Kneeling for Communion-Vanity

dsc | 28 March 2004 | dsc

[dsc]

I don’t write “vanities” often, if ever. I think this might be a justifiable occasion. If there is widespread disagreement, I will ask the moderator to zap it.

Today’s Mass was concelebrated by Father R. I believe he’s French.

On one occasion several months ago, my daughter knelt to receive communion, and he made her stand. I was so shocked, I didn’t say or do anything. In the intervening months, I have been studying, thinking, discussing, and praying about this issue.

When I saw him at Mass today, I offered my lack of wisdom to Our Lord and asked Him, Our Lady, Saints Joseph, Jude, and Matthew, and my Guardian Angel to guide me. Walking up the aisle to communion, I was still praying, and had arrived at no resolve. My daughter step up and knelt, and Fr. R put his hand down at the level of her face and motioned for her to get up.

Without forming a conscious decision to do so, I stepped forward and said, “The Holy Father forbids that.” He said, “What?” I said, “The Holy Father forbids you to require her to stand for communion.” I put my hands on my daughter’s shoulders, and she knelt again. Father R said, “I don’t think so, but whatever,” and gave her communion.

After Mass, smiling but quite red in the face, he came over and asked me to provide him with documentation of my claim. I said I would, and asked if he had e-mail. He said to just bring it. I asked my daughter after Mass if I had embarrassed her, and she said no (and she would tell me if I had, believe you me). She said a priest had done that once at Visitation Academy and was never invited back.

I have printed out Inaestimable Donum and the letters from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments of 1 July 2002, dealing with “the right to kneel for Holy Communion without being accused of disobedience,” originally published in the November-December 2002 edition (and later) of Notitiae, their official publication.

If anyone knows of any other pertinent documents, I would appreciate a link.

[dsc]

Comments?

[Land of the Irish]

I'm proud of you and you courageous daughter. Please give her my best. Hopefully, you may have removed the scales from that priest's eyes.

[Land of the Irish]

"Excuse me, Father, while I look for my paper from Rome!"

[tiki]

I'm not going to be of much help but I believe that there is something in the new GIRM on the US bishop's site.

[Polycarp IV]

See the Prie-Dieu Proposal from the Wanderer. It mentions the necessary document on the right hand column of the pdf file.

[Polycarp IV]

The text of the letter itself is included at the top right corner article of the Wanderer front cover that I linked above.

[narses]

Bless you. You did good. You acted the way a man ought to act.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Good job.

[dsc]

Thanks. I've printed that, and it will go in the package.

[dsc]

"Excuse me, Father..."

I read that over, and I think some people might use some of the language (monster, etc.) as a bogus excuse to write me off. I've saved it for later, though.

[Romulus]

Thank you for this.

[netmilsmom]

How brave you AND your daughter are!!! How old is she?

I once heard a Protistant preacher talking about doing to heaven.....

When you get there what will you say? That you read every book of the bible twice? That you went to church every Sunday?
God will show you those who were martyred and you will feel small.

I think you and your daughter had your own little marytrdom this day! Good Job!

[netmilsmom]

>>I once heard a Protistant preacher talking about doing to heaven..... <<
Poop, spell check is our friend.

[dsc]

I doubt that I'll have much to say except, "Lord, forgive me, a sinner."

[netmilsmom]

By your works, you will be known! I don't think you'll have to say too much. Peace my FRiend!

[Northern Yankee]

Nice Job.

This priest should have respected the right of your daughter to receive communion while kneeling.

[Desdemona]

You were correct to do that. More of us should.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Additional information: kneeling

[dsc]

Thanks.

[Pio]

Cardinal Arinze recently cleared all this up . Kneeling is allowed. The EWTN website has the text of the letter which I think was funneled through the papal Nuncio. also, check www.adoremus.org