Replies

No less an authority than the pope is on record as favoring kneeling. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI last year, wrote in "The Spirit of the Liturgy," published in 2000, that the gesture, "comes from the Bible and the knowledge of God." He has not addressed the issue as pope.

Pope Benedict XVI kneeling before our Lord

If kneeling is a mortal sin, then many of us will gladly suffer eternal damnation.

Kneeling "is clearly rebellion, grave disobedience and mortal sin," Father Martin Tran, pastor at St. Mary's by the Sea, told his flock in a recent church bulletin. The Diocese of Orange backs Tran's anti-kneeling edict.

This absolute ignorant statement leaves me speechless.

How I'd love to square off with this insipid priest, and put this fraud in his place.

There is no theological basis for this drivel.

*************

Perhaps Father Tran might better serve God in some other capacity. He is no shepherd.

I live in DC, but my folks are out in Ohio. During the summers I'm there, and I often attend the Mass of the Tridentine order ... but on those occasions I happen to be assisting at the normative rite of the Diocese of Cleveland, I stand after receiving Communion.

The last bishop of the place, who shepherds there no more, Anthony Pilla, requested as such. When I heard of it, I did not like it one bit. To his credit, the Bishop conducted himself like a gentleman, saying quite plainly that he would not allow his people to be jerked around as they were after Vatican II, and that we may continue to kneel if we wished, but that this was his request.

I didn't like it, but I supposed that if a Bishop asked me to do something which was not a sin, then I must try my best to do it, if it was at all possible to do so and keep my peace of soul. I didn't understand his reasons, but his reasons are his own. So in Cleveland, I stand.

In Cleveland, I think the process was handled properly (even though I disagreed with the end objective of the process.) The people who chose to continue kneeling were not defying the Bishop, they were praying as the peace of their souls demanded.

Publicly blasting people is hardly what anyone (anti-kneeling liberals especially,) would call a "pastoral response." "Inviting" people to leave the parish and the Diocese is a risky business. What if a few souls there decide to leave the parish, diocese, and the Church altogether?

What will this priest say on Judgment Day, when he has to explain to the Father why some of the children entrusted to him are in Hell? "Almighty God, I sent them away, because they were kneeling to pray to you." Laaaaaaaame.

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God....Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.--- St. Theresa's Prayer

Since then,[4 years ago] some churches have been built without kneelers.

it started long before that. Manyt liberal priests want us to worship like Protestants. The Fathers at the council urged changes in the liturgy so that we would be more like the Orthodox, and the Orthodox do stand (and bow). But liberal priests have Lutheran worship in mind.