The GIRM

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Whalljim

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About last fall (I think) our pastor announced that there were going to be some new changes to the mass. For example, there would be more singing (traditional songs). Also, we stand after recieving the Eucharist. There are longer pauses of silence after the readings, etc.

Father said that this was due to the GIRM, which our Bishop (Gaylord, MI diocese) had told us needed to be implemented within a certain amount of time.

I am a bit confused, though. It seems that no other parish is doing this, even within the diocese! Has anyone else seen these changes? Is our parish wrong, or is it the other parishes? Our pastor is great, it just confuses me that there is such a difference even within the diocese.

Jimbo
 
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Whalljim:
About last fall (I think) our pastor announced that there were going to be some new changes to the mass. For example, there would be more singing (traditional songs). Also, we stand after recieving the Eucharist. There are longer pauses of silence after the readings, etc.

Father said that this was due to the GIRM, which our Bishop (Gaylord, MI diocese) had told us needed to be implemented within a certain amount of time.

I am a bit confused, though. It seems that no other parish is doing this, even within the diocese! Has anyone else seen these changes? Is our parish wrong, or is it the other parishes? Our pastor is great, it just confuses me that there is such a difference even within the diocese.

Jimbo
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Yes, others have andif they have not yet will.

The only issue from what you stated is that the Bishop determines the posture of the faithful after the Lamb of God to Communion. It was determined by Rome that upon returning to your seat after receiving Holy Communion you and only you determine if you kneel, sit or stand. Your posture from that time until all have received is completely up to you.
 
Dear Jim,

Brother Rich’s comments are true, but sometimes we humans like to see documents for backup, so here it is from Rome:

**ZENIT - The World Seen From Rome **

Code: ZE05110822

Date: 2005-11-08

Wearing the Cassock

And More on Postures After Communion

ROME, NOV. 8, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.

Follow-up: Proper Posture After Communion

In the wake of our comments on postures after Communion (Oct. 25) several readers inquired about a custom in several places.

One Michigan reader writes: “My diocese has adopted some disturbing practices during Holy Mass. The entire congregation has been ordered to stand from the Great Amen until every communicant has received and returned to their seat. Please comment.”

There are two points to consider. One is to have the congregation stand from the end of the Eucharistic Prayer until Communion. The second is to have the entire congregation stand until all have received Communion.

With respect to the first point, standing after the Agnus Dei is the most common posture in the universal Church. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states, however, that where the practice of knelling at this moment is customary, such as in the United States, it is praiseworthily retained.

Because of this, the official U.S. translation of GIRM No. 43 retained the practice but gave some scope to the local bishop. To wit: …
 
The US Council of Catholic Bishops has as a part of their website the entire GIRM or General instruction of the Roman Missal.

Here is the link:
usccb.org/liturgy/current/revmissalisromanien.shtml

There is a table of contents and you can use it to research any questions regarding its use.

Our local parishes are already practicing it.
 
Whalljim,

Feel free to kneel after receiving Holy Communion, if that is what you prefer. Many of the parishes near me have begun standing, as well. This is probably just a misunderstanding on the part of your Pastor. My family still kneels.

Sadly, many Dioceses have been slow to adapt to the latest instructions. From what I have seen across our great state of Michigan, the conformance is spotty, at best.
 
Are we supposed to be standing after the Lamb of God until we go up to receive Communion and then we can stand, kneel or sit as we wish when we return to our pews? I’ve been in churches within the same diocese - some stand and some kneel after the Lamb of God.
 
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A2SciTeach:
Are we supposed to be standing after the Lamb of God until we go up to receive Communion and then we can stand, kneel or sit as we wish when we return to our pews?
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No.

We should be kneeling in the United States after the Lamb of God, unless instructed otherwise by the Bishop. #43 GIRM
Then we can stand, kneel or sit as we wish when we return to our pews.
 
I believe everyone should stand after they say “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed”. They should not sit until the priest does.

