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To: Kolokotronis
Canon 20 of the First Ecumenical Council banned kneeling on Sundays. This was reaffirmed by Canon 90 of the Council of Trullo which was held in conjunction with the Sixth Ecumenical Council. Seems to me the bishop is on pretty solid ground here

Those canons have not been regarded as binding in the West for centuries, at least.

Trullo in particular was a purely local Eastern Council held decades after the actual sixth council and originally rejected by the Pope - he later confirmed the decrees, saving those parts which were derogatory to legitimate customs of the West (celibacy of priests, communion in the hand only, etc.)

As far as Nicaea I, this legislation was appropriate for its time but we hardly think that the Church must be bound by every disciplinary canon from the primitive ages. In the Tridentine Mass not only was Holy Communion generally received kneeling but in many places it was the custom to kneel throughout the whole of the Mass, or at least large portions.

The kneeling posture is that at present enjoined for the receiving of the sacraments, or at least confirmation, Holy Eucharist, penance and Holy orders. (Catholic Encyclopedia, s.v. "Kneeling and Genuflection")

18 posted on 09/15/2006 9:40:06 AM PDT by gbcdoj (Destruction is thy own, O Israel; thy help is only in Me.)
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To: gbcdoj; Cheverus

"As far as Nicaea I, this legislation was appropriate for its time but we hardly think that the Church must be bound by every disciplinary canon from the primitive ages."

Personally, I agree with you. As you know, there are canons forbidding us to go to Jewish doctors. My point was that requiring the faithful to receive communion standing up is hardly some looney modernist innovation (though this bishop may be a looney modernist/syncretist). There is ancient practice to back it up.

And C, gbcdoj will tell you that when I want to be snippy, I'm pretty obvious about it.


26 posted on 09/15/2006 9:55:21 AM PDT by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
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