Receiving the Eucharist the reverant way....

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Do you really think that kneeling for a few seconds and then getting up and walking away is that reverent?
Go ahead and read the articles i posted above.
But anyways, if i’m wrong(please tem me so) are you saying that we shouldn’t really be doing anything when we go and receive Jesus?! And are you telling me that all you do is just go ahead and walk away right after receiving Jesus? This is a great opportunity to pray to Jesus and talk to and thank Him; about yours and others troubles, everything your thankful for(especially being able to receive Him!), etc.
 
These are all very interesting discussions, but I guess it all boils down for me to, “did the Church make an error in teaching when it granted the indult to the US?” I may not like the practice, but I have to believe that the Holy Spirit would not allow the Church to teach error.

Your mileage may vary.

Paul
 
I receive on the tongue and am able to use the first pew to genuflect and so get myself back up from genuflecting, however I have never been to a Catholic church with an altar rail that you could use to push yourself back up after kneeling to receive (in the only two churches that even had one that I’ve been to-and I’ve been to quite a few all up and down the West Coast-the priest stood in front of it to distribute Communion). I can’t get back up without something to push against.🤷 :o
 
These are all very interesting discussions, but I guess it all boils down for me to, “did the Church make an error in teaching when it granted the indult to the US?” I may not like the practice, but I have to believe that the Holy Spirit would not allow the Church to teach error.

Your mileage may vary.

Paul
Actually, I’m not so sure (I mean that, I’m not sure) that there is any safeguard against error in liturgical matters-or in matters that have not been taught ex-cathedra/for centuries by the Magisterium in union with the Pope. In reading Spirit of the Liturgy, (then) Cardinal Ratzinger seemed to me to think that liturgical matters were not covered by Papal Infallability.:confused:

Anyone?
 
Actually, I’m not so sure (I mean that, I’m not sure) that there is any safeguard against error in liturgical matters-or in matters that have not been taught ex-cathedra/for centuries by the Magisterium in union with the Pope. In reading Spirit of the Liturgy, (then) Cardinal Ratzinger seemed to me to think that liturgical matters were not covered by Papal Infallability.:confused:

Anyone?
That’s very interesting and not a little scary. I’d love to hear more about this. Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut!

Paul
 
  1. the norm was granted with the condition that those who kneel are not to be imposed upon, even under the grounds of unity or obedience.
  2. I know of only one case where there was pastoral catechesis (my brother by our old pastor): overwhelmingly those who have objected to kneeling have done so in the most unseemly fashion.
1.) That’s simply not true. People who demand to kneel are not to be refused communion, but they are still to receive catechesis outside of Mass on the importance of the norm.

2.) I suppose most priests won’t waste their breath because those that demand to kneel equate “Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.” to “I have license to receive how I want and I could care less about the norm.”

The lack of obedience to the Church displayed by the demand to kneel folks absolutely crushes any credibility they might otherwise have when they talk about respect, reverence, etc.
 
The norm of standing and bowing is actually followed in my parish. I was just reflecting on what it’s like when someone drops to their knees to receive or feels the need to genuflect.

From my own observations it seems like the people I have seen are more focused on putting on a show for others than being respectful and/or reverent.
Their movements are often less than graceful and the looks on their faces have often left me a bit puzzled.

It’s very difficult for many to subordinate their individual pride and follow the Church’s norm. It just gets kind of odd when some people try to present a lack of obedience as showing more respect or reverence.
 
These are all very interesting discussions, but I guess it all boils down for me to, “did the Church make an error in teaching when it granted the indult to the US?” I may not like the practice, but I have to believe that the Holy Spirit would not allow the Church to teach error.

Your mileage may vary.

Paul
Hand is an indult (hand or tongue is an option).

Standing is the norm in the US.
 
