Posture after receiving communion

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asjmp

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Today during the homily our pastor reviewed changes to the liturgy which he said came from the authorities in Rome. Among these changes was the requirement that everyone stand and sing hymns after receiving communion until all have received. A short period (1 or 2 minutes) of sitting in silence will follow.

The pastor stated that kneeling in prayer is outdated and no longer acceptable since the apostles at the Last Supper did not go off by themselves to pray after receiving our Lord. To me this seems part of the movement to focus on the congregation rather than our Lord.

I could not find this requirement after briefly reveiwing the girm on this website. Does it exist? If not, do I have an obligation to obey his requirements? And, am I obliged to politely let him know that many were probably misled since he stated that this change is from Rome?

Thanks for all advise and help.
 
The new GIRM provides that the faithful should “sit while the readings before the Gospel and the responsorial psalm are proclaimed and for the homily and while the Preparation of the Gifts at the Offertory is taking place; and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed” (43).

Regarding sitting or kneeling during the silence after Communion, some interpreted this as meaning that the faithful should stand until the last communicant had received Communion, which was contrary to the traditional practice of the faithful assuming their preferred postures immediately upon returning to the pews.

A controversy ensued, in which Francis Cardinal George, chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Liturgy, queried the CDWDS: “In many places, the faithful are accustomed to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to their places after having individually received Holy Communion during Mass. Is it the intention of the [new Roman Missal] to forbid this practice?”

The response was as follows: “Negative, et ad mentem [No, and for this reason]. The mens [reason] is that the prescription of [GIRM] no. 43 is intended, on the one hand, to ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture within the congregation for the various parts of the celebration of Holy Mass, and on the other, to not regulate posture rigidly in such a way that those who wish to kneel or sit would no longer be free” (responsum of Francis Cardinal Arinze, June 5, 2003 [Prot. 855/03/L], as published in the July 2003 BCL newsletter).

Since I had previously gotten this same instruction as you had, I wrote first to my pastor who did not respond and then to the Diocese Liturgy Committee and Bishop, both offices confirmed I was correct and they said they would advise my pastor of this and to correct it.
 
asjmp,

If you are in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles this is the directive from Cardinal Mahony himself. As the local ordinary he is permitted to make this “particular law.” If you are anywhere else in the country you will have to check with your bishop. In general, the directives in the United States require standing until you have returned to your place from communion. At that point you may sit or kneel and spend time in private prayer.

Deacon Ed
 
You can also tell your pastor that since the Apostles didn’t pay for the meal you will no longer be placing an envelope in the collection basket any more.
 
In our diocese we will be implementing the new GIRM this Advent. We will stand until all have receive communion, then we can kneel or sit for personal prayer afterward.
 
I’m confused…:confused: (what else is new?) Why are we standing instead of kneeling after receiving Communion? That is a time of deep reverence and reflection …
I can’t imagine waiting till everyone else has receive before I can kneel down and give thanks to my God :confused:
 
Guy

You do not have to remain standing until all receive communion - see clarification I posted above. You stand until you receive, then when you return to your pew you may stand, sit or kneel. They are trying to get us to be uniform and all stand but it is not required as the answer to the dubium clearly states.
 
Here in the Columbus diocese and my former diocese of Sacramento, the posture after communion is kneeling, and there be as far as I know, no changes with this in either diocese.
 
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deogratias:
Guy

You do not have to remain standing until all receive communion - see clarification I posted above. You stand until you receive, then when you return to your pew you may stand, sit or kneel. They are trying to get us to be uniform and all stand but it is not required as the answer to the dubium clearly states.
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deogratias:

I thought it was up to the local ordinary to determine the posture after communion. Our bishop has said that the posture after receiving communion would be to stand until all have received as a sign of our unity with those receiving. We went over this in class last week on the new GIRM in our deacon formation program. What we were told is that while the congregation was receiving communion, we stand as one community. This shows our unity and this time is not for just me and Jesus. That time comes after all have received.
If this is wrong, I will address that in our next class.

Thanks!!

Peace and Love

PS In our liturgy classes, we read a lot of material from NDU professor Nathan D. Mitchell who is supposed to be one of the best liturgists in the US. A lot of his stuff seems a little on the liberal side while some of his stuff sounds pretty good.

Your opinion of him?
 
Mike C:
You can also tell your pastor that since the Apostles didn’t pay for the meal you will no longer be placing an envelope in the collection basket any more.
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That would definitely make the point! Good one! :clapping:
 
It is both right and wrong.

POSTURE AFTER COMMUNION

The new GIRM provides that the faithful should **“sit while the readings before the Gospel and the responsorial psalm are proclaimed and for the homily and while the Preparation of the Gifts at the Offertory is taking place; and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed” (43).
**
Regarding sitting or kneeling during the silence after Communion, some interpreted this as meaning that the faithful should stand until the last communicant had received Communion, which was contrary to the traditional practice of the faithful assuming their preferred postures immediately upon returning to the pews.

A controversy ensued, in which Francis Cardinal George, chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Liturgy, queried the CDWDS: “In many places, the faithful are accustomed to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to their places after having individually received Holy Communion during Mass. Is it the intention of the [new Roman Missal] to forbid this practice?”

The response was as follows:** “Negative, et ad mentem** [No**, and for this reason]. The mens [reason] is that the prescription of GIRM] no. 43 is intended, on the one hand, to ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture within the congregation for the various parts of the celebration of Holy Mass, and on the other, to not regulate posture rigidly in such a way that those who wish to kneel or sit would no longer be free” (responsum of Francis Cardinal Arinze, June 5, 2003 [Prot. 855/03/L], as published in the July 2003 BCL newsletter).

So yes it may be that your Bishop wishes this to be the norm, but no he cannot forbid those who wish to kneel or sit upon returning to the pew to do so. Unfortunately most liturgists and others passing on these instructions to the faithful forget (conveniently or otherwise) to mention the part underlined.

And yes, I would bring it up because this is the most current determination on the subject.

Regarding texts used - they may have been accurate when written but not current as things like this dubium have already occurred after the publishing of the GIRM
 
If your pastor keeps pushing something “special” for your parish that isn’t sanctioned by the bishop’s office, for the sake of unity in the parish… like standing after receiving the Holy Eucharist or standing during the Eucharistic Prayer…Tell him, in charity of course, that you are united in posture with the rest of the Latin Rite Catholics in the world.
 
With the new GIRM, there hasn’t been much change in my parish. Actually, the only thing that I have noticed is that the priest pours the wine into the cups instead of one of the EM’s. Also, they no longer put the stuff back where they used to do it. They now place it back on the alter and let the priest take care of it.

As far as the kneeling goes, it’s pretty much the same. We do stand more for the prayers, but that’s it. After the “Lamb of God” is sung, everyone kneels. Once we receive communion, we return to our seats and kneel. We remain kneeling until the priest sits back down.

PS. Deogratias, I love that name!! Actually, a few years ago we had a priest from Africa in our parish for the summer. His name was Deo Gratias. Honestly! From what we were told, his mother had a difficult labor with him. When he was finally born, and she was told it was a boy, the first words she said were, “Deo Gratias.” So that’s what he was called.
 
I think many a child could have that name with similar circumstances - 😃
 
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