Altar Rail Returning to Use

JoabAnias

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All receive standing in our diocese.
We were instructed by the Bishop to bow and most do.
Some still genuflect in spite of instructions not to (for safety concerns...people behind them tripping etc).

Yes dear, the bow is what is recommended in the GIRM.

The pope has made clear what he prefers — and the Vatican has issued a statement to that effect.
"...From the time of the Fathers of the Church, a tendency was born and consolidated whereby distribution of Holy Communion in the hand became more and more restricted in favor of distributing Holy Communion on the tongue. The motivation for this practice is two-fold: a) first, to avoid, as much as possible, the dropping of Eucharistic particles; b) second, to increase among the faithful devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Saint Thomas Aquinas also refers to the practice of receiving Holy Communion only on the tongue. He affirms that touching the Body of the Lord is proper only to the ordained priest...​

...The Western Church has established kneeling as one of the signs of devotion appropriate to communicants. A celebrated saying of Saint Augustine, cited by Pope Benedict XVI in n. 66 of his Encyclical Sacramentum Caritatis, ("Sacrament of Love"), teaches: “No one eats that flesh without first adoring it; we should sin were we not to adore it” (Enarrationes in Psalmos 98, 9). Kneeling indicates and promotes the adoration necessary before receiving the Eucharistic Christ..."​
In the meantime, both forms of reception and posture are valid. No one should have to ask permission to kneel, or make apologies for it and it is illicit to prohibit anyone from genuflecting, kneeling or recieving in the hand (which is approved by indult).

The norm for reception of communion in the United States is standing. And, despite what others might be saying, the universal norm (and official teaching of the Church) from 2002 states no preference for kneeling or standing. This was underscored in Redemptionis Sacramentum:
[90.] “The faithful should receive Communion kneeling or standing, as the Conference of Bishops will have determined”, with its acts having received the recognitio of the Apostolic See. “However, if they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that they give due reverence before the reception of the Sacrament, as set forth in the same norms”.[176]
As well as the following documents from the Congregations of the Magisterium:
"...In these responses to individuals the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments clarifies the mind of the legislator, the Holy Father, in promulgating the Roman Missal and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, including any national adaptations confirmed by the Holy See..." - Kneeling for Holy Communion
The Bishops do mention uniformity, however, we have a disparity between that ideal and the hearts of the faithful. This is why my pastor reinstalled an altar rail and in love, makes all approved liturgical options available. Its a win win.
 
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JoabAnias

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I have seen people make a bow (metania) in Dominican parishes and in Eastern Catholic/Orthodox parishes. Are they done elsewhere?

This is the norm as prescribed by the Bishops of the U.S.:

GIRM #160: "When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister ...When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood. "
 
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mark46

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I find this discussion curious. I had always been taught as Jim indicated. The bishop indicates what should be done, the priests and the congregants conform. Alternatively, or sometimes in addition, the local priest decides what should be the norm. Obviously, accomodations are made for those with physcial issues.

Some have posted that the rule for their diocese is to stand and bow, and almost no one does. ???? When I was in the parish of NH, if this happened, the priest would give direction to the congregation after or before every mass the next weekend. Our rule was to stand and bow. So, we did. And, yes, a few interrupted the flow of the mass by genuflecting and getting walked in to. And yes, genuflecting was tolerated as Jim said, but certainly folks would wonder about why do they not do as the priest and bishop has asked?

In our diocese, there were many different churches. Some had no kneelers at all. But I do not know of cases where those in a congregation did whatever they wanted to do, as the Spirit moved them. As I said, I am confused that such diversity is allowed by a priest.

And, yes, I also find it strange that Roman Catholics do not have alter rails while they are common in the Anglican/Methodist and Lutheran traditions.
 
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AMDG

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JimR-OCDS

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I believe the good Cardinal is in error stating that the document is that of the Congregation of Faith and Sacraments approved by the Pope.

The document is that of the counsel of Bishops from Vatican II and previous counsels, which the Congregation upholds and interprets, but it does not supercede the various Bishop conferences throughout the world.

