Dear Catholic Exchange:
I would appreciate any links to information on the proper posture of the Faithful after the Agnus Dei (while others are still processing). I have always kneeled but our Bishop is directing us to stand and I feel very uncomfortable
Best Regards,
Drew E. Schenck
Dear Friend in Christ,
Since the promulgation of the Roman Missal by Pope Paul VI in 1970, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), no. 21, the faithful have been directed to “stand . . . from the prayer over the gifts to the end of the Mass, except at the places indicated later in this paragraph.” No posture provision was made in the 1970 GIRM regarding the time immediately following Agnus Dei, when the priest elevates the consecrated Communion Host. Consequently, since 1970, the Church has provided that the normative posture for the faithful immediately following the Agnus Dei is standing.
In many places such as the United States, however, the custom for many years has been to kneel immediately after the Agnus Dei. This custom continues a long-established practice associated with the Roman Missal of the Tridentine Rite — the so-called Latin Mass, which predominated for several centuries until the post-Vatican-II revision of the Roman Missal.
The Roman Missal and associated GIRM were more recently revised in 2002. The new GIRM, number 43 reaffirms the provision of the 1970 GIRM, number 21: “The faithful should stand . . . before the prayer over the offerings until the end of Mass, except at the places indicated below.” As with no. 21 of the 1970 GIRM, no. 43 of the 2002 GIRM does not direct the faithful to kneel immediately after the Agnus Dei, meaning that the Church’s norm is for the faithful to remain standing at this time.
However, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) proposed an adaptation for the GIRM in the United States that was subsequently approved by the Vatican. This process of submitting adaptations for approval to the Vatican is a typical process. It allows a particular area, such as the dioceses of the United States, to adapt general norms more specifically to the customs and needs of the faithful. The U.S. adaptation gave preference to the long-standing custom of kneeling after the Agnus Dei, yet allowed U.S. bishops to continue the norm of standing that the 1970 GIRM established:
“In the dioceses of the United States of America, they [the faithful] should kneel beginning after the singing or recitation of the Sanctus until after the Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, except when prevented on occasion by reasons of health, lack of space, the large number of people present, or some other good reason. Those who do not kneel ought to make a profound bow when the priest genuflects after the consecration. The faithful kneel after the Agnus Dei unless the Diocesan Bishop determines otherwise” (GIRM, no. 43; emphasis added).
Thus, while the U.S. adaptation for GIRM, no. 43 favors kneeling, your bishop has opted for standing in accordance with liturgical law.
United in the Faith,
Kathleen Rohan
Information Specialist
Catholics United for the Faith
827 North Fourth Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
800-MY-FAITH (800-693-2484)
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