About kneel:
“kneel” is a grass-roots movement of the Catholic laity to encourage an increase of reverence and belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
“kneel” is a grass-roots movement of the Catholic laity to encourage an increase of reverence and belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Q&A
1. Am I allowed to kneel to receive Holy Communion?
Yes! You are absolutely allowed to kneel. In fact, kneeling is listed as the first option for posture when receiving the Eucharist in Redemptionis Sacramentum [90-91].
ww.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#Chapter%20IV
2. What has the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops determined regarding the postures of kneeling or standing to receive Holy Communion?
The USCCB has affirmed that you may kneel when receiving Holy Communion. US General Instruction of the Roman Missal [160].
www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/general-instruction-of-the-roman-missal/girm-chapter-4#160
3. Didn’t members of the early Church receive Holy Communion standing? Are you asserting that they were being less reverent?
It may have been the practice in the early Church to stand. However, the posture of kneeling to receive Holy Communion was adopted in later years and until 1970 had remained the practice for centuries. Of note, it has been over the course of the past 50 years that the belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist has significantly declined among Catholics. 69% doubt the Real Presence per the 2019 Pew Research report.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/08/05/transubstantiation-eucharist-u-s-catholics/
4. Won’t people think I am trying to be “holier than thou”?
We kneel because HE is holy, not because we think we are. If “at His name every knee shall bow”(Phil 2:10-11), when receiving Him into our very bodies should we not do the same?
5. How am I to kneel if there is no kneeler or communion rail provided? What if I have trouble getting back up? I don’t want to make a spectacle of myself.
This is the main concern that people have with kneeling to receive Holy Communion and there is a simple solution! Go to Communion with a buddy who can give you a hand back up. You can help one another!
Secondly, respectfully make a request to your pastor that a kneeler be made available for receiving Holy Communion kneeling. Or, if a communion rail is present in the church ask if you may receive while kneeling at the rail.
6. What if I am physically unable to kneel?
What a beautiful sacrifice to offer to our Lord if you wish to kneel but are unable to do so! We know that He sees every desire of our hearts.
7. What differences does it really make if I kneel to receive?
To be clear, nothing that we do can either add to nor take away from God’s glory. Our actions can only serve to praise His glory; however, what we do exteriorly impacts us interiorly as well.
1. Am I allowed to kneel to receive Holy Communion?
Yes! You are absolutely allowed to kneel. In fact, kneeling is listed as the first option for posture when receiving the Eucharist in Redemptionis Sacramentum [90-91].
ww.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html#Chapter%20IV
2. What has the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops determined regarding the postures of kneeling or standing to receive Holy Communion?
The USCCB has affirmed that you may kneel when receiving Holy Communion. US General Instruction of the Roman Missal [160].
www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/general-instruction-of-the-roman-missal/girm-chapter-4#160
3. Didn’t members of the early Church receive Holy Communion standing? Are you asserting that they were being less reverent?
It may have been the practice in the early Church to stand. However, the posture of kneeling to receive Holy Communion was adopted in later years and until 1970 had remained the practice for centuries. Of note, it has been over the course of the past 50 years that the belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist has significantly declined among Catholics. 69% doubt the Real Presence per the 2019 Pew Research report.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/08/05/transubstantiation-eucharist-u-s-catholics/
4. Won’t people think I am trying to be “holier than thou”?
We kneel because HE is holy, not because we think we are. If “at His name every knee shall bow”(Phil 2:10-11), when receiving Him into our very bodies should we not do the same?
5. How am I to kneel if there is no kneeler or communion rail provided? What if I have trouble getting back up? I don’t want to make a spectacle of myself.
This is the main concern that people have with kneeling to receive Holy Communion and there is a simple solution! Go to Communion with a buddy who can give you a hand back up. You can help one another!
Secondly, respectfully make a request to your pastor that a kneeler be made available for receiving Holy Communion kneeling. Or, if a communion rail is present in the church ask if you may receive while kneeling at the rail.
6. What if I am physically unable to kneel?
What a beautiful sacrifice to offer to our Lord if you wish to kneel but are unable to do so! We know that He sees every desire of our hearts.
7. What differences does it really make if I kneel to receive?
To be clear, nothing that we do can either add to nor take away from God’s glory. Our actions can only serve to praise His glory; however, what we do exteriorly impacts us interiorly as well.
Contact kneel: [email protected]