I am somewhat familiar with Catholicism since I intermittently attended Catholic Church while growing up. My mom was Catholic but no longer practices in favor of general Christianity (The church is First Christian, but I don’t know if it’s tied to a formal faith, excuse my ignorance). Anyway, I know it’s not proper to accept communion if you’re not a practicing Catholic.
So, what do you do, just sit quietly? Is it appropriate to pray and/or kneel in a respectful way? Is there anything, specifically, that a non-Catholic should do as opposed to a practicing Catholic who has sinned and not confessed? Or a non-practicing Catholic?
If you’re comfortable kneeling (both physically and religiously) then kneel. Otherwise sit.
The time after a Catholic receives Communion but before the Mass starts up again should be spent in “prayerful contemplation.” Seems like a worthy suggestion.
I don’t think most Catholic churches have altar rails anymore. A lot of churches removed them after the liturgical reforms of Vatican II, and churches built after Vatican II didn’t include them.
Communion is received standing up, in the hand, these days.
They can at my church. Also, I got a blessing from a priest at a Latin Rite church who mistook my not holding my hands out to take the host for my going up for a blessing rather than communion (in the Byzantine rite, the laity do not lay hands on the Eucharist, and the Body is dipped into the Precious Blood anyway, so it could get messy).
I would say it’s a pretty safe bet that you can approach the altar for a blessing in any Catholic Church, unless the priest is a complete assgasket.
If you’re not going to take Communion, sit quietly in the pew. Sitting allows those around you to exit and re-enter. Kneeling would essentially create an obstruction for those returning. Once everyone in the pew has returned then you can kneel with everyone else or continue to sit. No one is really blessed at communion.
Speaking of blessings at the communion rail, does anyone else remember St. Blase’s Day where the throats of the faithful were blessed with candles fashioned into a cross? Man what a hoot that was.
I remember it quite fondly. My grammar school class was taken every year by our teachers (nuns – Gray Nuns of the Sacred Heart) to have our throats blessed. If I remember right, it was sometime in February. And there was definitely an altar rail back then. We would kneel at it, and the priest would bless our throats. They stopped lighting the candles at some point – I guess one too many girls’ hair caught on fire.
hmmm, when i went with my friend [her kids were in a catholic school, and we would go to mass with the kids on friday mornings] i used to hum ‘vatican rag’ just before she left the pew…and wait for her to come back and punch me in the arm<evil grin>
I’m an atheist who goes to Catholic mass 2 or 3 times a year, because my wife is Catholic. Usually I just stay sitting in the pews while people go up to take communion; occasionally I move out of the pew while people are leaving, so that people don’t have to climb over my knees, stand back instead of joining the queue, then move back in to the pew. But at that part of the mass, I sit rather than kneel – not that those not sitting right next to me would notice, or care, really.
If you go up to a priest during communion & don’t stick your hands out for the host, expect the priest to expect you to stick your tongue out at him. If you ask to be blessed during communion, the priest will probably look at you blankly until he realizes you’re not Catholic.
Usually you shoud just sit quietly and respectfully. Kneel and pray if you would like but you don’t have to. As long as you don’t disrupt it, you are fine.
If you wish to join the line for a blessing, I was told to approach with at least the right arm (if not both) crossed over the heart as that indicates that you are not receiving communion.
Yep, that’s what we do in the parishes I have attended: cross your arms over your chest, with palms flat agains the chest, sort of like the American gesture of putting your hand on your heart, only with both hands. When you come before the person distributing communion, bow your head slightly.
Also, as a eucharistic minister (lay person who gives out communion) I was trained to recognise this gesture, and offer a short prayer for blessing while tracing a small cross on the person’s forehead with my thumb.
This is mostly used by children who have not yet made their first communion, so they won’t feel left out, but would be recognised and respected in my church for any adult, as well.
Of course, there are many people who just remain at their seats too.
We had the blessing of throats last week at my church for the feast of Saint Blaise.
At another church that I attend, if you approach the communion rails with your hands crossed over your chest, the priest will give you a blessing rather than the host.
Well, that explains a lot about my experience with the Latin Rite priest.
In the Byzantine Rite, you approach the priest with your arms crossed in this fashion to receive communion, but if you’re not Catholic and want a blessing, you hold one finger across your lips as though “shhing” someone to indicate that you are not receiving.
I don’t think Episcopal / Anglican churches have Communion rails as their return to churches in England under Charles I was a real sore point during the English Civil War.
All of the ones I’ve attended had altar rails - maybe Kansas didn’t get the word.
Slightly OT, but something I’ve found hilarous the last couple of days - the one we attended in my hometown of Dodge City, KS, was St. Cornelius. Turns out he’s the patron saint of cattle.
Hm, you obviously dont have someone as a friend who is secure in their faith and has a sense of humor. she knows way more catholic jokes than anybody else i know. besides, she was the one who taught me the music and lyrics to vatican rag in the first place. deal with it.
