[La Razón:] Nevertheless, Benedict XVI has reiterated in some instances the propriety of receiving communion kneeling and in the mouth. Is it something important, or is it a mere matter of form?THE CATHOLIC KNIGHT: So while traditionalist Catholics have been ignored and berated for years, it finally turns out that they've been right all along - at least on this issue.
[Cañizares:] - No, it is not just a matter of form. What does it mean to receive communion in the mouth? What does it mean to kneel before the Most Holy Sacrament? What dies it mean to kneel during the consecration at Mass? It means adoration, it means recognizing the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist; it means respect and an attitude of faith of a man who prostrates before God because he knows that everything comes from Him, and we feel speechless, dumbfounded, before the wondrousness, his goodness, and his mercy. That is why it is not the same to place the hand, and to receive communion in any fashion, than doing it in a respectful way; it is not the same to receive communion kneeling or standing up, because all these signs indicate a profound meaning. What we have to grasp is that profound attitude of the man who prostrates himself before God, and that is what the Pope wants.
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It's been a long time coming. Once again the Vatican points us back to our historic traditions. We Catholics need to start acting like Catholics again. As the new prefect points out; standing or kneeling for communion is not the same, and it is not just a matter of form. That's why Protestants don't do it. You'll notice that Protestants don't kneel at the consecration, when they visit a Catholic mass, simply because they don't believe in the real presence. They know EXACTLY what kneeling means. To kneel is to show adoration. That's why they don't do it. Funny how so many Catholics seem to have forgotten this when it comes time to receive the blessed sacrament.
So the question is what to do now. Should Catholics take it upon themselves to begin kneeling and receiving on the tongue during the Ordinary Form liturgy, or should they wait for the USCCB to come out with some kind of statement on the matter. If the latter, we may be waiting for a hundred years. Maybe it's time to just do what we know is right, and what the Vatican confirms is right. Based on papal liturgies, and now these words from the CDW prefect, the official position of the Vatican is that Catholics should kneel and receive communion on the tongue. While the official position of the USCCB is that Catholics should stand and receive communion on the hand. So which is it? Do we obey the Vatican or the USCCB? After all is said and done, that's what it comes down to. We must chose between the USCCB, which has no real governing authority, or the Vatican, which is the apostolic See of Peter. What's it going to be? Peter or the USCCB? I know my position. 'The Catholic Knight' will be kneeling and receiving communion on the tongue no matter what mass I'm attending. The only exception to that would be if kneeling might hold up the line or cause some kind of disturbance. In which case I will at least receive the sacrament on the tongue while standing, as they do in the Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church.
The point is we've got to take a stand somewhere - (no pun intended). If we don't boldly show our reverence for the eucharistic Lord at mass, when shall we do it? Now I'm not talking about making a scene. The mass should never be a place for calling attention to one's self, but at the same time, it should not be a place for the disciples of modernism to strip our faith of everything we hold dear. Now is as good a time as any to do something about it, and the Vatican has affirmed our right to do it. So let's do it in a spirit of true reverence for our eucharistic Lord, and with no spite or malice toward anyone. Let's all agree to boycott the hand for starters. No more communion in the hand. From now on communion on the tongue in all circumstances. Then when the opportunity presents itself, and doing so will not cause a disruption of any kind, we kneel down to receive the Lord. Is there anybody out there with me on this?
15 comments:
I'm with you. I’ve been receiving on the tongue for about a year or so, but I genuflect when possible, I don’t kneel because I’m not as agile as I once was and well I don’t want to fall over in the communion line!
I agree 100%. I have been receiving the Host on my tongue for some months now, but still feel a little self-conscious when I do. There is one Priest in particular that I feel intimidated by because by his actions and words I feel he doesn't like to give communion on the tongue, mainly because of hygiene reasons. One time he dropped the Host into my hands which were at waist level, not extended out as you would if you wanted to receive the Host on the hand. Another time he didn't place it on my tongue properly and I almost dropped the Host. In my parish the Bishop made the choice that we were to bow our heads and not genuflect before we receive the Host. I would love to receive the Host kneeling but it would be frowned upon, I just want to receive Our Lord and spend some quiet time with Him.
Thank-you for your page, I find your articles very interesting and thought provoking.
I have been inspired to kneel to receive our Lord at Mass this Lent but was approached by the Pastor who told me he was not happy with the practice. I told him that it was my understanding that I was free to come and kneel to receive and that it would be illicit to refuse me Holy Communion because I knelt. He then then placed an announcement in the bulletin about Holy Commmunion and how in our parishes "we receive standing" Not wanting to have to leave my parish of 19 years I knelt again this Sunday since I know that I want to kneel in adoration and in humility to receive my Lord and will not fear rebukes, etc.
