Question about the Mass

[Mdxxx]

I have a question about something that been making me wonder for a while. In my current parish during the Communion Rite, usually at the breaking of the bread or communion, people start to sit down until the end of the mass.

I find this a little strange because for a long I can remember at the other parishes I have been to, everyone stays standing until after communion.

Is sitting down wrong?

 

[Casilda]

I used to sit down since I was not going up for communion, to let others out of the pew who were, then would kneel, because all those returning would kneel.

Where I attend now, we mostly stand for the whole mass, except the homily.

 

[pianistclare]

I have the opposite issue.
We stand while everyone receives communion, then sit or kneel.
I prefer kneeling after I return to my pew. To my knowledge, we are the only parish in this metro are that stands the whole time.
I kneel.

 

[Sunbreak]

In the parishes in my area, it’s mixed as to what people do. There are some parishes where everyone stands until all have received. There are some parishes where people kneel as soon as they return to their place after communion. I haven’t heard of anyone sitting during or after communion unless they either can’t stand or kneel for an extended time and actually, the able-bodied should not be sitting for the final blessing.

 

[ialsop]

Everybody in my parish does different things. It is chaos. I prefer to kneel at the consecration, and then STAY kneeling until Mass is over. That is what I do.

I think you MUST kneel for the consecration.

After that standing is ok I guess but makes me personally uncomfortable.

From the consecration until the hosts are all pt back in the tabernacle, one should NOT sit.

Peace,
Isaac

 

[phil19034]

In my entire Archdiocese, everyone kneels until the Tabernacle is closed and most make sure the Precious Blood is totally consumed and the chalice is off the Altar too.

No one in the pews stand and the only ones who sit either (a) have dispensation to sit due to health, (b) are temporarily sitting due to bad knees/injury without dispensation, (c) not Catholic, or (d) disrespectful.

God Bless

 

[midori]

1. The faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance Chant, or while the Priest approaches the altar, until the end of the Collect; for the Alleluia Chant before the Gospel; while the Gospel itself is proclaimed; during the Profession of Faith and the Universal Prayer; and from the invitation, Orate, fratres (Pray, brethren), before the Prayer over the Offerings until the end of Mass, except at the places indicated here below.

The faithful should sit, on the other hand, during the readings before the Gospel and the Responsorial Psalm and for the Homily and during the Preparation of the Gifts at the Offertory; and, if appropriate, they may sit or kneel during the period of sacred silence after Communion.

In the Dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by ill health, or for reasons of lack of space, of the large number of people present, or for another reasonable cause. However, those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the Priest genuflects after the Consecration. The faithful kneel after the Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise.[53]

For the sake of uniformity in gestures and bodily postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the instructions which the Deacon, a lay minister, or the Priest gives, according to what is laid down in the Missal.

We usually kneel after the Agnus Dei, until it’s our turn to go to communion. We stand up when it’s our pew’s turn to exit. After communion, we go back to a kneeling posture until the tabernacle is closed. After the priest sits, we sit.

 

[Richard_White]

From the Sanctus to the Great Amen we kneel. Then from the Lord’s Prayer to the Lamb of God we stand. Then from this point throughout the reception of Communion we kneel (except for going up to receive Jesus, of course). There is the option to sit down once the tabernacle is closed of one wants. Finally, upon the proclamation of the closing Communion prayer, we stand through to the end of Mass. This is how I have always done it in every single Mass that I have ever been to.

May God bless you all abundantly and forever!

 

[Evan]

In my entire Archdiocese, everyone kneels until the Tabernacle is closed and most make sure the Precious Blood is totally consumed and the chalice is off the Altar too.

No one in the pews stand and the only ones who sit either (a) have dispensation to sit due to health, (b) are temporarily sitting due to bad knees/injury without dispensation, (c) not Catholic, or (d) disrespectful.

God Bless

Same here in Seattle diocese

 

[Phemie]

The posture between the Amen after the Eucharistic Prayer and the dismissal, per the universal IGRM, is standing, but with the notation that where it has been the tradition to kneel from “Behold the Lamb of God…” until Communion it is laudable to do so.

In the US, the Conference of Bishops has decreed that the faithful are to kneel at “Behold the Lamb of God…” unless their bishop has decreed standing.

Nowhere is there provision to sit after the Sign of Peace until Communion, though one may sit when one returns from Communion.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Everybody in my parish does different things. It is chaos. I prefer to kneel at the consecration, and then STAY kneeling until Mass is over. That is what I do.

I think you MUST kneel for the consecration.

After that standing is ok I guess but makes me personally uncomfortable.

From the consecration until the hosts are all pt back in the tabernacle, one should NOT sit.

Peace,
Isaac

Actually, there is no prescribed posture for after one receives Communion, unless the local Bishop has given one. If he has not, one usually follows the custom of the parish or direction of the priest, but if no direction is given, one may sit, stand or kneel. The thing is, the Bishops have asked for uniformity of posture as much as possible among parishioners. So if the Bishop asks for standing, out of obedience one should stand, as obedience is a great virtue. In my Diocese, there is no such direction, and often the priests will give the direction. In my own parish, after receiving Communion, one may sit, stand, or kneel. Most people kneel, I have never seen anyone standing, and quite a few sit.

Since our tabernacle is not located in the front of the church there is a longer period of time than most parishes have before the hosts are returned to the tabernacle, and many disabled people are scattered throughout the church, so that takes a while for the EMHC’s to distribute to them, and we are a large church. The period after Communion is usually prolonged, and many people sit after their prayers.

But if you are going to search for an official direction from the Bishops for posture after Communion, you are not going to find it, except for following the local Bishop’s direction.

We cannot assume that what goes on in our own parishes, or that what we have always done is what is done everywhere. That is not how it is.

Here is the documentation from the GIRM, taken from the EWTN website:

ewtn.com/expert/answers/communion_posture.htm