URGENT: May I counter GIRM number 43?

[showtime1019]

I am a Catholic School Religion teacher and at our school we are having mass in the Gym because our Church is under construction. Our students sit “indian style” on the floor and stand for the Eucharistic Prayer just as the GIRM 43 permits under the circumstances. HOWEVER, I want to kneel and many of my students want to kneel for the Eucharistic prayer and after communion. So before mass I sent a student down to ask Priest if those who wanted to kneel could and he said that He wanted everybody to be unified. So although Girm 43 permits standing because of our extraordinary circumstance does it require me to stand. Am I under obediance to the pastor in this extraordinary circumstance? There is plenty of room for us to kneel can my homeroom kneel if they choose? I know that in churches with no kneelers the faithful who are able are obliged to kneel during the Eucharistic Prayer. Please Help! God bless you!

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi.

While I am all for people kneeling for the Eucharistic prayer, I have to go with the priest on this one. If there were chairs that the students could lean on, I would have them kneel. While most of them are probably able to kneel for the duration of the Eucharistic prayer, some may not and the priest has to consider them.

He is well within the liturgical norms under this situation. Most of all, you sent a student to ask him for a permission that he did not give. To disobey the priest would be to give very bad example to the student.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.