Q: Longtime(ish) reader and writing from Canada as someone who has often been helped by your work.
I recently became pastor in a parish where an individual kneeler separates the priest distributing Holy Communion from the individual receiving Holy Communion.
My predecessor fixed it there in the event that someone wants to receive Holy Communion kneeling.
Personally if someone wants to receive Holy Communion kneeling I have no issue with that but I find the presence of a fixed individual kneeler odd.
I am having trouble articulating a specific liturgical principle to which I can appeal however.
I don’t know if you answer emails of this sort but in the event that you do and in the even that you can spare a moment I would be very grateful.
==
A: Here’s what I see in the Canadian edition of the GIRM, number 160: “In the Dioceses of Canada, Holy Communion is to be received standing, though individual members of the faithful may choose to receive Communion while kneeling.”
The same passage in the US is worded slightly differently: “The norm established for the Dioceses of the United States of America is that Holy Communion is to be received standing, unless an individual member of the faithful wishes to receive Communion while kneeling.” Then it cites Redemptionis Sacramentum, 91, which says, “it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds, for example, that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling or standing.”
So, I’m with you. Putting a kneeler at the head of the aisle looks as though the reverse principle is in force: Communion will be distributed while kneeling, unless an individual communicant stands.”
Here’s a previous post referring to a previous post: https://paulturner.org/standing-for-communion/