Churches with no kneelers

InnerPhyre · Jul 21, 2004

My Parish just built a new church. It's absolutely beautiful. One of the most stunning churches I've ever been in. One big problem: The pews have no kneelers. This is a BIG problem for me. Normally in such a situation, I'd just kneel on the floor, but it's almost like they've arranged the pews in such a way that you have no room to even kneel on the floor (on purpose). I'm really torn because I love both the priests, the people, the music, the church itself....but standing during the consecration just feels awfully wrong. Since I can't kneel, I bow at that waist. Aren't we, as Catholics, REQUIRED to kneel?

DivineFiliation · Jul 21, 2004

dunno. I think it soundslike your church is advocating throwing kneeling out the window. lol

Carrye · Jul 21, 2004

Check out the new Vatican documents. Lemme see if I can find a link.

Roland77 · Jul 21, 2004

I know that in our Diocese that the Bishop said that we should stand an not kneel. My wife really does not like this, but that is the new rule.

Carrye · Jul 21, 2004

Here is the new document Redemptionis Sacramentum. Basically, the norm in the US is to kneel from after the Sanctus through the Great Amen. A bishop is given authority to change this for his diocese. In my diocese (Madison, Wisconsin), kneelers are being put back in the churches thanks to our new bishop, Robert Morlino. I am in favor of this, but we must recognize that it is not absolutely necessary.

There are reasons for standing too, and Catholics in other parts of the world do it. I personally think that because what we do reflects who we are, kneeling is entirely appropriate during the consecration.

InnerPhyre · Jul 21, 2004

Servant of the Kingdom · Jul 21, 2004

Many romanian churches have not even pews... but don't know if it might be an orthodox thing

PeterPaul · Jul 21, 2004

Of course not, we don't need to kneel. Heaven forbid we are humble before the God who created us. WE are lucky He doesn't ask us to kneel every moment of the day. We should be.

Remember my old quote from the Irish priest: "In the morning, I don't get up...I get DOWN...on my knees.

InnerPhyre · Jul 21, 2004

PeterPaul said:
Of course not, we don't need to kneel. Heaven forbid we are humble before the God who created us. WE are lucky He doesn't ask us to kneel every moment of the day. We should be.

Remember my old quote from the Irish priest: "In the morning, I don't get up...I get DOWN...on my knees.

My view exactly

Roald · Jul 21, 2004

I remember reading somewhere that kneeling isn't a traditional form of posture during the consecration--it is only a traditional form of penitent posture. I think that the US is unusual in having us kneel.

InnerPhyre · Jul 21, 2004

It's not just the US, Roald. I've been to Catholic churches in Canada, Australia, England, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Bosnia, and Croatia. Didn't see a single church without kneelers. The only Latin Rite Catholic churches I've ever seen without kneelers were in the US.

krstlros · Jul 21, 2004

The kneelers still serve a purpose, in my opinion. Since we've re-configured our church, the front pew doesn't have a kneeler. So, at Lent, during the General Intercessions on Good Friday, it's kneel on the floor.

Anyway, I don't see why new Parishes can't just spend a "little" more money on movable chairs with kneelers. It's rediculous how we take a recommendation and take it to one extreme or another. What about those who want to kneel in prayer before Mass? What are they suppose to do? Bring a pillow?

Roald · Jul 21, 2004

InnerPhyre said:
It's not just the US, Roald. I've been to Catholic churches in Canada, Australia, England, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Bosnia, and Croatia. Didn't see a single church without kneelers. The only Latin Rite Catholic churches I've ever seen without kneelers were in the US.

Maybe I've been misinformed. Did you see the people there kneeling after the Sanctus?

InnerPhyre · Jul 21, 2004

Roald said:
Maybe I've been misinformed. Did you see the people there kneeling after the Sanctus?

Yep

Roald · Jul 21, 2004

InnerPhyre said:
Yep

Hmmm...I have been misinformed.

Carrye · Jul 21, 2004

Whoa there! I agree with all of you - kneeling is a wonderful form of reverence, and I think we should kneel. But we need to be careful to distinguish between "should" and "must." I know that you all know this, but we need to be clear on what is required of a Catholic (pro-life) and what is up to personal piety (various Marian devotions). In there too is what is up to individual bishops. Like it or not, this is one of those things.

bigsierra · Jul 21, 2004

Can you turn around and kneel into the pew?

faerieevaH · Jul 21, 2004

Roald said:
Maybe I've been misinformed. Did you see the people there kneeling after the Sanctus?

In Belgium, I've always known us to stand during consacration, not kneel. Kneelers here are usually only used at weddings and at adoration. I miss a kneeler during adoration time, but I usually kneel on the floor. Today there was a kneeler in the adoration chapel(don't know why) but it was aparently not a good one, because before I was at the first Ave Maria on my rosary I started to hurt... (while I usually do one or two rosaries kneeled on the floor without any trouble) I doublefolded my cape as a cushion and then it was doable. *L* Didn't want to kneel on the floor when there WAS a kneeler for once.

nyj · Jul 21, 2004

Reverence occurs in the heart, not in the knees.

faerieevaH · Jul 21, 2004

nyj said:
Reverence occurs in the heart, not in the knees.

I 100 % agree! There was a thread about kneelers before and I somehow was made to feel... disrespectful for not kneeling during consacration while it... simply isn't something that is tradition here. I've never known it to happen and I've been going to church for about 28 years! The people here are just as reverant in standing and bowing their heads...

I do like to kneel for adoration though, since it keeps me better... focussed on y prayers as tourists swarm around.

Churches with no kneelers

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