Standing after communion

[DL82]

Every English Catholic Church I’ve been to, after the communion, when the celebrant says “let us pray” the congregation stand, and remain standing until after the final blessing and dismissal.

Every Scottish Catholic Church I’ve been to, people stay kneeling for prayer and cross themselves while kneeling, then stand when the priest exits.

The first few weeks of the University term up here are always interesting, because different folks from different parts of the world come along, and they all stand/sit/kneel according to their own custom, and there’s enough of them doing it for them not to feel uncomfortable. Slowly though, by watching us stubborn Scots still kneeling, they start to feel uncomfortable being the only ones standing up.

I went through the same when I first arrived too, though I’m still convinced the correct thing is to stand. In fact, in the mass sheet and missal the guidance clearly says stand.

Are there legitimate regional variations on this?

 

[jmcrae]

Every English Catholic Church I’ve been to, after the communion, when the celebrant says “let us pray” the congregation stand, and remain standing until after the final blessing and dismissal.

Every Scottish Catholic Church I’ve been to, people stay kneeling for prayer and cross themselves while kneeling, then stand when the priest exits.

The first few weeks of the University term up here are always interesting, because different folks from different parts of the world come along, and they all stand/sit/kneel according to their own custom, and there’s enough of them doing it for them not to feel uncomfortable. Slowly though, by watching us stubborn Scots still kneeling, they start to feel uncomfortable being the only ones standing up.

I went through the same when I first arrived too, though I’m still convinced the correct thing is to stand. In fact, in the mass sheet and missal the guidance clearly says stand.

Are there legitimate regional variations on this?

I live in Canada; we typically kneel after Holy Communion (we then stand for the final prayer and blessing), although there are a few who sit, and even fewer who stand. Where in the GIRM does it say to stand? I thought there was no specific posture directed, at that point in the Mass?

 

[bpbasilphx]

Are there legitimate regional variations on this?

Apparently there are.

 

[japhy]

I live in Canada; we typically kneel after Holy Communion (we then stand for the final prayer and blessing), although there are a few who sit, and even fewer who stand. Where in the GIRM does it say to stand?

The posture in question is after Communion is over, not during Communion. GIRM 43 says:
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 Prayer of the Faithful; from the invitation, Orate, fratres (Pray, brethren), before the prayer over the offerings until the end of Mass, except at the places indicated below.

They should, however, 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.
Perhaps Scotland’s Bishops have a determined that the people should kneel from the end of Communion through the end of the Mass; whether this is lawful, I don’t know for sure.

 

[ricmat]

I live in Canada; we typically kneel after Holy Communion (we then stand for the final prayer and blessing), although there are a few who sit, and even fewer who stand. Where in the GIRM does it say to stand? I thought there was no specific posture directed, at that point in the Mass?

Ditto for me in the dozen or so (except 1) parishes in the USA I’ve been to.

One slight variation is that after kneeling after communion, when the priest either puts the Eucharist back in the Tabernacle OR sits down for meditation, many sit until “let us pray” and we all stand until the end of Mass.

I like being able to kneel and pray after communion, so if ever a “standard” is implemented, I hope it goes this way instead of standing to the end.

 

[nor336]

Every English Catholic Church I’ve been to, after the communion, when the celebrant says “let us pray” the congregation stand, and remain standing until after the final blessing and dismissal.

Every Scottish Catholic Church I’ve been to, people stay kneeling for prayer and cross themselves while kneeling, then stand when the priest exits.

The first few weeks of the University term up here are always interesting, because different folks from different parts of the world come along, and they all stand/sit/kneel according to their own custom, and there’s enough of them doing it for them not to feel uncomfortable. Slowly though, by watching us stubborn Scots still kneeling, they start to feel uncomfortable being the only ones standing up.

I went through the same when I first arrived too, though I’m still convinced the correct thing is to stand. In fact, in the mass sheet and missal the guidance clearly says stand.

Are there legitimate regional variations on this?

You know that old saying “when in Rome do as the Romans do”?

