[Antoninus]

I have friends that routinely genuflect before receiving communion. On several occasions they have been reprimanded for this pious practice, ostensibly because they could potentially 'disrupt the line'.

As for me, I make it a habit of getting into a line with a priest distributing communion. Once I was visiting a church where the line split at the front with every other person going to the Eucharistic minister. As I prefer to receive from the priest, I stayed in line even when it was clearly my turn to go to the Eucharistic minister. Amazingly enough, there was a large gentleman 'herding' the people at the front of the line and he ordered me to go to the Eucharistic minister. The first time, I paid no attention to him. The second time, he put his hand on me and I gave him a look and said "I prefer to receive from the priest." He backed off, I received communion (on the tongue, of course), and that was that. I couldn't believe the attitude, though!

[NYer]

a large gentleman 'herding' the people at the front of the line and he ordered me to go to the Eucharistic minister.

You are truly a gentleman, Antoninus! You meant to say "a fat bully".

Before moving to the "liberal" diocese of Albany, I resided in a more conservative one. I recall that several congregants would wait for the lines to shrink before going up to receive communion, kneeling before the priest. From what I understand, they too were admonished for "drawing attention" to themselves. Oh yes, the women who participated in this "practice" insisted in wearing chapel veils on their heads.

How truly sad that what was once expected is now considered ostentatious.

[maryz]

I have friends that routinely genuflect before receiving communion.

With nothing to hold on to? They have better knees than I do!

When I was in high school, I used to go to the local Lithuanian church for daily Mass. They had a practice at communion that I never saw anywhere else: when people approached the communion rail, they knelt on the lower of the two steps until after the "Ecce Agnus Dei" and then moved to kneel on the upper step to receive. I liked the practice very much.

[Sock]

The second time, he put his hand on me…

Ya shoulda decked him. ;-)

This kind of discussion is always interesting because individual personalities get to "shine."

Since Rome has decided that either practice is permitted, we each have a choice. For me, it's a moot point. I receive the Blessed Sacrament on the tounge from the consecreated fingers of a priest while kneeling at the altar rail during the Tridentine Mass.

[sydney smith]

Find a Latin Mass and you won't get into any confrontations like that in the House of God, where it does not belong.