Praying after the Eucharist

[HistoryTeacher]

Just a quick question. I’m sure I should buy Mass Appeal or something but where would I find instructions on what everything is supposed to look like at Mass? I’ve read through the Redemtionis Sacramentum but can’t find the G.I.R.M. online.

At my parish we kneel all the way until our row’s turn to stand and go receive the Eucharist, then we return, kneel, and pray. I recently went to Out Lady of the Assumption in Ventura, CA and they stand for almost everything during the liturgy of the Eucharist. Stand all the way until their row’s turn, and then when returning from receiving the body and blood, they continue standing. I knelt anyway and started to pray and my relative said “Hey, we don’t kneel and pray after communion here.” So, embarrassed, I stood up until the recession like everyone else. I was just curious if my parish does things wrong or where I would I find a description of what should be done after the eucharist? She said that’s the way her diocese does it.

Thanks,

Brandon

 

[jlw]

At my parish we kneel all the way until our row’s turn to stand and go receive the Eucharist, then we return, kneel, and pray.

So do we.

 

[teresas1979]

Kneel and pray. That’s the only way I have ever known it, in various parts of Europe. I know there is a view that we stand for praise and worship (why then is bowing worship in Protestant land?) and kneel for sorrowful forgiveness so maybe they are praising, but I think kneeling shows our humbleness and how unworthy we know we are. I know in our missal it recommends kneeling but does not say you must.

 

[rcn]

Some dioceses have set a policy of “everyone should stand until everyone has received”, but later backed off to say that anyone that wants to kneel or even sit should not feel that they can’t.

None the less, the pressure to “go along with the crowd” remains, for people that are influenced by that.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

rcn:

Some dioceses have set a policy of “everyone should stand until everyone has received”, but later backed off to say that anyone that wants to kneel or even sit should not feel that they can’t.

None the less, the pressure to “go along with the crowd” remains, for people that are influenced by that.

Looking back I wish I’d set an example by kneeling and praying anyway, but since it wasn’t my parish and my cousin specifically told me “we don’t kneel here” I felt I must go along with the crowd. I had barely finished swallowing the Body of Christ so I figured it was not the time or place to argue or cause a scene.

Brandon

 

[Disciple_of_God]

Here is a link from the Catholic Answers website regarding the standing or kneeling after communion.

catholic.com/library/liturgy/cag_changes.asp

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).
**