 

[NPC]

Certain rules for standing and kneeling are not necessarily common to the whole country and may very well vary from diocese to diocese. I know that in Ireland guidelines for posture at Mass vary according to the direction of the local bishop - although essentially these variations are not too significant since for most of the Mass, certain postures are universally practiced, such as standing at the beginning of Mass, sitting for readings, standing for the Gospel, etc. Soon after the installation of our bishop a few years he issued new diocesan guidelines on posture at Mass. There weren’t any huge changes, but there was a specific reason given for each of the changes. One such change was that we should stand for the final blessing - when the priest says “let us pray” after Communion. Before this, people would normally remain kneeling after receiving Communion until the final blessing. The bishop’s reasoning behind having the people stand for the blessing was that the blessing at the end of Mass is a ‘sending forth’ of the people “to love and serve the Lord”. I think this is a sound reason which makes sense - standing symbolises actual ‘doing’ or standing ready to serve the Lord in any way we can.

You could enquire into whether or not there are specific diocesan guidelines on posture - if there are then I would suggest that you adhere to them i.e. what the bishop has directed, rather than what has become merely traditional.

 

[japhy]

There weren’t any huge changes, but there was a specific reason given for each of the changes.

That is probably the most important part of any liturgical changes. It falls under the category of “catechesis”, and Vatican II was very very clear on the need for proper catechesis to accompany each and every change the faithful might encounter (as well as catechesis for the priests, for whom a lot more changed!).

One such change was that we should stand for the final blessing - when the priest says “let us pray” after Communion. Before this, people would normally remain kneeling after receiving Communion until the final blessing. The bishop’s reasoning behind having the people stand for the blessing was that the blessing at the end of Mass is a ‘sending forth’ of the people “to love and serve the Lord”. I think this is a sound reason which makes sense - standing symbolises actual ‘doing’ or standing ready to serve the Lord in any way we can.

All three Proper prayers (that is, the Collect, the Offertory, and the Post-Communion) are said at the end of a procession (entrance procession, offertory procession, and communion procession), and it makes sense that we’d have the same posture for all three of them. And standing, as you pointed out, has a theological and spiritual significance to it. You also bring up a good point about standing when being “sent forth”: the blessing and dismissal are meant for mission (dismissal, missio, “Ita, missa est”) and shouldn’t we be standing at attention as the Lord “rallies His troops”, so to speak (especially those of us who have received Confirmation and so are Soliders for Christ), of “the Church Militant”?

 

[John_Lilburne]

In London everyone should be standing for this end part of the Mass. I can be confident of this because I can go to web site of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales at liturgyoffice.org.uk/Documents/index.html and look up the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) there and read what it has in n. 43, and the importance of a common posture in n. 42.

It is harder to know what has been approved in Scotland. Perhaps a different GIRM, with different instructions on posture, has been approved there. Their web site (bpsconfscot.com/Agencies/tabid/392/Default.aspx ) has these contact details:

Liturgy Commission
President: Bishop Ian Murray
Secretary: Rev. Andrew McKenzie
Contact: St. Mary’s, 89 Abercromby Street, Glasgow G40 2SA
Tel 0141 554 6936 Fax 0141 554 8560
Email: amckenzie@pfs.org.uk

Perhaps they could advise what has been approved for the dioceses of Scotland.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

Ditto for me in the dozen or so (except 1) parishes in the USA I’ve been to.

One slight variation is that after kneeling after communion, when the priest either puts the Eucharist back in the Tabernacle OR sits down for meditation, many sit until “let us pray” and we all stand until the end of Mass.

I like being able to kneel and pray after communion, so if ever a “standard” is implemented, I hope it goes this way instead of standing to the end.

The kneel until the tabernacle closes is most common around here.

Also, it is more than acceptable to sit or stand for health reasons. If you are unable to kneel for any reasons, those are acceptable.

 

[thistle]

Every English Catholic Church I’ve been to, after the communion, when the celebrant says “let us pray” the congregation stand, and remain standing until after the final blessing and dismissal.

**Every Scottish Catholic Church **I’ve been to, people stay kneeling for prayer and cross themselves while kneeling, then stand when the priest exits.

The first few weeks of the University term up here are always interesting, because different folks from different parts of the world come along, and they all stand/sit/kneel according to their own custom, and there’s enough of them doing it for them not to feel uncomfortable. Slowly though, by watching us stubborn Scots still kneeling, they start to feel uncomfortable being the only ones standing up.

I went through the same when I first arrived too, though I’m still convinced the correct thing is to stand. In fact, in the mass sheet and missal the guidance clearly says stand.

Are there legitimate regional variations on this?

Not in Montrose. Standing is the norm so what you say about every Scottish Catholic church is not correct.