Standing during Communion

[jconsta]

We just began worshiping in our newly-built church. We finally have kneelers, but during communion, it has been announced that we will be observing a new tradition of standing during communion and having the option to sit or kneel afterward. I am struggling with this as I find that the time after receiving Jesus is very personal and one-on-one time with Him and I use it to thank Him and listen for His voice. Isn’t this what this time is supposed to be for? Is there a liturgical law against standing during communion specifically? I don’t want to upset my parish priest, so I’m unsure of how to go about this. Do I just need to take my family elsewhere to worship? Thank you for your help.

 

[Bob_Aliano]

We just began worshiping in our newly-built church. We finally have kneelers, but during communion, it has been announced that we will be observing a new tradition of standing during communion and having the option to sit or kneel afterward. I am struggling with this as I find that the time after receiving Jesus is very personal and one-on-one time with Him and I use it to thank Him and listen for His voice. Isn’t this what this time is supposed to be for? Is there a liturgical law against standing during communion specifically? I don’t want to upset my parish priest, so I’m unsure of how to go about this. Do I just need to take my family elsewhere to worship? Thank you for your help.

Kneel if you wish, you may be surprised to find others following your example. If your parish priest has a problem with someone kneeling in reverence to Jesus, he needs to find a different occupation.

 

[Love_Divine]

Growing up there was a priest who decided to introduce the same thing at our parish. Once he left it was one of the first thing the new priest changed.

You could try raising your concerns to the priest, depending on his personality type he might be open-minded enough to see it through your eyes. The priest at our parish wasn’t open-minded.

You’re likely not the only one not happy with this new change, so maybe there’s others who can raise the concern as well.

I know for me, if I had issues with how a priest conducts his mass, or other issues (ie: his homilies aren’t the greatest, or they’re recycled, priest is so monotone that I can’t stay focused, etc), I’d just go find a different priest. I’m sure many would disagree with such practices, but at this point in my life, when I do go to mass, I go because I need spiritual guideness, so I really need that good homily.

 

[Evan]

I know the posture in our church is standing, but it is at the request of the bishop who determines how the mass is to be prayed. We stand to show we are all united in a procession, the first must wait for the last, just as the last must wait for the first. We are in this together.

 

[Bob_Aliano]

I know the posture in our church is standing, but it is at the request of the bishop who determines how the mass is to be prayed. We stand to show we are all united in a procession, the first must wait for the last, just as the last must wait for the first. We are in this together.

Procession? First and last? There is only one First and Last and it is He we are there to venerate. How about falling on your knees before the one and true God?

I’m sorry but I live by a principal that if something doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t and this neither feels nor sounds right to me. I kneel before and after communion, all the while the Tabernacle is open, and have no intention of changing.

 

[Love_Divine]

I know the posture in our church is standing, but it is at the request of the bishop who determines how the mass is to be prayed. We stand to show we are all united in a procession, the first must wait for the last, just as the last must wait for the first. We are in this together.

Every church I’ve been in other than the one time the priest decided to make everyone remain standing, sat down at the start of communion unless they were going up right away. I remember one church the pianist didn’t even stop playing to receive communion

 

[choy]

we must analyze why

if the President of the United States walk into a room, do you kneel? no, you stand. in the North American culture, standing for someone is a sign of respect. moreover, standing is the norm for most, if not all, Eastern Catholics. so there is nothing disrespectful to God if we stand for Him. the point here is, there is nothing disrespectful nor wrong in standing.

now, given that fact, why should one be insistent on what one wants over what the priest asks us to do? since there is nothing wrong being asked, we should humbly submit to the authority of the priest presiding over the celebration of Mass

 

[Evan]

Procession? First and last? There is only one First and Last and it is He we are there to venerate. How about falling on your knees before the one and true God?

I’m sorry but I live by a principal that if something doesn’t feel right it probably isn’t and this neither feels nor sounds right to me. I kneel before and after communion, all the while the Tabernacle is open, and have no intention of changing.

We are in a procession to receive the body and blood. My reference was to ‘The first shall be last and the last shall be first’. Not to the Alpha and Omega.

If it doesn’t feel right, it may be wrong or it may be a habit. I know people who find it hard to fold their hands, it just doesn’t feel right… till you do it for a month.