Go ahead and read the articles i posted above.
But anyways, if i’m wrong(please tem me so) are you saying that we shouldn’t really be doing anything when we go and receive Jesus?! And are you telling me that all you do is just go ahead and walk away right after receiving Jesus? This is a great opportunity to pray to Jesus and talk to and thank Him; about yours and others troubles, everything your thankful for(especially being able to receive Him!), etc.
The Church says you are wrong!
 
Go ahead and read the articles i posted above.
But anyways, if i’m wrong(please tem me so) are you saying that we shouldn’t really be doing anything when we go and receive Jesus?! And are you telling me that all you do is just go ahead and walk away right after receiving Jesus? This is a great opportunity to pray to Jesus and talk to and thank Him; about yours and others troubles, everything your thankful for(especially being able to receive Him!), etc.
I believe the norm is to bow before receiving. That’s hardly “nothing.” In fact it’s every bit as respectful and reverent as genuflecting or kneeling.

Further, what do you think we should be doing after we receive holy communion? The Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ is sacramentally present within us. Just what should we do other than to give thanks? The posture we assume after we receive is totally up to us.
 
I just had to put my two cents in here. I’ve heard it said that we should receive on the tongue as our hands are “unworthy”. Well, sad to say, I’ve done far worse damage with my tongue than my hands, so there really isn’t ANY part of me that’s worthy to receive Jesus.

For me, I do appreciate a church where I am able to kneel to receive, but when without that option, feel that a bow can show equal reverence. The ability to receive in the hand is preferable to me, simply because I neither wish to “stick out my tongue” nor have the priest’s hand in my mouth (particularly having been near so many others.) Not the best reasoning, I’ll grant you, but there it is. It is what is in the heart, and so long as we’re not receiving Him with some “devil may care” attitude, why can’t we simply agree to disagree?
 
It is what is in the heart, and so long as we’re not receiving Him with some “devil may care” attitude, why can’t we simply agree to disagree?
Because there are always those who think that they know better than everyone else and will defend to the death their beliefs, no matter how much they are shown to be in error.

If its reverence that is wanted, why don’t we lie prostrate on the floor with our heads down until the time to receive? Isn’t that more 'reverent" than kneeling???
 
1.) That’s simply not true. People who demand to kneel are not to be refused communion, but they are still to receive catechesis outside of Mass on the importance of the norm.
The lack of obedience to the Church displayed by the demand to kneel folks absolutely crushes any credibility they might otherwise have when they talk about respect, reverence, etc.
How often does this have to posted? Every hour?
Prot. N. 47/03/L
This Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has received your letter dated 1 December 2002, related to the application of the norms approved by the Conference of Bishops of the United States of America, with the subsequent recognitio of this Congegation, as regards the question of the posture for receiving Holy Communion.
As the authority by virtue of whose recognitio the norm in question has attained the force of law, this Dicastery is competent to specify the manner in which the norm is to be understood for the sake of a proper application. Having received more than a few letters regarding this matter from different locations in the United States of America, the Congregation wishes to ensure that its position on the matter is clear.
To this end, it is perhaps useful to respond to your inquiry by repeating the content of a letter that the Congregation recently addressed to a Bishop in the United States of America from whose Diocese a number of pertinent letters had been received. The letter states: "…while this Congregation gave the recognitio to the norm desired by the Bishops’ Conference of your country that people stand for Holy Communion, this was done on the condition that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds. Indeed, the faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion."
This Dicastery hopes that the citation given here will provide an adequate answer to your letter. At the same time, please be assured that the Congregation remains ready to be of assistance if you should need to contact it again.
With every prayerful good wish, I am,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Mons. Mario Marini
Undersecretary
emphasis mine, note in particular “Indeed, the faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion.”
 
