Editorial on Kneeling

Here is a great editorial piece from LifeSite by John Henry Westen on the kneeling posture for reception of Holy Communion. The article has to do with the statement of Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Karaganda, Kazakhstan (reported in L'Osservatore Romano) that reception of holy communion kneeling and on the tongue would be a greater aid to converting the non-believer than reception standing in the hand. The Bishop said, "If some nonbeliever arrived and observed such an act of adoration perhaps he, too, would 'fall down and worship God, declaring, God is really in your midst.'"

Beyond the commentary reported by Bishop Schneider, this article is excellent because it points out that the liturgical rift within the Catholic Church is connected to the larger culture war being waged around the globe between modernists and traditionalists in the moral sphere. Westen writes:

Although in all likelihood most Catholics are oblivious to it, the decision to receive communion on the tongue, versus in the hand and the decision to receive communion standing rather than kneeling is a significant fault line in the culture war. Modernizers who relentlessly work to have the Catholic Church move away from so-called 'archaic' positions on sexuality, (forbidding contraception, pre-marital sexual activity, homosexuality etc.) also rail against 'archaic' piety in worship.

The same people who are against liturgical excellence are against moral virtue. Westen goes on to connect the Reform of the Reform with the Pro-Life and pro-morality movements in general. What does it imply to connect the liturgical reforms coming to fruition under Benedict XVI with the Pro-Life movement and the Culture of Life? Think about it in the negative: if traditional liturgical form is connected with traditional morality and the Culture of Life, then what does that say about horizontalist, innovative, modernist liturgies? Wouldn't stand to reason that they are a manifestation of the Culture of Death? Whether or not the two are directly related, Westen is right in pointing out a connection: those parishes who insist on the most modernist liturgical innovations are the ones who stray the farthest from Catholic morality, supporting things like abortion, euthanasia and homosexuality.

Remember, this is not just about the liturgy. It goes far beyond that.

Save the Liturgy! Save the World!