Should I stand or kneel during the Sanctus and/or the Agnus Dei?
A good rule of thumb is this: If you’re singing anything or saying anything, stand. That’s the principle, short and sweet. More accurately articulated would be the following: The posture initiated by or appropriate to a (liturgical) event should be maintained for the duration of the event. Think of a hymn. No matter what, the appropriate posture for a hymn is standing. Up until recently, if hymns were sung at Mass at all, they were usually at the procession and recessional. Congregational hymns at the offertory and communion have only become the practice with the advent of the Ordinary Form. Hymns at those points are not the rule in the Extraordinary Form. Hence, the proper hymn posture rule, i.e., standing, holds for entrance and recessional hymns. With regard to movements of the Mass ordinary in a Missa Cantata or Missa Solemnis, if (and this is the important thing) the congregation sings these movements, either completely or antiphonally (i.e., with the choir, alternating verse by v
Graeme from Scotland.
After Mass this morning the parish priest informed us that as from next Sunday he would be following the Roman Missal 2010 and that he would hand us a leaflet so that we could prepare for next Sunday Mass.
In the UK Catholic press over the last months i have read many articles about the changes forthcoming regarding a more accurate translation of the origional latin text. So far so good.
However was saddened to see that i am expected to stand during the Sanctus and the Agnus Dei. I have never done so before. My poor faith is based on the Mass, the presence of the Trinity and the loving mercy of God and the graces He lovingly imparts to sinners.
I googled "standing during the Sanctus" and so far the explanations i have read do not (in my understanding) explain or edify. I have read such sentences as " ….rule of thumb is if you are speaking or singing , you should be standing….". Some orthodox brothers and sisters liturgies do indeed have as their tradition standing as the norm. However i am Catholic (Roman rite) and it’s not my tradition, experience or "norm". I have read, it is good that the faithful all act in the same way etc. etc.
The bishops are not the best at communicating change ( to say the least) but this change really takes the biscuit. I consider myself responsible enough, in ensuring i read the Catholic press etc. to keep myself abreast of their statements. There have been lots of articles regarding the more accurate translation of the latin text into English but none that i have read mentioned such a change as standing during the Sanctus or the Agnus Dei.
The Second Vatican Council documents on the liturgy are forever being quoted to "explain" , using sentences taken from the Council documents; the local customs, cultural differences, etc. when in my experience in Scotland at any rate has been sad. It was never the local custom to receive communion standing, it was never the local custom to receive communion in the hand, it was never the local custom for lay people ( or priests) to distribute the Blood of Christ seperately, it was never the local custom to have Eucharistic ( Extra-ordinary, that is) Ministers distributing communion beside the priest, it was never the local custom for parishioners to have a blether after Mass in the presence of the Eucharistic in the tabernacle and on and on.
So based on this confused and saddening state of affairs i think i will stay near the back of the church during Mass and continue to offer my sinful self to the Lord during the Sacrifice and kneel where i understand i should.
During the changes from kneeling to standing to receive communion, i observed many dreadful clerical abuses; a priest shouting very loudly at a communicant who had changed lanes when he had observed an extra-ordinary minister of the Eucharist would be distributing communion ( and he went into the line for the priest). Many other ones that i could mention , but this response is becoming a little too long ( so i won’t).
This sad state in the Church, when clerics are so determined to change but not explain in a way that actually is intelligent and faithful to the Council can be disheartening. Local customs, "norms", traditions are real. Making it up is not.
Any words of wisdom anyone has to share, i would be most grateful in reading. Thank you.
