Sitting During Communion?

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cecilia97

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This is related to the other thread about when to stop kneeling after the Eucharist.

Growing up in Texas, we always remained kneeling during Communion until it was time for us to recieve, then afterwards most people knelt until the Tabernacle was closed.

Upon moving to northeastern Ilinois, I noticed that most congregations SIT all during Communion! This really bothers me, I guess I see it as disrespectful. As soon as the Communion procession begins, the whole church sits down. Then after receiving, some folks will kneel for a while and then sit when the celebrant sits.

I just feel better kneeling in prayer to get in the right frame of mind for Communion. Is there a “right” way, or is this just local custom, or what? Anybody from the Chicago area who can explain why people do this here?

Thanks!
c
 
I think it’s up to the bishop to decide if they can do that or not. Don’t take my word for it though… Personally, I would rather kneel myself.
 
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computerguy:
I think it’s up to the bishop to decide if they can do that or not. Don’t take my word for it though… Personally, I would rather kneel myself.
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Personally, I would much rather kneel at the presence of the Eucharist during Communion. I can’t imagine just sitting there. Computerguy is right though - it’s up to the bishop to decide.
 
I’m from the Chicago area, and we kneel until the Tabernacle is closed (me & about 20% of the congregation) or the celebrant sits (the majority). Lately, I’ve noticed our priests face the Tabernacle and wait until it is closed before sitting.

I’ve been to 4 or 5 Catholic churches in this area (NW suburbs) and its the same in all. Actually, I’ve attended mass at 3 Chicago parishes too and it was the same, kneel until the Tabernacle is closed or celebrant sits. I’ve been to mass in Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, and Connecticut and never have I seen the congregation sit during Communion!
 
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Lrning:
I’m from the Chicago area, and we kneel until the Tabernacle is closed (me & about 20% of the congregation) or the celebrant sits (the majority). Lately, I’ve noticed our priests face the Tabernacle and wait until it is closed before sitting.

I’ve been to 4 or 5 Catholic churches in this area (NW suburbs) and its the same in all. Actually, I’ve attended mass at 3 Chicago parishes too and it was the same, kneel until the Tabernacle is closed or celebrant sits. I’ve been to mass in Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, and Connecticut and never have I seen the congregation sit during Communion!
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Wow, thanks for the point of reference. I, too, have been to Mass all over the country and in other countries, and never seen this. I’m in the SW suburbs in the Joliet Diocese, and it seems to be EVERYWHERE here. Puzzling, but at least now I know it’s not some crazy yankee trick to expose the outsiders in the congregation! 😉

c
 
I daresay if Jesus actually appeared in flesh and blood in the front of the Church, people would all kneel.

Wait, he already does… 😦
 
Here in the Chicago burbs, the norm is kneeling, so I can’t imagine WHERE in northeast Illinois you are finding this. I’ve been to Mass all along the Lake Michigan shoreline, from Gary, IN to Milwaukee, WI- and until the tabernacle is closed, the people are on their knees…Unless it is a certain NAMELESS college where some feel it isn’t necessary (and gives awards to those who openly do not hold Church teaching). In that case, the Cardinal has been made aware. As for the Diocese of Joliet, sitting isn’t usually practiced, either; at least, it’s not supposed to be. The places where I go to Mass in the Joliet Diocese kneel. PM me if you want the names of parishes.
 
WOW YOU GUYS ARE BLESSED!!! In the Spokane Dioceses in Washington State, the Bishop who is also president of the Bishops (UCCB?) had determined that we must be respectful to Each other and stand until the very last parishoner has received communion and then sit. Although, we were also told that if this was a hardship then some may sit, and that if others wanted, we could kneel. So if I am kneeling, the people around me are either standing, sitting or kneeling. This type of environment has only opened the door to more spontaneous conversations.

Last Sunday a priest informed us we don’t look uniform so we should all stand. He also said we did NOT have to wait until the Tabernacle was closed since we just received the same Jesus that is in the Tabernacle. So when did we stop the need to thank Jesus or praise and honor Him? aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhh!
 
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OutinChgoburbs:
Here in the Chicago burbs, the norm is kneeling, so I can’t imagine WHERE in northeast Illinois you are finding this. I’ve been to Mass all along the Lake Michigan shoreline, from Gary, IN to Milwaukee, WI- and until the tabernacle is closed, the people are on their knees…Unless it is a certain NAMELESS college where some feel it isn’t necessary (and gives awards to those who openly do not hold Church teaching). In that case, the Cardinal has been made aware. As for the Diocese of Joliet, sitting isn’t usually practiced, either; at least, it’s not supposed to be. The places where I go to Mass in the Joliet Diocese kneel. PM me if you want the names of parishes.
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Thanks…well, I’ve seen it in most every parish I’ve visited here, and even sometimes in the cathedral in Joliet, though it’s better there. Just last month I found a great Poor Clares Monastary with a nice no-frills Mass, so i’m set now. I will PM you if the nuns start singing tunes from Christian rock radio! 😉

c
 
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HappyCatholic01:
I daresay if Jesus actually appeared in flesh and blood in the front of the Church, people would all kneel.

Wait, he already does… 😦
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Amen!
 
