Kneeling at the Consecration and for Communion
Date: October 26, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara
Question: I am a new Catholic baptized in late 2024 and am an American living in Japan. I feel a longing to give all praise to Our Lord and Savior. I like to kneel during the consecration at Mass and like to receive the Eucharist on the tongue. I have run into a dilemma recently. We do not have a lot of options for churches here in Japan. I can go to a convent for Mass and kneel as much as I like but not receive Communion on the tongue — only in the hand. Alternatively, I can go to a church that allows Communion on the tongue, but the pastor confronted me and said that I am not allowed to kneel during consecration. I am not sure what I should do. — C.H., Japan
Answer: There are several issues involved. As our correspondent is not a native of the country where he practices the faith, the general principle is that he should adjust to local practice even if it differs from one's own country unless there is a clear violation of universal liturgical law.
For example, in the United States it is local national law for the people to kneel during the entire Eucharistic Prayer. In most other places, however, this time of kneeling is limited to the consecration unless there is an alternative local law, approved by the Holy See, longstanding custom, or there are legitimate impediments such as lack of space or lack of kneelers.
While I have been unable to track down the specific decrees of the Japanese bishops' conference, several places I have consulted would seem to suggest that the Church in Japan, like some other Asian countries, have adapted postures of reverence and adoration more in line with their cultural traditions but having the same underlying meaning as those used in Western culture.
Thus, they bow toward the tabernacle rather than genuflect and stand when people in some other countries kneel.
This practice of not kneeling is far more common than one might imagine.
In fact, most Eastern Catholic Churches do not kneel during the liturgy, as standing is seen as a sign of being resurrected with Christ through baptism (recalling the lamb of the Book of Revelation, who is sacrificed and standing at the same time). Kneeling is more associated with penitential acts as well as with intense personal prayer.
In the Roman rite, on the other hand, kneeling gradually assumed the added meaning of a more intense form of adoration which led to its being included as the most suitable posture for the central moments of the Mass and other acts of prayer such as Eucharistic Benediction. In many ways it became the basic posture for prayer in the Roman tradition.
Given that it appears that, in Japan, the standing posture is considered as reverential and has no hint of disrespect for Our Lord, I would suggest that our correspondent join with his fellow Catholics and adopt their way of worshipping. Unity of posture is best at such moments.
Of course, if there is a church that caters especially to Western Catholics and hence conforms to the general practice of kneeling during the consecration, he is free to attend that celebration.
The situation is different regarding posture for communion. In this case the bishops' conference has published a "Directory of the Church in Japan Concerning the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion during Mass."
This directory says:
"3. Regarding the posture at the moment of receiving Holy Communion. Regarding the posture of communicants the Institutio Generalis Missalis Romani states that ‘the faithful communicate either kneeling or standing, as determined by the Conference of Bishops.’ According to this norm, in Japan, depending on the place where the Mass is to be celebrated and except in the case of those who are unable to stand for some special reasons, as a general rule, Holy Communion is received standing. When the faithful communicate with a common posture, as well as showing a sign of the unity among those attending Mass, it also helps towards a smooth flow of the procession of the faithful. However, it is not licit to deny Holy Communion to any of Christ’s faithful solely on the grounds that the person wishes to receive the Eucharist kneeling. Those who wish to receive Holy Communion, as a rule, come forward in a procession. Then communicants, with hands joined, bow to show respect for the Eucharist and stand before the minister of Holy Communion.
"Communion under only the form of bread.
"11. As mentioned in this Directory, n. 4, a communicant who wishes to receive the Sacrament in the hand stands before the priest with hands joined. Then placing one hand under the other extends them. The priest raises the host slightly and shows it to the communicant saying: ‘The Body of Christ’. The communicant responds: ‘Amen.’ The priest then places the host in the hand of the communicant. The communicant moves aside to make room for the next person and reverently takes the host in the fingers of one hand and while holding the other hand underneath, receives on the tongue. The communicant then consumes the host entirely and returns to the pews. In the distribution of Communion, it is not permitted for the communicant to take the host shown by the priest with his or her fingers.
"12. As mentioned in this Directory, n. 4, the communicant who wishes to receive the Sacrament on the tongue stands before the priest with hands joined. The priest raises the host slightly and shows it to the communicant saying: ‘The Body of Christ.’ The use of the communion-plate, held by a minister under the communicant’s mouth should be retained, so as to avoid the danger of the sacred host or some fragment of it falling. The communicant responds: ‘Amen’ and receives the host on the tongue. Then moving aside to make room for the next person, the communicant consumes the host entirely and returns to the pews."
This document is very clear insofar as it recommends a common posture of standing but underlines that it is illicit to deny Communion to someone who prefers to kneel. It also offers total freedom as to the manner of receiving Communion. The possibility of receiving on the tongue was temporarily suspended during the COVID pandemic, but the situation has since been normalized.
It would seem that there are some priests in the country who defy these clear rules based on their personal opinions and consequentially refuse communion to those who kneel and/or desire to receive on the tongue. This is not good from a pastoral point of view, and one cannot defend nor justify a manifest violation of liturgical law and the rights of the faithful.
However, it is incumbent on each bishop to take the necessary measures to ensure that the rights of the faithful are upheld in his diocese.
* * *
Readers may send questions to zenit.liturgy@gmail.com. Please put the word "Liturgy" in the subject field. The text should include your initials, your city and your state, province or country. Father McNamara can only answer a small selection of the great number of questions that arrive.