Standing during Communion?

[mkingdomlvr]

Perhaps someone here can shed some light on this. Back in NJ, we knelt from the Angus Dei until the time the usher reached “our” row and we moved out to receive. At the parish I’ve been attending here in Central Florida, everyone kneels for the Angus Dei, then as soon as distribution begins, everyone stands up until after they return from reception of the Sacrament.

Does this happen in any of your parishes?

 

[adrift]

It does in our parish but it is probably because we are small and the people attending number between 40 and 60. Each pew has no more than two to four people. So the pews empty fast. It takes about ten minutes for everyone to receive. If everyone didn’t stand at once, it would be awkward. The people on the side isles often walk to the back of the church to get into line.

 

[mkingdomlvr]

This place is HUGE, and if you’re in the back row you’re standing for quite some time before it’s your turn to enter the aisle. That’s why I think it’s so odd. I would prefer to remain on my knees for that time, as that is how I was taught. Sr Gertrude taught us that from the time of the Consecration until the Tabernacle door was closed, we were either to be on our knees in the pew or in the act of walking up the aisle to receive. Now, I know I’m kind of old school, so I was wondering if it’s a new thing.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Perhaps someone here can shed some light on this. Back in NJ, we knelt from the Angus Dei until the time the usher reached “our” row and we moved out to receive. At the parish I’ve been attending here in Central Florida, everyone kneels for the Angus Dei, then as soon as distribution begins, everyone stands up until after they return from reception of the Sacrament.

Does this happen in any of your parishes?

I would think that this would be common to all churches in a diocese. Since this is something that the Bishop decides, and it’s usually not on a parish by parish basis, but diocese wide.

 

[Brendan]

I would think that this would be common to all churches in a diocese. Since this is something that the Bishop decides, and it’s usually not on a parish by parish basis, but diocese wide.

And even then, the bishops authority only extents to the personal reception of Holy Communion, after that, a person my stand, kneel or sit as they see fit.

 

[Schluns]

We have a few parishes here that stand after the agnus dei until the last person receives and returns to the pew. However, there are always some holdouts who continue to kneel, myself included. These are not the parish that I usually attend, just the ones I go to when work disallows me to go to my parish.

 

[smc83]

The majority of people in our parish sit after the Angus Dei, although a few of the younger members continue to kneel.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

We have a few parishes here that stand after the agnus dei until the last person receives and returns to the pew. However, there are always some holdouts who continue to kneel, myself included. These are not the parish that I usually attend, just the ones I go to when work disallows me to go to my parish.

What is the norm set forth by the local bishop?

 

[benedictgal]

Francis Cardinal Arinze, the Prefect Emeritus for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Disicpline of the Sacraments, made this observation when someone posed this question to him:

Does everybody have to stand until the last person has received Holy Communion?

There is no rule from Rome that everybody must stand during Holy Communion. There is no such rule from Rome. So, after people have received Communion, they can stand, they can kneel, they can sit. But a bishop in his diocese or bishops in a country could say that they recommend standing or kneeling. They could. It is not a law from Rome. They could – but not impose it. Perhaps they could propose. But those who want to sit or kneel or stand should be left reasonable freedom.

My old parish in Austin tried to impose that, but, many of us, present company included, opted to kneel. The standing posture died a quick death after about three weeks.

 

[Schluns]

What is the norm set forth by the local bishop?

That’s the rub, by driving 5 miles north, I crossover from the Archdiocese to another diocese. I don’t know what he has set forth, but of the 4 parishes that I visit throughout the year, 2 stand and 2 kneel.

The norm put forth by the Archbishop and supported by the Vicar General is to kneel and I follow this norm, regardless of where I am.

 

[Brendan]

That’s the rub, by driving 5 miles north, I crossover from the Archdiocese to another diocese. I don’t know what he has set forth, but of the 4 parishes that I visit throughout the year, 2 stand and 2 kneel.

The norm put forth by the Archbishop and supported by the Vicar General is to kneel and I follow this norm, regardless of where I am.

The GIRM grants the local bishop the authority to set the posture from the Agnus Dei up until the personal reception of Holy Communion, so we should follow what the particular norm is for the diocese that you are in.

If there are two parishes in the same diocese that have different postures, it could be either one parish is incorrect or the local bishop has left that posture up to personal choice. It would be wise to then ask the Chancellory office of the diocese what the particular law in this respect would be.

 

[Schluns]

The GIRM grants the local bishop the authority to set the posture from the Agnus Dei up until the personal reception of Holy Communion, so we should follow what the particular norm is for the diocese that you are in.

If there are two parishes in the same diocese that have different postures, it could be either one parish is incorrect or the local bishop has left that posture up to personal choice. It would be wise to then ask the Chancellory office of the diocese what the particular law in this respect would be.

I do not intend on derailing this thread. Let’s just leave my issue to the fact that I travel a lot and will not be calling every parish I attend in order to determine what their norm is. I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but I will continue to worship in the form that I am comfortable and find respectful to our lord.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

I do not intend on derailing this thread. Let’s just leave my issue to the fact that I travel a lot and will not be calling every parish I attend in order to determine what their norm is.