It's a shame the Priest didn't say what the requirements are to receive Holy Communion such as being free from serious or grave sin.
This week of lent we just had our Church transformed into a theatre with the staging up just in back of the altar to present Bennie and the Jets The New Exodus - a play based on the Exodus featuring the music of Elton John. I wrote our Pastor, he said it was too late to do anything. I wrote the Archbishop as well but haven't heard back anything yet. Previous to the play the readings where about Jesus getting angry about those making the temple into a market. Why must we be allowing Elton John (and his public sinful lifestyle) to take the centre stage in our Church by attaching his music with the story of our deliverance from darkness into the light, from slavery into freedom. This is the kind of thing happening at Notre Dame University with President Obama and his pro-abortion agenda taking centre stage at our Catholic University. Mary Mother of God pray for us.
When I was in the Anglican church, we knelt at a kneeling rail and I very much thought it was appropriate to do so in the presence (of what I thought at the time was our Lord).
It appears to me that we stand only because it is quicker to do so. I used to genuflect just before coming up to receive a blessing from the priest (prior to becoming Catholic) but I was told that I didn't have to do that. I was told in a way that made me feel like I SHOULDN'T do it as well.
This is our Lord and Our God. We believe He is there, present, in body, blood, soul and divinity. Why aren't we acting like it?
As far as receiving Him on my tongue, that in itself FEELS irreverent to me. Sticking one's tongue out has been a sign of disrespect since childhood. I'm not sure I can shake that feeling. If they tell me I have to, I will, but God knows my heart and it would feel like I'm not being appropriately respectful to Him doing that.
I am just finding out that the Pope wants us to kneel before receiving Holy Communion on our tongue. I am so very happy to read this great news! This is how receiving Our Lord should be. I am so sad that the church I am attending now has changed so much. There is actually a small band with people singing most of the prayers, the tabernackle is on the side of the church, and now they have replaced the Baptismal faunt with a small pool like thing for Baptisms....what's next? I am almost to the point of asking the priest to take the word "Cathoic" off of the church sign because it's more like a Protestant church now.
I have already started wearing a hat to church so that my head is covered, and I never started receiving Holy Communion in my hand. I am so very happy that we can go back to the traditional way of receiving Holy Communion! Now I hope that all the churches put the Communion rails back, there wasn't really any good reason why they took them out in the first place in my opinion. Thank you Lord for hearing our prayers and are now making your church go back to being the way it was for many centuries.
I've been reading your blog this afternoon as I sit rocking my sick baby. It has been very insightful. I converted 2 years ago Easter 2007. I've never really been exposed to the traditional church. This past December my family and I fly out for the Baptism of my God-Daughter, she was baptistized in the Traditional Latin Rite of the Church. While, we were out there my sister-in-law ans I had a long discussion on the church and church tradition. When we returned home I started to veil my head for Church. The more I read about the traditional rite the more I think the Catholic Church I came into is very watered down! However, I do feel at a disadvantage....
Tiffany
http://kneelingcatholic.blogspot.com/
Our bishop has just banned Communion on the tongue because of the influenza epidemic.
I have always knelt after the Agnus Dei as the priest presents the consecrated Body of Christ. It is my understanding and firm belief that once we have asked the Lord to "only say the word and [we] shall be healed" it would be shameful to then approach the Lord kneeling. Have we not at this point been made holy by the power of the Lord? DO we believe this or not?
One thing that many Catholics in the United States fail to understand is the difference between Roman law and British law. British law is cut and dried. You do this or else. Roman law is about the ideal behavior. Each of us should strive for the ideal behavior, but if we were going to make it each time, we would be perfect, and since no one is perfect but God, we need to remember that if we are striving to follow Christ with our whole hearts, even if we stumble, we are on the right path. People have always criticized the Catholic church as very restrictive and governed by rules, which is where we need to take into account that these rules are to be striven for, but no person will follow each bit of catechism and canon to the letter and the intent perfectly all of the time.
I mention following canon and catechism's intent because simply performing outward gestures without a heart turned toward Christ puts one in the same boat as the hypocrite Pharisees He regularly condemned.
Meaghan, if you study the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite for the mass (pre-1970 mass), you will discover that all Catholics were required to kneel for communion (if physically able) even after saying the words "Lord I am not worthy to recieve you, but only say the word and I shall be healed...." three times. You'll find that this is how Catholics have been doing it for thousands of years. The whole idea of standing and recieving communion on the hand is a recent innovation having only manifested in the last 40 years.