The Church says you are wrong!
How? Why do you think Pope John Paul II only gave communion on the tongue. His he wrong too to do so? In 1980, he said that he could not be for communion in the hand and also would not recommend it. Also,“To touch the Holy Creations is a privilege of the ordained.“Laymen can only get permission “for true emergency”.
Cardinal Julius Dopfner in 1976 said shortly before his ,“Had I known that through Communion in the hand so much lack of reverance was to be practiced, I would have never spoken for it…Today one goes to Holy communion like one took holy water in the past. For two years i fought for Communion in the hand. Now that I have seen the results, I would never again do it. But now, I know of no way to rescind what has occured. Get rid of Communion in the hand!”
Pope Paul VI warned seriously of the dangers of Communion oin the hand and advised “for the good of the Church itself” that all Bishops, Priests, and Laity once again conform with the again confirmed manner of Holy Communion on the tongue. In 1975, Pope Paul dismissed Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, the very author of Liturgical Refrom.
Saint Pope Pius X, 1914; “In the moment of receiving Holy Communion one must kneel.”
Saint Thomas Aquinas, 1274: He emphasized that the Most Holy could only be touched by consecrated hands, except for “emergencies”.
St Augustine, 430:”…but no one eats this flesh, before he has not adored it. …, we sin of we not adore it”
Saint Catherine of sienna, 1380: She received Holy Communion from Jesus Himself into the mouth.
Jesus said to Saint Bridget of Sweden in 1373, “Look, my daughter, I left behind five gifts to my preists,… and fifth, the privelage to touch My Most holy flesh with their hands.”
Cardinal Franjo Seper, 1981: " The question of Hand Communion is for me not a question of the form, but… a question of faith and therefore truly a decision of conscience for the Preist." “No one, haveing asked his conscience, can thereupon feel the need to request communoin in the Hand.” So please ask yourself, when and why have you ever started with Holy Communion in the hand. Do so honsestly, then ask the answer into prayer. Was it a good reason or was it just because everone else was doing it?Ask or listen to Jesus about this.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 1998: The Sisters of Charity allow only communion on the the tongue, and when asked about this, one of her senior Sisters responded:“Mother Teresa has asked for this because she wishes to be obedient to the Pope. Also when asked about, in her opinion, what the worst evil in the crisis of the Church by a group of Bishops is, she answered, surprising them, that it was the"modern form of recieving communinon”.
Mother Angelica, EWTN TV: “Very few children I have met have ever been taught that He is really, truly, present in the Holy Eucharist. …We find Hosts in missalets, we find Hosts under pews under chewing gum… I have seen a 9 year-old pop one like an M&M. I have seen people put it into their sleeves, put it in their pockets, and leave it on the pew.”
Fraternity of Preists of Preists of St.Peter(formed by Pope John Paul II): Their preists distibute “no Hand Communion.”
Saint Katherine Emmerich, 1824(stigmata) Consisdered as the most famous of all German s, Katharina saw Jesus distribute the bread into the mouths of the apostles, as did Therese Neumann in 1962(stigmata)

There are other quotes too i am sure i could find. It seems some of the greatest Church leaders and saints agree with me. Also read the articles i posted before, they’ll defiantly help you understand how important is to receive Jesus on the the tongue while kneeling. hope this helped:)
 
…you were there…??
Unless I’m mistaken, kneeling would have been an alien practice in terms of the Seder ritual or Jewish liturgical practice in general. I believe ritual practice called for bowing. If anything, kneeling would have been a subservient gesture identified with the Roman occupation forces. Hard to picture Mary doing that. Or, were YOU there?
 
How? Why do you think Pope John Paul II only gave communion on the tongue. His he wrong too to do so? In 1980, he said
All these quotes are interesting and fit in with what I would personally prefer, but do you deny that currently the Church teaches that this is a licit practice where it has given such permission? If you agree that this is the current teaching of the Church, do you believe that you are correct and the Church is in error? Please answer directly, as I am extremely interested in what you say.

Thanks,

Paul
 
What does everyone think about Pope Benedict insisting that everyone who receives from him at his Masses do so kneeling and on the tongue?
 
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