Kneeling During The Consecration

The April 2009 edition of First Things magizine contains a book review of the late Richard John Neuhaus’ Ministering to Ministry: Freedom for Ministry. As described by Timothy George, “Neuhaus believed that the minister serves not only the local congregation but also the Church that is the Body of Christ, extended throughout time as well as space.” No where ought the transcendent nature of ministry be more obvious than in the liturgy, where the Catechism assures us that “to the offering of Christ are united not only the members still here on earth, but also those already in the glory of heaven. In communion with and commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, the Church offers the Eucharistic sacrifice. In the Eucharist the Church is as it were at the foot of the cross with Mary, united with the offering and intercession of Christ.” (CCC 1370)

Sadly, I speculate that few priests speaking of ‘community’ consider the term in the richness which the liturgy effectuates. A few weeks ago I had the privilege to attend a funeral Mass, wonderfully celebrated and - I have no doubt - inspiring to all in attendance. Surprisingly, the entire congregation knelt from the Sanctus to the Great Amen, a practice all but unheard of in my Archdiocese. As I was leaving I cheerfully, albeit retrospectively cheekily, asked one of the concelebrants whether he was taking note of the kneeling. I attend his parish on occasion and its practice is to remain standing throughout the entire consecration. Understandably perturbed by my off-handed question, he rather abruptly informed me that I was aware that the proper liturgical norm is to adopt the posture of the congregation.

Neither was I aware nor am I convinced. “Liturgical diversity can be a source of enrichment, but it can also provoke tensions, mutual misunderstandings, and even schisms. In this matter it is clear that diversity must not damage unity. It must express only fidelity to the common faith, to the sacramental signs that the Church has received from Christ, and to hierarchical communion. Cultural adaptation also requires a conversion of heart and even, where necessary, a breaking with ancestral customs incompatible with the Catholic faith.” (CCC 1206) Is hierarchical communion present when two parishes within the same Archdiocese hold two liturgical practices for the proper posture of reverence during the consecration of the bread and wine, the time when the source and summit of our faith become manifest and present among us? In a liturgy which spans both time and space one’s emphasis on the local community must surely be exaggerated if it perceives a need for “cultural adaptation” and distinction for two Roman rite parishes within a 20 minute drive of each other.

Cathechism aside, his retort seems nothing short of illogical. Presuming - and I stand to be corrected - that the Church in Atlantic Canada proscribed kneeing as the proper posture from the Sanctus to the Memorial Acclamation (http://wcr.ab.ca/news/2008/1215/kneel121508.shtml), then how would such a discrepancy in parish practices have arisen? Thomists know that the creation of something new requires a first mover. If the posture proscribed in the G.I.R.M was that of kneeling, citing the practice of the community is a lame way to vindicate and perpetuate the initial disunity caused by some liturgical deviant long since forgotten.

As for decision to kneel before the Lord during the consecration, I believe I find myself in good company, joining Our Lady at the foot of the cross.

(Addendum: The “standing” parish is without kneelers. See Cardinal Arinze’s comments… “…. suppose it is open-air or it rained and it is muddy — you could not kneel there. But in the normal church it is possible to kneel … Where a particular person cannot kneel — you have arthritis or you are a mother holding a baby — that is understood.” - http://www.adoremus.org/1003Arinze.html)