Try standing for a year and see if you come to understand the unity (or communion) of yourself with those who are also engaged in an act of community worship. It is a physical way of helping us to see we are receiving from the one cup and one loaf. We are united WITH EACH OTHER through the body of Christ. This may be a time for personal prayer, but maybe better, a time of communion with the body of Christ present in 4 forms in the mass.

We have had many years when we emphasized the individual reception, now maybe it is a time to emphasize the communio in the Divine Liturgy.

God bless.

 

[Phemie]

We just began worshiping in our newly-built church. We finally have kneelers, but during communion, it has been announced that we will be observing a new tradition of standing during communion and having the option to sit or kneel afterward. I am struggling with this as I find that the time after receiving Jesus is very personal and one-on-one time with Him and I use it to thank Him and listen for His voice. Isn’t this what this time is supposed to be for? Is there a liturgical law against standing during communion specifically? I don’t want to upset my parish priest, so I’m unsure of how to go about this. Do I just need to take my family elsewhere to worship? Thank you for your help.

No, there is no liturgical law against standing at that time, in fact it’s the universal norm according to the GIRM, but Rome has already said that you can also kneel or sit as you wish.

 

[Joe_5859]

According to the USCCB website, the norm in the United States is to kneel following the Agnus Dei until the distribution of Communion unless the diocesan bishop has determined otherwise. The only bishop that I can think of offhand who has done this is Bishop Trautman in the Diocese of Eerie. In any case, it’s not up to the individual priest to make this call.

usccb.org/liturgy/innews/092002.shtml

Unless I’m missing something…

 

[Evan]

According to the USCCB website, the norm in the United States is to kneel following the Agnus Dei until the distribution of Communion unless the diocesan bishop has determined otherwise. The only bishop that I can think of offhand who has done this is Bishop Trautman in the Diocese of Eerie. In any case, it’s not up to the individual priest to make this call.

usccb.org/liturgy/innews/092002.shtml

Unless I’m missing something…

The Archbishop of Seattle, the Most Reverend Alexander Brunette, has also made that call.

 

[Phemie]

According to the USCCB website, the norm in the United States is to kneel following the Agnus Dei until the distribution of Communion unless the diocesan bishop has determined otherwise. The only bishop that I can think of offhand who has done this is Bishop Trautman in the Diocese of Eerie. In any case, it’s not up to the individual priest to make this call.

usccb.org/liturgy/innews/092002.shtml

Unless I’m missing something…

Yes, you’re missing something
The OP is talking about standing for Communion then remaining standing until everyone has received. The GIRM says that we stand until everyone has received then kneel, sit or stand in the period of silence after everyone has received.

Rome was questioned on this, and this was the result:

5 June 2003
Prot. n. 855/03/L
Dubium: In many places, the faithful are accustomed to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to their places after individually received Holy Communion during Mass. Is it the intention of the Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia, to forbid this practice?
Responsum: Negative, et ad mentem. The mens is that that the prescription of the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, no. 43, is intended, on one hand, to ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture within the congregation for the various parts of the celebration of the Holy Mass, and on the other, to not regulate posture rigidly in such a way that those who wish to kneel or sit would no longer be free.
Francis Cardinal Arinze
Prefect

 

[ProVobis]

Rome was questioned on this, and this was the result:

FWIT, standing, especially without support, actually increases one’s blood pressure. I wouldn’t understand it if the Church actually were to force anyone to stand.

 

[John_Lilburne]

We just began worshiping in our newly-built church. We finally have kneelers, but during communion, it has been announced that we will be observing a new tradition of standing during communion and having the option to sit or kneel afterward. I am struggling with this as I find that the time after receiving Jesus is very personal and one-on-one time with Him and I use it to thank Him and listen for His voice. Isn’t this what this time is supposed to be for? Is there a liturgical law against standing during communion specifically? I don’t want to upset my parish priest, so I’m unsure of how to go about this. Do I just need to take my family elsewhere to worship? Thank you for your help.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :

“42. … A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the Sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the intention and spiritual attitude of the participants.”
Some are standing in the Communion Procession, so everyone should be standing.

“43. … and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.”
During Communion is not “after Communion”. The period of sacred silence is not while ministers are saying “The Body of Christ” and people are responding “Amen”.

“43. … With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.”

So I suggest supporting your parish priest, who is following what the approved liturgical book says.

