Your opinion on Posture for Reception of Communion

[pnewton]

jlw:

Thanks pnewton. I appreciate you understanding where I have been coming from.

In regards to expediency…does your parish have a communion rail?? Our parish does, so there are literally twenty people kneeling at once, as the priest and altar boy move down the row. Pretty expedient. Without a communion rail, I see your point.

No we do not have a rail. The one place where I still see kneeling is an elderly couple that sits on the front pew. They still kneel and the priest goes to him, but that is more of a matter of accommadating their handicap.

 

[Dr.Bombay]

I’m not sure I can answer the original question as written because:

1. When I attend a traditional Latin Mass, I kneel.
2. Most of the time, I attend Mass where the custom is to stand, so I stand.
3. Occasionally, I’ll go to a parish where the people give a sign of reverence before receiving such as bowing or genuflecting. In such a case, I genuflect.

Probably makes me an oddball, but after all, the old saying is, “When in Rome…”

 

[CreosMary]

krazykatlady:

I can’t really answer this poll because at my Novus Ordo parish we have been instructed to not kneel for Communion. When I go to the Indult, however, I kneel , and I far prefer it.

Tell your Parish priest he is out of line. The Holy Father has instructed all Bishops to tell thier Priests they cannot refuse communion to those who choose to kneel.
I always kneel and feel it is the most appropriate way although standing tends to be the norm :ehh:

 

[Mysty101]

CreosMary:

Tell your Parish priest he is out of line. The Holy Father has instructed all Bishops to tell thier Priests they cannot refuse communion to those who choose to kneel.
I always kneel and feel it is the most appropriate way although standing tends to be the norm :ehh:

The Priest is correct in instructiog people to follow the norm. He cannot refuse them Communion, but he is told to instruct them.

 

[peregrinator_it]

Sorry to break into this thread so abruptly. I’m not interested in participating in an argument over whether or not disobeying the USCCB or a parish priest over the issue of kneeling is justified or not (disobediance is rarely justifiable) and, consequently, I haven’t voted in the poll.

However, I have been following the thread and a few of the posts are bothering me- particuarly the one below:

Mysty101:

Yep----The Holy Spirit must have taken another vacation----Darn why doesn’t He guide the USCCB? Or better yet—why doesn’t He listen to all you kneelers???

---

in response to

krazykatlady:

I believe the good Cardinal Arinze(papabile?) recently said that VII was not about forbidding kneeling and ripping out altar rails. These were distortions of the documents of VII.

So, sorry all you folks, but you are about to be subjected to a rant.

First, let me say that I am not a “Traditionalist Catholic”; I am not attached to the pre-VII rite of the Mass; in fact, I much prefer the Pauline Mass.

I know it is sarcastic, but the quote from Mysty101 seems to me to be somewhat off base.

Does the Holy Spirit guide the USCCB? Absolutely!!
Does the Holy Spirit guide individual Bisops? Absolutely!!

Does that mean that every decision a USCCB or an individual Bishop makes is directly inspired by the Holy Spirit? No.

Yes, the Holy Spirit guides the leaders of the Church, but He has to work with the materials available in each human being.
Every human being has the option to misinterpret or even reject God’s guidance. God does not re-make us so that we no longer have free will and are forced to obey Him when He leads us.
So, not every decision of the USCCB is neccessarily directly inspired by the Holy Spirit*.

Would I condemn the USCCB or an individual Bishop for making a decision I don’t like (providing the decision didn’t deny Catholic doctrine)? No! I owe the Bishops trust, respect, and I would abide by the decision; I also owe them obedience.

Must I approve of their decisions? No. I grew up in a diocese where the Bishop simply let every kind of belief- dissenting, schismatic, new-age, orthodox- grow at will unchecked. I have seen the damage his managing of the diocese caused (too much to go into here.) I cannot approve of his decisions. I can only assume that God will work them into His plan.

If I were to vote in this poll, I would vote for the second option.
I gratefully kneel where there are provisions/permission to do so.
I would not kneel where there were no provisions because it would be disobediant and disruptive.

However, I do not understand the hostility towards those that prefer this posture in the post above. I think that kneeling is good, not for humility (I could be proud lying prostrate), but as a necessary physical reminder and public acknowlegement of Who we are about to recieve. We are physical beings and so what we do with our bodies is important. Kneeling is a potent, un-ignorable reminder that we are in the presence of One greater than we are. And Cardinal Arinze is right; the Second Vatican Council was not intended to encourage people to needlessly attack particular forms of reverence in the Church, but to convince the Church to be willing to change for the better.

Ok, rant ended.