I think people should have the individual preference to faithfully follow the liturgical books (in accordance with canon 846 of the Code of Canon Law).

According to the 2002 GIRM 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.”

According to the 2002 GIRM 43: “The faithful should stand … from the invitation, Orate, fraters (Pray, brethren), before the prayer over the offerings unitl the end of Mass, except at the places indicated below. … they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.”

In the USA the bishop determines whether people kneel after the Lamb of God. But as soon as one person stands to receive Communion all should stand (following the “common posture” instruction of GIRM 42).

When does the “period of sacred silence after Communion” begin? When does the GIRM indicate that people may kneel? If people are singing a communion hymn, that is clearly not “sacred silence”. If the priest is saying “The body of Christ” and people are responding “Amen” that is not sacred silence either.

So only when all have received Communion can the period of “sacred silence after Communion” begin.

In the case of a bishop’s stational Mass the requirement is for all to sit:

“166. When the bishop returns to the chair after the communion, he puts on the skullcap and, if need be, washes his hands. All are seated and a period of prayerful silence may follow, or a song of praise or a psalm may be sung.”

(Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 60).
 
John Lilburne:
I believe everyone should stand after they say “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed”. They should not sit until the priest does.

I think people should have the individual preference to faithfully follow the liturgical books (in accordance with canon 846 of the Code of Canon Law).

According to the 2002 GIRM 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.”

According to the 2002 GIRM 43: “The faithful should stand … from the invitation, Orate, fraters (Pray, brethren), before the prayer over the offerings unitl the end of Mass, except at the places indicated below. … they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.”

In the USA the bishop determines whether people kneel after the Lamb of God. But as soon as one person stands to receive Communion all should stand (following the “common posture” instruction of GIRM 42).

When does the “period of sacred silence after Communion” begin? When does the GIRM indicate that people may kneel? If people are singing a communion hymn, that is clearly not “sacred silence”. If the priest is saying “The body of Christ” and people are responding “Amen” that is not sacred silence either.

So only when all have received Communion can the period of “sacred silence after Communion” begin.

In the case of a bishop’s stational Mass the requirement is for all to sit:

“166. When the bishop returns to the chair after the communion, he puts on the skullcap and, if need be, washes his hands. All are seated and a period of prayerful silence may follow, or a song of praise or a psalm may be sung.”

(Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 60).
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Rome is responsible for clarification and interpretation of the texts and has as noted above determined exactly how those paragraphs are to be interpreted and implemented.
 
John Lilburne:
I believe everyone should stand after they say **“Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be ** **healed”. ** They should not sit until the priest does.
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In our church the congregation is all kneeling when we say these words.
 
The whole “unity of posture…everywhere” argument is a tough one to reconcile when viewing it in light of the allowances to kneel or stand for Holy Communion, receive on the tongue or in the hand, receive one species or both (or neither), and to sit, stand, or kneel after returning to the pews following the reception of Holy Communion.
 
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thistle:
In our church the congregation is all kneeling when we say these words.
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I agree. In the USA, unless the diocesan bishop has directed otherwise, you would kneel after the Lamb of God and remain kneeling when saying “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.”
My point is that as soon as you finish those words it is time for some people to go and receive Communion. So if some should stand, following the “unity of posture” directions of 2002 GIRM 42, all should stand.
The priest receives Communion and singing should start, from the 2002 GIRM:
“86. While the priest is receiving the Sacrament, the Communion chant is begun. Its purpose is to express the communicants’ union in spirit by means of the unity of their voices, to show joy of heart, and to highlight more clearly the “communitarian” nature of the procession to receive Communion. The singing is continued for as long as the Sacrament is being administered to the faithful.”
I think it would be better if everyone stood and did this, leaving the permission “they may sit or stand or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed” (2002 GIRM 43) to when there actually is silence.
 
Hmm. God may not be the Author of confusion (1 Cor 14:33), but sometimes it seems like His Church sure is.

insert tongue-in-cheek smiley here

DaveBj
 
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