 

[Bob_Aliano]

we must analyze why

if the President of the United States walk into a room, do you kneel? no, you stand. in the North American culture, standing for someone is a sign of respect. moreover, standing is the norm for most, if not all, Eastern Catholics. so there is nothing disrespectful to God if we stand for Him. the point here is, there is nothing disrespectful nor wrong in standing.

now, given that fact, why should one be insistent on what one wants over what the priest asks us to do? since there is nothing wrong being asked, we should humbly submit to the authority of the priest presiding over the celebration of Mass

It is MY sign of respect to our Lord, the priest can do whatever he desires. I am the one who will stand before God some day and I doubt this or any priest will be there to defend me.

 

[Bob_Aliano]

We are in a procession to receive the body and blood. My reference was to ‘The first shall be last and the last shall be first’. Not to the Alpha and Omega.

If it doesn’t feel right, it may be wrong or it may be a habit. I know people who find it hard to fold their hands, it just doesn’t feel right… till you do it for a month.

Try standing for a year and see if you come to understand the unity (or communion) of yourself with those who are also engaged in an act of community worship. It is a physical way of helping us to see we are receiving from the one cup and one loaf. We are united WITH EACH OTHER through the body of Christ. This may be a time for personal prayer, but maybe better, a time of communion with the body of Christ present in 4 forms in the mass.

We have had many years when we emphasized the individual reception, now maybe it is a time to emphasize the communio in the Divine Liturgy.

God bless.

No thanks, I’ll kneel. Perhaps you should try that!

 

[choy]

It is MY sign of respect to our Lord, the priest can do whatever he desires. I am the one who will stand before God some day and I doubt this or any priest will be there to defend me.

i rest my case

seriously, do you think God will ask you why you didn’t kneel? or will He ask you why you didn’t follow what a Priest told you to do during Mass?

a priest is given authority and following what the priest prescribes even if it is against our personal desires is a sign of humility. on the other hand, insisting of doing what you want to do is a sign of pride. sorry, but i have to call it what it is

 

[Bob_Aliano]

i rest my case

seriously, do you think God will ask you why you didn’t kneel? or will He ask you why you didn’t follow what a Priest told you to do during Mass?

a priest is given authority and following what the priest prescribes even if it is against our personal desires is a sign of humility. on the other hand, insisting of doing what you want to do is a sign of pride. sorry, but i have to call it what it is

So you are implying that everything every priest says is correct? If that is the case how can we possibly have differing instructions from different bishops accompanied by differing interpretations of those instructions by different priests. In matters of faith I trust the bishops, in all other matters I think. If employing the sign of respect that I was taught 60 years ago by the very clergy you say are always correct is now wrong then exactly what instruction can I trust; today’s, yesterday’s, tomorrow’s? If anything I consider the willful tinkering with liturgical tradition a matter of pride.

 

[Evan]

No thanks, I’ll kneel. Perhaps you should try that!

I do kneel. After the procession, when there is a time of silence (or the chior continues to sing) and the priest is purifying the vessels. Many sit, many kneel. Then the priest sits to extend the time of silence. I continue to kneel.

There is time for both. Time to be in union with the faithful. Time for prayer in unity. Time for personal prayer and reflection.

There is also time after mass.

 

[Evan]

So you are implying that everything every priest says is correct? If that is the case how can we possibly have differing instructions from different bishops accompanied by differing interpretations of those instructions by different priests. In matters of faith I trust the bishops, in all other matters I think. If employing the sign of respect that I was taught 60 years ago by the very clergy you say are always correct is now wrong then exactly what instruction can I trust; today’s, yesterday’s, tomorrow’s? If anything I consider the willful tinkering with liturgical tradition a matter of pride.

What the priest says relates to the mass where he is presider. What the bishop asks relates to his diocese. There is no right and wrong in posture, just a submission of will to proper authority.

A priest at 8:00 AM may ask for a different posture than one at 5:00 PM.
A bishop in Denver may ask for a different posture than one in baghdad.
They are right because they have been given the proximate authority over those at mass. The bishop over the priests and the presider over the faithful.

Speak to your priest. He may describe his request as a desire rather than a command. Our bishop has asked for a certain posture, but there are some in his cathedral who choose not to submit. It is not wrong. It just fails to demonstrate the unity, in a visual fashion, of the Church in his diocese that could be more perfectly expressed by a uniformity of posture.