WHAT is up with kneeling vs. "choosing" to sit during Consecration?

[rachelleah]

In my old parish, Masses had gotten so crowded that they were being said in the parish hall (a separate building from the church–where the kneelers are). The old priest said only the two most crowded Sunday Masses in the parish center as he thought it was important to “experience” the little church as much as possible, with the paintings, Stations of the Cross, incense, etc. When the new priest rolled into town he moved all the Masses to the center where, incidently there are no kneelers, and told us we “may choose to remain seated for the consecration” since kneeling might be uncomfortable! The former priest always mentioned that this was only an option for the ill or infirm.

Now, in my new parish, there has been another wierd thing going on. The old priest told us all one day at the Spanish Mass not to kneel immediately after the Sanctus until “I put my hands over the chalice and host like this.” I have my own opinions on why many Hispanic Catholics choose not to know much about their faith, but surely he can expect us to know what the Consecration is called, or at least use correct terminology. He also had us stand right after the Consecration for the rest of the Eucharistic prayer. So for a long time, I was the only one who knelt after the Sanctus. When we got a new priest (wonderfully orthodox), he instructed the congregation to kneel from the Sanctus all the way to the Great Amen. I thought, “Finally…” But… now we have some old hold-outs who insist the former priest must have been right because “he was Mexican just like us.” (The new priest is not only not Mexican, but is not a cradle Catholic.)

So, who’s right? And, was I wrong to kneel when everyone else stood/sat?

Blessings.

 

[Vatican_II]

Going to EWTN to gain the necessary excerpts the following was provided.

Whether one kneels or stands for the Eucharistic Prayer is a matter of ecclesiastical tradition. Human customs of paying respect, or in this case worship, determined the development of the practices of the Eastern and Western Churches in this, as in other matters.

In the Orthodox Churches and the Eastern Catholic Churches standing is the norm during the Eucharistic Prayer. At the Consecration is added the customary sign of adoration in these Churches, a profound bow. In the Latin Church, however, kneeling is the sign of adoration for Christ who has just become present on the altar. This came about through the dogmatic development of Eucharistic theology in the West. To go back to the earlier practice in the West would be a sign of devolution of doctrine, and in fact, that is the way the devout faithful perceive efforts to change Latin practice, as a counter-sign of faith. For Eastern Catholics this is not a problem, since they have never inculturated the Latin way of expressing adoration.

Finally, the Magisterium desires each Church to preserve what is peculiar to it, thus manifesting in the unity of the universal Church a legitimate diversity of Rites. Therefore, on many grounds efforts to require Latin Catholics to stand at the Consecration are wrong-headed, as well as disobedient.

The Latin Norm. In the Latin Rite adoration of Christ in the Eucharist calls for either kneeling or genuflection. In the Liturgy the people are obliged to kneel for the Consecration and the main celebrant to genuflect (both after Consecrating each element and before receiving Holy Communion). Concelebrants are to bow profoundly. Deacons and the laity are to be kneeling.

The law on the posture of the people is as follows:

1. Universal Law. The General Instruction on the Roman Missal #43 establishes as the universal norm of the Roman Rite the practice of kneeling for the Consecration. This is understood to mean from the Epiclesis (the prayer calling for the sending down of the Holy Spirit) to the Mysterium Fidei (The Mystery of Faith).
2. American Particular Law. The U.S. Bishops adapted the universal norm with Roman approval, retaining the practice of kneeling from after the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) to the Doxology (Through Him, with Him, in Him), in other words for the entire Eucharistic Prayer. Thus, while in Italy and many other places they stand until the Consecration, at which time they kneel down for the Consecration, in the US we have knelt for the Canon in the past and continue to do so.

The U.S. version of the General Instruction n. 43 therefore reads,

43 … In the dioceses of the United States of America, they should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after the consecration.

Circumstances. The law itself foresees the possibility that the celebrant could grant an exception, or the person excuse himself from kneeling, “on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason” (GIRM 43). The keys are good reasons and occasions. If Mass must be held in a gym or outdoors, or it’s a crowded Midnight Mass, or you are sick and don’t feel you can kneel, or similar just causes, then there is a good reason for not kneeling. Occasions means particular circumstances that apply once, or periodically, or even for a period of time, such as during a church’s construction, as opposed to being the norm.

No kneelers. The liturgical law says we are to kneel, it does not require kneelers. Naturally, if it is too hard for them to kneel then they are excused by n.43. :tsktsk:

 

[rachelleah]

Thank you very much for your reply, Vatican II. I know kneelers aren’t required, but kneeling IS and as far as I know, priests are not allowed to change this norm. Also, for the sake of conformity/uniformity of posture, we should all be doing the same thing, I think. I’m a convert, so forgive me if I’m repeating myself here. I haven’t been officially Catholic very long (though spiritually I think I was born Catholic). So…I have had this urge to say something to the priest, ask if he might be able to offer a little instruction for the general congregation on postures during Mass, but I feel it might be out of place. I remember a priest from another parish offering something similar. I was instructed during my conversion by a very orthodox and reverent priest and have felt like a an old holdover from an earlier time ever since, what with kneeling when everyone else chose to sat in the parish hall, veiling, etc. I don’t want to disobey the Church though.

In Him,
Rachel

 

[Vatican_II]

I have been an extraordinary minister of the Holy Eucharist for over 12 years. I am a traditionalist, not in a desire to return to the latin mass but in the calling for the faithful to truely, know, love and serve our Lord. Kneeling is just not doing what the ruberics of the mass call for, it is the open and visible sign of respect accorded to our God. If we only truely believe that Our Redeemer Jesus Christ is present under the guise of the host we would drop to the floor on our bellies in trembling and awe.

It is this lack of belief that cause “the faithful” not to genuflect while entering the church, to kneel at the appropriate parts of the mass and to at least bow before receiving the sacred body of Christ. In this last sign of homage and respect I am lucky to see 1 in 10 recepients make any sign: bowing, genuflecting or kneeling. While it is a source of constant sorrow and distress I refuse to let other people’s failings take away from the joy of the Holy Eucharist.

Whether others kneel or sit is not your concern. Your responsibility is to demonstrate proper respect and worship for our God through your own actions. Saying mass in the church hall would be similar to saying it in a gym which would represent a valid occassion for waving mandatory kneeling. However while the priest can wave kneeling he can’t forbide it. This is also true in the genuflecting or kneeling to receive the Holy Eucharist. The USCCB has stated that bowing before the host is the preferred means of showing respect, however the Apostolic See approved this preference only with the expressed provision that genuflecting and kneeling could also be used without fear of any discipline or withholding of the communion.

 

[rachelleah]

Vatican II:

It is this lack of belief that cause “the faithful” not to genuflect while entering the church, to kneel at the appropriate parts of the mass and to at least bow before receiving the sacred body of Christ. In this last sign of homage and respect I am lucky to see 1 in 10 recepients make any sign: bowing, genuflecting or kneeling. While it is a source of constant sorrow and distress I refuse to let other people’s failings take away from the joy of the Holy Eucharist.

Whether others kneel or sit is not your concern. Your responsibility is to demonstrate proper respect and worship for our God through your own actions.

Gotcha. Very concise and clear explanation. I had often wondered about the little older lady who would bow/geneflect (depended on her knee which she did I think) before receiving. I hadn’t been Catholic very long (less than a month) when I first noticed her, but bowing now seems a natural action to see—and do!