Providing a Prie-Dieu for Holy Communion

Fr Michael Brown at Forest Murmurs has provided a Prie-Dieu for his communicants. The kneeler is put out after the sign of peace so that if anybody wishes to kneel for Holy Communion, they may do so more easily. Readers may remember that I reported in June on the new instruction that is to be included in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal in England and Wales which definitively allows that commnuicants may choose to receive Communion while kneeling. This has not been explicitly stated before, so it is good for a priest to provide a suitable means for people exercise this option which is now definitively legitimate. Obviously altar rails would be better, but it is not possible for all Churches to provide these immediately, so a Prie-Dieu is a good idea.

Fr Briggs at Chislehurst (right) has implemented the same pastoral measure, though he tells me that in his Church they will be using the Prie-Dieu that belonged to the Empress Eugenie.

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