I would like to begin by saying a HUGE THANK YOU to all the parishioners who stepped up last week after the 11am and 5pm masses on Sunday to take down the Christmas décor in the gathering space and church. I still can’t believe that everything got done in such a short amount of time. It was purely because of all of the volunteers each doing their own little – or big – part and together, it all got done. Thank you! A special thank you to everyone who made multiple trips to the cages to put all of the boxes away!
Thanks also to the Art & Environment committee who spent a lot of time throughout Advent and Christmas making arrangements for what the environment was going to be, preparing it, and putting it up. Their dedication to this ministry was evident in the beauty that we had throughout the seasons. Thank you!
Additionally, I’m taking the lazy way out this week and reprinting a previous article. It’s one that I’ve been asked multiple times to put in again. I must also say it’s a pet peeve of most clergy and liturgists, too! (Mainly because it shows that we haven’t done our job well-enough to educate our Catholics to understand what they are doing and why they are doing it.)
When do I sit after Communion? That's the hot question today!
Several people have inquired as to the appropriate time to sit down after Communion. The answer: once the extra consecrated hosts have been reserved in the Tabernacle (for the purpose of taking to the sick and homebound), and the door on it is shut, you should sit down. The priest and servers all stand, along with any Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion who are still in the sanctuary, while the Eucharist is reposed in the Tabernacle. They all bow when the Deacon genuflects during this process. They then sit after the Deacon has reposed it. It is at this point that the congregation should sit, too. The Deacon cleans off the rest of the altar and is seated. Mass continues after this.
Basically, we kneel because the Lord is present in our midst in the consecrated Eucharist. Once He is reposed in the tabernacle, we should sit. We aren’t kneeling because the Priest or Deacon is standing and doing stuff (like cleaning off the altar). We are kneeling in front of the Real Presence of Christ. We sit when He has been properly reposed. You will notice at masses where there is a Deacon, the priest also sits at this point. (Generally speaking, if the priest is sitting, the congregation should be sitting. Same thing when a Bishop or Archbishop presides at a mass. He sits. We sit.)