My discussion of standing during the Communion Hymn of 24 August 2002
Two Cardinals and Bishops
I have been taught by two of the priests who have been selected for ordination as bishops last week. Father Max Davies taught me on a week long Character Guidance course with the Royal Australian Navy in 1991. Father Anthony Fisher taught me for a semester of Medieval Philosophy at Catholic Theological College in 2001.
Its also pleasing to see two Cardinals seriously discussing issues of posture in Mass. I have not read the letters, but from the CNS report, Cardinal George seems to have asked:
Should everyone be standing during the Communion Hymn, as the 2002 Roman Missal n. 43 indicates, saying people "may sit or kneel while the period of sacred silence after Communion is observed."?
Cardinal Arinze seems to have answered: "No, not everyone needs to be standing. This is not the intent of the legislation."
So the approach of the Cincinnati Telegraph, in June 2003, seems to have been rejected. It had:
"... In some parishes people will kneel after they return to their place from receiving communion. In some parishes all will remain standing until the whole community has received. Either choice is acceptable, but the whole assembly should do the same thing. ..."
Instead of the whole assembly doing the same thing, Cardinal Arinze seems to be promoting flexibility. One person can sit, another kneel and another stand.
It does not seem ideal to me. Today I stood for the Gloria at the Melbourne cathedral while most others sat. But ideally I think everyone should follow what it clearly states in the liturgical books and stand.
But if Cardinal Arinze is promoting a flexible, tolerant and variable interpretation for the posture after Communion, that should be respected.
By J.R. Lilburne, 20 July 2003. Link updated 22 July 2003. I give what I have written on this page to the public domain.
Link added 22 July 2003:
Cardinal Arinze's reponse to Cardinal George's question at adoremus.org
Other sites:
Fr Anthony Fisher announcement
CNS report: Vatican says flexibility allowed on posture after Communion, 17 July 2003
BCL Newsletters, further information in the July 2003 issue, likely to be posted in a few months