Usher making me get in communion line

[taylormcbee]

i was at a parrish on the first sunday in advent becuase i am thinking about converting (haven’t been to rcia class yet but when i finnish college next year its my first priority) Anyway i knew that i couldn’t take communion i belevie in the real presnence but i haven’t been properly insturcted or gone to confesion. but the point is an usher told me to get in line and i weas on the back row kneeling (was at childrens mass) i tried to say no i can’t but he woudn’t listen so i crossed my arms and was blessed by the parish priest which i know shoudn’t of happened durring this time but i didn’t want to make a scene or recevive unworitly what should i do next time?

 

[1ke]

Simply ignore the overzealous usher. Continue to kneel (or sit) and pray.

 

[TrueLight]

i was at a parrish on the first sunday in advent becuase i am thinking about converting (haven’t been to rcia class yet but when i finnish college next year its my first priority) Anyway i knew that i couldn’t take communion i belevie in the real presnence but i haven’t been properly insturcted or gone to confesion. but the point is an usher told me to get in line and i weas on the back row kneeling (was at childrens mass) i tried to say no i can’t but he woudn’t listen so i crossed my arms and was blessed by the parish priest which i know shoudn’t of happened durring this time but i didn’t want to make a scene or recevive unworitly what should i do next time?

Is it possible the usher just wanted you to clear the pew so that others could enter and exit? If so, you can step to the side and let the communicants go in line, let them back in and go back to kneeling.

 

[taylormcbee]

Is it possible the usher just wanted you to clear the pew so that others could enter and exit? If so, you can step to the side and let the communicants go in line, let them back in and go up to kneeling.

i was the only one on that pew there was a father and son but they took communion and left when the usher was asssiting the front pews

 

[MartyrForJesus]

You say you didn’t take Holy Communion, but simply received a blessing. You did nothing wrong. Next time, just ignore the Usher.

 

[DJJG]

I would, respectfully, inform the pastor of this incident and leave it to him to handle the situation with the usher. Most pastors will check into it and handle it with tack.
It should not be ignored but not blown up either; a little instruction, by the right person, can go a long way.

 

[Julia_Mae]

i tried to say no i can’t but he woudn’t listen so i crossed my arms and was blessed by the parish priest which i know shoudn’t of happened durring this time but i didn’t want to make a scene or recevive unworitly what should i do next time?

I think you handled it perfectly and with charity for both the usher and those around you. I also think going up for a blessing is lovely, I hope you do that more. I also think you can smile and whisper, “I’m not Catholic, yet.” if it should happen again.

Sounds like he was either very old or inexperienced. I never saw an usher do that before.

 

[taylormcbee]

I think you handled it perfectly and with charity for both the usher and those around you. I also think going up for a blessing is lovely, I hope you do that more. I also think you can smile and whisper, “I’m not Catholic, yet.” if it should happen again.

Sounds like he was either very old or inexperienced. I never saw an usher do that before.

thanks everyone for the advice. btw julia mae he was very old

 

[Colt]

i was at a parrish on the first sunday in advent becuase i am thinking about converting (haven’t been to rcia class yet but when i finnish college next year its my first priority) Anyway i knew that i couldn’t take communion i belevie in the real presnence but i haven’t been properly insturcted or gone to confesion. but the point is an usher told me to get in line and i weas on the back row kneeling (was at childrens mass) i tried to say no i can’t but he woudn’t listen so i crossed my arms and was blessed by the parish priest which i know shoudn’t of happened durring this time but i didn’t want to make a scene or recevive unworitly what should i do next time?

As others have said just ignore such boorish ushers. If the priestly celebrant encourages giving blessings to those who cannot receive Holy Communion then it should up to you and only you if you will receive one or simply stay put during communion.

 

[thistle]

I think you handled it perfectly and with charity for both the usher and those around you. I also think going up for a blessing is lovely, I hope you do that more. I also think you can smile and whisper, “I’m not Catholic, yet.” if it should happen again.

Sounds like he was either very old or inexperienced. I never saw an usher do that before.

Communion line is only for those receiving Communion.
It is NOT permitted for non-Catholics or Catholics in a state of mortal sin to go up for a blessing. Some do it through ignorance, some deliberately, some forced like the poster in this thread. Either way it puts the priest on the spot when he’s suddenly confronted by a person standing in front of him who is not receiving. Giving a blessing is his simple way of not embarrassing the person.
Blessings are not permitted and not required as the priest gives a blessing to everyone at the end of the Mass.

