floor is left open most of the time and chairs are set up by the thousands in various configurations, according to need, when there is a large celebration. In the reservation chapel, where adoration is held daily, there are pews with kneelers. In the left arm of the Basilica, the Chapel of St. Joseph, where the scheduled daily Masses are celebrated each morning until noon, there are pews and kneelers. At the many side altars where visiting priests celebrate Mass, with or without a congregation, there are communion rails, where people kneel. Others kneel on the floor. Kneeling is alive and well in Rome, even if not in your parish!
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