The USCCB have stated that standing to receive Holy Communion is the norm in the USA.

They have this authority canonically and are following Vatican II, which they were part of.

Cardinal Arinze can not order the USCCB to do anything which was not approved at Vatican II. He can an interpretation of the documents, but the USCCB has the authority over their dioceses to state and enforce the norms .




Jim
 
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JoabAnias

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Jim,

The Bishops have the authority to ask for permission from the Holy See to make standing the norm.

Just as they do to ask for communion in the hand to be an indult, not allowed to be the norm.

They do not have the authority to prohibit kneeling for communion. Canon states a Bishop can only lessen a restriction, never impose one over and above the Holy See.

Cardinal Arinze is a contradiction for you, because it seems you mistakenly think the Bishops should be prohibiting kneeling for those who wish to.

Why begrudge anyone any form of reverence they are called to?

To what end?
 
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JimR-OCDS

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JoabAnias;

The Bishops have the authority to ask for permission from the Holy See to make standing the norm.

No, they only have to ask for permission where they don't have the authority to make the decision. Making standing the norm, they have the authority.

Just as they do to ask for communion in the hand to be an indult, not allowed to be the norm.

I believe that the indult for receiving Holy Communion in the hand was not a request of the US Bishops, but that of the Bishops of Vatican II, but it was not a majority, otherwise Vatican II would've made it a norm throughout the Church.

They do not have the authority to prohibit kneeling for communion. Canon states a Bishop can only lessen a restriction, never impose one over and above the Holy See.

That's because Vatican II never prohibited kneeling and it was the norm at the time.

Cardinal Arinze is a contradiction for you, because it seems you mistakenly think the Bishops should be prohibiting kneeling for those who wish to.

Not really, Cardinal Arinze isn't a contradiction for me.

I believe he's in error on who decides how the liturgy developed and what the norms would be for the universal Church. It was the counsel of Bishops, not the prefect nor the Pope alone, they must work within the counsel of Bishops. Only when there is a conflict within that counsel that needs to be resolved does the Pope speak, ex-cathedra.

I'm not a canon lawyer, some I'm just speaking from how I've observed the way the USCCB work.

If Cardinal Arinze were able to order kneeling at Communion, the USCCB would conform, but the good Cardinal does not have that authority, which many trads seem to think he does.


Why begrudge anyone any form of reverence they are called to?

I don't begrudge anyone from receiving with the reverence they are called to. If there were real reverence, it wouldn't bother such people when others receive standing. Being it bothers them, tells me that they have an agenda of their own.

Ass it is, myself nor others who prefer to stand, don't constantly open threads in Catholic forums such as this, criticising those who choose to kneel. Instead, those who say kneeling is a must are constantly opening threads telling everyone that anything else is less reverent.

When you see a thread by people who prefer to stand while receiving in the hand as the only reverent way, let us know.


Jim
 
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JoabAnias

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No, they only have to ask for permission where they don't have the authority to make the decision. Making standing the norm, they have the authority.
By the general law, each adaptation of the Roman Missal must be submitted to the Holy See for recognition at some point.

Communion Posture

Universal Norm
From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 3rd edition, March 2002.
The following norm is the universal norm found in the Roman Missal. Note that each Bishop Conference determines the particular norm for its own country. By the general law, each adaptation is then submitted to the Holy See for recognition.
160 The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession.

The faithful are not permitted to take up the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice themselves, and still less hand them on to one another. The faithful may communicate either standing or kneeling, as established by the Conference of Bishops. However, when they communicate standing, it is recommended that they make an appropriate gesture of reverence, to be laid down in the same norms, before receiving the Sacrament.
U.S. Norm
The following adaptation of GIRM 160 was approved by the Holy See for the United States.
160. The priest then takes the paten or ciborium and goes to the communicants, who, as a rule, approach in a procession.

The faithful are not permitted to take the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice by themselves and, still less, to hand them from one to another. The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing. Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.

