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Liturgical Abuse?


JamesTheYounger

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JamesTheYounger

Im from Sydney Australia and for about ten years my parish has stood during the consecration, we never kneel!
I believe this is because in 1994 our church roof caught fire and the Church was renovated to accommodate the novus ordo mass, which included the removal of the kneelers.
I would have been eight at the time of the fire so I accepted not kneeling as the norm and was only made aware of the fact that it is the norm to kneel when I started going to mass at uni where various priests say mass, all of whom find standing instead of kneeling unacceptable.
I would like to know if this is liturgical abuse? and if the liturgy without kneeling is schismatic?
Im worried because I have a great love for my church, my family has been a part of the parish and school for generations and it is an extremely beautiful church, but I dont feel spiritually fulfilled going to a mass where I feel that kneeling would be a way to draw attention to myself.

Edited by JamesTheYounger
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The General Instruction of the Roman missal says that:

[i]they (the congregation) 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.

With a view to a uniformity in gestures and postures during one and the same celebration, the faithful should follow the directions which the deacon, lay minister, or priest gives according to whatever is indicated in the Missal.[/i]

This is a translation current in the USA but in Australia the Bishops have decided to wait until the translation of the Roman Missal before adopting what is known as the General Instruction. So it is up to the Local Ordinary or Bishop. My Bishop Kevin Manning wrote to the parishes of Parramatta telling us that the faithful were to Kneel as per above. I don't know where you are in Sydney but here in my parish we kneel

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