POSTURE OF THE FAITHFUL FOLLOWING COMMUNION

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[Polycarp]

POSTURE OF THE FAITHFUL FOLLOWING COMMUNION

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments

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Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Chairman of the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy, received the following clarification concerning the right interpretation of the "General Instruction of the Roman Missal" on the posture of the faithful from their own reception of Communion until the period of sacred silence after all Communions have been received (at which time they may sit or kneel as they prefer). What is noteworthy is the clarification of the mind (mens) of the Holy See on the uniformity of posture of the faithful.

5 June 2003

Prot. n. 855/03/L

Dubium: In many places, the faithful are accustomed to kneeling or sitting in personal prayer upon returning to their places after individually received Holy Communion during Mass. Is it the intention of the Missale Romanum, editio typica tertia, to forbid this practice?

Responsum: Negative, et ad mentem. The mens is that that the prescription of the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani, no. 43, is intended, on one hand, to ensure within broad limits a certain uniformity of posture within the congregation for the various parts of the celebration of the Holy Mass, and on the other, to not regulate posture rigidly in such  a way that those who wish to kneel or sit would no longer be free.

Francis Cardinal Arinze
Prefect

 

NB: This clarification was published in the July 2003 edition of the Newsletter of the Bishops Committee on the Liturgy.

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"General Instruction of the Roman Missal," Missale Romanum, 3rd typical edition

43. The faithful should stand from the beginning of the Entrance chant, or while the priest approaches the altar, until the end of the Collect; for the Alleluia chant before the Gospel; while the Gospel itself is proclaimed; during the Profession of Faith and the Prayer of the Faithful; from the invitation, Orate, fraters (Pray, brethren), before the prayer over the offerings until the end of Mass, except at the places indicated below.

They should, however, sit while the readings before the Gospel and the responsorial Psalm are proclaimed and for the homily and while the Preparation of the Gifts at the Offertory is taking place; and, as circumstances allow, they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.

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. The faithful kneel after the Agnus Dei unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise.

With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.

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[Polycarp]

ping

[Support Free Republic]

Hi

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

or some other good reason.

There's the loophole the rads will drive a truck through.

[Loyalist]

PING.

More wishy-washy double-talk which sounds good but resolves nothing.

[NYer]

they may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed.

The practice here in Albany is to kneel beginning after the Sanctus, until the doors of the Tabernacle have been closed, locked and the priest sits down. This is followed by a period of silence.

[Pyro7480]

No standing during the Our Father and following prayers?

[ventana]

Same here, downstate. My kids glare at me if I sit back to soon :)! V's wife.

[Desdemona]

The practice here in Albany is to kneel beginning after the Sanctus, until the doors of the Tabernacle have been closed, locked and the priest sits down.

Increasingly, I am seeing people not sit back after the priest sits and some not even rise immediately after he rises to give the final blessing. Then, there are several who kneel again after the recessional in prayer while the rest of the congregation starts talking.

It's getting interesting.

[NYer]

No standing during the Our Father and following prayers?

Sorry ... yes, we stand for the Our Father and the other prayers.

[NYer]

Then, there are several who kneel again after the recessional in prayer while the rest of the congregation starts talking.

This is true in my parish as well. Oftentimes, I will go to the separate chapel for prayer after mass. Unlike the church with its oversized Risen Christ behind the altar, the chapel has a beautiful crucifix suspended over the altar. There is also a Tabernacle and the setting is much more condusive to quiet contemplation and reflection.

[Polycarp]

It's getting interesting.

"May You Live in Interesting Times"

In a speech in Cape Town, South Africa, on June 7, 1966, Robert F. Kennedy said, "There is a Chinese curse which says, "May he live in interesting times." Like it or not, we live in interesting times..." Journalists picked up the phrase and it has become a commonplace.

However, the popularity of this "Chinese curse" puzzles Chinese scholars, who have only heard it from Americans. If it is of Chinese origin, it has somehow escaped the literature, although it may be a paraphrase of a liberal translation from a Chinese source, and therefore unrecognizable when translated back to Chinese. It might be related to the Chinese proverb, "It's better to be a dog in a peaceful time that be a man in a chaotic period."

Stephen DeLong, who has been researching this quotation for several years and details his quest on his own website, has traced the quotation back to a 1950 science fiction story: "U-Turn" by Duncan H. Munro, a pseudonym for Eric Frank Russell.

[Salvation]

Glad I did a search, since I had just found this too!

Bravo!