www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Kneeling at mass

Father, bless. I thought the original custom was to kneel until the Sacred Mysteries were placed in the Tabernacle. In the Latin Churches in my area, most people stop kneeling after the Tabernacle is closed, a handful wait until the priest sits.

I am forever amazed at the incredible number of saints in the latin rite. I have never attended a mass where everyone did not receive.
Reverence is nonexistent in any catholic churches I have seen in Montana. A convert friend was ordered by the priest to not attend mass if he intended to continue genuflecting before communion, and not to attend mass if he was not going to receive.
I have always been scandalized by the hordes who receive and then head out the door in order to be first out of the parking lot.
I have seen reverence at the church where adoration takes place four days a week. Though even there I was surprised one day when the other person present left without even checking to see if Our Lord would be left alone.
On topic, I bought a contraption I can use to lift myself up from my knees after prayers or after the prostrations in the orthodox church. Sometimes if I kneel that is where I will be unless I can find something to grab on to.

Terry,

How about kneeling on the good knee only, like one when genuflects.

Alice

P.S. Don't switch to the Greek Orthodox church because we too kneel!

Truly scandalous! A sign should be posted in the entrance to the church.

It may have something to do with the casual culture of California...It may have to do with people fulfilling their obligation mid week...but at St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC, a reverend demeanor prevails every day, and one can hear a pin drop at any given time, even when a Mass is not being celebrated, despite hundreds of people in there at the same time--worshippers, tourists, visitors, volunteers, etc. I always find it most inspirational and a most conducive place to pray...and this solemn beauty and spiritual atmosphere is what I have always related Roman Catholic churches to. There are many factors to why that is not so everywhere, but I believe that one of the greatest is the actual architecture itself.

A sense of history, tradition and grandeur inspires respect, (one just wouldn't feel right being casual and disrespectful in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. either), and modern architecture and interiors simply do not command that same respect--they inspire a sense of the casual...one might compare it to the demeanor one sees of people strolling through the grand art museums like the Metropolitan Museum, the Louvre, etc. vs. those who are strolling through the Guggenheim or some even more modern catastrophes.

Anyway, sorry for going off topic! OOPS!

Alice

Alice,
After five years here people now know I am serious about reverence in the Church. The whole demeanor of people has changed, but we still get the odd occasional one who steps out of line.
Stephanos I

I am sure that in the short and the long run you are most respected and loved for it, though, judging from my own priest, you may not always feel it!

(I guess it is human nature that negative comments about or to us always seem to stick more than the positive ones)

May God bless you in your ministry!

In Christ,
Alice

As a nation, I think that we have lost our sense of reverence. The Liturgy is indeed something sacred and should be treated as such as is the reception of the Holy Mysteries! I have seen places where things are done with reverence and solemnity and then I have seen places where things were a little bit shabby. I do think we really are loosing our sense of reverence and we need to pray and both work on bringing it back! Hopefully I do not sound like an old prude.

Slava Isusu Khrystu!

John Doucette

No, you do not!

Regards,
Alice

Hopefully, the restoration of the Latin 1962 Liturgy will restore a spirit of reverence among Latin Catholics.

We have just begun 48 hours of adoration and intercessory prayer for the Church, the Nation, our Parish and for the World.
Also centering of God's blessing on families, the conversion of sinners and peace.
Already we can see signs of God's work.
Stephanos I

The first time my father had me behind the wheel he took me along what was then called "Blood Alley" in San Jose--at night!

I have driven in New York and Chicago.

I regularly drove LA freeways during the freeway shootings of the late 80's.

I've driven in extreme rain, on ice, and in near-blizzard, in black snow, and in fog so thick I had to open the driver's door to find the dotted line in the road.

I've driven the monster U-haul with the monster trailer down the Rockies with the brakes toasted and the transmission broken and stuck in third gear.

I can handle those. The only place where I'm scared to drive is in an RC parking lot after mass . . .



hawk

Prayer works.

hawk
how about this one Eucharistic radar
- you know just when precisely to walk in the back line, go uo up the line and then turn around and walk out - but oh my youve done your obligation.
Stephanos I

I've seen and never understood that one, too . . . or bringing the big bundle or bags up to Communion so that they don't need to go back to their pew on the way out . . .

I understnd the removal of infants who reach their "use by date" :), and have been that parent, but my wife stayed in with the other kids (I even remember dashing home for diapers when one just couldn't wait to the end of Mass to be changed!).

I just can't understand the need to escape (or the willingness to kill in the parking lot).

(OK, I'll admit to being desperate to get away the Music Mafia more than once, but . . .)

hawk

To report! Great graces already taking place through the adoration and intercessory prayer. We had intended to have a least just two there each hour but there has been as many as 10 to 12 and any given time.
Stephanos I
I recommend this for every parish.
Too bad it isnt an Eastern Catholic custom, it gives so much grace.