*However, God’s plan is never overcome by human ignorance, or weakness, or stupidity, or willfullness, and so ultimately He does guide and steer the Church and its leaders to do His will.

 

[Mysty101]

peregrinator_it:

However, I have been following the thread and a few of the posts are bothering me-…
*.

I am sorry that my response was to that post. As in all frustration, sometimes the response is misdirected. I was extremely agiated that the reasons I gave were never acknowledged, and there were slurs hurled against the USCCB, which should have been obvious if you did read the entire thread.

There is no excuse for posts in this tone

Gotta love the “brotherhood of the USCCB” ! Eternally grateful, I am. I can think of no better bunch to look after my spiritual welfare. Well, maybe Michael Jackson. Ok, the Gambini Family also.

 

[fix]

I posted a link to a Vatican correspondence that said the norm for standing was allowed only on the condition that kneeling would still be permitted for those who choose to do so. It is not disobedient to kneel and the Vatican said so.

Is it not true that when a higher authority and a lower authority disagree, we are to obey the higher authority?

 

[peregrinator_it]

Mysty101,

Looking at this thread again at a less sleepy time of day, I realize that not only had what I had to say already been posted by someone else several posts back, but I really ought to have directed my response at several other posters as well rather than just at you.  My apologies.

Mysty101:

I am sorry that my response was to that post. As in all frustration, sometimes the response is misdirected.

I completely understand. As you’ve just witnessed, typing while agitated is also my downfall.

Mysty101:

There is no excuse for posts in this tone

Quote:
Gotta love the “brotherhood of the USCCB” ! Eternally grateful, I am. I can think of no better bunch to look after my spiritual welfare. Well, maybe Michael Jackson. Ok, the Gambini Family also.

Agreed.

 

[Prester_John]

I forward the opinion that the proper posture to receive communion is REVERENTLY. Physically speaking, I have personnally received Him:

Standing, sitting, crouching, flat on my back in bed, and walking quickly past the Padre to the ammunition. Once, I was so scared, that my mouth got as dry as the the desert, and I had Our Saviour on my tongue for what must have been about 2 hours, before I could moisten my mouth with water… oddly enough, the moment I had rinsed the Sacrament down with the water, I finally found where I had misplaced my Rosary, and no sooner did I realize the significance of the “coincidence”, — I stopped being so scared…
Didn’t the Master say, to the effect, that it is not so much the letter of the Law, but the Spirit of the Law (for which the Law is founded), that is Primary in importance? I think that, in everyone’s mortal, ordinary lives, everybody meets unusal, or “more than ordinary” circumstances, and if this happens when we’re in the midst of trying to give God His due, regardless of place or time or circumstance, if we act as reverently as we can, He is pleased.

I know that there are people out there ready to respond with a million answers to this, beginning with something like, “But what if”, or “In this instance…”
But think for a minute. Bear with me. If you, as a person, found yourself in a place, where you felt that what was going on around you was not good, was not pious, was not in accord to what you understood to be the principles and right teachings that you knew… what must you do? Pull out a gun and thin out the immediate area? Gather a lot of flammable stuff and start burning people and/or scandalous-looking literature? Or Perhaps scream, cry out, proseletize, …?
No. Most people, instinctively, do not even consider such things in our time.But recieving the Sacrament, my Brothers and Sisters, is as dangerous as being painted with a target in the midst of a battlefield. Yes, it is a dangerous ACT.
That it is the most wonderful miracle of all the generations since He came among us as a human, is almost – almost— a secondary consideration to how powerful is the statement of belief and faith on the part of the sincere soul that participates willingly and completely in such action. Whatever our circumstances are, wherever we may be, I believe that the most vital thing we do with regards to the Holy Sacrament, is be carefully, willingly, and resolvedly reverent.

 

[A_Chaoidh]

I am blessed to be able to attend Mass according to the Latin rite, the Tridentine Mass where one kneels, which is how and why I voted kneel.

To kneel and genuflect is a profession of dependence, reverence and submission. As I believe in Transubstantiation and affirm “The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are truly, really and substantially present in the Eucharist (De fide)”, if permitted or required I would prostrate myself as an act of gratitude, submission and humility for the blessing of the opportunity to recieve the Holy Eucharist. For what greater gift is there?

 

[Prester_John]

A_Chaoidh:

I am blessed to be able to attend Mass according to the Latin rite, the Tridentine Mass where one kneels, which is how and why I voted kneel.

To kneel and genuflect is a profession of dependence, reverence and submission. As I believe in Transubstantiation and affirm “The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are truly, really and substantially present in the Eucharist (De fide)”, if permitted or required I would prostrate myself as an act of gratitude, submission and humility for the blessing of the opportunity to recieve the Holy Eucharist. For what greater gift is there?