When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. The consecrated host may be received either on the tongue or in the hand, at the discretion of each communicant. When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.
Recognized by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 17 April 2002, and, promulgated as particular law of the United States by Decree of the President of the USCCB, Bishop Wilton Gregory, 25 April 2002.

I believe that the indult for receiving Holy Communion in the hand was not a request of the US Bishops, but that of the Bishops of Vatican II, but it was not a majority, otherwise Vatican II would've made it a norm throughout the Church.
Communion-in-the-hand came into use in the United States in 1977.

Communion-in-the-Hand

The authority of the Church to permit what in other centuries was freely done and which "by itself" is not contrary to the faith is not in question. If abuses are widespread they are contrary to the mind of the Church as expressed in the Roman documents, and contrary to the devotion expressed in the early Church when Communion was also received in the hand. Withdrawing this permission in our time on account of the abuses is certainly something Rome could do.
That's because Vatican II never prohibited kneeling and it was the norm at the time.
Kneeling is the universal norm.

History and Interpretation of the Norm

In the 1967 document Eucharisticum mysterium (Instruction on the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery), the Sacred Congregation of Rites (now called the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments) established that,
34. ... In accordance with the custom of the Church, the faithful may receive communion either kneeling or standing. One or the other practice is to be chosen according to the norms laid down by the conference of bishops.
At the time this directive was issued the US Bishops did not establish a posture, although Communion processions with reception standing quickly became the custom throughout the United States, as they did in much of the world.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (3rd edition) gives the same legislation, stating,
160 ... The faithful may communicate either standing or kneeling, as established by the Conference of Bishops.
Acting upon this provision of the GIRM, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sought and obtained, in March 2002, a particular norm for the United States.
160. The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing. Communicants should not be denied Holy Communion because they kneel. Rather, such instances should be addressed pastorally, by providing the faithful with proper catechesis on the reasons for this norm.
This norm seeks a single posture among communicants. The purpose spoken of in the norm is given earlier in the General Instruction.
42. The gestures and posture of the priest, the deacon, and the ministers, as well as those of the people, ought to contribute to making the entire celebration resplendent with beauty and noble simplicity, so that the true and full meaning of the different parts of the celebration is evident and that the participation of all is fostered. Therefore, attention should be paid to what is determined by this General Instruction and the traditional practice of the Roman Rite and to what serves the common spiritual good of the People of God, rather than private inclination or arbitrary choice.

A common posture, to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community gathered for the Sacred Liturgy: it both expresses and fosters the intention and spiritual attitude of the participants.
While the desirability of everyone in the congregation making the common gestures and postures throughout the Mass is clear (a sign of unity), recent interpretations of these norms by the Holy See provides some insight into the mind of the Church. It should be noted that the Holy See alone can authentically interpret legislation it has initiated or approved. The following was issued in response to a dubium of Cardinal George of Chicago. The reference is to the general posture norm, GIRM 43, and whether communicants can kneel down for their thanksgiving after Communion when everyone else is standing, however, it is clear that the mind (mens) of the Holy See on the role of posture is expressed. The general principle enunciated in the response would therefore also apply to GIRM 160, and the issues of kneeling to receive and genuflecting before receiving.
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
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
The following responses to questions were published in the November-December 2002 edition of Notitiae, the official publication of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. These responses represent the view of the Holy See on the questions of kneeling to receive Holy Communion and the right of Catholics to address concerns to the Holy See.
Kneeling - Responses from Congregation for Divine Worship in Notitiae

Not really, Cardinal Arinze isn't a contradiction for me
Obviously he is, why else would you misunderstand him and think:

I believe he's in error on who decides how the liturgy developed and what the norms would be for the universal Church. It was the counsel of Bishops, not the prefect nor the Pope alone, they must work within the counsel of Bishops. Only when there is a conflict within that counsel that needs to be resolved does the Pope speak, ex-cathedra.

You believe the prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments doesn't know what he is talking about.

I'm not a canon lawyer, some I'm just speaking from how I've observed the way the USCCB work.

If Cardinal Arinze were able to order kneeling at Communion, the USCCB would conform, but the good Cardinal does not have that authority, which many trads seem to think he does.

