No Kneelers, No Kneeling,

[thistle]

What’s the problem in kneeling on the floor? Here in the Philippines, for example, Masses are always filled to more than capacity with people having to sit on plastic chairs at the side or stand outside so about half the congregation has to kneel on the floor or even on the ground outside but nobody complains. Any suffering is offered up as a sacrifice.

 

[ChemicalBean]

Freeway4321:

On the contrary!

I answer that…

The person is actually abiding by the truth by doing what is right and just. If we were to see God, would we bow, or kneel? Most likely we would fall to our knees.

If he or she is doing it for the right reasons, then there is no problem.

Freeway beat me to the punch buggy, but I think upon seeing God “face to face”, we might fall prostrate out of humility, reverence, whatever (like a lot of the biblical guys did). Not a lot of room for that if the church is full of pews, though.

Of course, I’d also like to think that with full, childlike confidence in God’s merciful love, we’d just run right up to God in an everlasting embrace

 

[ChemicalBean]

mcliffor:

On a sadder note, a priest at a Benedictine monastery I went to recently made an announcement to the congregation, that even though there are kneelers in the pew, it was not the parish’s “custom” to kneel at any part of the mass.

Also, this might be a good place to pose this question. What do you do in a situation where you are obligated to receive communion standing, but still feel the need to show reverence to the Blessed Sacrament? Is it ok to genuflect in line?

In reference to the Benedictine monastery, yes, it is a very monastic tradition to bow, in many cases in lieu of genuflecting. It isn’t that people can’t kneel in private adoration prayer, but when the community is gathered, they are usually standing when in prayer during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Liturgy of the Hours, etc.

Genuflecting while in line, while they can’t stop you, is generally not appropriate because it can hold up the line, confuse people, and create a hazard causing others (or yourself) to trip and fall. It is encouraged to bow the head before receiving (usually while the person ahead of you is receiving/stepping aside).

Now that you mention the monastery, many have a tradition of a “statio” prayer and procession before one or more of the Hours. Often they will process two by two and upon reaching the entrance to the choir, profoundly bow to the altar/tabernacle, and turn and profoundly bow to each other, before going to their respective stalls. It’s a beautiful, powerful reminder that while it can be pretty easy (and routine) to make a gesture of adoration before Christ in the Eucharist, it is much more difficult to adore Christ in your sisters and brothers that you know all too well.

 

[volzcpa]

msproule:

…A (very wealthy) parish I once attended in the Archdiocese of Detroit had no kneelers, despite having recently “renovated”. Another nearby (and equally wealthy) parish had added additional space and excluded kneelers from the expansion. I questioned the Archdiocese of Detroit about this and asked why nobody was required to kneel anyway. I was told that Cardinal Maida had since began a policy stating that any new renovations would require kneelers to be installed or kept, but that in the meantime the lack of kneelers fit into the category of “for some other good reason (to not kneel)” that is stated in the GIRM. I respectfully disagree with him on this point.

I got the same answer from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati when I questioned this practice. But if you look in GIRM no. 43, the paragraph reads, “In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reason of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason…” (Emphasis added) The phrase “except when prevented on occasion” does not appear to cover the permanent “exception” of not having kneelers installed in the church.

 

[cyprian]

I should expect to kneel before God would be an act of taking notice that He was in the room, It would seem to be the opposite to stand. Our youth stands on the corner of the street more today than ever, thinking things that parents have failed to tell them not to think, leaving them to be devoured, blowing in the wind of seduction. We stand up for morally corrupt public officials who recieve God… and the right to kill the unborn. We stand for things that have no legs, things that were long ago dead things, frightening things. Indeed,we only have One Thing to kneel for as we have only ever had this One Thing to kneel for and now we argue that the one thing to which scripture explicitly and implicitly says we must show reverence to hasn’t a leg to stand on. We don’t stand for anything, and so we adore everything except that which we should kneel to. Our kids may never know what knees are really for.

peace and love

 

[Walking_Home]

We have always seen people kneel in front of the Pope.
Who of us would not kneel in front of him ourselves if we had the opportunity. What Bishop would dare object.

Yet, when it comes to kneeling in front of our Lord Christ, he who is higher than any past, present, and future Pope. Higher than any creature on earth, some Bishops have a problem with this.

We in the Latin rite have a big problem.

 

[betra2000]

spiritblows:

What is happening to our Holy Church? I went to a church last weekend with no kneeling at all! I can’t believe it! I had to kneel on the floor and I was the only one! My heart is broken! Is kneeling going out of fashion??? There weren’t any kneelers in the whole church that I could see!

Not in our Church. Kneeling is what we do. I would feel very uncomfortable in a church thatdid not have any kneelers.

 

[Gabriel_of_12]

Catholics who truly believe Jesus is present at Mass especially in the liturgy of Word and of the Eucharist are truly living out scripture; Romans14:11 for it is written:’’ As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall give praise to God".
Philip.2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Most recently our new choir director emphasized no Kneeling was necessary at mass for many reasons he gave at our liturgy council meeting. I humbly took the floor and said who are we to change scripture? and gave quotes from ST. Jerome that at even at the utensils of the Mass Reverence is to be ascertained. We are raising funds to build a larger Church Im afraid it may not have Kneelers?

 

[hilde_the_dog]

As Gabriel stated from Philipians, I read that at mass two sundays ago WOW I said this is amazing. Kneel kneel kneel

 

[mlchance]

spiritblows:

What is happening to our Holy Church? I went to a church last weekend with no kneeling at all! I can’t believe it! I had to kneel on the floor and I was the only one! My heart is broken! Is kneeling going out of fashion??? There weren’t any kneelers in the whole church that I could see!

I have kneelers everywhere I go. They’re attached to the fronts of my legs.

– Mark L. Chance.