Taking the Eucharist Awkwardly???

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ProVobis said:
My understanding is that they removed the “table” (I presume you’re referring to the communion rail) because it was a barrier of some sort.
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Catholic Churches were historically of classic cruciform architecture. The interior of the Church was designed in the form of a cross, with the altar near the top of the cross. The communion rail formed part of the patibulum, which is the horizontal part of a cross.

In early Christianity, it was thought Christ’s return in glory was immanent. In Churches constructed in classic cruciform architecture, the congregation faced the East. This was symbolically toward Heavenly Jerusalem, in anticipation of Christ’s return in glory from the East. And the priest also faced the East for the very same reason.

Even today, the oldest Churches are likely designed so that the congregation faces the East. Even if the communion rail has been removed, the cruciform architecture remains visible.
 
Jake_Hansen said:
So my question is that do you agree with the priest? And what are some other ways I can be more reverent and respectful during communion? Any advice would be great! 🙂
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Yes, I agree with the priest. During the era when the Tridentine Mass was the OF of the Mass, one normally received Communion while kneeling at the Communion railing. And so did everyone else. This changed. When the practice is now to receive Communion while standing, then one should follow the common practice.

What I think is that you ought to ask yourself whether your particular preference is what is most important. Knelling while others are standing behind you and anticipating Communion is, or at least can be, awkward for them. I know it since I have experienced it occasionally while standing in such a line. It is distracting and draws attention, or one’s focus, away from receiving Communion and to the person kneeling.

My comment isn’t meant in a negative way at all. It is simply an honest reply to your specific question about what others might think and how you could be more reverent and respectful. In that way, it is meant as a positive comment. I would focus more on interior spirituality and not so much on an external action.
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
This is a really important point. People in the Communion line are looking ahead, not down. It is extremely easy to see how someone, especially an elderly person, could fall if the person in front of them suddenly and unexpectedly went down on their knees. There have also been previous discussions about the increased dangers of spillage of the Precious Blood if ministering the Cup to a kneeling person, especially if they suddenly kneel on the floor and not an area designated for this purpose, as I understand some churches have done.
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The correct solution to this is to have more people kneeling so it becomes an expected thing and everyone is more aware of the people kneeling because they are accustomed to seeing and doing it.

In my town, sometimes bicyclists get in accidents. It is very dangerous to be a bicyclist in the streets because many motorists are not aware that a bike can suddenly appear, and bikes make not much noise to alert the motorists of their presence.

The solution to this is not to avoid riding bicycles. The solution to this is more and more cyclists, along with awareness campaigns to acclimate motorists to the presence of bikes and exhorting them to share the road and be courteous and watchful in all things.

If people are going to queue up for Holy Communion (a less-than-ideal method, if you ask me), then they should be courteous and watchful of things happening such as small children running in and out of the line, as well as people going down on their knees in adoration of the Real Presence. If there are not so many people adoring Jesus in this manner, then we should ask ourselves if we have lost a sense of reverence.
 
Elizium23 said:
I think you mean “imminent”. Immanence is a quality of God, but not in the way you used the word.
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I do know it well. My spell checker did that for me, and I didn’t notice it until it was too late to edit it. “Immanance” is a philosophical concept. The term could have been relevant in a comment I made above, but I didn’t use it. But thanks. 🙂
 
Personally, I think this is much ado about nothing. I’ve been at the OF of the mass where a few people kneel to receive. It’s not a big deal. They do choose to go to the end of the line for whatever reason. I’ve also been to EF masses where some people stand, like my husband, because due to medical issues kneeling isn’t something he can do. Again, not a big deal. It’s only an issue when someone chooses to make it one. We are allowed to receive kneeling and the rule specifically says we are not to be denied the eucharist for doing so.
 
Cider said:
Personally, I think this is much ado about nothing. I’ve been at the OF of the mass where a few people kneel to receive. It’s not a big deal. They do choose to go to the end of the line for whatever reason. I’ve also been to EF masses where some people stand, like my husband, because due to medical issues kneeling isn’t something he can do. Again, not a big deal. It’s only an issue when someone chooses to make it one. We are allowed to receive kneeling and the rule specifically says we are not to be denied the eucharist for doing so.
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Very true, It’s more about people peering in to each other’s souls to determine who is receiving worthily or not. A perception that causes folks to receive unworthily, IMHO. I don’t even try to watch people receiving. 🤷

Peace, and Merry Christmas to you!
 
ProVobis said:
Good advice. I’ve learned to look down and close my eyes when sitting in the pews.
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Before I was received into the church I would often watch the priest as he distributed the eucharist. But over time I chose to instead spend that time praying.
 
I do agree it is not a big deal. Whatever the Form of the Mass, nearly everyone leaves their pew and goes forth to receive communion. This necessarily involves a lot of activity whatever might be the practice in a particular parish, especially at a larger one.

The OP, however, experienced a difficulty. The priest at his parish basically requested that he not kneel while receiving communion. The OP accepts this. So, what should he now do to receive the Eucharist with reverence and respect? That was really the OP’s question.
 