I can think of none…

 

[Mysty101]

Prester John:

I can think of none…

To process reverently to the altar (not some remote corner of a rail–and wait), receive my Lord (I prefer in the hand, but on the tongue is fine), process reverently back to my pew and kneel in private adoration, as my Lord, through His Shepherds has requested.

 

[Mysty101]

Prester John:

Didn’t the Master say, to the effect, that it is not so much the letter of the Law, but the Spirit of the Law (for which the Law is founded), that is Primary in importance? .

The Spirit of the Law, according to whom? Don’t you realize that you are putting your own interprestation ahead of the interpretation of the entire Conference of Bishops? There are not enough Priests for the great number of people to show their reverence individually----they must show it as a procession. Could they allow everyone to kneel by the casket of a saint?

But think for a minute. Bear with me. If you, as a person, found yourself in a place, where you felt that what was going on around you was not good, was not pious, was not in accord to what you understood to be the principles and right teachings that you knew… what must you do?

Again pious according to whom? Is it more reverent to struggle to ones knees-possibly tripping someone, receive and struggle back to ones feet, then to receive in an orderly procession? Wouldn’t there be a big distraction, and concentration on trying to get down & up—distracting one from His Lord?

 

[Mysty101]

Prester John:

I can think of none…

To process reverently to the altar (not some remote corner of a rail–and wait), receive my Lord (I prefer in the hand, but on the tongue is fine), process reverently back to my pew and kneel in private adoration, as my Lord, through His Shepherds has requested.

 

[pnewton]

Prester John:

I forward the opinion that the proper posture to receive communion is REVERENTLY.

:clapping:
Thanks fo the inspirational post.

 

[jlw]

Mysty101:

To process reverently to the altar (not some remote corner of a rail–and wait), receive my Lord (I prefer in the hand, but on the tongue is fine), process reverently back to my pew and kneel in private adoration, as my Lord, through His Shepherds has requested.

You’ve just betrayed yourself. Sounds like a sneer at those that prefer the communion rail??

So you sound not much better than TNT and his posts, don’t you??

 

[Mysty101]

jlw:

You’ve just betrayed yourself. Sounds like a sneer at those that prefer the communion rail??

So you sound not much better than TNT and his posts, don’t you??

Not a sneer—the lining up behind people and waiting for them to receive, and then kneeling and waiting to receive has no flow. It is a stop and go type of situation—an orderly procession is far more reverent.—How do you feel about the Holy Thursday procession? Should we all kneel in the street, while the Priest processes from the altar to the Repository?

 

[TNT]

Mysty101:

Not a sneer—the lining up behind people and waiting for them to receive, and then kneeling and waiting to receive has no flow. It is a stop and go type of situation—an orderly procession is far more reverent.—How do you feel about the Holy Thursday procession? Should we all kneel in the street, while the Priest processes from the altar to the Repository?

I posted this on your previous Kneel Thread:
**

The biggest attended TLM Mass I ever went to was the Bishop’s Mass at St Boniface in Pittsburgh…about 1100 people…many from out of state…several habited convents were there also.The ushers allowed each pew to go into the asle only when needed to approximate “1 pass” of the Communion Rail. Very organized. You only stood for the time it took the priest to make 1 pass down the rail. Now, get this:
ALL stayed at the Communion rail until

nearly the last person the priest Communicated, received. THEN all stood, exited and the line behind went into place all at once. At that point the Priest was arriving at the beginning of the Communion Rail. Would have made Henry Ford proud. I Intoduced this to the TLM priest in my parish. He does the same now, even though it’s a small DeCalced Carmelite Chapel…about 150 capac. We just don’t need the ushers as all are familiar. **

 

[Mysty101]

Yes, that does sound quite organized, but that is my point. It needs to be organized. Some see a naturally flowing procession as more reverent than an organized stop and go, up and down situation.

I have absolutely no problem with kneeling at a TLM—this is the norm for that situation. I have attended some, and I kneel, if this is encouraged, but as I recall, the last one was standing. I have knelt at a NO Mass in the Monastary of the Holy Face. I am speaking of those who insist on kneeling when there are no provisions, and they have been instructed on the norm.

I speak of being reasonable, and subjecting our will. To follow the norm fosters an attitude of cooperation and deference to the judgement of those in charge.

 

[Mysty101]

Originally Posted by Prester John
I forward the opinion that the proper posture to receive communion is REVERENTLY

.
Of course it is. We are discussing which situatiion encourages more reverence.