Rosary Warrior, that does not sound cool, I’m sorry! Can you find some Poor Clare Sisters nearby? 😉 Ours can’t sing worth a darn but the Mass is soooo reverent.

c
 
I’ve got to say, I’m new at Catholicism and haven’t even received the Eucharist yet, but, having really bad knees, I can’t kneel, so what does a person do then? I feel awkward as it is, but then hearing how everyone freaks out when people don’t kneel, I’m going to feel even more out of place than I already do! :confused:
 
I too, prefer to kneel during the Agnus Dei until it is my rows turn to go up and receive our Lord. Then I return to kneel until Fr. sits back. However, our Bishop has decided that we all remain standing after the Our Father, Agnus Dei and Communion, then we kneel until Fr. has a seat. This is the standard practice of the majority of Catholics world wide.

If you go to the Catholic Answers homepage and click on “New Changes in Mass” under Answers Guide it explains clearly the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Slide down until you get to “Standing at the Orate & Fratres” and then “kneeling during Mass”.

Hopefully, this will explain why we do what we do, or what we are supposed to do.

When in doubt always refer to the GIRM.
 
I’m in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and in my parish, everyone stands until it is their turn to go up for Communion and then sits after Communion. And the reason is - no kneelers. It is a shame that we don’t have them in the main church - it was built as a large gathering space originally, used for multiple purposes and later became the main church. We do have a chapel which has pews and kneelers, so for daily Mass or Adoration, one can kneel. In the main church, however, we sit in chairs and have no kneelers. There are some who kneel directly on the floor, but not many. It still doesn’t feel right not to kneel.
 
Jeanette, I’m in exactly your position!

Where those with better knees genuflect, I make a deep, from the waist, bow.

In the pews, when everyone else is kneeling, I bend over and lean on the pew in front, with my hands either clasped or in the “folded for prayer” position.

I do usually sit when my pew goes up for the Eucharist, until they come back, just because it helps them get past me.

But soon, neither of us will need to worry much about what we do when everyone else gets up to Receive!

GLORY BE!
 
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Ruthie:
Jeanette, I’m in exactly your position!

Where those with better knees genuflect, I make a deep, from the waist, bow.

In the pews, when everyone else is kneeling, I bend over and lean on the pew in front, with my hands either clasped or in the “folded for prayer” position.

I do usually sit when my pew goes up for the Eucharist, until they come back, just because it helps them get past me.

But soon, neither of us will need to worry much about what we do when everyone else gets up to Receive!

GLORY BE!
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I’ll give a big **AMEN ** to that!!! Not much longer now! I’m so excited, I’ll probably bawl like a big baby, need to remember to wear waterproof makeup! (and no white blouse for me!)
 
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cecilia97:
This is related to the other thread about when to stop kneeling after the Eucharist.

Growing up in Texas, we always remained kneeling during Communion until it was time for us to recieve, then afterwards most people knelt until the Tabernacle was closed.

Upon moving to northeastern Ilinois, I noticed that most congregations SIT all during Communion! This really bothers me, I guess I see it as disrespectful. As soon as the Communion procession begins, the whole church sits down. Then after receiving, some folks will kneel for a while and then sit when the celebrant sits.

I just feel better kneeling in prayer to get in the right frame of mind for Communion. Is there a “right” way, or is this just local custom, or what? Anybody from the Chicago area who can explain why people do this here?

Thanks!
c
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Just a guess, but what I have intuited from places where I have seen this done… it seems to me that what you are describing tends to come from places where the congregation has (at least some history of) standing rather than kneeling for the Eucharistic Prayer and through the Ecce Agnus Dei. As a practical matter it appears that many therefore choose to sit until it is their row’s turn at going up.
 
I always kneel for communion. I think you should kneel if your health allows it. I do know some people who just cannot kneel, due to health or old age. My mom for one cannot kneel, or at least is not supposed to. She has a bad kidney, so if she kneels it puts to much presure on it and starts hurting. My brother also isn’t really supposed to kneel because of a kidney stone. He’ll kneel for a while and then sit. He almost got really sick once from kneeling.
If your health allows it, than you should kneel.
 
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rosarywarrior:
In the Spokane Dioceses in Washington State, the Bishop who is also president of the Bishops (UCCB?) had determined that we must be respectful to Each other and stand until the very last parishoner has received communion and then sit.
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That really sounds bizarre. I always kneel after receiving, if it is possible, for a few minutes of prayer and thanksgiving. Standing would really get in the way of that quiet moment, and instead cause me to focus on the cattle call of people going by.
 
rosarywarrior said:
WOW YOU GUYS ARE BLESSED!!! In the Spokane Dioceses in Washington State, the Bishop who is also president of the Bishops (UCCB?) had determined that we must be respectful to Each other and stand until the very last parishoner has received communion and then sit.
Click to expand...

I don’t understand this, either. Why is it considered disrespectful to the other parishioners to kneel after receiving? I never feel disrespected when I’m still standing in line, and the people who have gone up before me are now kneeling.

In my church, everyone kneels after receiving Communion except those who can’t kneel due to medical reasons, like me. I do the aforementioned bend-over-lean-on-the-pew-in-front-and-clasp-hands thing; that way, I at least look less conspicuous. 🙂

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