 

[TrueLight]

Communion line is only for those receiving Communion.
It is NOT permitted for non-Catholics or Catholics in a state of mortal sin to go up for a blessing. Some do it through ignorance, some deliberately, some forced like the poster in this thread. Either way it puts the priest on the spot when he’s suddenly confronted by a person standing in front of him who is not receiving. Giving a blessing is his simple way of not embarrassing the person.
Blessings are not permitted and not required as the priest gives a blessing to everyone at the end of the Mass.

 

[mdgspencer]

You did very well.
The usher was way out of line. I have gone to mass for 50 years, and I have never seen or heard of an usher telling anyone to get in line and go to communion. Perhaps he was confused because of his age or had some other such problem.

 

[TrueLight]

I think you handled it perfectly and with charity for both the usher and those around you. I also think going up for a blessing is lovely, I hope you do that more. I also think you can smile and whisper, “I’m not Catholic, yet.” if it should happen again.

Sounds like he was either very old or inexperienced. I never saw an usher do that before.

Edit.

 

[Phemie]

It continues to astound me that people are thought to be so stupid that an usher needs to stand by the pew and direct traffic at Communion. How difficult do they think it is? Stand, exit, walk, receive, consume, walk, enter, kneel/sit/stand. Not complicated.

I haven’t seen an usher doing this in any parish I’ve attended in well over 30 years, in fact, I can only recall seeing traffic cop ushers twice, both times at Midnight Mass about 40 years ago, when we first started standing for Communion. Yet in every parish people are respectful; there’s no pushing, shoving or running and everyone manages to receive Communion, sometimes under both species, in a reasonable time – and no one feel obligated to do anything they don’t want to do.

 

[marty1818]

It continues to astound me that people are thought to be so stupid that an usher needs to stand by the pew and direct traffic at Communion. How difficult do they think it is? Stand, exit, walk, receive, consume, walk, enter, kneel/sit/stand. Not complicated.

I totally agree. The only thing you need ushers for really is the collection.

 

[Joannm]

I totally agree. The only thing you need ushers for really is the collection.

We don t have ushers in our parish, only collection takers. Once in awhile, say for Christmas or Easter, we will have some K of C guys help seat people but getting on a communion line is really a simple thing and people need no direction.

Back when I was a kid, and we weren’t at the children’s mass (this was in the early 60s) people just got up whenever they wanted to get on the line. We crawled over people who weren’t ready or even going to go up to communion (not everyone went back then) There was no orderly line getting out the pews. The ushers where at the altar rail directing people to take an empty space at the rail or to get up if you were staying there too long after you received.

 

[Phemie]

We don t have ushers in our parish, only collection takers. Once in awhile, say for Christmas or Easter, we will have some K of C guys help seat people but getting on a communion line is really a simple thing and people need no direction.

Back when I was a kid, and we weren’t at the children’s mass (this was in the early 60s) people just got up whenever they wanted to get on the line. We crawled over people who weren’t ready or even going to go up to communion (not everyone went back then) There was no orderly line getting out the pews. The ushers where at the altar rail directing people to take an empty space at the rail or to get up if you were staying there too long after you received.

That’s also my memory of Communion time back then - minus the ushers telling you to leave or kneel. Nobody needed to be told to go up, we went when we were ready and if the other people in the pew weren’t ready, they waited and went when they wanted to. There was no orderly line since you just fit yourself in at the rail when a space opened up.

 

[Padraig1972]

We have ushers in my parish, but never had situations like that. But accidents or misunderstandings can happen. If it happens again, make the best of the situation and pray.

Don`t let it scare you.

God bless you. :=)

 

[SurlyMermaid]

Communion line is only for those receiving Communion.
It is NOT permitted for non-Catholics or Catholics in a state of mortal sin to go up for a blessing.

Ah! I was misinformed. I’ve been up a couple of times for a blessing. Now I know!

 

[puzzleannie]

i which i know shoudn’t of happened durring this time but i didn’t want to make a scene or recevive unworitly what should i do next time?

you did the best you could, good quick thinking
next time just be a bit more forceful with the usher and sidestep him, leave the line and circle back, if it is possible, otherwise, do just what you did. If it happens all the time you may want to ask your RCIA instructor to speak to the priest about proper training of ushers.