Kneel, Genuflect, Bow

DURING FEBRUARY 2008, the Bishops' Commission for the Liturgy 2008 issued a leaflet, Some Changes in the Celebration of Mass.

It states that, on Pentecost Sunday, 11th May, 2008, Catholics in Australia will be asked:-

to stand after the priest's invitation Pray Brethren before giving their response May the Lord accept the sacrifice... (Reference GIRM §46. GIRM here stands for The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Interim Text for Australia, referring to the GIRM issued in 2002 and slightly amended in the new Latin Missal of 2004, and with a few Australian amendments added with permission from Rome.)
to bow when approaching to receive Holy Communion. (Reference GIRM §160.)
The context which precedes it in GIRM says:
In Australia standing is the most common posture for receiving Holy Communion. The customary manner of reception is recommended to be followed by all, so that Communion may truly be a sign of unity among those who share in the table of the Lord. GIRM §160. N.B. recommended not prescribed.

NOT MENTIONED

The leaflet does NOT reveal that this bow replaces a genuflection;
nor does it mention genuflecting or kneeling, let alone forbid them;
it gives no hint that another rule allows anyone to kneel for Communion who wishes to;
nor does it address the crisis of faith and piety in regard to transubstantiation.

RECENT HISTORY 1968-2008

The leaflet gives no inkling that, in 1968, the Australian bishops authorized the reception of Holy Communion standing, but with a genuflection to replace the pre-Reformation practice of kneeling. It is worth reflecting that no cogent reason was ever given for standing in place of kneeling. Talk of "a pilgrim people on the march" and the first Passover in Egypt "eaten in haste standing and with one's staff in one's hand" were certainly not cogent. Indeed, they contradicted the popular paintings of the Last Supper.

Over the last 40 years, there has been a distinct lack of enthusiasm to urge the laity to genuflect before receiving Holy Communion standing. Indeed, it has been condemned as thwarting the pious gallop.

In view of recent history, it is predictable that:

the bow will not be insisted on; and that
some priests will rail against anyone who genuflects, and will even refuse them Holy Communion, as some have done to those who want to receive on the tongue.

BACKGROUND

Apology for irreverences to the Blessed Sacrament: I would like to ask forgiveness — in my own name and in the name of all of you, venerable and dear Brothers in the Episcopate — for everything which, for whatever human weakness, impatience or negligence, and also through the at times partial, one-sided and erroneous application of the directives of the Second Vatican Council, may have caused scandal and disturbance concerning the doctrine and the veneration due to this great Sacrament.

Pope John Paul II to the Bishops,
for Holy Thursday, issued 24th February, 1980.

Hence in the directive ordered by him soon after:

The venerable practice of genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament, whether enclosed in the tabernacle or publicly exposed [in the Monstrance], as a sign of adoration, is to be maintained. This act requires that it be performed in a recollected way. In order that the heart may bow before God in profound reverence, the genuflection must be neither hurried nor careless.

Inæstimabile Donum §26, 17th March, 1980.

THE KNEELING OPTION

ANY COMMUNICANT is entitled to receive Holy Communion kneeling, even in countries like ours when standing is normative.

This kneeling option is allowed in Sacrament of Redemption , Redemptionis Sacramentum, published by order of Pope John Paul II on 19th March, 2004:

90: "The faithful should receive Communion kneeling or standing, as the Conference of Bishops will have determined", with its acts having received the recognitio [approval] of the Apostolic See. "However, if they receive Communion standing, it is recommended that they give due reverence before the reception of the Sacrament, as set forth in the same norms". [There is a cross-reference to GIRM §160]

And 91: In distributing Holy Communion it is to be remembered that "sacred ministers may not deny the sacraments to those who seek them in a reasonable manner, are rightly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them", [i.e. not excommunicated. The official text has a reference to Canon 843§1, cf.canon 915.] Hence any baptized Catholic who is not prevented by law must be admitted to Holy Communion. THEREFORE, 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.

EARLIER DECLARATIONS

Cardinal Arinze, Prefect ofthe Congregation for Divine Worship, Prot. n. 47/03/L of 26th February, 2003, said of the permission for standing in the USA:

...while this Congregation gave the recognitio [authorization] to the norm desired by the Bishops' Conference of your country that people stand for Holy Communion, this was done on the condition that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds. Indeed, the faithful should not be imposed upon nor accused of disobedience and of acting illicitly when they kneel to receive Holy Communion.

There was an earlier reply in July 2002 from the former Prefect of the Congregation, Cardinal Medina:

The Congregation... considers any refusal of Holy Communion to a member of the faithful on the basis of his or her kneeling posture to be a grave violation of one of the most basic rights of the Christian faithful, namely that of being assisted by their Pastors by means of the Sacraments (canon213).

With such rulings about the right to kneel for Holy Communion, some might even conclude that a communicant is entitled to go on genuflecting while others are bowing or doing nothing. However, it might be better to choose one's right to kneel, and suggest a couple of prayer desks at the top of the aisle.