Q329 – What should the lay faithful do in West Virginia diocese: stand, kneel, or leave?

Transcript:

Well, I would say that the Agnus Dei is not as central as, for example, the moment of consecration. During the consecration, the faithful should kneel, and also, when receiving Holy Communion, I believe the most appropriate and reverent way is to receive kneeling.

Even if a bishop were to forbid kneeling, I believe we cannot obey such a directive in this case, because we are kneeling directly before our Lord, the Lord of Lords, when we receive Him. In such substantial and essential parts of the liturgy, like the consecration, when the Lord comes down upon the altar, and when we approach Him so closely in Holy Communion, these moments naturally call for kneeling. No one can rightly forbid us from kneeling before our Lord in these sacred moments.

Other parts of the Mass, such as the Agnus Dei, are not as central in this sense. There are different traditions, and in some places, people stand during the Agnus Dei. In such instances, I would say we should follow the liturgical norms of the diocese, especially in public or official Masses.

However, during private Masses or low (silent) Masses, I believe no one can prevent the faithful from kneeling. If someone desires to kneel for the entire Mass as a way of participating more deeply, of course, without disturbing others, that is a personal devotion and should be respected. In such cases, if someone wishes to kneel throughout the Mass, perhaps they could take a seat at the back or in a pew where it won’t cause a distraction.

So, we must make distinctions here: for central liturgical moments like the consecration and Holy Communion, kneeling is essential and cannot be forbidden. For other moments, like the Agnus Dei, while kneeling is still a gesture of reverence, there is more room for variation and obedience to local norms.