Knight,
The Catholic church used to have something else they had done for years. It was only recently that the Pope made a public statement regarding the Holocaust, but that doesn't mean the old position was correct, necessary to one's faith life, or even morally acceptable. Doing something simply because it always has been so, without knowing, understanding or having a reason behind it, doesn't make much sense.
Meaghan, Your last remark answers those whole discourse. You are right. "Doing something simply because it always has been so, without knowing, understanding or having a reason behind it, doesn't make much sense." Which is why the Church EXPLAINS these things to us. Prior to the Missal of Pope Paul VI, first published in 1969 and instituted in 1970, every Catholic in the world could tell you why they kneel for communion. After the Missal of Pope Paul VI, that number diminished with each passing year, to the point where very few Catholics could actually tell you why, and most Catholics would never even think about doing it.
The pope is appalled by this, which is why he has demanded that every able bodied person who receives communion from him personally will do so on the tongue while kneeling. Check it out and see for yourself. The order was given earlier this year.
He has also requested that all able bodied Catholics throughout the world do the same in their own parishes. He has not required it - yet. However, he has made if VERY clear that this is what he wants.
If a Catholic doesn't understand why, then he/she should ask to find out why this is done. Once you know why, it is no longer "doing something simply because it always has been so, without knowing, understanding or having a reason behind it."
I'm a newer Catholic, having come into the church a little over 2 years ago. I'd never really thought about kneeling for the actual act of taking communion although it would make perfect sense to me. I do remember that when we were at rehursal for that Divine Mercy Sunday our priest talked about taking communion because there are a couple of people in the church who do kneel. He said at that time that he preferred we not only because of the time involved and the line of people behind. What I would be interested in seeing is that someone be at the communion rail as well to offer communion and see just how many would like to kneel for it. We have one at the front of the church so it really wouldn't be an imposition to offer it.
As I was going through RCIA I would sit with a friend and learn from her about when to do this and that at different points during Mass. I think that she and her kids, another friend and I are about the only ones I know of who genuflect as the cross and the priest do the processional and the recessional. I have also chosen to veil and it's amazing to find that there are more who do than I thought (although we're still in a minority in our church).
I have other thoughts on kneeling and something that happened to me but will look for a more appropriate blog to post it to.
Thank you so much for this site.
Here's the deal with starting a kneeling trend in your local parish. It's never going to happen by itself. So long as you rely on others to get things started, you're never going to see it happen.
This is what you do. You get in the communion line, and kneel down just before the priest says "the body of Christ" then you receive, do not partake in the cup, and return to your pew. The amount of time you spend at the front of the line will be no more, and no less, than if you had just stood and received in the host your hand and partook in the cup. By passing by the cup, nobody can say you were holding up the line.
Keep doing it in mass after mass, and pretty soon others will follow your example. Once you've started a trend, then they'll open up the communion rail again.
I was at church this morning, and ironicly when I went for communion, I was directly behind one of the couple of people in our church who do kneel. As the line moved forward he got down and kneeled. As for me I just felt compelled to lower my knees. I didn't go to the floor because if I did I would have had a hard time getting back up as there was no rail near me and I was in a skirt and heels. (And the last Latin Mass I went to had no padding at the rail and I came down hard enough I almost cracked my kneecap.) For this reason after I bowed, I went as far down as I could physically do and get back up. I felt nothing wrong with it and felt it was only proper. I did the same for the cup. I just felt compelled at the time to do this and would have no problem in continuing to do so. Though I've spoken to the man in front of me several times, to this day I still don't know his name and I see him a lot. Though Father kind of frowned on the practice he didn't outright tell us we shouldn't do it which I'm glad for. Now you've got me curious enough about Archbishop Chaput's thoughts and comments on those in our diocese doing this.
Signed,
Still Learning in CO
There has been so many changes in the Catholic church in India so much so our Latin traditions have been done away with or compromised to make way for a much less meaningful explanation to the symbolism of the mass. Infact i have never been to a Latin mass but I know its the language of the church and every Catholic needs to identify with the symbolism and deep meaning the mass has. I'm so happy the Holy Father has decided to revive the catholic faith in the mass and its meaning, I have explained the meaning of accepting Holy Communion on the tongue and kneeling down at parts of the mass which mean so much. The recent translation makes so much more sense in making the mass so much more solemn and filled with dedication.God Bless.
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