Jake_Hansen said:
So awhile ago I was sitting in mass and I noticed that during communion hardly anyone would give much more respect to the Eucharist then a very slight bow. Realizing this I found the desire to start receiving communion on my knees. After doing this for about three weeks, my priest pulls me aside and asks if I don’t receive on my knees anymore because it might be “awkward” for other people. I told him that I would stop, and sense then I haven’t. It was kind of weird to be told by a priest to not take Jesus in the most humble way possible, but sense then I have been just genuflecting instead of bowing. So my question is that do you agree with the priest? And what are some other ways I can be more reverent and respectful during communion? Any advice would be great! 🙂
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Most people will not like my answer. But I will let the Church answer your question.

**If the bishops in your country chose standing as the norm, can you still kneel?

Yes. Cardinal Arinze, speaking on Redemptionis Sacramentum here says, “People are free. Even if the bishops [of your country] have chosen standing, those who want to kneel are free to kneel and no one has the right to say to them ‘you are disobedient’.” And also, “A Catholic who is not forbidden to receive Communion should not be denied just because the Catholic prefers to kneel or to stand.”
I cannot believe that some people actually think that people will not see you kneeling. I say kneel if you want, and if the priest says something to you, say “sorry Father, but the Lord wants me to kneel when I receive him.”
 
Thomas_White said:
I do agree it is not a big deal. Whatever the Form of the Mass, nearly everyone leaves their pew and goes forth to receive communion. This necessarily involves a lot of activity whatever might be the practice in a particular parish, especially at a larger one.

The OP, however, experienced a difficulty. The priest at his parish basically requested that he not kneel while receiving communion. The OP accepts this. So, what should he now do to receive the Eucharist with reverence and respect? That was really the OP’s question.
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Well I personally choose to seek out parish’s where receiving kneeling and preferably at the altar rail from a priest or deacon is the norm. Alternatively one can try and find a parish that isn’t against people receiving while kneeling. It has nothing to do with calling attention to yourself. Some people feel they are called to do this and the rules allow it.
 
Cider said:
Well I personally choose to seek out parish’s where receiving kneeling and preferably at the altar rail from a priest or deacon is the norm. Alternatively one can try and find a parish that isn’t against people receiving while kneeling. It has nothing to do with calling attention to yourself. Some people feel they are called to do this and the rules allow it.
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Personally, I would also much prefer to kneel while receiving the Eucharist. I was an adult prior to the implementation of Vatican II and still prefer to attend the Tridentine Rite (EF) Mass. In the pre-Vatican II era, everyone of course normally kneeled at the communion rail.

Since this is a thread on the Traditional Catholicism Forum, I will say that I think the OP’s difficulty is an issue left unresolved by the implementation of Vatican II. It is unfortunate that it even is an issue.
 
Been there, done that, but not any more. After much reading about how often particles of the host are dropped on the floor, people taking the host home as a souvenir, lay ministers dropping a host or spilling the precious blood, I resolved to only take communion kneeling and on the tongue from a priest assisted by a server with a paten. If you are going to receive on the tongue, it is only practical, if not more reverent to kneel.
 
Ltibi said:
Been there, done that, but not any more. After much reading about how often particles of the host are dropped on the floor, people taking the host home as a souvenir, lay ministers dropping a host or spilling the precious blood, I resolved to only take communion kneeling and on the tongue from a priest assisted by a server with a paten. If you are going to receive on the tongue, it is only practical, if not more reverent to kneel.
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I totally agree. I was first a patent boy and then an altar boy during the pre-Vatican II era. Everyone knelt at the Communion rail and received the Eucharist on the tongue. And while I was a server, I held the patent just so below a person’s chin. And we kept the patent horizontal always.
 
Thomas_White said:
I totally agree. I was first a patent boy and then an altar boy during the pre-Vatican II era. Everyone knelt at the Communion rail and received the Eucharist on the tongue. And while I was a server, I held the patent just so below a person’s chin. And we kept the patent horizontal always.
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Errmm… ;patent’? It isn’t even pronounced like that, surely?
 
Thomas_White said:
I totally agree. I was first a patent boy and then an altar boy during the pre-Vatican II era. Everyone knelt at the Communion rail and received the Eucharist on the tongue. And while I was a server, I held the patent just so below a person’s chin. And we kept the patent horizontal always.
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Whoever taught you it was called a ‘patent’ taught you wrongly, I’m afraid.

It’s a paten.
 
paperwight66 said:
Whoever taught you it was called a ‘patent’ taught you wrongly, I’m afraid.

It’s a paten.
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Lol. That is correct of course. I was last a regular server in 1959 and am now age 69. Oh well. It was a long time ago. I was a regular server, or altar boy as it was then known, for four years during elementary school and occasionally was a server during high school–all during the pre-Vatican II era when the Tridentine Mass was the OF Mass. There was morning daily Mass for us during elementry school, and attendance was required. It was a wonderful experience. 🙂
 
Elizium23 said:
I might be alone here, but according to the English translation of Redemptionis sacramentum #93, with reference to GIRM #118c, it’s a Communion-plate.
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FWIW, in the IGMR (the universal (and more general) instructions) it has it patena*.

Maybe many have never heard of the “paten.” 🙂 Communion-plate works though.

*c) in abaco: calix, corporale, purificatorium et, pro opportunitate, palla; patena et pyxides…
 
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