While you are correct that you don’t have to call the parish or chancery. However, it would not be an unreasonable assumption that the parish you are visiting is following the proper norms for their diocese.
While there are parishes that “do their own thing”, I think it would be rather uncharitable to automatically asume they are in violation of their diocesan norm.

I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but I will continue to worship in the form that I am comfortable and find respectful to our lord

I don’t think you are being disrepectful, but I do think we should always keep in mind that Mass is not a private/individual devotion, it is a public and communal act of worship.

 

[brigid12]

Perhaps someone here can shed some light on this. Back in NJ, we knelt from the Angus Dei until the time the usher reached “our” row and we moved out to receive. At the parish I’ve been attending here in Central Florida, everyone kneels for the Angus Dei, then as soon as distribution begins, everyone stands up until after they return from reception of the Sacrament.

Does this happen in any of your parishes?

None of the parishes around here (none that I’ve attended on the West Coast, except one very orthodox church in Tacoma and some churches in the San Diego diocese) kneel after the Great Amen at all (although a few of us kneel after receiving and after returning to our seats). In Seattle there may very well be a couple, but I’ve not attended there. There also may be a church or two that kneels more in Portland.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I think the theory behind standing is that we are part of the communion procession so we all stand until the procession is over. (Would that mean that those who do not receive communion should not stand?) I think you are fine in doing what you are comfortable doing as long as nobody is going to trip on you. At the moment I’m not able to kneel or stand for that length of time so I sit. People who don’t know me probably just think I’m a non-Catholic visitor.

 

[gam197]

At the large church I attended that new pastor insisted all stand from The Great Amen on and it was the only church of 3 churches in the town that required this. I was the only one kneeling in the last pew and attend the other churches when I am able.

Some of the churches in surrounding cities have taken out the kneelers and I liked the original practice of kneeling but I hope they will have a difficult time pushing it because many baby boomers are coming up in age so to stand for all that time is difficult.

I hope they don’t ask us to sit.

 

[zab]

Perhaps someone here can shed some light on this. Back in NJ, we knelt from the Angus Dei until the time the usher reached “our” row and we moved out to receive. At the parish I’ve been attending here in Central Florida, everyone kneels for the Angus Dei, then as soon as distribution begins, everyone stands up until after they return from reception of the Sacrament.

Does this happen in any of your parishes?

During the past several years, our Archbishop directed us to remain standing after the Agnus Dei until everyone has received Communion. However, before the change was implemented, he corrected this and said that we have an option to remain standing to kneel or to sit after receiving Communion.
From the GIRM:
43 … In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason… 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 **unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise. **

After Communion. In 1974 Rome gave an official interpretation of the rubrics on the period after Communion, which makes the posture an option. It states,

**After communion they may either kneel, stand, or sit. **Accordingly the GIRM no. 21 gives this rule: “The people sit. . .if this seems useful during the period of silence after communion.” Thus it is a matter of option, not obligation. The GIRM no. 121, should, therefore, be interpreted to match no. 21: Notitiae 10 (1974) 407.

 

[zab]

Sometimes my mouse seems to have a mind of its own and scrolls across the page by itself or when I click on one of my favorites, the website below it comes up. I don’t know how the thumbsdown icon got posted on my last post. All I know is that I did not intentionally click on any icon or even consider it. I have asked the moderator to delete it, but he/she must be busy with other more important issues.

 

[Provigil]

Perhaps someone here can shed some light on this. Back in NJ, we knelt from the Angus Dei until the time the usher reached “our” row and we moved out to receive. At the parish I’ve been attending here in Central Florida, everyone kneels for the Angus Dei, then as soon as distribution begins, everyone stands up until after they return from reception of the Sacrament.

Does this happen in any of your parishes?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Catholic Bishops came out with a statement that during the Lamb of God and until every one has received Communion you are to be standing. As I said previously, each Diocese does it onw thing,as in your case, you kneel, which is liturgical wrong because it simplyst ates you are to be standing during Holy Communion.eir
As I said before, the priests do not listen to their bishops and the bishops do not listen to the Pope.

May Almighty God bless you.

PROVIGIL, PhD

 

[zab]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Catholic Bishops came out with a statement that during the Lamb of God and until every one has received Communion you are to be standing. As I said previously, each Diocese does it onw thing,as in your case, you kneel, which is liturgical wrong because it simplyst ates you are to be standing during Holy Communion.eir
As I said before, the priests do not listen to their bishops and the bishops do not listen to the Pope.

May Almighty God bless you.

PROVIGIL, PhD

Our bishop did say that we were to remain standing until everyone had received Communion. But that directive was quickly corrected before the change was even implemented. The Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments said that it was optional whether we wanted to stand, sit or kneel after Communion. Here is a like from the Adoremus Bulletin giving telling what happened.
adoremus.org/0703Kneel.html