Cardinal Arinze isn't ordering anything or trying to. He approves of either standing or kneeling. He is telling you that no one can begrudge anyone to kneel or receive on the tongue.

I don't begrudge anyone from receiving with the reverence they are called to. If there were real reverence, it wouldn't bother such people when others receive standing. Being it bothers them, tells me that they have an agenda of their own.
Yet only you mention one or the other bothering anyone when no one in this this thread has taken any such position against anyone who stands. Only you have - against kneeling. By your own reasoning, it seems you are the one who has a problem if others kneel because you go out of your way to break others down for preferring to kneel whey they say nothing about standing at all.

Ass it is, myself nor others who prefer to stand, don't constantly open threads in Catholic forums such as this, criticizing those who choose to kneel. Instead, those who say kneeling is a must are constantly opening threads telling everyone that anything else is less reverent.

When you see a thread by people who prefer to stand while receiving in the hand as the only reverent way, let us know.

If you would look at the OP you would see that this was Miche treating another story like she always does and it was actually about altar rails. It is then later made toxicly about kneeling. Which shows to me that is by only those who have a problem with people kneeling, while no-one else has had a problem with standing. :sorry:

Even to the point of thinking Cardinal Arinze is inept. :doh:
 
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JoabAnias

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Those who kneel when the norm is standing can not be denied Holy Communion, but should be given proper catechesis on why standing is
the norm.
They rarely do this and even when they do, do not do so to say there is anything wrong with kneeling, but to promote dignity.

Personally, I'd have no problem with the Bishop's changing to kneeling as the norm, but until they do, I'll stand where standing is the norm for that congregation
Kneeling is the universal norm for the Church. What if you had both options at a particular parish, which one would you choose?

Would you feel less dignified or more reverent to kneel?
 
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AMDG

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Communion-in-the-hand came into use in the United States in 1977.

Just in case anyone doesn't know Vatican II came to a close in the mid 1960s. That was long before the Bishops in the United States asked for permission for the indult. Vatican II was about the universal Church, however communion-in-the-hand was granted only to some countries.

And the good Cardinal states (right in the video) that permission must be granted by the Vatican even *after* the Bishops vote to allow something. Besides that, in the video, they are talking about Redemptionis Sacramentum. That is a papal document concerning abuses of the Eucharist. I believe it was decreed in 2004 or 2005.
 
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Virgil the Roman

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Bear well in mind, that Bishops' conferences are advisory; they've not ecclesiastical power in the Church, besides that which they propose to Rome, which must be approved by Rome. Even so, the universal ecclesiastical rules and norms that the Holy Apostolic See still remain, indults notwithstanding.
 
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JoabAnias

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Bear well in mind, that Bishops' conferences are advisory; they've not ecclesiastical power in the Church, besides that which they propose to Rome, which must be approved by Rome. Even so, the universal ecclesiastical rules and norms that the Holy Apostolic See still remain, indults notwithstanding.

Bishops are not merely advisory.

They do have ecclesiastical authority to act on their own.

According to canon law, a singular bishop or regions synod can relax and implement changes before ratification by Rome.

For instance, standing, and the indult of communion in the hand were implemented on Bishops authority years before standing being affirmed as the new norm, and in the hand communion as an indult, were approved by Rome

The Bishops have the authority of office from the Magisterium to do so.
 
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ExOrienteLux

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Naturally, I'm all for the altar rails coming back. Next up: rood screens! :D

Also, I wouldn't be at all comfortable with taking the Body in my hands. In my mind, that's only for the clergy, as they're the ones who are going to be held accountable for it. I mean, in the Eastern liturgy for the ordination of a priest, after the Consecration, the bishop places the Body in the hand of the newly-ordained priest and tells him to "Take This, and guard It until the Second Coming of Christ, when you shall have to give an account for It."

Even before I went East, I never received Communion in my hands, only on my tongue. I have no business touching the Body of the Lord until I have received "the Divine Grace, Which always heals that which is infirm and completes that which is lacking."
 
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